<![CDATA[Visions Fantastic - Founder's Corner]]> http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/ Chris brings you the latest happenings and new features coming to VF! en Sun, 19 May 2013 23:39:38 GMT vBulletin 1440 http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/images/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Visions Fantastic - Founder's Corner]]> http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/ Holiday Dispatch http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/33006-Holiday-Dispatch?goto=newpost Sat, 24 Nov 2012 23:56:52 GMT Getting back from Disneyland two weeks ago for a quick trip, it's wonderful to see all the new things at the park for the Holiday season. Because I forgot my camera at home, all of these photos were taken by my daughter, Mary.



Beautiful Holiday Wreaths on Main Street USA



Cozy Cone Hotel get some fun cone-inspired decorations



Even Stanley got a Holiday Upgrade!



Disneyland's City Hall is decked out after a recent refurbishment



The fun lighting in the trees of Downtown Disney have returned.


Looking forward to hopefully getting back to the park early January - and I'll try to bring my camera this time! ]]> Chris Lang http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/33006-Holiday-Dispatch Has it been 7 years? 13 years? http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/32771-Has-it-been-7-years-13-years?goto=newpost Fri, 28 Sep 2012 23:50:06 GMT



It's hard to believe we just passed our 7th year (VF started in the Spring of 2004) and that we just celebrated our 7th Annual Scavenger Hunt! I've 'known' many of you for a number of years. Many "real world" friendships have developed and I consider many of you to be good friends. It's been THIRTEEN YEARS since I registered the domain name 'Disneylandsource.com"


VF has always been it's best when it brings fans together. When we began, our main focus was videos of attractions and shows at Disneyland. We expanded on that with the addition of a WDW section. Brett 'DaddyB' Garrett's photo updates chronicled what I believe have been Disneyland's best years. Beginning with the massive push to get the park ready for it's 50th, to the recent extensive remodel of Disney California Adventure. It's been a great time for the parks, and as many of us who visit on a regular basis, the parks have finally become the "Resort Destination" they were going for with the original expansion in 2001 (It just took them a little longer to fully realize that vision).

When I first started a website about Disneyland in 1999, this was two years before DCA would originally open. Construction had just barely gotten underway and it was a year before my daughter would be born. Disneyland was something different then. I'm not saying better or worse, just different and more connected with the Disneyland that I remember from my past. The expansion and the areas around the Resort are virtually unrecognizable except for a few things that remain (the Anaheim Convention Center, etc). Many of the older motels, shops and restaurants in the area were in the process of being torn down.

My wife and I spent our honeymoon at the Disneyland hotel in 1997. The Marina was still in place, along with the paddleboats, waterfalls and the remote controlled boats. The "Lost Bar" was a popular destination and we enjoyed a nice meal at Strombolis and Granville's steakhouse (now Steakhouse 55).

I miss the simplicity of it all - the feeling that we were experiencing something 'special' and it was something not a lot of people knew about. The parks were busy, but you could easily enjoy moments where it wasn't packed, you weren't having to think about your next Fastpass, planning your meals around the crowds. Your car was in a parking lot in front of the park that you would eventually return to that evening by way of a tram. The thought of leaving the park during the day was unthinkable - the idea of actually having an Annual Pass without actually living in L.A. was a silly notion.

Fast forward to 2012 and my daughter has just gotten up the courage to ride Tower of Terror, which was essentially dirt when she was born. I wish she could have experienced what Disneyland USED to be like. Where you made the most of your time there because your time there was so limited and it could conceivably be YEARS before you would return again.

Websites are different, too. When Youtube started up, we felt people would no longer have a reason to visit VF. When Facebook got going, people started sharing their Disneyland experiences in a different way. We all have fun "Checking in" at Disneyland and on our favorite rides, but the experience seems forced, and it's no longer our experience - I yearn for the days before we were told what to enjoy, what to experience first. When we wait in lines, we hop on our various devices and miss out on the experience of actually being in a Disney park. We have learned to loathe the lines and take every opportunity to avoid them. Between Fastpass, single rider (which even whole families participate in) it's fast becoming an experience simply for ourselves and perhaps our "Facebook audience" and not so much about the family and friends we bring with us. How many of us feel the need to go home and tell our families and friends about our experiences because they've already gotten the gist of our vacation through our status updates? We are essentially in a place with about 50,000 interested in the same thing we are, yet how many new friends do we actually ever meet in a Disney park?

VF is about a community of people who enjoy Disneyland. Politics, religion, race, culture, takes a back seat and we focus on our one thing we can all agree on. Because of this, several VF friends turn into our 'real life' friends. In some cases, romantic relationships are developed thru VF.

If you are a part of VF, you aren't the casual Disneyland connoisseur. You may live in the area, you may have an annual pass, you may live several hundred miles away but still make it your priority destination. It's still a special place for you, and we hope that VF cane keep it special for you.

So, next time you visit the park. Maybe consider going "commando". You visit the rides you want to without checking the wait times on the Disney Parks app. Foursquare doesn't need to know you're going on 'Its a Small World' for the 4th time. It's YOUR vacation - play accordingly.



]]> Chris Lang http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/32771-Has-it-been-7-years-13-years <![CDATA[Don't believe the critics.. DaddyB and Chris give Cars 2 Two Thumbs up!]]> http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/31031-Don-t-believe-the-critics-DaddyB-and-Chris-give-Cars-2-Two-Thumbs-up!?goto=newpost Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:54:55 GMT On Rottentomatoes.com, Cars 2 is currently sitting at 34%. Really? It's THAT bad? That score is reserved for the worst of the worst, right? It's getting hammered by the critics, but in my opinion, they are judging it on a scale where it simply doesn't belong. Cars 2 isn't 'Up' or 'Toy Story 3' in terms of emotional impact, but it's a fun movie for kids, especially young boys. Does it soar to the same heights as 'Wall-E'? No, of course it doesn't - it's not that kind of movie. It's a movie about a world populated by cars, with a bit of spy movie, racing and lots of explosions. Just because it doesn't kick you in the gut like 'Up' or has the charm of 'Ratatouille', doesn't make it a bad movie. Critics have associated (pigeonholed) Pixar with a certain brand of familiarity and when that formula is somehow changed up, it's automatically the death knell for a studio that has had 11 critical and commercial successes.




Nothing about the production screams "they went cheap on this one'. The attention to detail is mind boggling, and the textures, reflections and sheer wizardly involved in creating these photorealistic worlds is something you can only truly appreciate on the big screen.

When I saw the early reviews coming in, I was disheartened by what I read. I was further mystified at DaddyB's review which seemed in opposition to these reviews. Had DaddyB lost his mind? Had he been somehow suckered by the swag, free tickets and previous Mermaid/Star Tours/Pirates event that he felt Disney could do no wrong? Absolutely not.

Last night I saw Cars 2 at the local multiplex. I opted for a non-3D experience because I often find it distracting and wanted to enjoy the film on it's own merits without later missing the 3D effects when I watched the film at home. My daughter, 11, a big fan of the original, accompanied me.

The 'Hawaiian Vacation" short before the film is just wonderful - it's a nice closing to Toy Story 3 seeing the toys in their new world, which opens up all kinds of implications for another Toy Story film - they could easily keep the franchise going forever.

Cars 2 takes the animation of the first film to an entirely new level. Nobody would say "they went cheap" on the animation for this film. I saw this film in digital projection. The textures, attention to detail and the inventiveness of the animation is mind boggling and it will take repeat viewings to catch it all. This film is practically a primer for your blu-ray home theater system - the images are crisp and the movement is smooth. Complex action sequences are easy to follow and it's fun to catch the reflection of background elements on all of those hoods and bumpers. I was impressed with the greater complexity of the mouth movements, especially on Mater where it looks eerily lifelike and organic.

The plot has been covered in many reviews, but the plot (and story, believe it or not) are secondary here. You're here to have a good time with characters you're already familiar with. The original Cars was a nice introduction to these characters - that story didn't need to be told again and the sequel takes no time to get things moving, but still takes opportunities, almost on a subliminal level, to pull on your emotions.

There's a scene when Mater has an "accident" and leaks oil at an embarrassing moment. What would be a throw-away moment in any other film has resonance because there's a moment when you realize Mater isn't simpleminded because he's a tow truck - or because he grew up in a tiny town - Mater actually would be considered somebody with a disability and it's heart-wrenching to see the shame and disappointment in his eyes. Anyone who has been around children with special needs will be affected.

It's those moments that make Cars 2 a Pixar film and definitely not worthy of the negativity it's been getting. Go see it. It'll put a smile on your face and your kids will love it. ]]> Chris Lang http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/31031-Don-t-believe-the-critics-DaddyB-and-Chris-give-Cars-2-Two-Thumbs-up! Welcome to Articles and Columns on Visions Fantastic! http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/31012-Welcome-to-Articles-and-Columns-on-Visions-Fantastic!?goto=newpost Thu, 23 Jun 2011 06:11:39 GMT This is an all-new area where we will be featuring articles, reviews and tidbits from VF Staffers and our affiliates. You are free to comment on... This is an all-new area where we will be featuring articles, reviews and tidbits from VF Staffers and our affiliates. You are free to comment on articles or reviews using your regular VF account.

This is a great opportunity for our staff and affiliates to share the latest information with you! ]]> Chris Lang http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/showthread.php/31012-Welcome-to-Articles-and-Columns-on-Visions-Fantastic!