Dearborn MI Disneyland Exhibit

[Martha7]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the detailed information! I may go ahead and buy the family membership, since you've confirmed that we'll most likely need at least two days to see the museum and Disney exhibit, and Greenfield Village. Since we're going to have to cancel our December WDW trip, I thought that this might be a fun activity over the winter break!

 

[westjones]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the detailed information! I may go ahead and buy the family membership, since you've confirmed that we'll most likely need at least two days to see the museum and Disney exhibit, and Greenfield Village. Since we're going to have to cancel our December WDW trip, I thought that this might be a fun activity over the winter break!

Starting in November they are going to be showing the Polar Express in 3D in the IMAX theater! I think they will be cool! I checked, and it is also going to be showing at the IMAX in Indianapolis, so we may try to catch it there, but if you are going around the holidays, you may want to catch that too.

If you know for sure you want to buy a family pass, you may want to order it online. It is on sale for $10 off, but they wouldn't give me that price when I got there. I didn't want to buy ahead of time because I wanted to see what the weather was like before we went. If it had been rainy and cold we were going to wait. So that is something to consider.

Have a great trip!
DJ

 

[GrimGhost]

I just got back from the conference. I sat right behind Marty Sklar and Tom Fitzgerald. It was amazing. I got my picture taken with both of them as well as autographs. Inside the exhibit program Tom Fitzgerald penned the phrase 'If you can dream it--you can do it" I am truly blown away right now. The best speakers were clearly Marty and Tom, Karal Ann Marling was great also. Great event!!!

 

[TiggerFreak]

What did you think about the synergy between the characters(non-face) in the parks and the technologies used in Turtle Talk/Lucky The Dinosaur that Tom alluded to?
Some very exciting possibilities.
Can you imagine carrying on a conversation with The Mouse?
Goofy?
Donald!!!
I'm speechless at the thought!

 

[GrimGhost]

What did you think about the synergy between the characters(non-face) in the parks and the technologies used in Turtle Talk/Lucky The Dinosaur that Tom alluded to?
Some very exciting possibilities.
Can you imagine carrying on a conversation with The Mouse?
Goofy?
Donald!!!
I'm speechless at the thought!

Good point. I was encouraged by Tom stating that it would not be all interactivity but a "Mix" of types of attractions.

 

[tjkraz]

We just got back about an hour ago. Sorry I didn't make plans to meet up with you, Patrick. Somehow I missed your comments that you were going!!!

I'll agree with all the comments about what a wonderful event it was. The only disappointment was the final speaker of the morning who, IMO, was just a total disaster. Nothing like outright admitting to your audience that you weren't properly prepared!!

During the time allotted for attendees to actually tour the exhibit, Marty Sklar was signing copies of a book called "A Brush with Disney", which highlights the career work of former Imagineer Herb Ryman.

Despite the fact that the signing session had already run long and there were probably 20 more people in the line behind us, Marty, in a very quiet voice, said to me and my wife "I have to tell you a story about one of the pieces in here."

We spent the next 5-6 minutes--just the two of us--huddled over the table as he told us about "Herbie's" efforts to give his (Marty's) daughter just the right graduation gift. Marty even flipped through the book until he found the painting in question, so that we really understood the story.

Marty could have simply signed the book, flashed us a smile, and we'd have been thrilled. Instead he took 5 minutes and gave us a memory we will cherish forever. Now THAT is Disney magic.

 

[disneyholic family]

regarding family memberships....i don't know how anyone living in the general area doesn't have one...
it's a great place....
when we lived in suburban detroit we got one every year.......when my kids were little that was one of our regular outings....mainly to the village, since that was their favorite thing (and riding on the carousel and train)..
we also were members at the detroit zoo, another great place that people don't seem to know about...oh....and the cranbrook institute of science is another great place that offers a family membership....

once you have a family membership you don't feel badly about just popping in for an hour or two, which is often the maximum amount of time kids are willing to be any place...

unfortunately we no longer live in metro detroit (or the US for that matter), so we don't get to enjoy the Henry Ford and the zoo and the science institute(though we did go this past september when were were visiting the family)...

 

[GrimGhost]

That's ok Tim, I was looking at all the name tags I could. What a great story about Marty. I know what you mean about the second speaker--it was putting people to sleep or atleast making people uncomfortable that she was somewhat clueless.

 

[SSB]

Was anyone else kind of dissapointed with the event?

Fitzgerald's presentation was great at the end. Mr. Sklar was also great - it's hard to miss an opportunity to hear someone with his insight into all things Disney.

But the other folks - especially the ladies in the morning - with all due respect were not very good. Their presentations were boring, their delivery was dry and lifeless. I thought maybe it was just me but beyond wathing the large number of people that left mid-speech there were a lot of people that I saw napping.

Maybe I just set the bar too high because it was Disney - but I was amazed at how much of the day took great material and a great subject and made it rather mind numbing.

Was it just me - am I being to harsh, or was it a bit of a let down for anyone else?

 

[tjkraz]

Was it just me - am I being to harsh, or was it a bit of a let down for anyone else?

Actually, I had the opposite reaction. Going in, I was fearful that it would be a bit dry and uninteresting. The description of the event makes it pretty clear that their intended audience includes "...historians, architects, design professionals and other practitioners as well as students."

I wasn't expecting a virtual "Keys to the Kingdom" tour.

Regarding the indiviudal speakers, yes one was awful and another was a bit dull. Tom Fitzgerald was sharp and entertaining, but I actually felt that his presentation was the most out of place. I expected his comments to be more historical in nature, or to discuss how things work at Imagineering. Instead it felt like a sales presentation for all of the theme park attractions opened in the last 2 years. No question he was enjoyable, but the presentation just didn't seem to fit with the other speakers.

 

[mla973]

Event photo:

DH and I with Marty Sklar

We drove 2+ hours to the event. I felt that one speaker was rather dull (and working for an architecture firm, thought I would find her talk very interesting). I was more disappointed with the actual exhibit. Nothing was that truly interactive, and I am very glad I did not make the drive just to see the exhibit. Maybe it's just that a lot of the information was repetitive from what I have seen (former cast member at WDW) and read about Walt. We breezed through in about 30 minutes.

It was great to see/meet Marty. Speaking with someone who actually worked with Walt was quite amazing to me. I did feel Tom's presentation was a bit "sales-like" but enjoyed it regardless.

Not having ever actually been to Disneyland, I would rate is an overall 8 out of 10. I'm always amazed at how many out there are interested in the Disney magic.

 

[tjkraz]

I posted a lengthy report here for anyone interested in reading it:

http://www.dvcboards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=570