This insightful article first appeared in the New York Times, which requires registration. This version does not:

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/200802...Keep_Us_Amused_

First third of the article is interesting and looks at the financial condition of Disney as a whole and also talks briefly about others in the Theme park business and things they need to do to be more interesting. What I thought was very interesting is that Disney is ripping out some oh-hum carnival workhorses to be more up with guests expectations. Seeing how KI may be reverting back to an old time American Amusement Park,I liked this quote;

To address shifting tastes, the broader amusement park industry will have to rewrite its operating rules, said Jerry Aldrich, the founder of Amusement Industry Consulting. “Disney is already there, but a lot of parks are just waking up to this,” he said.

**** Now for those who like dark rides and want a glimpse into what’s new in the dark ride industry and the interaction the guests will get when Toy Story Mania opens or those who would like to get a glimpse of how Disney imaginers came up and developed the ride the bottom two thirds of this article is a must for you.

Good article. I've been to California Adventure and thought it was just fine the way it was. But if Disney wants to make it better, power to them.

You can check out the original NY Times article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business...amp;oref=slogin

It's worth the free registration since the NYT site includes a time lapse video of the construction of Toy Story Mania and there's a pretty nice photo of the Mr. Potato Head audio-anamatronic.

or even better...if you use this link you do not have to register...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business...nyt&emc=rss

I think this quote from the article really sums up why Disney is the master of media synergy...this is something that Paramount/Viacom/CBS never really seemed to understand, or if they understood it, for some reason could never quite pull together:

To make certain that Toy Story Mania is a hit — part of a strategic effort to keep mining revenue from the 13-year-old “Toy Story” franchise — Disney is pulling every lever in its vast arsenal.

Pixar, the Disney-owned studio working on “Toy Story 3” for a 2010 release, contributed animation and general creative advice. Disney VR Studios, the company’s video game unit, customized software, while the parks and resorts unit handled the heavy lifting of design and construction. The media networks division, which includes ABC, will help publicize the ride once it opens — along with hundreds of other promotional partners.

“We have an incredible number of engines at this company, and every one is firing around this franchise,” Mr. Rasulo said.