Disney and retrofuturisme and 'punk elements

Hilde

I know a lot of you are probably going to roll your eyes at me, but please bare with me.

I know Disney is probably one of the last things you'd expect it from, but I think they've done some seriously cool things that are retrofuturism, futurepunk, cyberpunk and even steampunk (they've build an entire steampunk island in Tokyo Disney Sea called Mysterious Island).

I've only been to Disneyland Resort Paris, so I can only show pics from that I'm afraid.

These are from Discoveryland:



Statue at the entrance of Discoveryland.



Orbitron: Flying Machines



Sign with the menu for Café Hyperion

And now: the Hyperion, which they so need to make a miniature off so I can buy it and hang it in my house haha.





Café Hyperion/Vidéopolis

It's not just a café, they've got this huge dining room inside a stage on the right side where they put up a show a couple of times a day. There's also two big screens next to the stage (one on each side) so people can follow the stage from the dining room. When the show isn't on they play classic Disney cartoons on there. (and that is the end of my random info).



Space Mountain: Mission 2



Notice the cool lampstand

I have no photos of the 50ties style cars, nor of the Nautilus, but I shall remedy that next week on Thursday and I'll be sure to share the pics with you. Even if you're not a Disney fan, you'll love the Nautilus, it looks like it's walked away straight out of Verne's novel.

Ottens

Disney is definitely a great source for retro-futuristic goodness. It's been a while since I went to Euro-Disney--a little over ten years ago in fact. They had just finished Space Mountain back then, but we were too young to get in. Of course, I believed the rocket would actually be shot into space, so you might understand my reluctance at the time to enter the thing....

I don't think the Hyperion was there at the time, but that looks absolutely stunning! I had no idea they maintained that airship there! Perhaps I ought to revisit Euro-Disney some time soon.

Ottens

I found a lovely poster of the thing:



Now that looks like it could have been a perfect Jules Verne book cover!

Toby

The airship looks very steampunk, and also very French. I'd be hard pushed to say how, but I think French technology of that time has quite a distinct look.

Actually I think there is something inherently dieselpunk in Disney full stop. This is probably because Disneyworld/land seemed to become really famous in the 50s, and had that wholesome, all-American look that is fundamental to the nice shiny side of dieselpunk. (I suppose the other side is fascism and radiation). I was writing about an abandoned theme park recently, and it couldn’t help acquiring a 50’s look in my mind, even though it wasn’t Disney.

Hilde

Ottens wrote:

Disney is definitely a great source for retro-futuristic goodness. It's been a while since I went to Euro-Disney--a little over ten years ago in fact. They had just finished Space Mountain back then, but we were too young to get in. Of course, I believed the rocket would actually be shot into space, so you might understand my reluctance at the time to enter the thing....

I don't think the Hyperion was there at the time, but that looks absolutely stunning! I had no idea they maintained that airship there! Perhaps I ought to revisit Euro-Disney some time soon.

The Hyperion has been there since opening day
It's definitely my favorite thing in the entire park.

I'm definitely going to take more pics of it next Thursday!

Hilde

Ottens wrote:

I found a lovely poster of the thing:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/palaeogothica/Disney%20Posters/videopolisad2.jpg

Now that looks like it could have been a perfect Jules Verne book cover!

That poster is STUNNING Ottens!
Thank you so much for sharing it!

Hilde

Space Captain Toby wrote:

Actually I think there is something inherently dieselpunk in Disney full stop. This is probably because Disneyworld/land seemed to become really famous in the 50s, and had that wholesome, all-American look that is fundamental to the nice shiny side of dieselpunk. (I suppose the other side is fascism and radiation). I was writing about an abandoned theme park recently, and it couldn’t help acquiring a 50’s look in my mind, even though it wasn’t Disney.

I agree with you there. They also seem to refuse (and I think that's a positive thing) to let go of it. I can't speak for the other parks as I've not been there, but in the French parks they are really sticking to that entire turn of the century and steam/dieselpunk feel in many parts.

Think about Main Street USA which is entirely build like a high street from the Belle Epoque. Their Disneyland Hotel is in the Victorian style. And they have loads of oldtimers and sometimes even a horsedrawn streetcar on main street. Not to mention the _real_ steam driven train that goes around the park and the steam boat in Frontierland.

Ottens

I love that Mississippi river boat! I believe they have a special name for those ships, but I can't seem to remember it...

HildeKitten wrote:

The Hyperion has been there since opening day
It's definitely my favorite thing in the entire park.

I'm definitely going to take more pics of it next Thursday!

Why then it is a shame I didn't spot it when I was around. But please do provide us with more photographs!

Hilde

I will!

He's the side view of the boat:



I'll ask my dad later if he knows the term for those ships, he might do

Steiner

Paddle-Steamer?

I've been on that boat too when I was in Eurodisney, the old west bit was quite good, particularly the wild West show.

Jack

The Tomorrowland of the original Disneyland in California was recently renovated to change it from the "world of the future" it had tried to update several times since the park's opening back to a "world of the future from the past" more consistent with the original feel of Tomorrowland. I'll see if I can get some pictures for you.

(There is also, of course, the Indiana Jones ride and the Victorian-era feel of Adventureland, between the Haunted Mansion, New Orleans Square, and other attractions that evoke the post-civil-war to the turn of the century.)

Toby

Quite near where I live is Beconscott Model Village, a rather smaller tourist attraction (in both senses!). It was built in the '30s, but up to about 1980 it was periodically updated in accordance with architectural trends. In 1980 or so they decided that modern architecture was so bloody ugly they ought to pull it all down and take the village back to 1940 again. It now looks quite nice.

Hilde

You're absolutely right, that is what they're called!

Frontierland is excellent. A lot of the employees in Frontierland and Main Street wear quite steamy costumes too. Although I must say I do feel sorry for them in the heart of summer when they must be boiling in them!

Hilde

Jack wrote:

The Tomorrowland of the original Disneyland in California was recently renovated to change it from the "world of the future" it had tried to update several times since the park's opening back to a "world of the future from the past" more consistent with the original feel of Tomorrowland. I'll see if I can get some pictures for you.

(There is also, of course, the Indiana Jones ride and the Victorian-era feel of Adventureland, between the Haunted Mansion, New Orleans Square, and other attractions that evoke the post-civil-war to the turn of the century.)

Oh I'd LOVE to see photos, please do share them with us if you manage to take some!

Steiner

Whenever I went they were allways dressed up for Halloween I wasn't impressed.

Hilde

Oh I love Halloween in the Disney park. I always dress up for Halloween there too

Most cast members are in their usual garb though. But I must admit that the Halloween ones do stand out during the season.

Yaghish

The Hyperion looks like something by Jules Verne, I've seen it in the Jules Vernes House in Amiens, however the picture was too dark to put online.

Disney counts as a producer of Steampunk and similar movies, such as Treasure Planet. There are others, but I can't remember them because, indeed, you don't think of 'punk when Disney is mentioned.

Jack

As it turns out, my friend has already posted some images from her recent trip to Disneyland on her deviantArt account. These are linked with her permission:

Clockwork Rocket


Clockwork Orbit


She doesn't seem to have any pictures of the displays in the temple, but she does have a great shot of the interior painting and some other lovely pictures from the park. I'll see if she has those other photos available.

Hilde

Oh that's Orbitron: Flying Machines!
(well that's what ours is called, I don't know how they call the US version).
I LOVE that!
These photos are wonderful, thank you for your sharing them!

Hilde

Yaghish wrote:

The Hyperion looks like something by Jules Verne, I've seen it in the Jules Vernes House in Amiens, however the picture was too dark to put online.

Disney counts as a producer of Steampunk and similar movies, such as Treasure Planet. There are others, but I can't remember them because, indeed, you don't think of 'punk when Disney is mentioned.

I so want to visit the Jules Verne house in Amiens!
Disneyland Paris is very Verne, with their Nautilus walk-through attraction and their Zeppelin

I really wish we had pics of Tokyo Disney's Mysterious Island for this thread, that really is superbly steamy. They not only have a Nautilus but also an entire steampunk restaurant, stores and a really big walk-through ride based on Journey to the Center of the Earth (if I'm not mistaken).

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tds/english/7port/mysterious/atrc_map.html

Ottens

Why who would have thought the Japanese of all people, probably living in the most cyberpunk-ian country in the world, to maintain the most steampunk in their Disney park!

Jack wrote:

As it turns out, my friend has already posted some images from her recent trip to Disneyland on her deviantArt account. These are linked with her permission:

It seems your friend has quite some more imagery on display that ought to appeal to us! Some wonderful photos indeed!

Jack

She does quite a bit of steampunk jewelry and photography, but most of it seemed off-topic for this thread. She does have the pictures I wanted to show you of the displays inside the Indy ride, she just needs to upload them, so hopefully I will have them for you today.

Hilde

Typical the Japanese, always doing something we wouldn't expect. Aside from doing things we would expect of course haha

One day I shall visit Mysterious Island, and when I do, I shall take many a picture and share it with you all

Until then, it'll be pictures from Disneyland Paris.

Hilde

Pictures!

Autopia: the dinky little cars we were talking about earlier in this thread (yes I photographed them especially for you guys).





Orbitron: Machines Volantes











"Sign" at the entrance of Discoveryland.
Sometimes, although very seldomly, it rotates. I've only known it to do this once though, and that was when I took this picture.



Lamp



Discovery Arcade:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofsecrets/2561011541/in/set-72157605353124200

http://www.flickr.com/photos/houseofsecrets/2561009053/in/set-72157605353124200/

These two last pics are really best seen in a larger format, so I figured that putting up the links would be best

Ottens

Those cars are lovely! I'd never seen those--or at least, I can't remember seeing them. They're adorable!

The Orbitron is, of course, the finest steampunk contraption. Similar devices should be placed on every square throughout Europe. Same goes for that lovely lamp. Another Discoveryland-characteristic I hadn't picked up on before.

Thanks for sharing these photos. It makes me want to go to Disneyland again!

Hilde

They really did a marvelous job on Discoveryland and the Discovery Arcade.

Mind you, a lot of the cast members that work in Main Street USA wear wonderfully steam costumes too. Or at least they would if the outfits wouldn't be either very bright or candy coloured O_o

If you ever want to use anything of this for your website Ottens, you are more than welcome to. Just poke me and I'll give you the direct url so it doesn't eat your own webspace. Flickr is brilliant when it comes to hotlinking

Ottens

I'm not quite sure if photographs would be entirely appropriate amidst the artwork in my galleries, but I do think they beg for an entry on the front page!

One might not quite expect to find an awful lot of steampunk in Disneyland, but at least its resort in our part of the world, that is, in Paris, France, offers an impressive number of attractions that might be labeled “steampunk.”

This picture, of the Astro Orbitor in front of the Jules Verne-inspired Space Mountain, was shot just the other day by esteemed Smoking Lounge member, Miss HildeKitten, who shared with us photographs of her trip to Euro-Disney at the forums, as well as through her Flickr galleries.

Hilde

Awww *blushes*
Thank you so much Ottens, that's wonderful

*happy*

Hilde

Well I've taken a LOT more steampunk and dieselpunk photos during my last trip to Disneyland Paris. So I've decided to make a set on my flickr page, just for those photos

Click here if you want to see them

Ottens

Lovely! I'll be taking a closer look at the pictures once I'm done with this wiki-business

Hilde

And there is of course Mysterious Island in Tokyo Disney Sea, where they've build Vulcania, the Island from Verne's book (Mysterious Island)!