I don't mean to make light of addiction, but I do think that admitting to loving Disney is something that's looked down upon among my liberal, well-educated, middle-class contemporaries. I know the negatives. Walt Disney had his skeletons. As a company Disney treats their employees poorly and is guilty of valuing profits sometimes to the detriment of imagination and innovation. Still, Disney is capable of creating experiences that celebrate creativity and imagination in a way that is exciting and comforting at the same time.
In his famous dedication of Disneyland, Walt Disney said, "Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future." It is that heady mix of nostalgia and hope for the future that not only unites families in the Disney experience, but creates a level of enjoyment that is difficult to parallel.
Last October I visited Disneyland for the first time in 13 years and I am already jonesing for another Disney vacation. It's a completely indulgent, escapist sort of experience - the Disney vacation. Part of me disdains that I enjoy it so much - the music, the forced perspective buildings, the detailed "imagineering" of nearly every inch, every sensation and experience. But I'll leave the real globe-trotting to the more adventurous. I am the type of person who goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing every time and enjoys every last predictable morsel. I have a favorite dish, a favorite drink, a favorite dessert. I read my favorite books once a year. I would go to Europe for the art museums, but for a real vacation give me Disney. Give me 8 days of exhilirating, exhausting, milking-every-minute, pure sugary enjoyment. Give me something so perfect that going back to everyday life is a little depressing. It's worth it. If only I could afford to go twice a year ;-)
Today, though, I got a mini Disney vacation. I had the pleasure of
Seeing Meet the Robinsons in "Disney Digital 3D." I am a terrible movie
critic. I love what I love, I hate what I hate, and there's plenty in
the middle that I find entertaining enough to watch. The movie itself
is actually really great. It has a brilliant kid (who also happens to
be an orphan), time-travel, an archetypal bumbling villain and great
gags.
What really made this movie enjoyable was the 3-D. This isn't like amusement park 20 minute 3-D movies. This is immersive, experiential 3-D. It makes the characters live, and the action feel close rather than the momentary thrills of those shorter films. Nostalgic touches included classic Tomorrowland references (including the People Mover) and an original
stereovision Donald Duck short shown as the opening act. By contrast the movie's core message is "Keep Moving Forward" - shape your future with your actions and attitude and don't be afraid to try and fail. That Nostalgia + Hope, teamed with a great movie score, the 3D "imagineered" experience, a theatre packed with kids and families, and even the wait in line beforehand created a truly house-of-mouse experience for me.