Nothing at Walt Disney Phrase is “only a journey.” Backstories exist for each attraction, land, restaurant, and lodge. They supply framework and context for the Imagineered particulars, and a great backstory can add one other layer to the visible storytelling. On this put up, I’ll listing my favourite backstories at Walt Disney World. (Up to date December 30, 2023.)
In truth, my emotions on Imagineering’s backstories are blended. There’s a high-quality line between backstory that enhances the substantive points of interest, and one that’s used to explain-away thematic inconsistencies. Some backstories are intelligent, spelling out what may very well be gleaned by an astute eye strolling by a given space of a park; different backstories are convoluted, going up to now past what’s current within the parks that they learn like a nasty fanfic.
Because of the web, Walt Disney World followers now obtain data on backstory for brand spanking new points of interest by way of official channels just like the Disney Parks Weblog, as Imagineers over-emphasize the significance of story in all the pieces they do. Taking part in a “story” consuming recreation with an Imagineer interview may have deadly penalties, however the actuality is that WDI has all the time created backstories to information their very own design choices and add depth–Pleasure Island’s backstory is probably probably the most well-known instance–we simply have simpler entry to those backstories than ever earlier than.
Whether or not a selected backstory “works” or not is subjective, and can differ for every visitor. For me, some elaborate backstories that border on contrived do work, whereas others fall flat. Loads comes all the way down to the substance of the place, and the way effectively that substance comports with the story. However, my listing is private, and I don’t anticipate everybody to agree with my decisions.
Earlier than we even begin with the listing, I’d like so as to add Tomorrowland as an honorable point out. Since a lot of its backstory has already light away and TRON Lightcycle Run is totally its personal factor, it doesn’t appear worthy of prolonged dialogue. Personally, I discovered the entire Avenue of Planets and Intergalactic Conference Heart angle actually cool, and a intelligent ‘area fantasy’ spin to placed on the land. If I had been scripting this listing within the mid-90s, Tomorrowland would’ve been close to the highest of it. Now, it’s form of in limbo–technically not extinct, however probably not alive, both.
With that mentioned, listed below are my present decisions for the most effective backstories at Walt Disney World…
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – I’m reluctant to incorporate any points of interest or lands based mostly on movie franchises, as these are largely simply extensions of the lore already established of their respective motion pictures with slight tweaks to adapt for theme park settings. Nevertheless, I wish to make a few exceptions, the primary of which being for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
This weblog has praised Imagineering for taking the danger to make the land a definite place, relatively than a catch-all mental property land. It’s a novel location that matches inside the present universe and performs by its guidelines, which was a dangerous method. Nevertheless, we’ve additionally criticized simply how limiting that is in stopping Galaxy’s Edge from welcoming extra tales and characters. (See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Must Break the Guidelines.)
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is ready on the distant planet of Batuu, positioned across the borders of the Outer Rim and Wild House, someday within the one-year hole between the occasions of The Final Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. (That’s a short window!) Batuu is dwelling to Black Spire Outpost, which is an notorious cease for smugglers and rogues…and a village that point has sorta handed by.
Unsurprisingly, each the Resistance and the First Order have presences on reverse ends of Batuu. Along with that, Hondo Ohnaka has arrange store with Ohnaka Transport Options, a smuggling operation that ‘borrows’ the Millennium Falcon. There’s in some way a ton taking place in a comparatively small area of Batuu and never practically sufficient.
No matter how you’re feeling concerning the land and its timeline, the backstory is powerful and it was an bold storytelling determination. There are a whole lot of cases of backstory getting used as a crutch to paper over shortcomings, however not in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The substance of the land is much more bold–if something, it’s constrained an excessive amount of by the lore.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Sure, one other film one however achieved in a really completely different means. Cosmic Rewind makes this listing as a result of it managed to do the not possible by taking “Peter Quill visited EPCOT!” (the unique clarification for why the attraction match Future World) and reworking it from a punchline to one thing that, in some way and towards all odds, truly labored.
In so doing, the Imagineers turned Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind right into a love letter of types to the EPCOT Heart that now not exists. With that mentioned, this can be a very completely different sort of backstory. As the previous Future World exists in modern America, so too does this attraction. The backstory accomplishes hassle its personal worldbuilding and a bridge from the universe of the Guardians of the Galaxy to present-day Florida. So there’s a way of self-awareness consequently.
To perform this, Walt Disney World has dubbed this the primary “Different-World Showcase” pavilion at EPCOT. Xandarians traveled from their homeworld within the Andromeda Galaxy to Earth (“Terra”) to create the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, inviting EPCOT company to be taught extra about their folks and their superior applied sciences. This encompasses a big portion of the conventional queue, with the build-up occurring in three distinct areas earlier than the journey itself begins.
The storytelling of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind shouldn’t work effectively given all the pieces it has to juggle–nevertheless it does. Despite the fact that it’s not standard backstory, now we have to present kudos to Imagineering right here for doing what we thought was not possible.
Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad – The straightforward and basic model of the Huge Thunder backstory is that gold was found within the late 1800s, and in a single day the small mining city of Tumbleweed began thriving. That’s, till greed bought the higher of it, and the mining that desecrated the sacred web site induced a tragic flash flood, wiping out operations. Later, the locomotives had been discovered racing across the mountain on their very own, and the Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad was based to supply rides on the possessed trains.
In keeping with the improved backstory added a couple of decade in the past as a part of the interactive queue: Barnabas T. Bullion is the founder and president of the Huge Thunder Mining Firm. The longtime mining magnate comes from a strong East Coast household and considers gold to be his very birthright by advantage of his oddly applicable identify; in actual fact, he considers the final word gold strike to be his future. And that’s the reason he’s having a lot bother with Huge Thunder Mountain.
In keeping with superstitious locals, Huge Thunder Mountain could be very protecting of the gold it holds inside, and the unlucky soul who makes an attempt to mine its riches is destined to fail. And up to now that prophecy is coming to go. The mine has been stricken by mysterious forces and pure disasters ever since. And but the Huge Thunder Mining Co. remains to be in operation. In reality, Bullion is discovering new veins of gold and digging new shafts on daily basis, providing a more in-depth have a look at the Huge Thunder mining operation than ever earlier than. However a phrase to the sensible for anybody making an attempt to go to the mountain: be careful for runaway trains.
Jungle Cruise/Skipper Canteen – Much like Huge Thunder, Jungle Cruise not too long ago bought the ‘expanded backstory’ therapy, which was years within the making following the opening of Skipper Canteen and different eating areas. This may very well be a multi-thousand phrase put up simply concerning the Jungle Navigation Firm backstory, however in a nutshell, it was based by the Falls household and have become what it’s in the present day due to Alberta Falls who reworked the corporate right into a tourism operation.
Extra backstory across the Falls household has been fleshed out due to the addition of Skipper Canteen and up to date reimagining of Jungle Cruise. This added a whole lot of lore to the attraction, most of which is tough to establish from the attraction itself. A lot of it was printed on-line, together with a 1938 concern of The Day by day Gnus about Alberta Falls and the World-Well-known Jungle Cruise that introduces plenty of new characters.
Imagineering has additionally been bolstering references between Adventureland and the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Skipper Canteen and Jungle Cruise are the primary issues at Walt Disney World to essentially embrace S.E.A., which is a secret society of fictional and real-life explorers that started at Tokyo DisneySea 20 years in the past and has grown right into a shared universe of characters and story factors that has unfold all around the world. The subsequent cease is a Society of Explorers and Adventurers present that’s coming to Disney+ as the primary venture for the Magic Kingdom Universe.
Expedition Everest – What I actually like concerning the backstory of Expedition Everest is that there’s the easy story that the majority company will be capable of verify from the richly detailed queue. That is mainly that Himalayan Escapes – Excursions and Expeditions provides riders with the possibility to take a prepare journey up the Forbidden Mountain, and provides perception into the revered Yeti, protector of the mountain.
The extra nuanced backstory, which might be gleaned from round Asia, is that the buildings now occupied by Himalayan Escapes had been beforehand the headquarters for Royal Anandapur Tea Firm. The world across the mountain was as soon as a tea plantation (crops are nonetheless seen on the base of the mountain) full with steam trains to move the product to close by Anandapur. That’s, till it was all mysteriously closed and deserted.
Expedition Everest’s backstory works effectively for me as a result of it’s logical to the attraction, bits of will probably be picked up by even informal company, and each layers of the story are strengthened by concrete particulars within the attraction. Information of this backstory enhances the general attraction of the attraction, however–crucially–the backstory shouldn’t be required for having fun with the expertise.
Storm Lagoon – It is a backstory that begins with a easy premise: a livid storm swept throughout the ocean, devastating Placid Palms Resort. From that place to begin, different particulars abound. The story additional defined how the resort had been constructed within the shadow of an incredible volcanic mountain, how numerous boats and creatures had washed up on the resort, and even the arrival of the later-added mascot named Lagoona Gator.
Each of the water parks rank extremely for an additional cause: they’re cohesive. Whereas each different park at Walt Disney World has (justifiably) made numerous thematic concessions in mild of operational realities, the water parks have modified little since opening, and thus stay thematically unspoiled. That is why we implore each Disney fan to go to the water parks–they characterize a pinnacle of Imagineering which are means too usually missed.
Haunted Mansion – Greater than another attraction, that is the one with probably the most controversial backstory. That’s as a result of, not like nearly all the pieces else, Haunted Mansion’s backstories (plural) had been all crafted after the actual fact. To my data, no single, overarching backstory existed throughout or instantly after the unique development of Haunted Mansion (at Disneyland).
Nevertheless, provided that a number of of the vignettes current in Haunted Mansion’s scenes comply with a unfastened narrative construction, some semblances of backstory have lengthy been inferred, even by the attraction’s designers. Through the years, numerous backstory components have been ‘ratified’ by Disney, as they’ve been featured in books, comics, and even merchandise. Most not too long ago, this occurred once more with the brand new film and addition of Hatbox Ghost in an early act of the journey.
Haunted Mansion ranks extremely for me not due to any single backstory that has since been added. Moderately, as a result of the attraction is so evocative that it may give rise to myriad backstories, a lot of which may “work” for the attraction, even when they had been by no means supposed.
Port Orleans – The one resort that lots of people are in all probability going to consider is Wilderness Lodge, however that backstory is a bit a lot for my tastes. For me, Wilderness Lodge is simply too harking back to precise Nationwide Parks Lodges, and it’s arduous for me to get previous that and purchase into the backstory. I discover Wilderness Lodge’s backstory to be superfluous, and it’s tough for me to droop disbelief when there are such clear-cut actual world design influences. (That might very effectively simply be me, although.)
Port Orleans (and Dixie Landings) in all probability have the longest backstory of any Walt Disney World resorts, which has been conveyed through the years by way of the Sassagoula Sentinel newspaper. What I feel works higher about this backstory is that the Port Orleans resorts is that they’re conceptually extra of a clean slate. Positive, they’re themed to the Antebellum South and New Orleans, however each are pretty open-ended ideas. Riverside has a spread of properties represented, from rustic bayou lodges to grand mansions.
Blizzard Seashore – “One balmy day, a freak winter storm developed over the western finish of the Walt Disney World Resort and lined the realm with a thick blanket of powdery white snow. Earlier than you might say ‘sizzling cocoa,’ plans had been underway for Florida’s first ski resort.”
That’s the opening paragraph of a reasonably lengthy official backstory, nevertheless it’s all it is advisable know. It’s additionally a narrative that’s patently apparent to anybody who walks by Blizzard Seashore, and is seamlessly strengthened all through the park. Not solely is that this backstory easy, nevertheless it’s a novel and intelligent conceit for a water park.
Tower of Terror – This one is attention-grabbing as a result of the backstory is cleverly introduced to all company, not in a means that beats anybody over the pinnacle with story, however that deftly offers a foreboding introduction and narrative framework by Rod Serling. By way of a misplaced episode of “The Twilight Zone,” the attraction tells the story of what occurred on one fateful evening that modified the Hollywood Tower Lodge without end.
It explains how the lodge opened in 1928 and have become a “star in its personal proper–a beacon for the present enterprise elite.” There’s additionally the basic ‘one thing has gone improper’ second when lightning strikes an elevator carrying 5 company who mysteriously vanish, altering the destiny of this once-great lodge.
If I may expertise one attraction once more for the primary time, it will be Tower of Terror. I’ve been doing this attraction for so long as I can bear in mind, and don’t even recall my first journey. I might think about that the primary time seeing the pre-show entails one thing of an ‘a-ha’ second, with a few of the inferences you might make whereas approaching the Hollywood Tower Lodge, by its gardens, and into its foyer being immediately confirmed. Simply as a lot as that a-ha second, I’d wish to instantly take a second journey to see how the pre-show supplied context and opened my eyes to new particulars all through the outside and inside queue.
Dishonorable Point out: Dino-Rama – That is my least favourite backstory in all of Walt Disney World. After I die, I need my tombstone to learn, “Tom Actually Hated All the things About Dino-Rama. ALL of It.” Nothing intelligent, as a result of I wish to be unmistakably clear that I hated this rubbish “land” with a ardour, and felt it had zero redeeming qualities. That is mandatory as a result of each time I deliver up Dino-Rama’s sucktacularness, there’s invariably a remark alongside the strains of, “I used to suppose the identical factor till I found the actually intelligent backstory!”
Let me put this into perspective. Think about the highly-implausible state of affairs during which I forgot Sarah’s birthday; no present, no card, no dinner–nothing. Realizing this on the final minute, I provide you with a “actually intelligent” story about how I’m an incredible husband, and have this spectacular thought for what we’re going to do. After rambling on about this for an hour or so, I finish the story with “uh oh, one thing has gone terribly improper and we will’t do that. Right here’s a grimy sock as an alternative. Joyful birthday!”
Do you suppose Sarah could be glad with my story and sock, or say, “[expletives deleted], you forgot my birthday?! Method to go, chowderhead!” (Sure, Sarah truly makes use of old-timey sailor phrases like chowderhead, and swears like one, too.) Whereas I’ll by no means discover out what she’d do as a result of I’m not a birthday-forgetting monster, Sarah additionally hates Dino-Rama, so I’ve a fairly good thought how she’d react.
Dino-Rama is just like the birthday-forgetting vital different of theme park lands. The land provides nothing of redeeming substantive worth, however talks a great recreation. Theme park backstory solely succeeds to the extent that it’s enhancing one thing worthwhile, making you care much more about one thing you already love. Dino-Rama’s backstory is lipstick on a pig. And never a cute piglet. A imply ornery grownup that’ll chew you. Dino-Rama’s backstory tries to dupe you into pondering a bunch of cheesy carnival rides are literally good.
Sadly, it has been “profitable” with means too many Disney followers. Past that, this displays a pervasive downside in fandom: diehard lovers need obstacles to entry to make the fabric incomprehensible to informal audiences. They wish to be “within the know” or have deciphering content material be a problem, with there being some misplaced notion that it earns them avenue cred or some nonsense.
I’m fairly happy with myself for understanding ~90% of Tenet on my first viewing, however I shouldn’t have needed to activate closed captioning or learn two articles to make full sense of it. The opposite factor is, esoteric storytelling in a theme park–a largely visible medium the place most company are rapidly passing by–shouldn’t be objectively fascinating or good.
The underside line is that any story that’s misplaced on the overwhelming majority of the viewers is a failure at a elementary and foundational stage. The entire goal of a narrative is to be communicated; failure at that makes it no higher than a automotive that gained’t run. However hey, if the backstory actually is the most effective factor about this land, it’ll be no loss when Dino-Rama is bulldozed for Tropical Americas, as that good backstory will nonetheless be written down someplace!
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Your Ideas
Which Walt Disney World backstories are your favorites? Least favorites? Do you agree or disagree with my decisions? Regardless of my pleas, are you a fan of Dino-Rama? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
