The Beauty of Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe

Let me start out by saying that when I use the term "beauty" to describe Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, I'm not really talking about aesthetics. That's not to say it's not a nice looking quick service restaurant, because I honestly think it is. No, when I talk about "the beauty" of Cosmic Ray's, I am talking about its idealism.

I'm not going wax philosophical or anything like that but, I like what Cosmic Ray's and the "lounge lizard", Sonny Eclipse, represent. To me, this restaurant stands for something that I hope is not dying off in Walt Disney World: original theming and attractions. I'm sure that this quick service restaurant's theming--and Sonny Eclipse himself--owe a great deal to sci-fi movies and books (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, perhaps?) but still, this restaurant is not based directly on a Disney movie, or any movie for that matter.

Now, there's nothing wrong with basing attractions and restaurants on existing IP's (intellectual properties). One great example is the Be Our Guest restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. That restaurant is absolutely beautiful and I was really blown away by the attention to detail that was in every nook and cranny.

But looking at one of my earlier posts which focused on The Tower of Terror, I am reminded of how good and authentic an attraction can feel without being based on a movie. The Imagineers have an awesome history of creating unique experiences that don't need to emulate a movie and I'd really love to see this continue. However, given the fact that Disney is already working on an Avatar land in the Animal Kingdom and Star Wars land and Toy Story land at Hollywood Studios, I'm afraid the trend of original-themed restaurants or rides at Walt Disney World might be a thing of the past.

I can't really blame Disney if they go completely for movie-based rides and attractions. After all, they spend literally billions of dollars on the Star Wars franchise so it really won't be a surprise if they mine the Star Wars universe for an endless amount of attractions. Disney's Hollywood Studios may end up turning completely into a Star Wars/Pixar theme park and I'm sure each and every one of those attractions would contain the same level of detail that I have grown to love at Disney. 

But here's the thing: when an attraction is based on an existing IP, people go into it with certain expectations. They know what a character's voice should sound like. They know how the music should sound. They know what the setting should look like. A well done, completely original attraction does not open with any of those pre-conceived expectations so, if it's good (like The Tower of Terror) it stands on its own. It doesn't need the muscle of Star Wars, Pixar, or Marvel to back it up.

But business is business and, in order to stay relevant, I just can't see Disney investing a lot of time and effort into restaurants and attractions that don't already have a huge audience.

Hang in there Sonny Eclipse! Don't ever let the Mos Eisley Cantina Band take your place!!

What are your favorite original Walt Disney World attractions/restaurants?

Also... 40 days to Disney!!

The Hollywood Tower Hotel (also: 55 Days to Disney)

The Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I have a special place in my heart for this attraction and it doesn't really have too much to do with the actual elevator "thrill-ride" element of this attraction.

I love The Tower of Terror for one main reason: theming.

When I step into the area surrounding The Tower of Terror, the first thing I notice right away is the music. It echoes in and around the attraction and it has an eery, yet beautiful, echo-ey quality to it. It really sounds as if someone left a radio playing in an old abandoned hotel lobby. The lyrics to the song themselves fit the mood perfectly. "We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn is, for me, the quintessential soundtrack for the attraction. The mood of the song is almost forlorn, yet hopeful, and the notes are held out just long enough to fit the ethereal mood that permeates the entire "hotel".

But, it's not just the music. It's also the hotel itself. The lobby, of course, is the centerpiece of the attraction. Cobwebs are on everything and it really looks like everyone sort of just suddenly abandoned the hotel for good. But, then there's the queue line which comes complete with an old, decorative fountain that has fallen into disrepair after 60+ years of neglect.

Disney really knows how to do theming for their attractions. It's that attention to detail that always amazes me. But at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios, they really just nail it.

Can't wait to see this amazing attraction in about 55 days. 

Until then, "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when..."

The Hollywood Tower Hotel (a.k.a. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror):

That awesome area music that I really do just absolutely love: