Cranium Command / The Making of Me--someone set me straight!

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Jan Wed 23, 2008 4:09 pm

i agree, leigh. i don't think it was all that dated. i think kids could still relate to it, and i think adults would still find it funny.

i think it's a shame the making of me is gone, too. that really wasn't dated because martin short's parents were from the past, etc, so it was dated for almost everyone there. i think it really told things tastefully. maybe that's not something a lot of parents want to go into, though, on their vacation.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Jan Fri 25, 2008 4:11 pm

js3901 wrote:But, it was reported on the forums (I'll look for the exact post) that the Wonders of Life pavillion is officially closed and removed from park maps.

Not everywhere. I wish I could remember where I saw it, but just a couple weeks ago, it was listed as "Open Seasonally" on either a sign or some park literature. Can't for the life of me remember where I read that, however. Maybe even something on one of those unbelievably annoying hotel channels that pad the television selection to help hide the fact that the choices are extremely limited.

Mr. Toad disappeared from the Magic Kingdom maps before the ride was even closed, and Disney is notoriously inconsistent about this kind of thing. 20,000 Leagues was also listed as "temporarily" closed for many years before they finally just paved over it.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Jan Fri 25, 2008 4:18 pm

well, captain schnemo, it still is listed on the website maps, too.

wishful thinking makes me want to believe there's a chance that it may be open now and then in the future...

but from what i've seen, i wouldn't be surprised if the attractions were gutted and gone

BuDz211 · Post by **BuDz211** » Jan Tue 29, 2008 8:51 pm

Seeing those pictures of the Food and Wine was so depressing for me. I used to love Wonders of Life. It was one of my favorite pavilions. I heard a Disney rumor that they were using the Body Wars simulator to test the new Star Tours movements. I guess Body Wars is permanently canned if this is true.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Jan Tue 29, 2008 10:14 pm

yes, i've heard that body wars is closed for good...even though disney hasn't made any official statement on it...

it's still listed as existing on disney's website, but they're bad about taking down closed attractions...

i don't even think wonders of life nor its attractions has any sponsors anymore (like metlife, etc)...

interesting about the new star stars movements!

Post by **horizons1** » Jan Wed 30, 2008 7:26 pm

Captain Schnemo wrote:Not everywhere. I wish I could remember where I saw it, but just a couple weeks ago, it was listed as "Open Seasonally" on either a sign or some park literature. Can't for the life of me remember where I read that, however.

I believe disneyworld.com still lists it as seasonal.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Jan Wed 30, 2008 10:01 pm

they do. i think, as others have pointed out, that disney is just behind in their updates? or perhaps they don't want to limit their options if they do need to utilize the attractions due to high crowds?

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Jan Thu 31, 2008 1:35 am

horizons1 wrote:I believe disneyworld.com still lists it as seasonal.

Hmm...it's quite possible that's where I saw it.

TheCheshireStitch wrote:or perhaps they don't want to limit their options if they do need to utilize the attractions due to high crowds?

Based on their track record, I think you'd have to call it deliberate deception. Even when attractions are falling apart, they'll list them as "temporarily" closed, probably so they don't have to admit that a chunk of prime real estate is essentially a junkyard in the middle of a park you paid 75 bucks to get into.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Jan Thu 31, 2008 1:46 am

good point, captain schnemo. that seems very likely. really makes the place seem much larger (as far as attractions go) than it really is.

that's kind of disappointing!

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 12:04 am

I always feel bad for the cast member(s) that have to stand at the entrance to the walkway to WoL and tell people they a) can't go up there and/or b) it's closed and then the company line as to why. That's gotta be a horrendously tedious shift to pull.

I was thinking about it some more and while I really loved Cranium Command, it <i>was</i> a little on the dated side. Ignoring the fashions and whatnot of the children in the movie, a lot of the actors/characters used were sort of late 80s/early 90s things. I'm specifically thinking Hans and Franz as the heart (they will pump you up!), but to some extent most of them were older (now) SNL people that a lot of people probably don't recognize anymore. I think even the track of the attraction on here, at the beginning, has people debating where the characters are from (and noting that George Wendt wasn't on SNL

). I don't know that it hurt the attraction, per se, because it wasn't -only- funny because you knew where the characters came from, but it did date it a bit. (Not unlike what I thought of the new Canada movie - or will think of it in 25 years, but that's a different story).

I'd be surprised if they canned the pavillion because the attractions were showing their age, however. I think it's probably entirely down to sponsorship (how many years ago did MetLife drop out?) and the fact the place was very rarely busy. At the same time, I'd also be surprised if it ever entirely disappeared from maps or being listed as seasonally closed until they decide officially what they're going to do with the space ... although they did that with the Millenium pavillion, didn't they? Does that ever show on maps anymore?

cap396 · Post by **cap396** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 6:34 am

I always feel bad for the cast member(s) that have to stand at the entrance to the walkway to WoL and tell people they a) can't go up there and/or b) it's closed and then the company line as to why. That's gotta be a horrendously tedious shift to pull.

I was there at the beginning of December. Instead of having a cast member at the entrance, they had moved planters to block the path up to the pavilion. That makes me think that the closure is probably permanent.

Cheshire Cat · Post by **Cheshire Cat** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 4:04 pm

At the same time, I'd also be surprised if it ever entirely disappeared from maps or being listed as seasonally closed until they decide officially what they're going to do with the space ...

I think you've got this one right. That's exactly what they did with Horizons - leave the building on the map without a number until they figured out what to do with it. glance down at the map, and it makes it seem like there's more to do in the park than there really is.

In their minds, using it for special events such as the food and wine festival deems the pavilion "seasonal". As long as there's seasonal events to be had inside the pavilion, I'm sure they'll continue listing it as such.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 4:14 pm

what a bummer and a dirty trick, heh.

oh well : /

wish they'd make a statement on what's going on with it, not just be vague...

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 8:06 pm

cap396 wrote:I was there at the beginning of December. Instead of having a cast member at the entrance, they had moved planters to block the path up to the pavilion. That makes me think that the closure is probably permanent.

Yeah I've seen them do the planters trick there before. There's usually still a person standing out there with the planters, though if they did a more thorough job with them this time I guess they wouldn't need someone (or need to pay someone - makes sense). I didn't go up to see them when I was there in Dec. At least planters are prettier than a wall. >_<

Cheshire Cat wrote:In their minds, using it for special events such as the food and wine festival deems the pavilion "seasonal". As long as there's seasonal events to be had inside the pavilion, I'm sure they'll continue listing it as such.

Leave it to Disney to make the best of tricky semantics.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing them put something new in there, provided it was something decent (which is a big big maybe...).

Post by **js3901** » Feb Fri 01, 2008 10:45 pm

horizons1 wrote:
Captain Schnemo wrote:Not everywhere. I wish I could remember where I saw it, but just a couple weeks ago, it was listed as "Open Seasonally" on either a sign or some park literature. Can't for the life of me remember where I read that, however.
I believe disneyworld.com still lists it as seasonal.

actually, under the Operational Updates page, they usually had the 3 WoL attractions listed as seasonal through January 31. as of today (February 1), they are no longer listed (for at least the next 6 months or so). As far as I'm aware, they've been listed every month going back for the last few years...

so, my gut says they are gone for good...