A few years ago, I was visiting a regional amusement park that shall remain unnamed… Although I prefer Disney theme parks second to none, I do on occasion travel to these other parks (which I just can’t bring myself to call “theme parks,” but rather amusement parks) just for the big thrills that they pack, and the fact that they are closer to home and a lot less expensive.

All summer long this particular park had been promoting a brand new ride that was based on a popular movie. The commercials hyped it up, and I had friends who had been on it and talked about how well-done it was, and how themed out it was. It was enough to spark my interest and I thought maybe I should go and check it out.

We arrived at the park and went directly to the new ride. I was immediately impressed with the entry façade and the following queue. While it still was not as detailed as some that I have seen at Disney parks, I was glad to see a real effort was made to really theme out this attraction. As we proceeded through the queue, we were drawn into the inescapable doom that would await us. There was even a pretty decently produced preshow in a totally themed out room.

But then the story stopped. We entered the main attraction area and everything fell apart. In the middle of this fantastically themed story sat a giant mechanical piece of equipment with seats attached to it with over-the-shoulder restraints – the ride vehicle. I found myself wondering why this giant mechanical monster was in the middle of this (up to then) great story! No attempt was made to theme the ride vehicle or make it fit into the context of the story.

The ride experience was fun, but did not meet the previously mentioned hype. And quite honestly it was just a little bit painful – well, maybe more so for males than females… After the ride was over, we were ushered out a door and outside. Upon exiting the building, I found myself walking down a sidewalk flanked by a chain-link fence. The sidewalk ran along the backside of the ride building, which was not covered or concealed or themed in any way, shape or form. There was no sort of transition from the supposed story we were just so intricately involved in back to the real world. And that, for me, ruined the whole believability of the story that the designers were trying to tell. It once again just became an amusement park ride.

I got back home and talked to the same friends who had raved so much about this new ride. They asked me with anticipation how I liked it. My answer surprised them. Quite honestly, I was very disappointed in the entire thing. Yeah, the ride was “fun,” and yeah, the queue was themed, but the story fell apart, and ruined the experience for me. But, you see, being the Disney fanatic that I am, I tend to be overly-critical of amusement/theme park rides and attractions, comparing them to the “Disney Standard.” If I look at it for what it is – an amusement park ride – it is a great one.

What is this “Disney Standard,” you might ask? The Disney Standard is a level of quality product that is or has been in the past offered at Disney theme parks. The Disney Standard is evident in the design of an entire theme park or even in a single ride. The Disney Standard involves a totally themed environment – one that completely transports you to another world, and causes you to forget where you are. The effect is that reality is temporarily suspended and you begin to put yourself into the story or stories being told. It is an escape from real life.

This is what the Disney Standard has been for almost 50 years. It was started by Walt Disney himself, and with the help of those talented, hand-picked, early Imagineers at WED Enterprises, it became an art.

But over the years, this “Disney Standard” has come under fire. Critics claim that the present-day Walt Disney Company is focusing more on cutting costs and budgets than creating quality products in the theme parks. Parks and attractions are built “on the cheap” and rides are considered to be “off the shelf.”

On the flip side, the company counters that they are investing more than ever in the theme parks, and the fact that more people visit the Disney parks than any other theme parks in the world means that they must be doing something right.

So, here we have two extremes. As I often find is the case, the truth probably lies somewhere in between. But just where the truth lies, well… that is what this series will be about.

So, with that to whet your appetite, I invite you to come back next week where I’ll begin by examining the past of the Disney theme parks and attractions, and comparing them to the “Disney Standard.” I’m not entirely sure where my opinions will fall on this issue, but I do know one thing for sure: I’m going to have a heck of a good time figuring it out!

Until next week, I’ll see ya real soon!