Blackish

[MaxsDad]

I occasionally like, but don't love Blackish: some episodes are better than others. Wasn't crazy about this one only because it felt too "on the nose"/heavy handed. 30 minutes of awkwardly obvious product placement vs a clever sitcom script.

I can just envision the WDW execs walking into the writers' room one Mon morning and giving the writers a long list of all the things script had to include. The writers all rolling their eyes and phoning it in.

The storyline just felt forced around all the benefit points they were trying to cram into the 30 min - it was more a corporate infomercial than a creative TV script.

It's definitely not about whether it was realistic or not.. it's TV...doesn't have to be, to be entertaining. It was just too lazy and obvious. Instead of using the parks to tell a funny story in a smart, clever way, I felt it was more like "let's make a 30 min infomercial about WDW." "Oh yeah - use the Blackish cast".

I thought the Middle did it much better a few seasons back. So did Modern Family. And the Simpsons did a hysterical parody years ago - can't remember if they used actual names or a fake version - but they landed some great zingers and had fun with it

I think you hit the nail on the head. It wasn't so much about the unrealistic aspect, like you said it is TV. But it didn't feel very original. It was more like plopping a family down in a Disney commercial, which the other ones weren't. In fact I thought more people here would have liked the Middle better. It showed what happens if you don't plan or plan poorly. You get to ride one ride all day. ha ha.

 

[jeepwreck]

I occasionally like, but don't love Blackish: some episodes are better than others. Wasn't crazy about this one only because it felt too "on the nose"/heavy handed. 30 minutes of awkwardly obvious product placement vs a clever sitcom script.

I can just envision the WDW execs walking into the writers' room one Mon morning and giving the writers a long list of all the things script had to include. The writers all rolling their eyes and phoning it in.

The storyline just felt forced around all the benefit points they were trying to cram into the 30 min - it was more a corporate infomercial than a creative TV script.

It's definitely not about whether it was realistic or not.. it's TV...doesn't have to be, to be entertaining. It was just too lazy and obvious. Instead of using the parks to tell a funny story in a smart, clever way, I felt it was more like "let's make a 30 min infomercial about WDW." "Oh yeah - use the Blackish cast".

I thought the Middle did it much better a few seasons back. So did Modern Family. And the Simpsons did a hysterical parody years ago - can't remember if they used actual names or a fake version - but they landed some great zingers and had fun with it

family guy also did a good job in their Disney World parody too

 

[bumbershoot]

I was talking with some one recently who insisted that her first roller coaster was called "Mickey Mouse Ears" at Disneyland and it had two big loops. We all know, that's not a thing. I think she means California Screamin' but she'd have none of that She REMEMBERED it.

Totally Screamin'.

Pic might be to large --- Simpsons was very funny episode !!

That link was blocked...just a bunch of asterices before the dot com.

That worked! funny!

 

[Murron]

It was simply one big commercial for Disney. Blah.

 

[beesly]

It's unfortunate that this is the first and only impression that many will have of this show - it's actually alright outside of this episode!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

A big thank you to OP for posting this!
We watched it last night and I thought it wasn't bad. Wished they had shown more of the new "Soarin", lol.
Someone here mentioned that they filmed the episode in August...my only question is were all those people in lineups just regular parkgoers, and why weren't they dripping in sweat and looking miserable in the heat? Makes me actually think a late summer trip is actually doable

We were in DW when they were taping this show and it wasn't that bad. It was in the low 90s (some days even high 80s) - but definitely much better than it could have been.

 

[shh]

family guy also did a good job in their Disney World parody too

I'll have to find that one...I may have seen it when it came out, but I'm drawing a blank.

 

[BudgieMama]

I managed to find a way to watch it online... I was left with the same feeling I got when I tried to watch one of the Christmas parades (I ended up turning off after 20 minutes because it made me so uncomfortable!) We just don't have TV here that sells things in the same way, so it left me with the uncomfortable feeling that what I was watching was an advert, and not a TV show!

 

[WEDWDW]

it left me with the uncomfortable feeling that what I was watching was an advert, and not a TV show!

You were!lol

 

[Octoberbaby]

To this day, the Full House episode where they stayed at the Grand Floridian, is my favorite. Imo, that will be hard to beat. (Disney was so awesome in the '90s....Don't get me wrong, I love Disney still, but I miss some stuff! Especially how we never had to make ADRs for Ohana, it was practically a walk-up.)

 

[beesly]

I wonder how many people will have watched the show and forever more equate that staircase with soarin. Then maybe 20 years from now go on the dis and ask if soarin didn't used to have an outdoor staircase entry.

I know I have some weird memories like that from when I was little. I swear something happened/was available at Disney but it turns out it never was. Must have come from a dream or perhaps a TV show.

Maybe that explains why one of my co-workers swears that the MK and EPCOT used to be connected...

To this day, the Full House episode where they stayed at the Grand Floridian, is my favorite. Imo, that will be hard to beat. (Disney was so awesome in the '90s....Don't get me wrong, I love Disney still, but I miss some stuff! Especially how we never had to make ADRs for Ohana, it was practically a walk-up.)

Yes! My family loved this one and the Roseanne episode at Disney. Unfortunately we never experienced Disney in the 90s, so we just "visited" vicariously through these episodes.

 

[BrianL]

I'll have to find that one...I may have seen it when it came out, but I'm drawing a blank.

I don't remember much of it, but Peter takes Stewie there and Stewie winds up as one of the singing kids on their version of Small World. It's...not a very flattering depiction.

The American Dad parody is also great, but really, REALLY messed up. I can't even talk about specifics on here.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Lots of the unrealistic park hopping bugged me. Acting like they just got off soarin when in fantasyland for example. Or drinking in animal kingdom, but ending up in the line for soarin while trying to get back to akl. Also, I don't ride Everest, but at around 3pm wouldn't a 25 minute wait be pretty unrealistic?
It was nice to see the park though, gets me more excited for my March trip.

I was telling my husband that it bugged me when it showed them getting in line for Splash Mountain but they were obviously coming from the exit/The Laughing Place and not from Main Street lie we were supposed to believe.

Thanks!! I'll have to check it out in October. Never seen it!

And you should buy one of those ocarina cups!

To this day, the Full House episode where they stayed at the Grand Floridian, is my favorite. Imo, that will be hard to beat. (Disney was so awesome in the '90s....Don't get me wrong, I love Disney still, but I miss some stuff! Especially how we never had to make ADRs for Ohana, it was practically a walk-up.)

I love that one, the Step by Step one (but hate how they had Flash trying to break some fictional record - could have done without that storyline) and the Family Matters episode. I do wonder how many people saw the Family Matters episode and then wanted to do a proposal like Stefan's, though.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I love that one, the Step by Step one (but hate how they had Flash trying to break some fictional record - could have done without that storyline) and the Family Matters episode. I do wonder how many people saw the Family Matters episode and then wanted to do a proposal like Stefan's, though.

Yes! I love those as well!

 

[wilkeliza]

I love that one, the Step by Step one (but hate how they had Flash trying to break some fictional record - could have done without that storyline) and the Family Matters episode. I do wonder how many people saw the Family Matters episode and then wanted to do a proposal like Stefan's, though.

Step by Step was the first one I remember and I thought I would be that record when we went to DL in highschool. Was totally bummed to find out it isn't real!

 

[PabloMax]

In terms of the spiral staircase for Soarin', I noticed that they didn't have any outdoor shots at Epcot at all. The only definitive shots at Epcot were in the Test Track loading area and on Soarin' itself. Probably to streamline the production, I assume.

So is that somewhere else in WDW (MK most likely) that they used as a fake queue for Soarin'?

 

[Robo]

In terms of the spiral staircase for Soarin', I noticed that they didn't have any outdoor shots at Epcot at all. The only definitive shots at Epcot were in the Test Track loading area and on Soarin' itself. Probably to streamline the production, I assume.

So is that somewhere else in WDW (MK most likely) that they used as a fake queue for Soarin'?

I've examined the shots multiple times.
The scene is shot with a boom/crane which is "flying around" the staircase (it was not a "process" shot,)
and it sits directly in front of The Land Pavilion.
The staircase looks to be heavy and "permanent."
It simply baffles me.

 

[Cali Cat]

I've examined the shots multiple times.
The scene is shot with a boom/crane which is "flying around" the staircase (it was not a "process" shot,)
and it sits directly in front of The Land Pavilion.
The staircase looks to be heavy and "permanent."
It simply baffles me.

That stair case looks very familiar to me. But, I can't seem to place it. For some reason I keep thinking the Imagination pavilion? I'm pretty sure they put a green screen behind the stairs and superimposed the land pavilion in.

 

[Robo]

That stair case looks very familiar to me. But, I can't seem to place it. For some reason I keep thinking the Imagination pavilion? I'm pretty sure they put a green screen behind the stairs and superimposed the land pavilion in.

The moving camera shots and various angles don't lend themselves to that.
Green screen compositing requires lock-down shots (unless you have a lot of money and time for post production for the specific scenes.)

 

[Accident]

that is very familiar but there is nothing at the spot they are standing. My guess is they filmed indoor footage that didn't work (it is dark in there) and they refilmed something using a site near where they normally film in the la area. their is some camera rigs that can be programmed to follow the same movement.