On the museum's official web site Miyazaki himself outlines the principles on which he expects the facility to adhere to. It's not surprising that with a few words changed around, this list could easily be a kind of blueprint of ideals that all Disney theme parks must strive for. Some already do in many ways, most notably the non-Disney owned Tokyo DisneySea.
Imagine, if you will, what a Disney theme park should stand for.
Imagine if the Walt Disney Company were man enough, or Disney enough, to release such a document.A theme park that is interesting and which relaxes the soul
A theme park where much can be discovered
A theme park based on a clear and consistent philosophy
A theme park where those seeking enjoyment can enjoy, those seeking to ponder can ponder, and those seeking to feel can feel
A theme park that makes you feel more enriched when you leave than when you entered!
To make such a place, the park must be...
Put together as if it were a film
Not arrogant, flamboyant, or suffocating
Quality space where people can feel at home, especially when it's not crowdedThe theme park must be run in such a way so that...
Small children are treated as if they were grown-ups
The handicapped are accommodated as much as possible
The cast members can be confident and proud of their work
Visitors are not controlled with predetermined courses and fixed directions
It is suffused with ideas and new challenges so that the attractions do not get dusty or old, and that investments are made to realize that goal
The attractions will be...
Not only for the benefit of people who are already fans of DisneyA place where visitors can enjoy by just looking, can understand the artists' spirits, and can gain new insights into Imagineering
Original works
Past attractions will be probed for understanding at a deeper level
The restaurants will be...
Important places for relaxation and enjoyment
Good restaurants with a style all their own where running a restaurant is taken seriously and done right
The shops will be...
Well-prepared and well-presented for the sake of the guests
Not bargain shops that attach importance only to the amount of sales
A shop that continues to strive to be a better shop
Where original items made only for the theme park are foundThis is what we expect a theme park to be, and therefore we will find a way to do it
This is the kind of theme park we don't want to make!
A pretentious theme park
An arrogant theme park
A theme park that treats its contents as if they were more important than people
A theme park that builds uninteresting attractions as if they were significant
4 comments:
that is my ideal theme park, I'm going to add Ghibli Museum to the list of things to see in japan. I have to admit though, the whole statement comes off a tad arrogant itself.
I like it!
And I am going to the Studio Ghibli Museum in November (well, tickets pending)! I cannot properly convey how excited I am about it... Both the trip in general (I've been wanting to go to Japan since I was in the single-digits and now I'm 31) and the Ghibli Museum in particular.
For me, the main interest is in seeing how Miyazaki has "enfleshed" his principles in the building. In his films you see these marvellous fantasy worlds that are part traditional in their design and use of materials (almost Victorian or Meiji) and part abstract organic with these interesting spaces and nooks, all of which is strongly infused with this idea of integration and connection with nature. I've seen the photos too, and I'm dying to see first-hand how he has realized it in an actual building so I can make notes and try to realize them in my own environment.
But I suppose if that's the litmus test, Disney isn't totally out... I do have an Enchanted Tiki Kitchen ^_^
I thought the Ghibli Museum was a pain in the ass to get to, and way too small. Which isn't to say it was a waste of time, it wasn't, I was just disappointed.
The Nekobus is a kids area, which we couldn't go in, and they totally flipped out when we tried to take a picture of it. wtf?
And that Laputa robot was up a really narrow staircase that traffic needed to go both ways on. Which would be great if we were all tiny Japanese people, but some of us are fatass Americans! haha, how embarassing. And then once you got up there, the line to take a picture near it was like 30 people long. Uggghhh.
It didn't really help that I bought a bunch of stuff at the gift shop, and that was the one bag of stuff that got lost somewhere between here and Japan. :(
Haha, well, just because he points out a lot of his ideals doesn't mean those ideals will be met every time!
Even a few people will have a terrible time at Disneyland.
The official web site does specify no photography.
"The Ghibli Museum is a portal to a storybook world. As the main character in a story, we ask that you experience the Museum space with your own eyes and senses, instead of through a camera's viewfinder. We ask that you make what you experienced in the Museum the special memory that you take home with you."
Haha, if they're going to be dicks about pictures, at least they've thought up a good excuse.
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