3D Movies

Image: frankfranc, Flickr (license)

Nowadays, you can go to your local multiplex and pay a large amount of money to watch a movie in 3D. And, for some, that experience is luxurious enough to warrant the extra ticket price. But, while those movies might be in 3D, they likely aren’t as memorable for their effects as they are their general storylines. 

Plus, if you’ve ever been to a Disney Park, you’ll know that they don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what 3D films can do. 

Much of the 3D you see at the local multiplex is not actually shot in 3D, but is instead rendered into 3D in post-production — a process that makes the 3D appear flatter. Similarly, the technology used to show these films is such that, in most cases, the finished product will appear dimmer and blurrier than if you were to watch the same film in 2D.

Disney, on the other hand, shoots all of its movies natively in 3D, and they use technology to ensure the projection systems are higher quality. The result is truly spectacular imagery like you’ll find in Mickey’s Philharmagic or It’s Tough to Be a Bug, or even the practical effects found in the ever-charming MuppetVision 3D. Once you’ve seen proper 3D animation and filming, it’s hard to go back to the local cinema version. 

Parades 

Image: harshlight, Flickr (license)

Now, in fairness, Disney’s concept of a “parade” is much different than your local town’s parade. Disney is advertising its intellectual properties as much as anything, so there’s no space for the local VFW or rotary club. And, yes, those organizations are probably more worthy of celebration than a multi-billion dollar movie.

But, there’s no arguing that what Disney does with its parades is so wildly above and beyond what even a local amusement park can do, it’s hard to ever attend something called a “parade” ever again.

Electric lights, fire effects, synchronized music, and amazing choreography turn what would otherwise be an ordinary procession of floats into a multi-sensory experience. If you see a parade like, say, Paint the Night out at the Disneyland Resort or Festival of Fantasy at Magic Kingdom, it will ruin the entire concept of parades for you forever. 

The local municipal parade is definitely more charming, more important, and more authentic, but if they could maybe add one flaming dragon, we’d all be grateful.