Todd Martens

His portrait of MLK in a hoodie went viral. Now he shares a message in his Downtown Disney art Former Imagineer Nikkolas Smith, a self-described "artivist," imbued his Legacy Tower in Downtown Disney with hidden meaning. It's a piece that nods to five Black architects.

Long been an admirer of former Imagineer Nikkolas Smith. Was happy to talk with him about social justice art and injecting meaning into his Downtown Disney tower. www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Legoland opens a new land and its most thrilling coaster yet, inspired by Space Mountain Galacticoaster is a race to save a Lego-infused galaxy from an “asteroid of probable destruction.” And at 40 mph, it's the park’s fastest ride.

Legoland has an adorable new grown-up-ish coaster

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Posted the exact time on my Instagram and the approximate in the story!

New details: Universal Studios' 'Fast & Furious' coaster is almost ready to ride With the ride intended to reach a speed of 72 mph, the theme park has managed to pack a mighty experience into a tight piece of real estate

Yes, the cars on the Fast and Furious coaster look neat, but how long is the ride?

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DTLA has a new theater — inside a fake electrical box With her Electrical Box Theatre, about 6 feet tall and 3 feet deep, S.C. Mero set out to create an impromptu performance space for artists who no longer have an outlet in downtown L.A.

One of the nice things about living in downtown L.A. is our community's resident artists, so to speak. I've been following the work of S.C. Mero since I moved down here a decade ago, and am a big fan of her mix of magical realism and social commentary.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

They transformed a historic bar into a fantasy forest for all of L.A.'s witches Come to the Witch's Cottage in NoHo for the hidden wonders, but stay for dragon-themed deviled eggs and rum-heavy cocktails.

A home for those who have rolled a 20-sided die, once looked up the meaning of the Tower card or just enjoyed a viewing of “The Lord of the Rings.” www.latimes.com/travel/story...

@toddmartens.bsky.social brings the good stuff again.

At Catch One, a funk concert transports you to 1974 — and it's immersive theater at its finest 'Brassroots District: LA ’74' is part concert, part participatory theater. How it plays out is up to each audience member.

“Brassroots District: LA ’74” is part concert, part participatory theater and part experiment, attempting to intermix an evening of dancing and jubilation with high-stakes drama.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

What playing a 7-hour video game with strangers in L.A. taught me about the resistance The touring video game show "asses.masses" reached Los Angeles, and brought with it a crowd ready for action.

“Asses.masses” is theater for the post-Twitch age, performance art for those weaned on “The Legend of Zelda” or “Pokémon.” Most important, it’s entertainment as political dissent for these divisive times.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

New film on Disney+ reveals the frenzied race against time to build Disneyland Culled from about 200 hours of mostly unseen footage, Leslie Iwerks' "Disneyland Handcrafted" takes viewers back to the near beginning.

New film on Disney+ reveals the frenzied race against time to build Disneyland

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A spooky immersive game is happening at the old Griffith Park Zoo Koryn Wicks' "Ghosts in the Machine," which uses augmented reality technology, takes participants up stairs, around pathways and into now-deserted enclosures. It's a haunting way to explore the park.

Griffith Park’s old zoo is a “beacon for spiritual phenomenon” in “Ghosts in the Machine,” an augmented reality experience.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

This California theme park inspired Disneyland, Bob Baker Marionettes — and tickets are $19 Oakland's Children's Fairyland, which turned 75, is an argument that storytelling, combined with old-fashioned play, has a timeless appeal.

Surviving cultural, technological and bureaucratic shifts, Children’s Fairyland has become the little park that could, its durability a statement of defiance in our fast-paced, divisive world.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Hi! Appreciate you reading. Correct, Rise is going down for routine maintenance. Disney has said no changes are planned for the attraction.

Disneyland is pivoting on 'Star Wars' Land. Here's why. Kylo Ren is out and Darth Vader is in. Galaxy's Edge changes course to spotlight "classic 'Star Wars.’"

Disneyland pivots on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Huge thanks to @toddmartens.bsky.social for writing such a thoughtful appreciation of my new project OUT OF THE ASHES that I am co-directing with Nonny de la Peña. Tomorrow night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion we'll be showing excerpts from the project along with a host of other activations.

New VR documentary puts you in the devastation of the L.A. fires — and might help you heal Using virtual reality tools to help illustrate all that was lost, "Out of the Ashes" chronicles the emotional toll of the Palisades and Eaton fires.

New VR documentary puts you in the devastation of the L.A. fires — and might help you heal

www.latimes.com/lifestyle/st...

First look: Inside Meow Wolf L.A., a psychedelic wonderland that celebrates the movies The Santa Fe, N.M. collective is transforming an old movie theater into a maximalist wonderland, complete with animated candy at a concession stand and seats that appear to be floating.

Destined to open in late 2026 at West L.A.’s Howard Hughes entertainment complex, Meow Wolf has kept much of its plan for Los Angeles under wraps. Until now.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Great summation of the extraordinary life of Eddie Sotto! He was lightning in a bottle!

Thank you for reading it!

Eddie Sotto, former Imagineer who shaped modern theme parks, dies at 67 Eddie Sotto, a former Imagineer whose worked influenced several Disney theme parks, died in December in Orange Country. Sotto is best known for designing Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Paris, but ...

An obituary/remembrance for Eddie Sotto, a designer who shaped modern theme parks. Thank you to the former Walt Disney Imagineers who contributed.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

There is a Mustang EV but it’s barely featured in the exhibit, to my surprise. I just noticed now that detail was cut from the story.

The best part of 'Dungeons & Dragons' is the storytelling. This L.A. stage show leans in 'Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern' opens at Hollywood's Montalbán Theatre, bringing the tabletop RPG to life with audience participation.

A reminder that there’s no wrong way to play “D&D.”

Think you know Disneyland history? New exhibit unveils rarely seen concept art 'The Happiest Place on Earth' at San Francisco's Walt Disney Family Museum takes a rare look at Disneyland’s history, unveiling early maps and celebrating lesser-known designers.

Been meaning to make it back to @WDFMuseum. Now I have a great excuse: www.latimes.com/travel-exper... via @toddmartens.bsky.social

Do you enjoy theme parks? Watch this documentary, which does an excellent job of portraying the artistry behind these spaces. Full disclosure, I’m in it, but I couldn’t be more thrilled with what the team accomplished and I thank them for interviewing me.

How the Universal Studios tram tour defined the modern theme park The most important theme park ride ever created? It may just be the Universal Studios tram tour, which dates to the silent film era. Once primarily a behind-the-scenes tour, the trek has evolved to de...

I was lucky enough to get to interview Jay Stein a year ago. He was as fiery as I had hoped. Here’s a story about how he changed all theme parks forever.

www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

The Disney parks had a large celebration in 1976 so there’s precedent and, yep, as far as I understand this was planned for the 250th regardless of the political climate. Will be very curious to see what imagery they have chosen!

This 'The Bear'-esque dining experience puts you in the center of the kitchen chaos At Speakeasy Society's 'Family Meal,' curse words are thrown, recipes are slandered and it all makes for fun, irresistible drama.

Dinner theater, reimagined. “Family Meal” is a pricey but special show. Immersive theater for those weaned on the likes of Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential,” “The Bear” and other high-energy, behind-the-scene looks at the restaurant business.

www.latimes.com/lifestyle/st...

Amanda Shires' 'Nobody's Girl' is one of the year's most honest explorations of heartbreak 'Nobody's Girl' is the album as personal quest — for healing, for understanding and for being heard.

Amanda Shires’ ‘Nobody’s Girl’ is one of the year’s most honest explorations of heartbreak

www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

The most exciting immersive show in L.A. right now is a funeral “The Cortège," running this September at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, revives an ancient art — the procession — turning it into a communal release of grief.

The creator of "The Jejune Institute," a crucial modern immersive text, is back with a new experience in "The Cortege." It's an exploration of grief and community via the ancient art of the procession. But is it immersive? Designer Jeff Hull is conflicted

www.latimes.com/travel/story...

Slash, Guns N' Roses legend, can talk about his favorite theme park rides all day At Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, Slash is immortalized as a character — an idea that was partly his own.

All the cool kids love theme parks

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