Disneyland And Imagineering Part 14
There's Got to be a Morning After
When we last left off, Walt Disney had made it through Opening Day. It wasn't all that he had hoped it would be, but he made it. "Black Sunday" was supposed to be a relatively tame press preview. Instead it resembled more of an all out free-for-all -- the park being besieged by triple attendance that was more than expected. From a certain point of view, this was ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 2
Did you know Walt Disney declared bankruptcy?
It's true.
Pre-Disney: The Roadside Attraction
As I was putting together the material for this article in the series, I wanted to touch on a part of Americana that has significance. I enjoy reading and finding archival film to see how the amusement industry came into being, which was roughly 75 years prior to the opening of Disneyland. The ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 3
How to build an Amusement Park in 3 Easy Lessons
When we last left our Imagineers, a final location had been chosen, funding had been arranged, and crews were assembled that would begin by retaining trees and vegetation that could be utilized in the design, and the vegetation that would have to be removed as a non-stop adventure was about to commence that would continue long after the park opened. (I ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 4
Last time we left off, we were meeting some of the Imagineers who were responsible for the initial creation of Disneyland. We began to see the park take physical shape and learn about the origins of Main Street USA and Sleeping Beauty's Castle. There were roughly 6 months until the opening. The orange and walnut groves that once existed all to themselves were being transformed into a pear-shaped amusement ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 5
Last time we left off, opening day was rapidly approaching. Teams of artists were working in their respective areas and time truly was of the essence. The lifestyle in the mid-50s was a family oriented, hard working culture, with a new-found desire for excitement. World War II had been over for almost ten years and the subsequent opening of the park would be two years and several days after the Korean War ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 6
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Did you know that although Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is largely considered the first color animated feature length film by most, when in fact it isn't ?
It's true.
Because of Walt Disney's reputation and his ambitious efforts in both film, television and finally amusement parks, it is conceivable to see this recorded improperly. In the early 1900s, records that were kept were in their ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 7
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The Land that Never Was
One of the themes that Disney toyed with was the birth of the nation, continuing on through the Colonial Era, following inventors and political figures that shaped our country. Officially, it wouldn't be referred to as a land per se, the same as Main Street USA, New Orleans Square and Toontown. Actually the proposed idea was a combination of two areas, the first being Liberty ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 8
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Picture this
You're an artistic designer;
You're scheduled to attend a design meeting for a project you drew the design that "greenlighted" the project you're currently working on;
Deadlines are rapidly approaching;
And in walks your boss
He looks concerned -- something between worried and extremely serious;
He opens the meeting and begins talking about a specific part of ...
Disneyland And Imagineering Part 9
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The birth of space exploration in the middle of the 1950s affected both sides of the globe, but before the Space Race there was the Cold War. There was a fair share of unilateral fear from several previous wars. As a result, it pitted the United States against Russia in a "race" for strategic military superiority. Although the Cold War came first, the Space Race wasn't far behind and for a long period ...
Disneyland Memories
Two months ago, I was warned that my article for the July issue would be about my first memories of Disneyland.
I knew from the outset how hard this would be.
If I had been asked about my first visit to Florida's Magic Kingdom this would be easy. It was November 18th 1988, which was Mickey's 60th birthday. I could write reams about my memories: the parades; my first trip on a monorail; finding ...
Disneyland Memories
Sitting here in the hub of Main Street, coffee in hand, and hands sticky from the cinnamon roll I just devoured, I would like to start my first article with the past, my past, and my early Disneyland experiences that have implanted themselves in my heart and brain over the years.
"Here age relives fond memories of the past"
-Walt Disney
Today, as a man at the tender age 51, the first ...
Disneyland: A Personal Perspective of a Dream Come True
I never thought I would get a chance to work at Disneyland. This was my life's' goal - to be a Cast Member.
Growing up in the Southern California desert, we were close enough to get to visit Disneyland at least once a year. The 2-hour drive seemed to never end until I or my siblings could finally see the tip of Space Mountain from the freeway - we were there! I held onto the magic between visits, ...
Disneyland's Grand Opening
I was at Disneyland when it opened for the public on Monday, July 18, 1955. Since I have some facts about that event that many websites evidently haven't known, I thought you might like to publish them:
It's true that Roy Disney, Walt's brother, requested the first printed ticket for his grandchildren's memorabilia.
It's also true that the park opened the previous day (Sunday) for a preview for ...
Every Town USA
The final stop on my lovely tour of Disneyland, at least until "Star Wars Land" is completed, is the entrance to the entire park.
Said to be inspired by Walt's hometown of Marceline, Missouri, "Main Street, U.S.A" is designed to look like the idealized center of a town at around 1910. One of the designers, Harper Goff, showed Walt some pictures of his childhood home in Colorado and Walt liked the ...
Five Minutes To Curtain! Places!
Back in the early 1980's I was asked by head of Disney park talent (Kevin Frawly) if I was interested in performing at Disneyland /Anaheim with my band, then called, The Nightriders. We were a 5 piece country band at the time, and featured Stand-up bass, Steel Guitar, Lead Guitar, Drums and Sax/Piano. Of course being a total Disney freak, even as a young man, I jumped at the chance. I had booked my band ...
Growing Up In Disneyland
Some of you may have attended one of my many presentations at D23 or Disneyana Fan Club events over the past twenty years. My brother, David, has joined me as we walked the attendees through the wonderful life we had growing up in a celebrity family and Disneyland. Dad owned his own restaurant in Frontierland from 1957 to 1962 - a most unusual part of the Park 's history. Well, now I 've got a new book ...
Growing Up In Disneyland
Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue Restaurant in Frontierland
Disneyland fans who have enjoyed the park numerous times might say they too "grew up in Disneyland." But my family's story is a bit different. Our Mom loved to quote us kids saying, "gee, do we have to go to Disneyland again? Such was the case in the early years of the Park when Dad owned a restaurant in Frontierland. A few stories below ...
Hang With Mickey And Friends
"Mickey's Toontown" is designed cartoonishly. Everything from "Mickey's House" to the post office looks, well, goofy. Opening in 1993, it was inspired by "ToonTown" in the 1988 movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" It was originally planned to be behind "Main Street, USA" and called "Hollywoodland." "Hollywoodland" combined the concept of "Mickey's Birthdayland," which was to be in the Florida park for the ...
Hunny In The Briar Patch
"Critter Country" was originally called the "Indian Village." Until 1971, that section of Frontierland contained Native American shows and attractions. The following year, it became "Bear Country," the first major expansion since the "Haunted Mansion" and cost $8 million. "Bear Country" was themed like the forest of the Pacific North-West. The centerpiece attraction was "Country Bear Jamboree" and was also ...
I Love You, Baby, But The Season's Over Part 1
Winter Quarters
October 20, 1955
At age 17, I graduated from Dorchester High School in Boston in and soon ran away from home to join my older brother, Tony, who was a flying trapeze artist with the Gil Gray Circus, traveling throughout the Mid-west and South.
I had started with the show in mid July, playing 25 dates in 77 days, traveling through seven states: Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, ...
I Love You, Baby, But The Season's Over Part 2
The Mickey Mouse Club Circus
Opened Friday, November 25th 1955
Well, here it was opening day at Disneyland! This was no longer the mud show with the misnomer of The Show Beautiful. This was the Mickey Mouse Club Circus everything perfect to the last detail. Every piece of rigging was shining, every costume clean and bright, each animal and person groomed to perfection.
The Ringmaster ...
Looking To The Stars
Hello Friends!
Steven here with my latest take on anything Disneyness. I have been taking a break from writing for the last couple of months due to selling my house, buying a new one, and moving closer to town. I really had forgotten how much junk a person can collect being at the same house for 20 something years. I almost thought of calling myself a hoarder when I saw all the boxes we had packed ...
Making The Grade
As a Filmmaker, Instructor, Entertainer here in Apple Valley CA it sometimes amazes me of the talent in and around San Bernardino County that I have met or heard about over the years. I have engaged many an interesting person while out and about in this great county of ours. One such fellow is Garner Holt, from Garner Holt Productions located just down the hill from me in San Bernardino California.
...
Marvelous Mechanized Magic Kingdom
About five or six months ago I received an e-mail from the 1313 Club & Ape Pen Publishing Informing me of an event to take place at the Disneyland Hotel. The event, "The Marvelous Mechanized Magic Kingdom" was to feature the talents and stories of current and former employees and imagineers as they worked for Walt over the years. The 1313 Club and Ape Pen are both are created and run by Carlene Thie, ...
Memories From The Mansion
It was August 1969 and I had just turned 9 the month before. Summer was rapidly coming to an end so, as a treat, my Dad let me go with my summer camp group on a day trip to the Magic Kingdom. We were scheduled to leave early the morning of the 12th which was a Tuesday. We would spend the entire day at the park and return early the morning of the 13th. Little did I know that this would be the most ...
Merriest Place On Earth
"The Happiest Place on Earth" becomes all the more magical during the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Tinsel and garland cover almost every inch of the already beautiful park. In 2006 they had a machine that produced many tiny bubbles grouped to make snowflakes. My mother has a picture of me dancing in them, somewhere.
When the House of the Future was still there, a large, red ribbon would be placed ...
Music is Magic
I don't even remember my first trip to Disneyland as a child. My first trip with my high school band, on the other hand, I do remember, if a little vaguely. Hey, I've been going since I was a kid, and even with my makeshift leash, all the wonderful memories have always tended to blend together. It was when I was a freshman in high school and we were to march down Main Street, something we did every year. ...
Mystery Of Mr Lincoln
Fellow Disneyland Historians and Fans,
I have a mystery that hopefully someone reading will be able to solve or provide further insights or clues to aid in this endeavor.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln has been a wonderful mainstay at Disneyland blending the old Disneyland with the current day Disneyland. The show reveals the passion of Walt Disney for his boyhood admiration for Abraham Lincoln ...
River Fun
Well hello to all you Disney fans. I want to tell you about some of the exciting times when working on the river. One of the memorable times I recall quite a bit is working the mid-night shift on the rafts. This was a scheduled shift that started at 1am 9am. I know that seems a bit odd but yes the rafts ran at this time. My job was to assist the technicians who worked on the Fantasmic equipment by ...
Rivers Of Fun
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The Rivers of America is as old as Disneyland, with the Mark Twain Riverboat as its only attraction (with the dry docks for refurbishments), though Mike Fink Keel Boats would open in December that same year. The Rivers and all green waters in the park are interconnected underground, allowing the water to naturally filter and de-stagnate the way a lake would. They act as a single body of water and prevent ...
Taste Of Disney
As a fat person who enjoys eating, and more importantly enjoys the camaraderie of eating with friends or family at the table. I have to admit one of the main thoughts of visiting Disneyland for a day is the thought of all the snacks to be had and eaten while there enjoying the park.
I mean for me it really is a main concern. At 52, Italian, and carrying a 250 pound frame it is the only time I can ...
