Time to be Moving Along...

Just wanted to let you know that I've taken up residence in a new location on the Internet.

More Disney-related info (and beyond) can be found at my new blog "Adventure Venranda":

http://adventureveranda.com/

Thanks to everyone who came by.  Hope to see you sometime at the Veranda.

- Chris

From the Shoebox - World of Motion / GM Pamphlet (1985)

Today I'd like to share something I pulled out of my of my shoebox 'o Disney ephemera:

This was a free pamphlet I picked up at EPCOT Center's World of Motion pavilion. According the the copyright, I must have picked it up sometime around 1985.

Appealing as the cover page is, what I really dig are the images inside:

You know, as much as I miss the wonderful "World of Motion" AA attraction...

I think I have more discrete memories of two of the shows from the "Transcenter" post-show area: "Bird and the Robot", and "The Water Engine":

And now, a word from our pavilion sponsor, GM:

Oh, and are you wondering about the "free offer inside"? Well, the answer lies on the back page, which includes a postage-paid card via which you could request your "GM Family Vacation Guidebook" (Only one guidebook per household. Offer limited to licensed drivers):

Until next time,

- Chris

Back to the Future

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if Tomorrowland still tried to inspire us the way Walt Disney described back in 1955:

"A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying man's achievements.... A step into the future with predictions of constructive things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure, and ideals, the atomic age, the challenge of outer space and the hope for a peaceful and unified world."

For example, what if we had an Tomrrowland Speedway (or Autopia) that was home to a fleet of electric vehicles with wireless recharging built into the track?

Disneyland uses a form of this technology today in their submarines.  Nissan is reportedly thinking along these lines already:

"Nissan has reportedly developed a wireless charging system that uses technology similar to that found in electric toothbrushes, called inductive charging... The company even has hopes of embedding these devices in roadways one day so the cars could charge on the fly as they drive by."

The 1955 WED vision for Tomorrowland had it's share of challenges, and delivered an uneven guest experience.  But for all it's shortcomings ("Hey, kids!  Let's check out the Hall of Aluminum Fame!"), it did give the world some iconic and inspirational experiences (I still remember sinking in to my seat at WDW's "Flight to the Moon").

What if the company which bear's Walt Disney's name decided to show a new generation of guests a World of Tomorrow that is perhaps just a dream away?

Just sayin'

Until next time,

- Chris

Disney Gallery - "Day One Disneyland"

The Disney Gallery is one of those quiet places which make Disneyland special. Although I never got to experience the gallery in its original home in New Orleans Square, I'm glad that it (eventually) found a new location in the old bank building (next to the Opera House on Main Street, U.S.A).

The gallery exhibits are changed periodically.  The last time I was in Disneyland I was fortunate enough to catch one called: Day One Disneyland - Original Inspirations for "The Happiest Place on Earth":

"... Disneyland was planned, designed and built in less than two years.  ...Such Disney Legends as Herb Ryman, Sam McKim, Harper Goff, and Marvin Davis were churning out amazingly evocative renderings at a breakneck pace.

...This exhibit looks at that prolifically creative time in Disneyland history, showcasing early ideas, concepts and visions that led to the creation of 'The Happiest Place on Earth' and the way it was envisioned (but not necessarily built) for Opening Day, July 17, 1955."  

This exhibit was a real treat for fans of early Disneyland concept art.  Concept art gives us a chance to step back in time, offering hints and insights into the creative process, and in some cases lets us peek into Elseworlds that might have been.

I thought it might be fun to go through my Disney bookshelf when I got home to see how many of the images I could find reproduced therein. 

References:
[A] - The Art of Disneyland by Jeff Kurtti and Bruce Gordon. 2006, ISBN: 1423104595
[B] - The Architecture of Reassurance: Designing the Disney Theme Parks. Karal Ann Maulding. 1998, ISBN: 2080136399
[C] -The Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland by Alex Wright and The Imagineers. 2008, ISBN: 1423109759

Check out Imaginerding.com for reviews of these and other great Disney books.

Here's the results of what I've found so far.  If you happen to have any of the above titles on your bookshelf, then feel free to play along at home:

Top - Castle Courtyard.  Herb Ryman ([C] pg 81)

Middle - Dumbo.  Bruce Bushman, 1954. ([A] pg 86, [C] pg 83)

Middle - Mad Tea Party.  Bruce Bushman ([C] pg 95)

Middle - Fantasyland Concepts.  Bruce Bushman ([C] pg 91)

Bottom -Fantasyland (??)

Sleeping Beauty Castle comes to Anaheim.  Herb Ryman, 1955 ([A] pg 73)

Top - Sleeping Beauty Castle Courtyard.  Herb Ryman ([C] pg 80) 

Middle - Fantasyland Concepts (??) 

Bottom - Snow White Facade, Eyvind Earle. 1954 ([B] pg 75)

Top - Frontierland Entrance. Bruce Bushman, 1954 ([A] pg 35, [B] pg 71)

Bottom - Mark Twain concept.  Stan Parkhouse ([C] pg 50)

Top - Jungle Cruise (??) 

Bottom - Jungle Cruise dock and Adventureland (??) 

 

Top - Indian Village(??)

Bottom - Frontierland (??) 

This little "scavenger hunt" was a lot of fun, and it reminded me of some Disney books I need to dive back into.  Thanks for coming along.

As you can see, I wasn't able to track down all of the images (although I would swear I've seen them before).  If anyone can help me find a reference I would appreciate a comment.

- Chris

Walking in the Park with Rolly Crump

Back in December I was delighted to discover "A Walk in the Park with Rolly Crump" - an audio tour of Disneyland led by Imagineer and Disney Legend Roland "Rolly" Crump.

Rolly had a hand in iconic Disneyland attractions such as It's a Small World, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, and The Haunted Mansion. He has also been honored with a window on Disneyland's Main Street:

I bought a copy of the tour in late December, but saved it listen to when I spent solo day in Disneyland a couple of weeks ago.

Having heard Rolly's interview on WEDway Radio, my expectations were pretty high, and I am pleased to report I was not disappointed. Given his background, it should come as no surprise that Rolly is also an excellent storyteller. Although there is some overlap with material I have heard before, I learned plenty. Most of all, it was a rare treat to feel like I was being given a personal tour by someone who clearly loved Disneyland and played a direct role in shaping it in ways both big and small.

The recording itself is professionally produced, and makes for an enjoyable experience even when listened to among the ambient noise of park. I think it can be enjoyed on it's own, but if you have the chance I would recommend listening to it in Disneyland as intended.

The tour is fifty minutes of recorded audio. It begins outside the Main Street train station, and meanders from there, with clearly identified places where the listener should pause and proceed to a different area of the park. This format allows the listener to proceed a his or her own pace, and encourages you to slow down to take in many of the small details which make Disneyland special.

Although the tour does not explicitly enter any attractions, there are obvious spots where the audio can be paused long enough to enjoy some of the featured attractions, and in some cases Rolly gives you specific details to look for while inside.

I would suggest allocating at least 90-120 minutes for the walking tour (more if you plan to visit attractions along the way).

My only wish is that there were more material like this. Rolly himself says he has many more stories to tell. Perhaps if this tour proves to be sufficiently popular we might get more (Please !! ??).

In summary - "A Walk in the Park" with Rolly Crump is highly recommended. I would consider it a bargain at twice the price. While it will be enjoyed most by Disney geeks, I think the material can be enjoyed by anyone who is willing to slow down and learn a little more about "The Happiest Place on Earth".

You can purchase the audio tour (and hear a free sample) here.

You can read more about Rolly over at Progress City, U.S.A. and also at WEDway Radio. You should also listen to his interview on WEDway Radio Episode 50.

Oh - and make sure to wave "Hi" to Rolly the next time you're in Disneyland:

non-Disney Disney: Fisherman's Wharf

When a character resonates with the audience, it sometimes takes on a life of its own and becomes part of our pop culture.

I found two such examples of "non-Disney Disney" one afternoon at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf that I wanted to share:

[Taxi] Acceleratio Semper Absurda !

If Captain Jack has been to Signapore, then I suppose 

he could have made his way through the Golden Gate as well.

Of course, if you're in San Francisco, you should also check out The Walt Disney Family Museum. 


Until next time,

- Chris.

The Mickey Puzzle

A few years ago, I received a cool Mickey photographic mosaic jigsaw puzzle.  I don't usually work on jigsaw puzzles - but in this case I was drawn in by the thousands of single-frame images from Walt Disney Feature Animation.

If I had known in advance how much work it would be, it would probably still be sitting in the box.

I really don't know puzzle strategies all that well, so I started by trying to sort the pieces into piles based on the movies depicted on each one. In retrospect, I doubt this was the most efficient way to solve the puzzle, but it did give me hours of brain-teasing (and eye-straining) fun trying to identify film frames based on the image fragments on each piece.

NOTE -- The fact that each puzzle piece contained parts of three or four different film frames makes this much more difficult than it sounds.

Anyway, after a few false starts, and lots of help from innocent family members, we finally managed to get Mickey back into one piece: 

Now I just need to find a good way to mount this for display.

Any ideas?

- Chris

Double-Take: The Two (WDI) Towers

Isn't it strange how sometimes you can look at an image without really seeing it?

I've been working my way through the WEDway Radio archives (well worth checking out, BTW), and something I heard in Episode 13 caught me by surprise.

WEDway Radio episode 13 compares the two domestic versions of the Tower of Terror attraction.  While I was well aware of the substantial mechanical differences between the attractions, I was surprised to hear that each rendition of the "Hollywood Tower Hotel" is actually constructed in a different architectural style.

Even though I've seen (and photographed) both towers in person, I never noticed just how strikingly different they are:

The Hollywood Tower Hotel,

Sunset Boulevard

Walt Disney World Resort, FL

The Hollywood Tower Hotel,

Hollywood Pictures Backlot,

Disneyland Resort, CA

Yet Another reminder to always keep my eyes (and my mind) open!

Until next time,

- Chris

P.S. 

Yes, I know there's actually *four* versions of the "Tower of Terror" attraction.  However:

1) from the pictures, the Disneyland Paris version looks like a twin of the DCA version,

2) the Tokyo tower is radically different, and isn't even a "Hollywood Tower Hotel",

3) Calling the article The Two Towers appeals to my inner Tolkien geek :-]

- C.

The Walt Disney Family Museum

Last March I had the opportunity to tour The Walt Disney Family Museum. 

If you are a fan of Walt Disney, or a Disney fan that would like to learn more about the man who started it all, then a visit to this museum is time well spent. 

I spent about 5 hours there (including a lunch break at the museum cafe - try the chili ;-]), and had a great time.  I feel like I could have easily spent two days exploring the galleries. (Full disclosure: I'm a Disney geek, and also one of "those people" who likes to read the plaques/etc). 

The museum is located in three beautifully restored buildings at The Presidio of San Francisco.   

 

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum also has an ongoing calender of special events, which include film screenings in their on-premesis theater.  Check out the event calendar on the museum's official website.  You can also subscribe to their twitter feed (@WDFMuseum).

According to wikipedia, the museum is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Family Foundation - a non-profit organization which is not formally associated with the Walt Disney Company. 

One tip -- plan your visit in advance.  Admission is controlled by timed-entry tickets to avoid over-crowding in the galleries-- you reserve a specific date and time for your visit.  The web site should show current ticket availability. 

The museum strictly forbids photography inside, so I won't be able to share any images with you.  However, you can see select images from the galleries at the official WDFM website. 

Below the fold, I briefly list some of the things which stood out in my memory (with some mild spoliers).

Read more »

Sometimes It's Good to Sweat

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at 2719 Hyperion's first Sweatbox Meet. 

It was great to have a chance to meet so many NC-area Disney bloggers, podcasters, artists, and enthusiasts.  Among those in attendance were: 

• 2719 Hyperion 
• Imaginerding 
• Progress City, U.S.A. 
• Big Brian's Disney page 
• Only WDWorld 
• Chip and Co.

After introductions came a wonderful presentation from Team 2719 Hyperion: 

• "Hyperion 101," an introduction to the the history and surrounding geography of the original Walt Disney Studios that was located at 2719 Hyperion Avenue...

In true Sweatbox tradition, we were treated to a live reading that was a mix of preparation and improvisation, with questions and interactive discussions along the way.  You can see the fruits of their labors by reading the web version of the presentation (part one, part two). 

After taking an interlude for refreshments, the team behind Progress City, U.S.A. took the floor and lead a lighthearted discussion with pictures and thoughts from their recent trip to Walt Disney World.  It was like being in the studio for a recording session of the Progress City Radio Hour - paying tribute to things that were As They Ought To Be, and pointing out those things which were not-so-much. 

Both presentations were excellent, and complemented each other nicely.  One was rooted in the past, while the other was grounded the present day.  One was filled with meticulous research, while the other was infused with a light, extemporaneous quality.  Both were fueled by a common passion for Disney that really came through. 

As I predicted, the first Sweatbox meet was an evening of first-class Disney Geek entertainment and a rousing success. 

*Even better* is the fact that the date for The Next 2719 Hyperion Sweatbox Meet has been announced: 

Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment which will keep me away, but I encourage all Disney fans in the NC area to attend if they can.

Thanks again to 2719 Hyperion for organizing the event, to Progress City U.S.A. for presenting, and to everyone who participated.  I had a blast. 
 
 - Chris 

Sweatin' in the Carolinas

Although perspiration is a common occurrence here in beautiful North Carolina, the purpose of this post is to help spread the word about 2719 Hyperion's first live event: 

Jeff and George promise "an evening discussing Disney Studio history, the theme parks and more! ... [The] special guests for the evening will be Michael and Jeff Crawford from Progress City, USA."

Folks, with a lineup like this I think we're in for an evening of first-class Disney Geek fun.

For more details (including ways to RSVP and why it's called "Sweatbox") head on over to 2719 Hyperion.

I've been looking forward to this event for a long time.  Hope to see you there as well.

- Chris

Thoughts on "The Concert Feature"

Last weekend we found ourselves watching Fantasia 2000 on DVD - and it reminded me just how much I enjoy this film.

Although I have dim memories of seeing the original Fantasia in the theater as a youngster, I became a fan of the movie by first becoming a fan of it's music.

Those of us of a certain age can remember when home audio was being revolutionized by the introduction of the Compact Disc. I bought my first CD player back in the summer of 1986, and one of the very first things I bought for it was a two-disc soundtrack from Fantasia:

As I watched Fantasia 2000 again this weekend it struck me that these films seem to achieve a sort of elegant innocence by letting beautiful music and pure visual storytelling carry the show.

Walt Disney gave the world many gifts. Perhaps the most profound and lasting thing Walt gave me was an appreciation for classical music - through Fantasia. (Thanks, Walt).

I wonder if we will ever see another film like Fantasia. "The Concert Feature" (as it was originally known) was supposed to be the start of an evolving series. The world waited almost six decades to see the second installment - and then only through the efforts of Mr. Roy E. Disney.

I hope that some day we'll all have a chance to see more Disney fairies like these:

Until Next Time,
- Chris

A Bug's Land

Today on DF'82, Princess Fee invites us all to enjoy a moment in DCA's A Bug's Land.
(Go take a peek now if you haven't had a chance to yet).

Being a fan of all things Pixar, I was inspired to post a few Bug's Land images I captured back in December, 2007.

Although limited in scope and scale, this area seems to echo some of Pixar's creative spirit. To paraphrase John Lasseter, Pixar films are built on a three-prong foundation: story, characters, and environment. Pixar's "A Bug's Life" delivers all three, and DCA's "A Bug's Land" allows us to step into the environment and take closer look at some of it's memorable characters.

You can see more images from my visit to A Bug's Land on flickr.