Adventure Veranda

WDW Artifacts - Bus Transportation Routes

2011-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. This week at the Veranda we are celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Today we conclude the series with this curious artifact -- an early list of WDW bus routes:

What could be simpler? ;-]

For better or worse, bus transportation has played a significant role in the history of the resort.

Artifacts like these remind us of the scope and scale of the resort, and also point out historical oddities (such as the one-time prominence of the Transportation and Ticket Center).

Thanks for joining us in this week-long look back at some pieces of WDW history.

- The Management

WDW Artifacts - Golf Resort Bag Tag

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. This week at the Veranda we are celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Today's curious artifact is this bag-tag from the Walt Disney World Golf Resort:

Note the classic WDW Mickey-Globe motif

Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of our exploration of WDW artifacts.

- The Management

WDW Artifacts - EPCOT Center Puzzle

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. This week at the Veranda we are celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Today's curious artifact is a puzzling piece of EPCOT Center merch:

Some re-assembly required (much like EPCOT itself).

Come back tomorrow as our exploration of WDW artifacts continues.

- The Management

WDW Artifacts - Fort Wilderness Two-Play Giveaway (1988)

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. This week at the Veranda we are celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Today's curious artifact is this adorable little critter from Fort Wilderness:

TWO-PLAY GIVEAWAY
Y'all exchange the coupon for 2 free play tokens for the Davy Crockett Arcade in Pioneer Hall, or Daniel Boone's Arcade at the Meadow Recreation Complex.
Trade 'em in at the Pioneer Hall ticket window or the Meadow Recreation Complex Snack Bar during operating hours.

Come back tomorrow as our exploration of WDW artifacts continues.

- The Management

WDW Artifacts - EPCOT Center Patch

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. This week at the Veranda we are celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Today's curious artifact dates back to the early days of EPCOT Center:

Come back tomorrow as our exploration of WDW artifacts continues.

- The Management

A Very Merry (Un)Birthday to WDW!

2011-10-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2011 marked the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort.

This week at the Veranda we will be celebrating the occasion by exhibiting items from our WDW collection (one new item per day).

Let's start things off with this curious artifact - a five-day children's pass for the Magic Kingdom:

These tickets were only available to members of the Magic Kingdom Club, and date back to an era when most park guests were still using the A-E ticket books for individual attractions.

Note the hole near the top -- the passport was designed to be tied to an article of clothing with a string. The level of wear on this item is consistent with a pass that would have to be displayed on your person while in the park.

As we can see from the back, this piece dates back to August of 1980:

On a personal note, the Veranda Management like to add "Happy Birthday, WDW! Thanks for the Adventures, looking forward to making new ones."

Intersections - Reflections of Japan

2011-09-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Here at the veranda our interest in the created worlds of Disney whets our appetite to explore the wider world which inspired them (and vice-versa). Photos are a fun way to discover the intersections, between Disney and the world beyond.

Consider for example these two structures. Although both are inspired on Japanese architecture they reside on opposite sides of the U.S. continent.

You may recognize this pagoda from Epcot's Japan Pavilion:

Apparently a replica of a 7th century Horyuji Temple

But have you ever been to the Japanese Tea Garden at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park?

A lovely spot for reflection and tea

- The Management

Creative Connections - In Search of the Disney Coat of Arms

2011-08-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Back in June, we made a creative connection between shop-front signs at Epcot's UK pavilion and some real-world signs that are still evident in today's United Kingdom.

Following the connections also showed us how images from family heraldry play a role in both historic and WED-created UK signs.

Based on these discoveries, I started to wonder if there might be evidence of a Disney family Coat of Arms somewhere in the parks.

The Disney family name is apparently derived from the Norman d'Isigny ("from Isigny"). Given their European roots, Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle seems a likely spot to search for a Disney family crest:

A likely place to find a Coat of Arms?

Sure enough, if we look closely over the portcullis there does appear to be a shield containing what look to me like three lions. Unfortunately, this is the best picture I have. You can find better images by searching the Internet for "Disney family crest castle picture":

Trust me, it's a shield with three lions

Could the "three lions" image be related to the Disney family? Perhaps not. A little internet surfing makes a few things clear:

Selling items displaying family heraldry appears to be quite the business
Depending on the family name, one can find contradictory images all claiming to be "the family crest".

I wont pretend to speak with authority on this subject -- but I found an explanation on a discussion board that seems plausible to me. In brief, the explanation claims that:

Coats of Arms were given to individuals (not families).
A Coat of Arms is passed on the the eldest son.
Opinions vary on the propriety of displaying heraldry based on a common surname.

Although somewhat deflated by this information, I decided to push forward to see if there is evidence of a possible Disney family Coat of Arms on display somewhere in Disneyland.

The most consistent information I found online is that a Disney Coat of Arms consists of three fleur-de-lis:

So the three lions on display over the drawbridge appears to be a bit of a red herring. But as I thought about it, I remembered something I'd heard before (probably on the "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" guided tour at Disneyland):

Now what was it our Tour Guide told us?...

If I recall correctly, the Guide said something about the Disney family and the crests on display at the back of the castle:

Waterfalls and castles are sometimes better viewed from the backside

There are multiple uses of the "three fleur-de-lis" motif on display here, especially in the smaller shield symbols over the banner:

So, have we found another creative connection hidden in plain sight at Disneyland? Maybe, maybe not. I'm satisfied that it is at least a possible link. Fellow Adventurers are encouraged to decide for themselves.

- The Management

Out There - Chapel of the Transfiguration

2011-07-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Greetings Adventurers!

Some of our members recently returned from an expedition to Grand Teton National Park.

Our plan is to ply them with drink and ask them to regale us with tales (and photos), but so far they are still shaking off the dust of the trail and could not be bothered with lengthy exposition.

We did however manage to extract one quick image for Veranda photo gallery:

Chapel of the Transfiguration,
with the Teton range in the background
Moose, WY

Stay tuned for further developments.

- The Management

Curious Artifacts - 1983 EPCOT Center Map

2011-07-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a curious artifact from the Veranda collection, an EPCOT Center map from 1983:

Unlike today's maps, this one was designed with an additional fold, presumably to fit more conveniently in a pocket.

When fully folded, the reverse side gives us a quick overview:

Note the period icons for both EPCOT Center and Walt Disney World!

Unfolding the map reveals:

Click here for a high-res version

Comparing the map to a more contemporary version brings several differences into sharp relief.

For example -- the stylized line drawing style and reduced color palette are both typical features for maps from this epoch.

One also quickly observes the empty spaces destined to hold future pavilions in both World Showcase (Norway, Morocco) and Future World (The Living Seas). We also see evidence of lost wonders such as Horizons and the famous lost potties of Denmark and Morocco.

Scanning the map more carefully reveals more curiosities. For example, can you locate the WorldKey Information Satellites? And how about the short-lived Renaissance Food Festival?

And how's this for quaint? Notice the friendly dining advice:

How did we ever survive before the days of 180-day ADRs?

(For extra credit, check out which World Showcase eateries did not rate the asterisk).

In the category of things not present, where is the International Gateway? Looking at the resort map on the back sheds light on this strange absence -- there's no point in having a gateway where there are no Epcot-area resorts to connect to!

Revel in the idyllic simplicity of the 1983 WDW resort!

Here's the map legend for the section near the Walt Disney World Village:

The resort map also continues the use of simplified graphic designs:

To round out our tour, here are thumbnails for the remaining map images in the Veranda collection:

Click on the thumbnails for high-res images

Feel free to linger and explore the map in greater detail. Leave a comment if you find anything noteworthy.

- The Management

Intersections - Rigging

2011-07-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here at the veranda our interest in the created worlds of Disney whets our appetite to explore the wider world which inspired them (and vice-versa). Photos are a fun way to discover the intersections between Disney and the world beyond.

For example, here are two vessels that are over two thousand miles apart when conventionally measured, but feel as if they were cut from the same sailcloth:

The SS Columbia in it's home port.
Fowler's Harbor, Disneyland, CA

Another classic vessel makes port.
Lahaina Harbor, Maui, Hawaii.

- The Management

Creative Connections - Family Crests

2011-06-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

In my last dispatch, we were looking at a creative connection between Epcot's UK pavilion and present-day England -- namely, the signs hanging from several of the buildings.

As we saw in both Epcot and the Cotswolds, these signs incorporate images that evoke the name of the establishment, provide some clues as to what may be found inside, or even relate to the lineage of the owning family.

Consider, for example this sign from The Redesdale Arms in Morton-on-the-Marsh. Here is another case where a few internet queries suggest that the sign incorporates images from the Redesdale family crest:

More family crest imagery

In Epcot's UK pavilion, the "Sportman's Shoppe" displays a sign boasting a whimsical graphic design that is part family crest, part sporting-goods store, and part hidden Mickey:

The Sportsman's Shoppe, Epcot

While this is all in good fun, if we look beyond this sign to the window on the second floor we see some other crests worked into a nearby window:

What are those crests in the window?

Consulting The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World (a nice resource, by the way) provides some insight:

"The crests... represent the four regions of the

United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Whales.

When the first three are overlaid, they form the Union Jack flag of the United Kingdom".

Just across from the Sportsman's Shoppe, we find this sign outside the Rose and Crown:

Mmmm.... Guinness...

Compare this sign to Redesdale Arms sign above. Here again, the Disney Imagineers combine history with whimsy. The image of a rose wearing a crown seems obvious enough, but digging a little deeper reveals that the two-color flower is The Tudor Rose - the symbol adopted by King Henry VII at the end of the "Wars of the Roses" to symbolize the reunion of the royal houses of York (white rose) and Lancaster (red rose).

Consulting the Field Guide once again reveals that the motto under the rose "Otium Cum Dignitate" is Latin for Leisure With Dignity, which we at the Veranda strongly endorse.

And on that note, it is time to bring this dispatch to a close. I have more to say on the subject of family crests, but that will have to wait for another day. Storytelling is thirsty work, and I think it is time to enjoy some dignified leisure.

- The Management

P.S. - I've also been fortunate enough to visit the Rose and Crown Pub in Palo Alto, California. Nice place for a pint.

Creative Connections - UK Signs

2011-06-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

The artists who create Disney's themed environments often draw inspiration from a rich palette of past and present real-world locales. A cultivated appreciation for Disney Details inspires us to seek out similar treasures across the globe. Here at the Veranda, we look for these "Creative Connections" in our travels, and I'd like to share one of these connections with you today.

Those of you who have strolled Epcot's United Kingdom pavilion may have noticed the colorful signs hanging on several of the buildings. Here are a few examples:

The Queen's Table

Lords and Ladies Fancy Goods

The Toy Soldier

Although Epcot's UK takes inspiration from the past (with structures representing the 14th through 19th centuries), evidence of similar hanging signs can still be found in the present-day England.

Recounting her days in the United Kingdom, one of our members recalled seeing several such signs on display across the Costwold area. Consulting the Veranda photo gallery, she was quickly able to produce several examples:

The Balck Swan

Bakers Arms

Swan Hotel

The Bell Inn

The images on these signs often represent the name of the establihment, or provide some clue as to what may be found inside.

Sometimes, the images on the signs relate to family crests. The Lygon Arms Hotel in Chipping Campden appears to be one such example:

Although I'm a novice at such matters, a cursory internet search suggests that the two red lions(?) depicted on the sign are emblematic of the Lygon family crest.

In my next dispatch, we will "cross the pond" back over to Epcot to examine some more of the UK pavilion's signs, to see if the notion of family crests can provide additional creative connections:

- The Management

About the Veranda

2011-05-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

ve·ran·da –noun
1. a large,open porch,usually roofed and partly enclosed, as by a railing, often extending across the front and sides of a house

These are a few of my favorite things - travel, Disney, photography, writing.

Adventure Veranda exists because I want to make something that lives in the intersection of all of the above.

In my mind's eye - the Verandah is a covered porch that wraps around a stately British Colonial house. Hard to say how long the house has been here - although it is clearly not new. It seems to exist outside of (or perhaps alongside) time.

The veranda has lots of comfy wicker chairs, and friendly (if intermittent) folks who stop by to see if you need libations. Storytelling is thirsty work.

The house itself displays an eclectic collection of photos, trinkets, and other mementos of previous destinations.

Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to look around, share a story, or just find a comfy spot to sit. I'm sure someone will be by to take your drink order eventually...

- The Management

Hello World

2011-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Adventure Veranda!

We're not quite ready to open the doors just yet.

There's no telling what may await inside, but jungle drums tell us it may bear a striking resemblance to what can be found at these exotic locales:

Thanks for your patience,

The Management.

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

2011-03-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

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 distinct 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

2011-03-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

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"

2011-02-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

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.

UPDATE - Rolly is also a columnist at Disney Dispatch!

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

non-Disney Disney: Fisherman's Wharf

2010-11-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

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.

Boudin Bakery - Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

2010-11-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

The thing is - I'm a bit of a tourist.

Finding myself in San Francisco for a long weekend last March, my wife and I decided to spend some time at Fisherman's Wharf:

Being a tourist at Fisherman's Wharf, I feel obliged to eat chowder from a bowl made from sourdough bread (full disclosure - I find the notion of eating chowder and sourdough bread appealing even when I'm not in San Francisco).

So where can an out-of-towner find sourdough bread on Fisherman's Wharf? The Boudin Bakery, of course:

According to their web site, Boudin sourdough bread began in San Francisco:

"In 1849, the Boudin family struck culinary gold. Wild yeasts in the San Francisco air had imparted a unique tang to their traditional French bread, giving rise to 'San Francisco sourdough French bread.' "

Stepping inside the bakery, we find ourselves in a bustling cafe, but then we remember the sign on the outside said "Restaurant and Bar Upstairs", and sure enough there's a sign at the back of the cafe promising better things for those who climb the steps...

Upstairs we find a more refined setting:

And better still - since we're there on the early side, there's a table by the window:

Let's see what the menu has to offer:

True to form, I order the "Boudin Sourdough Breadbowl" (with the traditional clam chowder). My wife decides to try the "Dungeness Crab Mac & Cheese", which the menu describes as:

"Aged Vermont cheddar cheese, fresh cream and freshly picked Dingeness crab with buttered sourdough bread crumbs"

Add a nice bottle of California chardonnay, and here's the result:

The chowder and sourdough were delightful. The chowder was wonderfully creamy without being heavy, and the bread didn't disappoint either. I recall the Mac & Cheese being decent, but the dish which still resonates in my mind eight months later is the chowder. Highly recommended.

There's so much wonderful food in San Francisco. (I wrote about two other great meals previously). And I know we barely scratched the surface during our visit.

Do you have any favorite foods (or food spots) in The City? If so, I'd love to hear about them.

Until next time,

- Chris.

A Day in San Francisco

2010-09-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Back in March, my wife and I spent an extended weekend in San Francisco and points North.

It made for a great trip. San Francisco is a pretty amazing place.

One of the highlights was the day we spent in the company of our friends that live in The City. We started by strolling from the Fillmore district down to Fort Mason:

Where we browsed the shops and had a lovely lunch at a place called "greens"

Then more strolling down by the water:

Later we drove to Golden Gate Park

Where we sipped tea in a lovely (but cold) Japanese Tea Garden

Eventually we ended up the day with some wonderful food at North Beach, including the charming and tasty Caffe Sport:

Thanks again to our friends Kyle and Yolande for spending the day with us - it was fantastic.

You can see a few more pictures from that day on flickr.

Until next time,

- Chris

P.S. - If you followed me here from my other blog, then thanks.

The Mickey Puzzle

2010-08-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

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.

UPDATE - You can also see some lovely images over at SamLand's Disney Adventures.

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

As I said before, the five hours I spent in the museum left me with the impression that I had only sampled the highlights. Here (in no particular order) are some things which left a lasting impression on me:

One of the things I loved about the place is that as soon as you step inside something just says "Disney" - but at the same time it very much looks like it belongs in northern California.

After you enter, make sure to take a moment and go downstairs to the basement and check out the classic Disney film and Disneyland attraction posters.

There's one simple yet amazing display near the end of gallery three. Two monitors are stacked on top of each other showing two animated short versions of The Ugly Duckling - one from the early 1930's and one from the end of the decade. Although made a mere ten years apart the differences in artistry are astounding. The pantomime and sight gags which dominated the early offering are replaced with storytelling, "personality animation", engaging camera perspectives, and effects animation including the multiplane camera.

Many of the galleries feature dynamic and/or interactive elements. For example, the frequent use of flat-panel displays allows guests to see much of the work as it was meant to be seen - in motion.

I was mildly surprised to see that most of the windows had the shades drawn, denying the guests views of The Presidio and the nearby Golden Gate bridge. However, as soon as I reached gallery eight ("Walt + The Natural World") all was made spectacularly clear :-]

The galleries are organized by periods in Walt's life, which break down roughly by decade. The transition from the early years to Walt arriving in Hollywood in 1923 was particularly well done.

There are some great artifacts on display, including a towering multiplane camera, the original "cir-car-rama" camera, and a section of track and a car from the Carolwood Pacific railroad.

There's also a nice collection of Disney family keepsakes - including a charm bracelet that Walt gave to Lilly featuring miniature Oscar statues commemorating each of Walt's Academy Awards.

The gallery focusing on the 1940's was fascinating - with displays about the animator's strike, samples of the studio's World War II propaganda and training films, and momentos from the famous "Walt and El Grupo" visit to South America.

As one might expect, there is a wealth of original artwork. I especially enjoyed the chance to take in many works by Mary Blair.

There are deep interactive displays that I could have easily spent hours at, including an innovative multi-touch display that allows you to interactively explore the pages of a personal journal of one of the studio's effects animation pioneers. This is truly a museum-quality reference resource!

The gallery devoted to the 1950's has a wonderful set of interactive booths that invite you to explore "clouds" of hundreds of images, video clips, and audio samples.

The expansive gallery nine is the signature space for the museum, and contains some lovely "large footprint" displays, including a nice model of Disneyland. If you look carefully, you can even spot a floor pattern design that pays homage to Walt's "EPCOT the city".

In addition to all the visual treats, there are also plenty of stations featuring audio clips. During my visit I listened to Walt, his brother Roy, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Ward Kimball, Alice Davis, and many others.

Walt Disney was an amazing man, and The Walt Disney Family Museum is an amazing place. Although it requires a special trip for most of us to see, I think it is very well done and absolutely worth the journey. I hope it continues its mission for years to come.

Until next time,
- Chris