Simply Incredible

Over the river and through Hollywood

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Aquatherapy

Osborne Lights - TONITE

A midmorning bite

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Cook you up some ditties

Once upon a time kids meals at Walt Disney World didn’t come in a plastic mouse-eared tray. In fact, they came in boxes covered in characters and park landmarks. Inside was typical kid fare, but the box also included a toy figure. The figures were not very large, or malleable, but to a child it was a free toy.

I can remember sitting in the Farmers Market, the original food court of EPCOT Center’s Land pavilion, waiting for that box to arrive and wonder what figure I would get that I could play with at the table. There selection of figures were, to be honest, lacking. But looking back, I know not every child was able to visit Walt Disney World on a weekly basis so the figure would mean a lot more to them between visits than the vast collection of figures that ended up cluttering my dad’s tool chest. The figures would dance, under my guidance, around the table and sample some of my food.

For the past decade my father’s tools have been locked away in storage, and I have continually asked about the figures. The Mickeys finally came back into my possession recently, along with several Figment figures that were purchased at the Centorium. I had remembered the Sorcerer Mickey figure, but was pleasantly surprised by the Future World Mickeys, complete with the rainbow spacesuit.

As I move through old boxes and family collection I find not only items to showcase on the Gazette and in my collection, but memories that have long been dormant in my mind. I find old smiles of childish delight and days when the rains didn’t matter because we were waiting for Illuminations, and I fall in love with Walt Disney World all over again.

For Greg

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Yeti sightings

A great refurbishment wall

Showing care for all creatures

One quart

There is an oil drilling operation underway on Walt Disney World property, in fact it has been going on since 1989. The signature experience of the Backlot Tour has always been the few shaky moments spent in Catastrophe Canyon. While less thrilling today than it was in 1989 when DVDs were not yet available chock full of behind the scenes bonus features, the first-hand experience of being in the middle of a disaster scene and seeing how it is produced is still a lot of fun.The scene is set around a mining operation, complete with oil derricks and a tanker truck, all part of the Mohave Oil Co. In fact, the story of the mining operation begins even before guests enter the canyon, as the company’s plane is park right outside of the canyon, but still within the set’s security gates. The calamity that ensues, full of floods, fire, and falling power lines, doesn’t appear to have caused the company any great setbacks however. Just down the road in Mickey’s Toontown Fair, in Mickey’s garage, three cans of Mohave Oil Co. oil can be found just waiting to keep Mickey’s engine running smoothly. I would hazard a guess that Mickey wouldn’t be sponsoring a poorly run outfit by using their product, so Mohave Oil Co. must be on the up and up.

Many times the Mohave Oil Co. has been listed as a fictitious company, a figment of Disney’s imagination if you will, but that is not the case. The Mohave Oil Co., complete with its western skyline and Native American logo, is based in Kingman Arizona. Known as a gasoline distributor, the company is also known for its operations in the oil industry and oil field equipment services. An article discussing the company’s oil rationing during the 1979 energy crisis can be read online, while an old gasoline pump globe for Mohave Oil Co. can be seen at auction about halfway down the page.

Disney is great a taking their fictitious companies, characters, and products and introducing them in real world terms throughout the parks, and sharing them between the parks, of Walt Disney World. On a rare occasion, however, they know just how to insert a piece of the real world into their controlled environments where guests won’t even think to bat an eye. The placement of Mohave Oil Co. inside of two parks in Florida has always been a treasured secret among the Disney enthusiasts, but the real world component makes it all the more worthy of its status.

Tea with me

Another thousand circles

Dinner with Glenn

For my parents

Cocktails with Andy

So much to eat so little time...

Call it Stealth Twister

EPCOT Center to open October 1, 1982

The announcement of a new theme park, at Walt Disney World and around the globe, is a promise for the future and a hope of what might be. This euphoric state was never more present than at the announcement of EPCOT Center, the first Disney theme park to diverge from the Disneyland model. That declaration was made by Disney President and CEO Card Walker in late 1978 to the delegates of the 26th World Congress of the International Chamber of Commerce. The October 6, 1978 issue of Eyes and Ears covered the story.

Several quotes from Walker were highlighted in the story and gave a clearly defined picture of what EPCOT Center was to be. Below are Card Walker’s statements taken from the article:

“EPCOT Center will consist of two major themed areas: Future World and the World Showcase. The first of these will dramatize the history and future challenges of the critical problems facing us today - providing a window onto the worlds of energy, transportation, the seas, space, life & health and other subjects. Future World will also include a global marketplace of new ideas which we call the Communicore. In this communications core of EPCOT Center industry and the public will participate in a ‘hands-on’ exchange of new and exciting systems, products and technology.

“The World Showcase will be a community of nations, the only permanent international exposition of its kind anywhere, focusing on the culture, traditions, tourism and accomplishments of people around the world. A model for true people to people exchange, the World Showcase will offer participating nations an opportunity to send their outstanding young adults to operate the attractions, shops, restaurants and exhibits of their pavilions. And these young people who will work, play and learn together for a period of up to one year will help to generate greater international understanding.

“EPCOT Center has already received an exciting response and considerable support from American as well as international interests. As of now, Walt Disney Productions has received letters of intent or contracts from four of the world’s largest corporations for participation in EPCOT Center’s Future World. General Motors will present Transportation. Exxon Company, U.S.A. will present Energy. Kraft, Inc. will present The Land. In addition, a major presentation is now being designed for American Telephone & Telegraph Co.

“We have also received letters of intent from business or government interests in 10 nations for participation in the first phase of World Showcase – including United Mexican States, Japan, Federal Republic of Germany, Kingdom of Morocco, Canada, State of Israel, United Kingdom, French Republic, United Arab Emirates and Italian Republic. And in the months to come we anticipate substantial additional support both for this and the planned second phase of EPCOT Center.”

IllumiNations over the Beach Club

Field office's view

The Bald Mountain

I feel like a new man

Coffee break

Live the adventure

My wife and I drive to Walt Disney World from our home in North Carolina, and since we always have a car on our visits we tend to use our car to visit the parks rather than rely on Disney transportation. Research has shown that driving yourself to the parks, and back to your resort, is actually quicker for every destination except for the Magic Kingdom. The irony of this is that I love the Transportation and Ticket Center so much that a trip to Walt Disney World is complete without a few moments pondering the ferry or monorail at the TTC.

These drives have given me ample time to notice and discuss, usually to myself, the various road signs of Walt Disney World. Aside from the classic purple and red mouse-eared signs, the signs indigenous to their home resorts are filled with amazing details. Yet, for guests heading out to the various parks, there are no signs more eye-catching and rewarding to read than those found at the exit of Pop Century.

Let’s hope in the car so you can take a look for yourself!

An extraordinary voyage

It seems like my wife and I have just returned from Walt Disney World, but we’re back on the road again. As always, I have prepared regular content to arrive on the Gazette daily while I am away. In addition to regularly schedule articles, I will also be sending picture postcards back to the Main Street Gazette, my >>Facebook page>, and through my Twitter feed, this way you can choose your own path to follow the adventure.

On the docket for this trip, aside from digging around and photographing nooks and crannies, is a second tour of this year’s worldly fare of the International Food and Wine Festival, a date at Kouzzina, a spin through the Sum of All Thrills, a tour of the new Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and viewing Princess Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee to name just a few.

My wife will be in a conference for a majority of this trip, so I will be solo touring quite a bit. If you see this crazy guy with a camera bag wandering around be sure to pull me away from the camera and say ‘hello!’ Or, if you are going to be in the area and want to sit down for an egg roll, Dole Whip, kaki gori, or hamburger, be sure to drop me a line. I always love talking with other Disney enthusiasts! I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and I will see ya real soon!

The best darn black powder

The majority of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue features wooden-railed switchbacks with several vistas overlooking the runaway mine trains. While switchback queues can be relatively boring and not as entertaining as, say, the queue for Kali River Rapids, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad uses the spaces it has available to offer guests some witty wordplay, and items that may cause some nervous laughter.

Of the many fabricated props and rusting machinery pieces littered about the grounds and mines of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, this single barrel, seen early on in the main level of the queue, is my personal favorite. The reminder adhered to the side of the barrel reads:

You are using
the best darn
Black Powder made
in these here
United States.
Handle With Care
DO NOT SPILL

Lytum and Hyde Explosives Co.
Sparks, Nevada

Looking at the warning alone, Lytum and Hyde, read light ‘em and hide, is the perfect name for a company dealing in explosives. When it comes to blasting, however, what is needed to set the whole shebang off? Why, one little spark of course, and Lytum and Hyde found the perfect place to find their sparks in Nevada.

Looking over the scene again, guests will quickly realize that someone did not read the instructions very carefully before pulling the cork out of the barrel and allowing it to spill out everywhere, including onto a fuse. Luckily, the queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a non-smoking area. But wait, what is that piece of paper that the black powder has leaked onto? Why, it’s a map of the entire Big Thunder Mining Company’s operation!

Symbol of universal harmony

The lettering and emblems of the various lands, parks, resorts, and attractions has changes over the years at Walt Disney World. The ability to capture guests’ attention while honoring the spirit of the attraction or area is a sticky balancing act. It may seem like loud in-your-face symbols and signage have overtaken the subtle icons of World of Motion, the Contemporary Resort, and Downtown Disney, there are plenty of examples that the heart of an experience is still taken into account, such as the newly designed logo for Spaceship Earth.Yet, some of the most fantastic pieces of Walt Disney World’s iconography, images and feelings that have resonated across the decades of operation, were there in the very beginning. An example of several of these can be seen in the various letterheads and envelope showcased on the Gazette today.

I could talk about the symbols of Walt Disney World for hours, but there is already a wonderfully worded study on the subject. For a detailed exploration of some of iconic icons of Walt Disney World be sure to check out the article from Passport to Dreams.

The James B. Parks Collection of Fine Prints

On Monday, November 9, 2009, Swann Galleries will be auctioning a tremendous collection of prints. The items showcased, from the James B. Parks Collection of Fine Prints, stands as a testament to the fantastic form of printmaking. Dating back to the 1700s and progressing through the 20th century, the collection features items from Jackson Pollack, Picasso, Francisco José de Goya, and, of interest to the Main Street Gazette’s readers, Walt Disney.

When collecting the astounding pieces, Mr. Parks looked not to pieces that would inspire envy in those who viewed the gathering, but rather to those that would allow him to showcase the full width and breadth of the history of printmaking. Of Walt Disney, Parks states, “…Walt Disney! ‘Cartoonist?’ No way … he was the most brilliant Surrealist!”

The brilliant Surrealist is represented in five lots and showcases not only Mickey Mouse, but also Goofy, Snow White, and The Three Caballeros. But, perhaps I should let the pieces speak for themselves. For those of you interested in obtaining more information about the auction, the Swann Auction Galleries has all the information, including an online catalogue, at The James B. Parks Collection of Fine Prints.

Lot 182: Snow White and Bashful, Walt Disney Studios. Original production cel, the cut-out figures on a watercolor background, circa 1937.
Lot 183: Walt Disney’s Three Caballeros, Walt Disney Studios. Color crayon and oil stick poster maquette on smooth, cream wove paper, circa 1944. (“Three Caballeros” was the seventh animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series.)
Lot 184: Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney Studios. Original production cel, late 1950s/early 1960s.
Lot 185: Two concept drawings: Mickey with Coins and Goofy Spitting Coins, Walt Disney Studios. Both pencil and yellow crayon on cream wove paper, 1940s/1950s.

The legend of the yeti

When it comes to unverified legends and folktales, there is often only one piece of advice that anyone can offer or accept: proceed with caution. In the case of Nepal’s yeti, those words not only serve as warning to those seeking the physical manifestation of the yeti, but also a caution against tarnishing a firm belief of a native people. The world’s interest in the yeti has increased in recent years with the inclusion of the yeti tales in the attraction Expedition Everest and the findings from the show Destination Truth. An excellent resource for material on the yeti is the queue of Expedition Everest itself.

Throughout the queue, both in the stand-by and Fastpass lines, are several sections in which books highlighting tales of the yeti and chronicles of yeti pursuits can be found. World-class climber and adventurer Reinhold Messner, who’s book My Quest for the Yeti has been mention on the Main Street Gazette several times, is among those resources found in the Expedition Everest collection. Messner’s own interest in the creature came about from a personal experience he had in Tibet in July of 1986.Josh Gates, the host of Destination Truth, clearly isn’t first adventurer to go in search of the evidentially-challenged creature, nor shall he be the last, but he has obtained some striking evidence. During a 2007 search for the substantiation of the yeti folklore in Kathmandu, Gates and his team discovered a footprint of a bipedal creature that had no match in the known animal record. A casting of this footprint, along with newspaper clippings and a photograph of Josh Gates with the print, can also be found among the displays of Expedition Everest's yeti museum. This evening, the second of Gates’ expeditions in search of the yeti will be aired on Syfy.

For the observant guest of Expedition Everest, a letter from Conservation International President, Russell Mittermeier, can be found. The letter to an unnamed Professor, though it is safe to assume he is addressing Professor Pema Dorje the Yeti Museum curator, talks about the efforts promoted by the Dorje to conserve and protect the home of this mysterious beast. The letter reads:

“Congratulations to you on the opening of your new museum. I wish you all the best in your ongoing efforts to promote local stewardship of Himalayan lands and biodiversity. Conservation International strongly supports local empowerment in the conservation of wild places, such as our Sacred Lands program in the Tibetan cultural areas of Sichuan, China. Your focus on the yeti as a symbol of preservation has remarkable parallels in our study area. I hope in the future to be able to visit you in Anandapur. Perhaps we can go looking for the yeti together!”

What is clear is that for a creature such as the yeti to exist, care must be taken in preserving the wild places of the region, as all such uncultivated zones should be. As Reinhold Messner states in the conclusion of My Quest for the Yeti, “Without wilderness there is no yeti. Thus the survival of the yeti myth is dependent on the survival of the last wildernesses.” Similarly, Imagineer Joe Rohde wrote, while studying yeti reports in Saisima, Nepal, “It is no coincidence that the legend of the yeti withers when the forests are destroyed.”No matter your opinion of what the yeti is or isn’t, myth, legend, mysterious creature, or protective spirit, the only way we shall ever know the truth is by continued perseverance in maintaining wilds of the world and through the sustained exploration of these wildernesses. Wildernesses which, as a personal aside, I am ready to protect and delve into should any adventurer, Gates, Messner, Rohde, Mittermeier, be willing to take me under their wing.

Minnie's Menehune Breakfast

Character breakfasts, or character dining experiences for that matter, may not have been incorporated into Walt Disney World in 1971 when the Vacation Kingdom opened, but they have become a staple of vacation experience. The uniqueness of the early character breakfasts were enough to bring in families by the truckload, but Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast was a favorite.The meal, which took place in the Polynesian’s Papeete Bay Veranda, included the quintessential Disney characters dressed and ready for a day of South Pacific sun and fun. From Hawaiian shirts and atmosphere found only within the borders of the Polynesian Resort, to the food and take-aways like buttons and certificates, this was a one of a kind experience just across the Seven Seas Lagoon.

The Papeete Bay Veranda has become ‘Ohana, and characters have invaded breakfasts, lunches, and dinners property wide. But the spirit of the Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast lives on with the hang-ten duo from Hawaii, Lilo and Stitch. While a few less character meals could return restaurants’ ambiance to their original intent, well placed character interactions, including princesses in Cinderella Castle, Lilo and Stitch in the Polynesian, and Playhouse Disney personalities in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to name a few, will always be a draw to guests and add to the experience. Not to mention a character meal kills two birds with one stone by being able to grab some food while being able to photograph characters and obtain their autographs.

The business of show business

Today we’ll once again be turning back the Walt Disney World clock, this time to 1989. When Disney-MGM Studios was in its infancy the Backstage Studio Tour has a multitude of elements, many of which are no longer a part of the Backlot Tour. Along the tram portion of the tour, guests could see costuming, vehicle boneyards, special effects sets, and a host of various set facades. While the current incarnation of the Streets of America is impressive, the drive-by sets of both New York Street and Residential Street were so realistic, flowing from the various props, landscaping, and attention to detail, that it was slightly disconcerting to not see people wandering down the sidewalks and across the streets.To gain an idea of what those early set pieces looked like, here are several publicity photographs Disney-MGM Studios released shortly after the park opened to the public.

Okapis arrive from Zaire rainforest

I have taken my fair share, actually it’s probably more than my fair share, of wildlife photographs in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The natural world and animal interactions have always fascinated me. Of all the animals in the park, however, the one that have been the most intrigued by, and the least able to capture properly in a photograph, is the okapi. In fact, the best picture I have of an okapi, seen below, only includes the creature in the background.For all the intrigue the okapi has caused me over the years, here’s a great article from the Harambe Weekly Journal that can be found along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. The date given is Tuesday, March 17. While no year is given, it is safe to assume that the article is from Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s opening year of 1998, rather than 2009’s Tuesday, March 17. The article, Okapis arrive from Zaire rainforest, comes from the WDI Newsservice Africa, with the report being compiled by the Africa Correspondent.

Harambe --- Today was a very triumphant day in Harambe’s Wildlife Reserve as Reserve Director Dr. K. Kulunda pleasurably accepted three rare okapis as a permanent addition to the Reserve. The three okapis – two females and a young male – were transplanted to Harambe by way of aircraft from their former home in the Ituri rainforest in Zaire in Central Africa. Very shy and highly solitary, the okapi was unknown to the world outside the Ituri Forest until 1901, when local peoples showed a skin to British explorer Sir Harry Johnston.

It is hoped that the okapis will adapt to life here and create a healthy population outside of the threatened rainforest region.

“We believe that Harambe can provide a safe, new home for these beautiful relatives of the giraffe,” said Dr. Kulunda. “Once – millions of years ago – okapis did live in this part of Africa, so I am considering this a homecoming, not a relocation.”

Dr Kulunda urged the citizens of Harambe to show their support for the Reserve and its Wildlife Conservation School by paying a holiday visit and perhaps catching a glimpse of the very beautiful okapis.

“We may be very proud that we have a Wildlife Reserve well known in the international scientific community,” said Dr. Kulunda, “…but the conservation of our local wildlife will ultimately depend on ourselves and the actions we take.”