Spanning the continent

Art, history, and innovation meet at many junctures throughout Walt Disney World. Perhaps it is my love of railroads, or maybe it is my passion for the underappreciated corners of the parks, but the murals that bookend the Walt Disney World Railroad’s Main Street Station are some of the most classic examples of the combination of these three elements.

The era of exploration and the ever-growing frontier is depicted in the station by a mural showcasing the use of natural resources in the creation of the railroads’ lines and, in the second mural, the driving of the golden spike. This moment in history has been depicted throughout various attractions at the Magic Kingdom, including during the parade America on Parade and in the current version of the Hall of Presidents. Maybe, however, it is best to let the murals speak for themselves, to impart their stories and wisdom, and remind us of where we have come from and where we are going.

SPANNING THE CONTINENT

From the laying of ties to construction of trestles, railroads could not have spanned the continent without the abundance of America’s forests.

This artist’s interpretation shows the step-by-step process involved in railroad construction: from the felling of trees and hauling to a sawmill, to finished rail ties and sturdy trestles that spanned the might rivers and broad canyons.





A GOLDEN SPIKE IS DRIVEN

With the driving of the last spike linking east and west, telegraph wires buzzed across the nation with the news of the great accomplishment. Among these messages was the following, to President Ulysses Grant…

“PROMONTORY SUMMIT, UTAH, MAY 10, 1869. THE LAST RAIL IS LAID. THE LAST SPIKE DRIVEN. THE PACIFIC RAILROAD IS COMPLETED. THE POINT OF JUNCTION IS 1,086 MILES WEST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. AND 690 MILES EAST OF SACRAMENTO CITY.”

An island filled with tropic beauty

Whether you know it as Blackbeard’s Island, Treasure Island, Discovery Island, or the obscure Raz Island, the sanctuary that sits in the middle of Bay Lake has been a part of the Walt Disney World landscape since before Disney owned the land. According to the legends of the island pirates galore have wondered the shores of this island, but today it sits just as weary and tired as their old bones might have been when they found rest upon her shores.While the dream of Ben Gunn’s Cave, the Admiral Benbow Inn, and the towering wreck of the Hispaniola may only have ended up being dreams that went out with the tide, Discovery Island (as it was last known) did have its own miniature shipwreck of the Hispaniola and enough treasure in the form of animal wealth that guests of Walt Disney World flocked to the island.Between January and March of 1976 Discovery Island, which originally opened on 4 April 1974, crafted the addition of the Thirsty Perch and the aviary that would come to be known as Avian Way when the island reopened on 1 April 1976.Though not accessible to guests these days, by boat or otherwise, Discovery Island still retains its sense of mystery as it can be seen anchored out in the middle of Bay Lake. For those guest taking a Motor Cruiser or a Motor Launch from Fort Wilderness, this past of pirates is almost within reach. At the very least the overgrown remnants and structures of the Hispaniola, Avian Way, Pelican Bay, and Tortoise Beach can still viewed as the high seas ferries you away.For more information on Discovery Island, be sure to check out the WDW Radio Show, Episode 94, where Lou Mongello and I take his Wayback Machine to dig up some of the history and treasure of this long forgotten and abandoned island.

We welcome you aboard

There is currently a tremendously touching story on the Orlando Sentinel’s website about a family’s interaction with the late monorail pilot, Austin Wuennenberg. You can find their story and video of their time with Austin here.

As to the cause of the incident that caused Wuennenberg his life, while a cohesive story is beginning to unfold, until the Main Street Gazette has received the official story we feel it is inappropriate and unwise to relate speculation.

It's law and order time

There are plenty of pieces of Walt Disney World’s past that I would love to bring out of extinction. Up near the top of that list was show called Dick Tracy and the Diamond Double-Cross. This show, which ran in the original Theater of the Stars at Disney-MGM Studios from 21 May 1990 until 21 February 1991, featured many of the hit songs from the Dick Tracy film which starred Warren Beatty. With its stylized set pieces, the Balonian Diamond, and a cast of characters that included not only Big Boy and Mumbles, but also Flattop, Breathless Mahoney, and Crewy Lou, the Diamond Double-Cross captured the spirit of the film, but it also captured similar success.

After less than a year, the show, which also ran on the Videopolis stage at Disneyland, took its final curtain call. This had been a show that I begged and pleaded with my parents to see and, on more than one occasion, sat through alone. And yet, even years later I could picture the dancers hitting their marks as they sang in chorus, “Calling Dick Tracy!” This song, written by Tom Child and Don Harper, would sporadically find its way back to the front of my memory and I would sing or hum it for a day or two before fading back into the recesses of my memory.

The show presented below, from You Tube user filmfreak11, is the version that could be seen in Disneyland, but is virtually indistinguishable from the Disney-MGM Studios show. Perhaps one of the best moments in the performance comes when Dick Tracy asked Breathless why should would get wrapped up with the criminal racket. Here response? “I guess I’m just a material girl.”

Magical Times

When asked what my favorite resort at Walt Disney World is, the person who asked the question is in for a detailed twenty minute dissertation on the merits of Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Resorts, pool elements, lobbies, furnishings, hidden details, and the stories of the resorts. When they walk away scratching their head they are probably pondering how they just received a copious amount of information but not a true answer. When you ask me the same question as it relates to Disneyland, there is one simple answer, the Disneyland Hotel.

While it is the only one of the three Disney resorts that I have stayed at, I have taken the opportunity to tour through the others, and the Disneyland Hotel still reaches far and above the other two. Maybe it is the history of the place or the attention to detail, but I simply love this resort. This evening I thought we would showcase some of the small elements, the images included among the vines and flowers of the comforters and the wallpaper that is filled with character, to give the readers an understanding of just how right this resort is.

Collectible vinyl series

When word, and pictures, began to spread last year about Disney’s foray into vinyl collectibles with its line of Vinylmations I had many questions. My first question amounted to, “Why am I seeing a Yeti at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?” While the artistic concepts, interpretations, and finished products range from intriguing to masterpieces, for the most part, the Park Series never seemed at home in their photographs. So, on my recent trip to Walt Disney World, I snapped some photographs of the original series figures in their natural habitats. Sadly, due to a technical malfunction, I lost about half of the images, but here are a few that appear right at home.

For more information on the Vinylmation collectibles, check out VinylNation and Shoes, Shorts, Gloves.

Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions

The Main Street Gazette continues to follow the tragic events of this morning's monorail collision, and will present any news that becomes available, and is appropriate, in as timely a fashion as possible in the coming days. In addition to this coverage, beginning this evening, the Gazette will also return to regular feature content.



I may have mentioned once or twice (okay, several times) how much pleasure I take in putting a round of miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens on every trip to Walt Disney World. I may even have a friend who was there for the courses’ grand opening. So it should come as no surprise that I couldn’t help but share this article on Fantasia Gardens just as soon as it came across my desk. The article, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions originally comes from The Disney Magazine’s Winter 1995 issue.

Disney’s Fantasia comes to life! Disney’s newest experience, Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf and Garden Pavilions, is located on an 11-acre site to the southwest of Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Hotels, near the BoardWalk Resort. The project will provide a wonderful Disney style experience for two distinct markets, a convention facility and a recreational amenity for Disney Resort guests.

Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf is a unique recreational experience with two 18-hole miniature courses that will appeal to both children and adults. An animated Starter Shack, that includes a snack bar and arcade, greets our guests and sets the stage for the theme.

For the family, the 18 holes of Fantasia Gardens, designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, is a fallback to the era of traditional miniature golf in a classical garden setting. Rolling grassy hills, sculpted hedges, elegant topiaries, sparkling ponds and formal flower beds work together to create an environmental garden setting reminiscent of “The Pastoral Symphony” sequence from the Classic Disney animated feature, “Fantasia.”

While beautiful and tranquil in setting, Fantasia Gardens also offers up a healthy dose of fun. Guests interact with whimsical, animated statues and dancing fountains. There are surprises around every corner as guests are challenged by the cleverly themed hazards based on five sequences from the film:

Toccata & Fugue, the introduction that sets a musical tone;
The Nutcracker Suite, that celebrates the seasons of the year;
The Pastoral Symphony, with its mythological cast of characters;
The Dance of the Hours, famous Alligator and Hippo ballet;
and of course, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, starring the one and only Mickey Mouse.

Focused more for the adult children, Fantasia Fairways is a one-of-a-kind challenge putting course. In a landscape setting that harmonizes with Fantasia Gardens, the par three and four putting holes will thrill and entertain the best of golfers. Exaggerated contours, water hazards and sand traps together with dogleg bends will demand both skill and luck to overcome.

Designed by noted American architect Michael Graves, the Garden Pavilions will extend the variety of spaces available for convention functions. In its open air, circus tent style, the pavilions will capitalize on Central Florida’s outdoor environment with patio decks, a sandy beach with lush landscaping. The two connected pavilions will accommodate a single large function or two groups simultaneously.

MAPO

With regards to the early morning incident involving the monorail system at Walt Disney World I thought it would be only prudent to explain the monorail’s safety features, for those who remain unclear of the protocols that were in place at the time of the accident.

Beyond that, I would like to issue this warning to those of you seeking information about this morning’s occurrence. There is currently video circulating through various news and community websites, with no warnings as to the nature of the content, which shows the two monorails immediately after the collision. The video is extremely difficult and disturbing to watch as it is made apparent quickly into the video that the driver, now identified as Austin Wenneberg, is still onboard. It is the Main Street Gazette's opinion that such film should not be shown or viewed.


MAPO

Mapo is the term used to refer to the monorail’s safety system, the moving blocklight system. Each monorail piloting console uses a three light MAPO warning system (green, amber, red) for the pilots to gauge their current location in relation to the monorail in front of them. The various lines that the monorails run along are broken up into sections known as blocks, and each block is between 500 to 1000 feet long. The MAPO system requires three or more blocks of space between two monorails for a green signal, two block denotes an amber signal, and a red signal is raised when the front monorail is only one block away.

When a red MAPO signal has been indicated, the train’s onboard computer immediately applies the emergency brakes and shuts out a pilot’s ability to move the monorail until the monorail in front of it reaches a safe following distance. Any pilot who receives three red MAPO signals is removed from their ability to pilot a monorail.

While an override switch is available to pilots, the monorail’s top speed is locked at fifteen miles per hour while the override in engaged. Generally override is only used for safety tests and inspections, a change in the monorail’s line via the spur line, or due to a monorail beam’s power failure.

Each train goes through a safety assessment of its MAPO system each day.

Monorail crash

According to a Local 6 article, there was a collision between Monorail Pink and Monorail Purple at approximately 2:00 am this morning along the Epcot line of the monorail system. The collision resulted in the death of one of the monorail drivers, Austin Wenneberg, age 21. While there were a total eight people invloved in the crash, including a family of six guests onboard one of the monorails at the time, no other injuries were reported. This is the first fatality in the thirty-eight year history of the Walt Disney World Monorail System.

Walt Disney World vice president of public affairs Mike Griffin issued this statement, "Today, we mourn the loss of a fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to the family and fellow cast members who lost a coworker and a friend. Safety of our guests and cast members is our top priority. The monorail is out of service and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the approximate next steps."

A statement from the Wenneberg family was issued late Sunday evening, it read, "Austin Wuennenberg was a senior at Stetson University, studying computer science. He always enjoyed his work at Disney, and especially enjoyed his work as a monorail pilot. He has many great friends whom he has positively influenced; everyone will truly miss this dynamic young man. Austin's family would like to thank friends and well-wishers for their kind thoughts and prayers. We appreciate sensitivity and respect from the media during this difficult time."

The Main Street Gazette would like to pass along our most sincere condolences to Wenneberg's family.


Article updated at 8:37 PM 5 July 2009.

Chase away the mealtime blues

While summer, and Fourth of July in particular, is a time for cookouts, picnics, hot dogs, hamburgers, and watermelon, there are ways to present the typical summer fare with a twist. One of my favorite summertime treats is watermelon and, thanks to Boma at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, I have a new way to tempt my palate with this produce. So, while you’re thinking about what to do with those leftovers, why not give the Watermelon Rind Salad a try!

WATERMELON RIND SALAD

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Watermelon Rind and Skin (sliced thin)
1 cup Ginger (sliced thin)
1 cup Rice Vinegar
1 cup Grenadine
1 cup Water
1 cup Sugar


Directions:

In a small pot heat all ingredients, except the watermelon, until the sugar melts. Remove from heat and let cool.

Add watermelon rind and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

A dazzling, fun-filled pageant

Disney’s America on Parade first rolled down the thoroughfare of Main Street U.S.A., in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, on June 14, 1975. While this was almost a full thirteen months before the country would celebrate the Bicentennial, Disney was never one to come late to a party, or leave early for that matter. A fact well represented by the parade making its final journey on September 6, 1976, two months after the Bicentennial of the United States.The Bicentennial was not just a big deal for Disney, it was a birthday party that was celebrated in every corner of the country. For its part, Disney’s America on Parade researched the history and social commentaries of the United States before settling on a parade that would feature fifty floats. While some would have been satisfied with a brief glimpse at each of the fifty states being represented by these floats, Disney instead chose to depict the spirit, achievements, ideals, histories, and icons of the entire country. By choosing elements that created common bonds from sea to shining sea, the parade had much more of a resounding impact on each and every individual who had the chance to view it. This impact was felt by, according to Disney’s estimates, as many as twenty-five million guests.Like all things Disney, music was a key element. After two years of digging and scrounging, and compiling a list of songs large enough to enamor any music buff, Disney settled on using the sound of a music box. The true trials of music were only beginning, however. According to David Jacobs, in the book Disney’s America on Parade:

“Eventually they found a beauty – a completely restored 1890 band organ – in Sikeston, Missouri. Known as “Sadie Mae,” the instrument had some two hundred pipes and worked on the same principle as a player piano, except that punch-hole piano books were used instead of piano rolls. That was fine – except that the researchers discovered that only one man in the world was capable of making piano books by hand, and he was in Belgium.”

All’s well that ends well, the music was sent to Belgium, the instrument and her piano books were assembled in a little music town known as Nashville, the score was recorded, then embellished with a moog synthesizer, and Sadie Mae’s melodious tunes boomed loud and clear from the loudspeakers.The typical traveling parties of princesses, pirates, dwarfs, fairies, and courageous heroes would not do for such a national moving monument, although they did have their place in the parade. Instead the People of America were crafted for the floats. These eight foot tall figures, most of which were identical with their only differences being added through costuming effects such as clothes, propping, and hair, embodied the same spirits of America that the floats did themselves. To add to the quality of the production, the costumes were as authentic as could be constructed, right down to the stitching. Like all good ideas that refuse to go away within Disney, the People of America were recostumed in the early 1980s and became the first walk around characters in EPCOT Center’s World Showcase.Over the fifteen month run of Disney’s patriotic pageant ran twice a day, once in the afternoon and again in the evening hours. Disney’s America on Parade served to swell the hearts of men, women, and children alike while it celebrated the Fourth of July each and every day. With so much emphasis being placed on celebrations this year at Disney Parks, I can think of no better way to celebrate this day, our Independence Day, by remembering all that has come before us, the determination and soaring hearts of all our people, and all the promises we carry forward with us into the future. That is the story that Disney’s America on Parade told us, and those are the ideals that it sent us out into the world with.

Explosion of innovation

Over the past several months, there have been quite a number of dramatic changes to the Walt Disney World website. Almost everything, from Park Hours calendars to the new online dining reservation system, has been upgraded, tweaked, or revamped. One thing that has gone relatively unnoticed, however, is the manner in which Disney has been presenting upcoming attractions and experiences on the website.

Recent additions to the website, specifically The Pirates League and Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration, have included their experience descriptions, location, and detailed information, such as phone numbers or disability accommodations, just like every attraction page on the website. Unlike every other attraction, however, these attraction pages have included a piece of concept art rather than a photograph of the attraction. While this may seem like a minor change, I think it signals a dramatic shift in the way Walt Disney World looks at its attractions and the parks’ enthusiasts.For the attractions themselves, this means that Walt Disney World is giving potential guests who are perusing the website a chance to see what is coming down the line, potential during the window they are looking at for a trip. In the past, coming attractions rarely had a page on the website prior to their openings. For the attractions that did have pages, a stock press photograph was the norm, if there was any picture at all. By including artwork and producing these pages earlier it can be assumed that Disney has learned that by increasing the lead time that guests know about an attraction, the more buzz and excitement that can be generated.

As for the Walt Disney World enthusiasts out there, these pieces of concept art are something we used to have to go to great lengths to view or obtain. While we are well aware that there isn’t just one piece of artwork created for each attraction, Disney appears to be taking the one piece that most closely resembles the final product and giving us a taste of not only the experience, but also the styling and imagination that went into the planning of an attraction. With books like The Art of Walt Disney World and these concept glimpses on the website, Disney appears to be taking the gathering of dedicated admirers more seriously and has begun speaking to our needs.In addition to these tweaks, Walt Disney World’s website has also become timelier in its removal of content. There were days in the past when an all but extinct attraction, say Body Wars, would remain on the website for months and years after it had been shuttered. Today, however, attractions are being removed as they are closed. Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration gave its last performance last Saturday, but a quick glance around the Walt Disney World website first thing Saturday morning showed that the show’s page had already been removed.

Disney’s site, like any decent website, is a constant work-in-progress. The feedback they receive helps shape future designs of the site, and the more they include interactive features, like the online dining reservations, and peeks into the future of the parks, the more positive feedback they are going to receive. For those of us who treasure the glimpses into the widely unknown elements of the parks’ tomorrows, Disney has definitely begun to work towards a brighter, albeit unassuming, view of the future of their attractions, shows, and experiences.

Addendum: Making a better car

This morning we briefly touched upon the shows that were available to guests as a part of World of Motion’s TransCenter. While we had previously showcased my personal favorite of the two, The Water Engine, I thought due screen time was only appropriate for The Bird and the Robot show. Below is a piece of concept art created for the show, as well as the show as it could be seen in its heyday.

Making a better car

The current post show of the GM sponsored Test Track pavilion is called Inside Track, and features innovative techniques and ideas about the future of the automobile, as well as a showcase of various GM models, though there are fewer models to gaze at these days as opposed to just a few years ago. Once upon a time the Test Track pavilion was known as World of Motion, and the post show included not only shows (The Water Engine and The Bird and the Robot), but also a showroom and an excess of futuristic exhibits and showcases. This post show was called TransCenter.Within the TransCenter, GM took everything that science assumed would be plausible within the field of automotive science, including available materials and methodologies, and combined that with possible governmental legislation and regulation and created the car of the future for a display. Shows like The Water Engine used animation as a vehicle to discuss the various types of engines that would be used in the future, while The Bird and the Robot was a platform designed to show of the strengths the robotic arms (similar to that of the Expo Robotics show in Communicore).Like many guests today, the guests of yesteryear simply looked upon the post show area as an obstacle on their way to the next attraction. Unlike today it was almost impossible to not stop and gawk at some of the concept models on display within TransCenter. Models such as the Aero Freighter, the interstate hauler of tomorrow, or the Hinge Car, a slim, fast, and friendly mode of transportation for the single individual, could stop a grown man in his tracks. Vehicles such as these, or the Chameleon, Safari Camino, or Hyper Ski, made the dreams of science fiction suddenly seem within our reach.TransCenter, as stated in Richard R. Beard’s Walt Disney’s EPCOT, would bring with it, “changing exhibits that incorporate new ideas as they come in from all over the world.” A lofty goal, but one that had it been realized, could have seen drastically different roadways than those we drive on today. Regardless of what modes of transportation have or have not come to pass in the past twenty-seven years, TransCenter, and the images and memories of its exhibits, still stands as a beacon to those who have a passion for getting to their destination in style.

Side by side and hand in hand

Today is the day that Canadians, both at home and abroad, celebrate Canada Day. Canada Day, previously known as Dominion Day, is the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 ratification of the British North America Act, the occasion upon which the Province of Canada would be divided into Quebec and Ontario and these two provinces would combine with British North America’s provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form a single country, Canada.

Dominion Day’s name was formally changed to Canada Day in October of 1982, partially due to the earlier adoption of the Canada Act in which all ties between Canada and the United Kingdom were severed.

Happy Canada Day!

640x480

800x600

1024x768

1280x1024

The next best thing to being there

With the current revival of quality books coming out about Walt Disney World, including pictorials, art books, and histories, it is often easy to overlook the unique offerings from the early years of the Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom. One such book, A Fun-Filled Visit to Walt Disney World with Mickey Mouse, was created just for children and released in 1972.From Hallmark Children’s Editions this book, written by Dean Walley, sought to capture all the elements of a trip to Walt Disney World, more specifically the Magic Kingdom, and pass them on to children who may have recently visited, are preparing to visit, or who may only be able to dream of Walt Disney World. Unlike most picture stories, however, A Fun-Filled Visit to Walt Disney World featured lift panels, spinning pictures, pull tabs, and pop-up images that, when coupled with the narrative, captured imaginations and gave a true feeling of what it could be like to experience a variety of attractions.Among the attractions given their own displays within the book are the monorail, Submarine Voyage, Country Bear Jamboree, it’s a small world, Mad Tea Party, Jungle Cruise, Mickey Mouse Revue, Swiss Family Treehouse, Haunted Mansion, and Cinderella Castle.It is these types of books, specifically targeted and created with young children in mind, that I love to see, but find less and less of within Walt Disney World. Unique offerings, such as A Fun-Filled Visit to Walt Disney World with Mickey Mouse, are the standard by which children’s vacation souvenirs should be graded. This book is truly a way to continue the magic, and bring it home with you, long after the fireworks have faded from the sky and the gates have been closed for the evening.

On a personal note, this is the type of book I would love to work with Disney to create, not just for the Magic Kingdom, but for all of the parks as they fill a variety of needs and uses for families and children.

Everything around you

Edutainment is alive and well within Walt Disney World, from the gates of Epcot to the stunt shows of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and even in the wilds of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The greatest part of being educated while in Florida is that while you may, or may not, realize what is taking place, you may never see the sources Disney is presenting you with.Take, for instance, guests staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are art exhibits everywhere, stations devoted to animal care and information, and Cast Members from the other side of the globe. Each of these concepts, in their own way, help create immersive and intricate experiences, perhaps none more so than the international Cast Members. Not only can these Cast Members directing you to Boma or Sanaa they can also enlighten you on the heritage and culture of their people.Often times these Cast Members are equipped with collectible cards that provide a great deal of information about their home country. Each card itself comes with two maps, one featuring their country’s location within Africa and the other a more detailed map of the country itself, an image of the country’s flag, ‘Did you know…?’ factoids, and information on how to assist conservation efforts with your spare change. The single most important piece of this card, however, comes at the very bottom where there is a line for the Cast Member to sign the card for you.This could be seen as toilsome to these Cast Members, but I suspect it actually brings them a great deal of joy knowing that their signature means they have imparted a bit of wisdom to the guest population. For the guests themselves, long after they have returned home, the cards can serve as story pieces as they tell the tale of a country as it was conveyed to them by the Cast Member who signed their card. And so the stories of the people of the world and the value of edutainment continues on and on.