Keep the recyclable material out of the landfill

According to the 2008 Walt Disney World Resort Community Report, the resort recycled more 77,000 tons worth of material. If we look at this figure as a sole product of the Walt Disney World Cast Members, that means that each Cast Member, and there were approximately 62,000 Cast Members employed over the course of the year, recycled approximately 1.24 tons apiece. That is a staggering figure.Obviously, this effort is more than the work of the Cast Members. It comes down to every person, Disney employee or guest, which comes through the gates to take part in Disney’s conservation movement. To this end, over the past year or so, I have seen more and more signs of Disney creating opportunities for guests to take part in the recycling efforts. Recycling stations have popped up not only in the parks, such as the above bottle recycling container located in Future World, but also at the resorts, as seen by this versatile recycling system that can be found at Fort Wilderness.In order to increase guest participation, however, Walt Disney World is going to have to step up the number of these recycling units that are accessible to guests. With a trash can available approximately every thirty feet, most guests are not going to go in search of a recycling bin when a trash can is readily available. By the same token, as Walt Disney World works to increase the ease of which we as guests can find places to recycle, we are also going to have to walk a little further out of our way to find the recycling stations.77,000 tons can be just the beginning as long as we all work together to provided a cleaner, greener, Walt Disney World and world beyond for future generations of Cast Members, guests, and mouse eared enthusiasts.

An animated character

I thought since we had looked at Goofy’s Multiflex Octoplane this morning, we’d take a look at Goofy in one of his many day, or night, jobs this evening with a desktop. Coming to us from the Broadway area of the All-Star Music Resort, Goofy is the box office guru who is having some difficulty with the ticket roll. Gwarsh!

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This design is purely conceptual

Like all of the structures found within the borders of Mickey’s Toontown Fair, The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm comes complete with a wonderful collection of details. From nods to history and insider references, to clever wordplay and visual weenies, the comedy hits comes just as fast and furious as Goofy’s crop duster in a nosedive. Indeed, the cornfield that meanders through the queue and attraction takes on multiple meanings in the presence of this comedic genius. While the list of The Barnstormer’s gags could go on and on, perhaps no one piece is more all-encompassing of the spirit of Goofy than the piece designed by Goofy himself, the schematics for the Barnstormer, otherwise known as the Multiflex Octoplane.

The Multiflex Octoplane blueprints themselves can be seen in two locations throughout the queue, once at Goofy’s workstation and the other pinned up in the loading area of the barn. Including in the designs are plans for a braking system, where you put your feet through a hinged hatch in the floor of the plane and use your feet as breaks, spring flexing action, a steering yoke that cannot steer down, and one emergency escape parachute, which has been cut for budgetary reasons. And while the scale for the octoplane maybe unknown, Goofy lists the scale as garshed if I know!, he did at least have the common sense to create a model before plunging ahead with a full scale version.

The propulsion design of the plane, however, has apparently hit a snag that even goofy could not overcome. In the engine design section of the diagram the “pollution free power source” is listed as conceptual and requires the use of “neighborhood chipmunks,” with an illustration showing Dale. The secondary concept of launch is recorded as requiring a very large slingshot. The final model of the Multiflex Octoplane uses neither of these means of motoring, nor does it use Gulp Gas readily available at Pete’s Garage nearby, instead Goofy’s crazy crop duster uses Goofolene.

This is only one of the many gaffs and gags found at The Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm, but it is a perfect example of the fun and free life Goofy leads. While this attraction may be meant for the younger set, the comedy of the queue should keep adults coming back time and time again. If for no other reason than how could anyone pass up a view such as this one?

Hoax or Reality?

Today’s Back Issue doesn’t include any specific articles, but rather an examination of an entire newspaper. Positioned alongside the Rocketeer’s helmet and jetpack and a copy of Peevy’s schematic at Peevy’s Polar Pipeline in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is an copy of an October issue of the Los Angeles Examiner.Contained within the newspaper is an article about Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Bowron and his attempts to reign in the corruption in the city, specifically the Civil Service Commission and the vice squad. This article actually comes straight from the September 30, 1938 edition of the Los Angeles Times.

The second article is where the publication takes a swift turn. The article entitled “Bill Gets Approval 64 – 20,” discusses the Senate vote to make Alaska the 49th state. The essential problem with this article is that that vote actually took place in 1958, with the article itself coming from the Associated Press on September 30 of 1958.

Two articles separated by twenty years exactly. Considering that The Rocketeer takes place in 1938 Los Angeles, it is safe to assume the Alaska article is the one that doesn’t belong. Included alongside these two articles is the Disney created headlines, “Who is the Rocketeer?” and “Hoax or Reality?,” near pictures of the Rocketeer and the pilot he saved during the Chaplin Field Air Circus.

While The Rocketeer did poorly at the box office, coming in fourth during its opening weekend behind Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, City Slickers, and Dying Young, it was given high marks by critics at the time. Today, it stills serves as a terrific Saturday afternoon action movie, complete with a full array of glitz, glamour, pulp, spies, and shtick.

The Rocketeer opened on June 21, 1991, eighteen years ago today.

Famous mice in history

Mickey’s of Hollywood, which runs along Disney’s Hollywood Studios Hollywood Blvd. and includes Disney & Co. Fashion Extras and Pluto’s Palace, features one of the most unique views of Mickey available anywhere on property. Starting at the front of the store, near the park entrance, a guest can move through the store and the progression of Mickey’s animation.Throughout the store figures of Mickey are centrally placed to showcase the career and modifications of the character. The first section of the store features Mickey Mouse in black and white from Steamboat Willie (1928), his first on screen appearance. In the middle of the shop is Mickey from The Band Concert (1935), which also happens to be the first time Mickey Mouse appears in color. In the last section of the shop is Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia (1940), the first time Mickey is given his more modern appearance. The fact that this is the conclusion of the store and the Mickey timeline is in keeping with the golden age of Hollywood (the 1930s to the 1950s) that permeates throughout the park.In addition to the figures of Mickey, the various sections also include borders near the ceiling that emphasize the stories of the various cartoons.

World Traveler

In 1990, with the opening of the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin resorts, and the work being done for future Epcot area resorts, Walt Disney World created a second gate for guests entering the park, the International Gateway. Today, a variety of guests from the Epcot Resort Area enter Epcot through the International Gateway by walking or by floating along the waterways aboard one of the Friendship Boats. At one time, however, there were actually three manners in which to access the World Showcase entrance of Epcot.

For guests of the Swan and Dolphin, both of which opened in 1990, trams identical to those of the parking lot trams, were available to ferry them to Epcot and back to their respective resort. These trams featured the teal and salmon coloring of the resorts which, presumably, served to distinguish its route from the other trams located at the front of Epcot. The trams were shut down in the middle of the 1990s as the profusion of Epcot resorts, including Disney’s Boardwalk, began to spring up.

While some of the original back road still exists, the addition of these new resorts and plentiful amounts of foot traffic have made it inconceivable that these trams would ever return to service. For the inquisitive guest, however, as you approach or leave via the International Gateway you still have the opportunity to venture around and through the tram’s International Gateway station. Just don’t wait too long for that next shuttle, okay?

Pedestrian Nature Trail

Wilderness Swamp Trail. That has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it? These days what was once known as Fort Wilderness’ Wilderness Swamp Trail has been renamed the Pedestrian Nature Trail.

No longer does it feature a fantastic name worthy of its post. No longer is there a boardwalk with spectacular views accessible to guests. No longer does the trail meander and wind around the Marshmallow Marsh. All that the Pedestrian Natural Trail offers guests is a quiet stroll free from modern vehicles with some vistas onto Bay Lake and beyond. Wait a second…

For all that the trail once was, it still carries rugged backwoods, quiet views of the Contemporary , Bay Lake Towers, and the Magic Kingdom, and pieces of Walt Disney World history known to few and sought out by even fewer guests along its trail.To begin with, the Pedestrian Nature Trail starts off to the right and behind the Settlement Trading Post, as you look at the store straight on. Taveling through the Cyprus for a while, you come to a clearing along the shores of Bay Lake. There is a bridge that crosses over to the remainder of the looped trail and a small cabin or guests can turn and walk back down the beach, past an abandoned set of volleyball posts, to the Fort Wilderness Marina.
























At this juncture, however, are the remnants of the Wilderness that once was. This is the former docking location for the Marshmallow Marsh Canoe Excursion. Remnants of the experience, including the dock, trash cans, and cabin, are still present.

This cabin can be seen on long forgotten resort maps, such as this one from 1978: From this point in space and time, the trail continues back into the woods with some spectacular vegetation and views such as this one.One of the most overlooked, and perhaps finest, features of this trail is the fact that it is, in fact, a true trail. It has not been totally cleared and paved over, it doesn’t come with handrails, and it is a close to natural as any point inside of Walt Disney World that guests have access to. It is places and experiences such as this one that keep me returning to the footpaths and byways of Fort Wilderness time and time again.

Anandapur Rail Services

At the time Expedition Everest began steaming down the tracks, the press were given not one, but eight separate press releases and twenty-five photographs (both in handout form and on a CD) in a resilient and beautifully designed folder. While the information and images provided were enough to whet any guest’s appetite, the true find for Walt Disney World enthusiasts was imbedded in the folder itself.

Along the two panels of the folder’s interior, after all the materials had been removed, is an old chart of the Himalayas. Aside from including the names of peaks (including Mount Everest), elevations, topography, trails, borders, and some rich features (a cloud showcasing the winds and the roll of the scroll), it also includes the comprehensive route of the Anandapur Rail Services (ARS). The ARS was originally used by the Royal Anandapur Tea Company to shuttle tea leaves, but has now been refurbished for Himalayan Escapes – Tours & Expeditions.

Station 77

It has been quite some time since we have visited Disneyland on the Main Street Gazette. This is partly due to the fact that I have refocused my efforts on Walt Disney World, the resort I know the most about, have the most experience with, and is the focal point of all my various projects. The other reason, and perhaps the more crucial rationale, is that I have not been to Disneyland since my honeymoon almost two years ago, which makes documentation very tricky.

I hope to get back out to the west coast soon, hopefully sooner rather than later, but until then, we are left looking to the future. Say, maybe Tomorrowland?

Space Mountain at Disneyland opened in May of 1977, nearly two years after its sibling rocket coaster launched in Walt Disney World. While the difference between these two coasters are vast, the share the same space-aged shape and the same thrill of a dark, indoor rollercoaster. Disneyland’s Space Mountain closed in April of 2003 for a refurbishment of the entire attraction in preparation of the park’s fiftieth anniversary. From queue to rockets and effects to sound systems, everything was plussed and primed for the relaunch in July of 2005. Perhaps the greatest of the additions was the inclusion of the rollover tunnel during the rocket’s launch sequence, originally designed by George McGinnis.

The dates for the launch and relaunch of Space Mountain can be seen throughout Space Mountain’s queue. The name of the station in which guest board their rockets is Space Station 77, occasionally referred to as SMS 77 (or Space Mountain Station 77) or Station 77. The shuttle docked in the loading bay is emblazoned with the designation DL 05, which not only signifies the new flights of Space Mountain but also celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Walt Disney’s first park.

What other history and perspectives await us in Disneyland? Only the future knows for sure.

Victory with vegetables

Inspiration can come from a variety of places, but when you are creating the Hollywood that always will be you head for the source. Throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios the feel of old Hollywood is created by the buildings that run up the boulevards and down the lanes. These structures have been influence by real world buildings and architecture styles found throughout California.Near the end of Sunset Blvd rests a cornucopia of dining options set in farmer market style stalls that are collectively known as the Sunset Ranch Market. While farmers markets can be found throughout the country, the market at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a stark comparison to the Los Angeles Farmers Market at the corner of Third and Fairfax.Billed as the original farmers market, the story goes that in July of 1934 farmers pulled their trucks into a vacant lot, their truck beds filled with their produce. Passersby began pulling into the dirt lot, which had been covered with chalk markings for parking, and making their way through the seasonal selections. In 1941 the Farmers Market took on its more recognizable face of white slat boards and green rooftops as part of an expansion and refurbishment process that include the construction of the now famous clock tower.The above photograph from LA Wad/flickr

Meanwhile, back at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Sunset Ranch Market was assembled with the same open air feel of the original Farmers Market, given steeples that bear a remarkable resemblance to the turrets and clock tower of the market, and a carbon copy paint scheme. One of the more unnoticeable details is the script used for the Sunset Market Ranch’s name. Comparing it to the photograph above, while the manner in which the name is presented may be slightly different, the form shares many of the same characteristics.The wealth of architectural styles from old Hollywood offered the Imagineers an immense toy box in which to play and work as they created the look and feel of Disney-MGM Studios/Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The use of these recognizable structures not only assists in the complete immersion in the Hollywood feel, but also pays respect to the time, place, and hard work put created by so many individuals in the early and mid sections of the last century creating a location that always will be.

Landscape Architects Create Authentic Scenery To Heighten Storyline at Expedition Everest At Walt Disney World Resort

One of the many joys that has come out of my experience with the Gazette is the research and study I undertake every day. Couple this with my ability to share some terrific unnoticed details, such as the plant life that can be found at a stone’s throw anywhere within Walt Disney World. I imagine that this feeling is similar to the feeling of accomplishment that the world-builders at Disney must feel whenever they create a new immersive experience. Today’s Back Issue, a press release that accompanied the opening of Expedition Everest, chronicles the story of building and planting an authentic Everest region in Central Florida. The article’s title, Landscape Architects Create Authentic Scenery To Heighten Storyline at Expedition Everest At Walt Disney World Resort, may be a mouthful, but it is nice to see how the background is so critical to a successful experience, and these professionals given their due respect. The article appears below.

From tropical jungles and verdant forests to barren rock and frozen tundra, the mighty Himalayas reveal dramatic variations in climate and landscape. Disney Imagineers were challenged to re-create such a scene when designing Expedition Everest, the new mountain thrill attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Imagineering team strived to create a believable place that enhanced the attraction's storyline about preserving nature and sacred lands, said Becky Bishop, landscape architect and Walt Disney Imagineering area development director.

"We built a landscape consistent with what trekkers might actually encounter on a pilgrimage to the botanically rich Everest region," she said. "It is natural looking and unkempt, like it has always been there."

The landscape was created specifically to emulate the lowlands surrounding Mount Everest. More than 900 bamboo plants, 10 species of trees and 110 species of shrubs were planted over areas of the 6.2-acre terrain. Disney landscape architects carefully selected plant varieties that would thrive in the Florida climate while capturing the look and feel of Asia.

From the Asia part of Disney's Animal Kingdom, rows of giant bamboos and white eucalyptus hug the pathway leading trekkers from a lush, tropical peninsula to Serka Zong, a mythical village at the base of the majestic mountain. As trekkers hike through the village toward the railway that will carry them into the mountain, the vegetation and climate conditions shift from dense tree lines to an arid landscape. Scruffy bushes, bottlebrush, camphor trees and yucca plants replicate the rugged terrain found at the foothills of the Himalayas.

"The environment is hard to duplicate, so we took the usual species and presented them in an unusual way -- that would almost guarantee we would get the look we wanted," Bishop said. "For instance, we planted Hollywood juniper and then really chopped it up to look like the yaks had chewed on it."

When Bishop began researching the Himalayan landscape in 2002, she was struck by the horticultural contrasts of the region.

"We incorporated characteristics from Bhutan, Mustang and Kathmandu into the landscape design to capture its true diversity," Bishop said.

For two years, the team searched for unusually shaped trees and shrubs to enhance the rich architecture and authenticity of the village. And they found some treasures: a mulberry tree that had aged with a piece of wrought iron woven into its trunk, a Florida camphor tree that had grown wild with a palm tree soaring between its limbs, and a 100-year-old cactus. Additionally, a half-dozen big gnarled "hero" trees are prominently displayed, beckoning guests to gawk at the hideous shapes and rutted textures. In this region, tree limbs were harvested for fuel and for ornamentation on buildings, leaving only naked tree trunks in place.

Imagineers hunted for trees and bushes with shapes that snugly fit into corners of the buildings for a natural look like they had grown wild.

A variety of textured plants and bushes were used to distinguish shady wet regions from dryer conditions. A grassy ground cover fills a bamboo-filled courtyard, giving the impression that someone had once carefully tended the area. Near the mandir -- an ornate shrine to the yeti -- it feels grotto-like with greener, water-loving grasses and plantings situated around a dry streambed.

As guests board the runaway train destined for Mount Everest, they may notice the California sherell (chaparral) plantings and overgrown remnants of an abandoned tea plantation that once sprawled through the valley.

To emphasize the forced perspective technique, Imagineers planted tall bamboo, pines and swaying reeds to blur the horizon of the mountain range -- making it appear more distant. When the train plummets down the mountainside, the tracks seem to disappear into a wilderness filled with pine trees and moss-covered oaks, leaving onlookers wondering about the outcome of the journey.

Climbing this mountain

The term ‘Welcome Home’ is thrown around a lot in Disney circles for trips to Walt Disney World. It is the regular greeting of the Disney Vacation Club and enthusiasts, myself included, are likely to tell friends ‘welcome home’ or sigh ‘I’m home’ upon passing under the Walt Disney World welcome arch. This may be a point of contention for my wife, who doesn’t consider anything Disney as ‘home,’ but it is a fact of life that Walt Disney World is the place a lot of guests feel most at home.

What is rare to find, however, is a piece of whatever area of the real world that you call home inside of one of the parks. However at the Kids’ Discovery Club station in Dinoland U.S.A. offers several pieces of North Carolina (as well as other areas of Appalachia). The maps displayed along the walls are all part of the National or State Park Systems. The Appalachian Trail (where my father happens to be hiking this weekend), Chimney Rock, and the Great Smokey Mountains are all in my own backyard, and each map is entirely authentic to maps available inside of the park systems at the little shops found in visitor centers or resorts.

Comin' to town

I’m currently in the process of going through a lot of family photographs, especially since my father is in the process of developing 40 rolls of film he just found from my childhood. Along the way I came across this picture from back when pictures were part of the package of a holiday party ticket. This was the first time I saw snow fall, even if it was fake snow. From left to right the photograph features my Aunt Keeni, Dad, and mom, with me and my sister in the front row.

Twenty-two years away now, and I can still remember that night like it was yesterday.

Little pieces of time

For a child who grew up with a 110 camera (some of you out there aren’t even sure what I am talking about, are you?), a Polaroid camera with its instant, or rather 2 minute, photographs was a marvel and something to be awed by. Over time all printed pictures tend to lose the vividness the held when first printed, and Polaroid pictures were no exception, but for whatever reason the pictures, faded, tinted, and perhaps a little grainy, always had a much more tangible feel to them.

In February of 2008 Polaroid announced that it would discontinue producing the one-time wonder of its instant film, though the film would still be available into 2009. Yet, the feel of what Polaroid had been to generations of amateur photographers was not to be disbanded entirely. A terrific program, called Poladroid, allows digital photographs to be processed in a fashion similar to the Polaroid pictures of years gone by. Alain Littaye, of Disney and more, has a detailed and fascinating look at the program already, which you can read here, so we won’t continue with the technical explanation.

However, through experimentation with the program I began to wonder just what Walt Disney World would look like through the shutter of a dated Polaroid camera in 2009. It didn’t take long to find my answer, as the slide show below shows us.

Visit our refreshment center

Sometimes it is nice to get away from the big city for just a few moments. Luckily, no matter what street you are on in the Streets of America, the Writer’s Stop is always just around the corner. Where the Streets of America meet Commissary Lane is a quiet corner of Disney’s Hollywood Studios where guests can take a break, peruse the latest and greatest Disney books and media, and grab a snack. It is known as the Writer’s Stop.

The Writer’s Stop offers what is, conceivably, the richest snack, with the most bang for your buck, anywhere on property. The carrot cake cookie, which is too large for most people to eat on their own, is cream cheese frosting sandwiched between 2 oversized carrot cake cookies (think of a layer of cake or top of a muffin consistency). This one treat is in addition to an assortment of hot and cold beverages and other baked goods and sweets.

The shop does not offer much in the way of seating, there is a small table with barstools near the rear of the store, a counter with a windowside view of the park, and several antique chairs and couches scattered throughout the store. Lack of seating is never a problem for the Writer’s Stop, as the few guests who do wander in do not tend to linger.

The relaxed atmosphere of this bookstore/coffeehouse/lighting storeroom is a perfect place to grab a drink, a snack, and a book and relax for a few moments. If you don’t wish to look at a book, enjoy the air-conditioning while plotting out your next move in your park guide. The Cast Members here are always friendly, and seem to enjoy having guests in the store, even if you are only taking a minute to reboot before attacking the park again.

Feed the critters

It has been a while since we’ve looked at any crates in and around Walt Disney World, and the place to look for intriguing crates is, of course, Frontierland. Perhaps we should find one we can discuss quickly. Oh good, we’ve found some.This crate is for Lictonic Slat Licks. According to the October 1920 Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office (and I am a sucker for a good gazette), Lictonic is described as a cattle, horse, sheep, and hog conditioner. A conditioner is a vitamin-type supplement to help regulate the internal functions of an animal. In the case of the Lictonic, the salt licks are used to make sure that the residents of the farm, particularly those who are herbivores, are receiving enough minerals in their diet. As Lictonic claims, “Saves feed, saves money, improves stock, prevents grease. Buy it by the case!”