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!

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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.

Popular drink

Club Cool sits at the very edge of Future World and, for guests traveling from World Showcase down the central corridor, Club Cool is one of the first experiences they come into contact with. This positioning enables Club Cool to showcase a world of beverage possibilities. Aside from Build-A-Cup Stations for frozen drinks and product specific merchandise, Coca-Cola, the space’s sponsor, provides sample soda fountains which feature eight of their more than three-thousand beverages. Most guests who indulge in the small, but free, samples fall into two categories, those who are attempting to cool off with a drink and time away from the sweltering Florida sun and those who are maniacally trying to convince friends and family members to try their ‘favorite’ beverage Beverly. What most guests miss, however, is the opportunity to really learn something about the countries represented and the countries’ inclination towards specific flavors and types of beverages.

While each beverage is available in several countries, and in several different flavors (such as Coke and Cherry Coke), here are the tidbits that are offered for the eight countries and their representative drink.

Krest (Mozambique) – Ginger has long been used as a medicinal herb throughout Africa, so it is not surprising that Krest Ginger Ale is a popular drink in Mozambique.

Fanta KoLita (Costa Rica) – Fanta KoLita captures the essence of two Costa Rican traditional drinks. Aqua dulce (sweet water) is sugar cane dissolved in water. Frescas are mixes of crushed fruit and water.

Beverly (Italy) – Beverly, with its bitter flavor, is a popular non-alcoholic aperitif that stimulates the appetite before dinner.

Mezzo Mix (Germany) – Germans often mix their beer with non-alcoholic beverages like Mezzo Mix, a combination of Coca-Cola and orange flavor, to enhance the flavor.

VegitaBeta (Japan) – In Japan, the interest in healthy consumption finds its ultimate expression in “Health” vending machines that dispense vitamin drinks like VegitaBeta.

Kinley Lemon (Israel) – Historical records from the 12th century reveal that a drink made of lemons, water, and honey was popular among Genghis Khan’s thirsty warriors.

Lift Apple (Mexico) – Water flavored with fruit juices is a traditional thirst quencher in Mexico. The Spanish name for these drinks, Aquas Frescas, means fresh water. They are made by combining iced water with crushed fruit and sugar.

Smart Watermelon (China) – The Chinese produce 40% of the world’s watermelon crop and consume millions of watermelons each summer.

Around the World in Many Ways

If there is one question I get asked more than any other, it is, “Why Disney?” Obviously, this question is not coming to me from the readers who frequent the Gazette, but more from people who have never truly experienced what Walt Disney World has to offer. The short answer is that Disney, all things Disney, but specifically Walt Disney World, captures my imagination. It is the stories, the nuanced details, my love of past, future, and transportation.

In the Spring 1981 issue of Disney News the article Around the World in Many Ways, showcased just how many ways there were to navigate the World and mentions pieces of history that have since become extinct. While the article is brief, it is enough to take me back to one of the many reasons I find myself drawn back, time and again, to Walt Disney World. Presented below is the full article.

Ever since opening day at the Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom, resort guests have found that traveling to and around our World is both convenient and fun. WED Transportation Services, Inc. provides transportation for all Walt Disney World guests, and includes monorails, ferryboats, motor launches and motor coaches. The service also includes shuttle bus transportation to and from resort areas, the Magic Kingdom and the shopping-dining-entertainment community of Lake Buena Vista. In fact, visitors here can park their cars and put away their keys until they prepare to return home.

Probably the most impressive and recognizable feature of the transportation in the Vacation Kingdom is the monorail system, our primary link between the Contemporary and Polynesian Village Resort Hotels, the Magic Kingdom and the main parking area.

Passengers on these sleekly designed vehicles are silently and smoothly whisked via an air suspension system over water and land, and through the magnificent Contemporary Resort Hotel for a breathtaking inspection of its muraled lobby.

Another highly visible component of the WED Transportation Services system is a fleet of boats and ship – comprising the fifth largest navy in the world.

Biggest ships ii the fleet are two 600-passenger ferryboats which carry incoming guests from the main entrance of the Magic Kingdom to the Park itself.

Out on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, a flotilla of turn-of-the-century navy launches provide efficient service to the Contemporary and Polynesian Village and to the Fort Wilderness Campground Resort.

Boats also provide transportation along the winding waterways of Lake Buena Vista. Guests staying in the luxury villas and townhouses of this secluded nook of the World can “cast off” for the stylish shops, restaurants and night spots of Walt Disney World Village. And everyone can experience the romance of starlit Flote boat cruises.

In addition, vacation adventurers can chart their own courses for excitement via Disney sailboats, mini-speedboats, water skiing boats, canoes and pedal boats.

With so many ways to explore the Vacation Kingdom, it’s easy to see why we can say, “Put your cares – and your car keys – away!”

Time to grow

Today marks the final day of shows for Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration. In fact, information about the show has already been removed from Walt Disney World’s website as they begin to retool and rework what will be seen and how it will be presented.

In honor of this short-lived show, I thought today we would examine a piece of costume concept art. This is for Gizmo, one of the two robots sent by Stitch from Robo-Mart. Robo-Mart is a division of X-S Tech, the same corporation that brought Tomorrowland the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which was, ironically, replaced by Stitch’s Great Escape! Though today may mark the last appearance of Tip Trendo, the Galactic Girls, Gadget, and Gizmo, I hope that whatever arrives from tomorrow to take their place still keeps those pieces of Tomorrowland history and the spirit of fun that this show attempted to create.

The truth in chapters of our minds

I have never been the most dedicated fan of Michael Jackson, in either his music or in his personal life and choices. I can remember that Michael Jackson was the first song that I recorded to a cassette tape from my radio and that the first tape I purchased for myself was Dangerous. In his later years, and my early adulthood, I felt that he had made great mistakes, mistakes that as an advocate of children I could not condone. In both cases I came late to his music stylings and lifestyle. One thing, however, that I did not come late to was his greatest film role, Captain EO.Captain EO, the special effects laden film featuring Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas. The feature opened to the public on September 12, 1986 at EPCOT Center as part of the Imagination pavilion, it would go on to have a successful world tour at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and EuroDisney. I can remember the first time I saw the film, I dove under my seat at the first signs of the Supreme Leader. The only things that could coax me back to my seat and to peak through my clenched fingers were the beats and Michael Jackson’s vocals of We Are Here to Change the World. Between his space-aged military jacket, rainbow powered shirt, and positive outlook as things became bleak, I was able to make it through that first, and subsequent, sittings.

Years later, as I began my search for Walt Disney World audio and video, Captain EO was certainly high on my list. You can view the entire film over at The Disney Blog.

Yesterday, Major Domo, Hooter, Fuzzball, Minor Domo, Idee and Odee lost their Captain. The larger world beyond lost a very tortured and conflicted individual. Whatever your personal feelings for the man were, Michael Jackson was a consummate entertainer and was one of the greatest forces music had ever seen. I hope that peace has finally found him. Now excuse me, I need to go belt out a few verses of We Are Here to Change the World.

Got a lot of stiff necks

Research programs can be filled with monotonous work for years upon years waiting for a break-through. While every person involved with these programs deserves credit when a discovery is made, day-in and day-out the backbone of these studies are the lowly interns and graduate students and their droning work. It is no wonder that they need to let off some steam every once in a while. The graduate students of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s The Dino Institute are no different.In Dinoland U.S.A. the grad students air their dirty laundry in public (that’s in the literal sense, not their public disagreements), improve the vernacular of the area by introducing the suffix –osaurus to every printed word they can find, and create their own games to help pass the time. The site with the greatest number of these grad student touches is Restaurantosaurus, reasonable considering that it is the commissary and dorm for the students.Guests dining at Restaurantosaurus may miss the students’ crowning achievement, Lawn Chair Archery, if they forget the geek mantra to look up, down, and all around. Perched upon the roof of the former fishing lodge are a set of lawn chairs, a boom box, camera, cooler, colored plunger arrows (complete with the addition of fletching), and large bows. Running across the courtyard to the EATosaurus water tower is a pulley system for retrieving the used plungers with a bucket. Presumably one graduate student would have to be station at the water tower to replenish the plungers in the bucket.





















There’s no bones about it, this archery game the grad students have created, a cross between Super Mario Brothers and Robin Hood, is definitely the game to be played if you can ever find your way onto the Restaurantosaurus roof. For those wishing to keep their feet on the ground, or for the more ordinary graduate students, there is always the alternative of basketball. In keeping with the fossil theme, however, the backboard includes a wooden bone that is used for mounting the rim. All-in-all, these students have created some great ways to keep themselves going, no matter what bones have been breaking their backs all day.

Where did I come from?

Pictured above is the young man who would one day go on to helm the Main Street Gazette. To be totally honest, when I look at that picture, I see everything that I wanted the Gazette to be and everything I would have to put on the line in order for it to succeed. I wanted to share pieces of Walt Disney World history, such as the container of popcorn that is no longer in use. I wanted to find ways to share the magic of the parks, such as little used attractions like the Liberty Square Riverboat, with everyone. I knew that I was going to have to step outside of my comfort zone, stop being an introvert, and be the sole voice and responsible party for the Gazette. And I knew that I was going to have to do some goofy things from time to time, whether it is sitting on a railing like you are warned not to, take part in a community game (like The Disney Feud or Survivor: Passamaquoddy), or publish old pictures of myself.

The great part about sharing old photographs is that they aren’t always just about me, sometimes I’m the most sane person in a photograph. My cousins, sister, mother, father, uncle, nanie, and whoever else happens to be in these photographs are considered casualties today. Although, it’s always fun looking back.









The young boy opposite me in the next few photographs doesn’t seem to be someone that anyone in my family can recognize. It looks like we had a pretty good time either way.


This last picture just goes to show, you don’t get to pick your family, but sometimes you end up with just the right group anyway.