It was all started by

There are days when, like all writers of any sort, I stare for hours at a blank sheet of paper. I get up and stretch, watch a movie, read a non-Disney book, go for a walk, listen to some music from my younger years, anything to take my mind off of writing. Then I will return to my office, peruse various memorabilia, scan some magazine articles or Disney text books, or even file through my large collection of Walt Disney World photographs I have collected over the past several years. But there are rare days when even that is not enough to find inspiration to write something related to Disney. On those days I turn to The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

In my Meet Our Neighbor segment for Imaginerding I cited the set of Imagineering Field Guides as some of my favorite Disney books because, “these books are full of fascinating stories and features, but they don't give so much information that the average guest would be overwhelmed. Instead, for the Disney geeks out there, I look at the guides as starting point. If a particular aspect is of interest to a reader, there are plenty of resources available to further your edu-mouse-cation.” But that doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Magic Kingdom Field Guide was the first book I picked up when I began my serious study into the world of Walt Disney World. Sure, I had collected other books and pictorial souvenirs over the years, but I hadn’t really scratched beneath the veneers and varnishes. Part of me wanted to keep up the illusion and remain ignorant of what gave Walt Disney World the air of magic, but another piece of me, the questioning and academic child, wanted to know why, how, when, who, what, and where about everything that fell under the auspice of Walt Disney World. Then I found this book.

The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom has been quoted many times on the Main Street Gazette, along with the other volumes in the series, though not as much as of late. I don’t use it as a resource in my writing or as guide book to my adventures like I did just a few short years ago. I have since found more detailed accounts of the histories, more in depth explanations of methods, and larger pieces of the concept art found within its pages. And yet, it is always the book I seek out when I am frustrated. After a few pages, I can start writing again, usually about something unconnected to what I read (like the stone plates that sit along the wall outside of Expedition Everest).

The book shows signs of how loved it is: the corners of the cover are unrecognizable and fraying, the pages have begun to whiten around all of their edges, and when it rests upright the spine opens to treasured passages. It should probably be put away upon a shelf, in a place of reverence for what is has given to me, in order to make room for a fresher copy to hold its place years from now after the book is no longer available in print, but still it stays. The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is, in all senses, my blanket. I will carry it, as Linus did his own blue blanket, for security, for comfort, and as a reminder of the good times long beyond the time that it is fashionable.

Blank pages should tremble.

The handsomest creature of all

There is a multitude to learn from Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Not only are there facts and figures on the animals, information on conservation efforts, languages and histories, but there are stories. One such story can be found inside a research station on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. For the guests that take their time to absorb their surrounding’s offerings many rewards await, such as the story of how the hippopotamus came to live in the river. The story of When Hippo Was Hairy.

Long, long ago Kiboko the Hippo did not live in the swift-moving river but in the open savannah among all the other creatures. He had a long, silky coat of fur and a lovely, bushy tail. Hippo was so vain of his fine fur that he would admire his image in the water and boast to all the other animals, “Am I not the handsomest creature of all?”

Kadima the Hare grew very tired of Hippo’s boasting and decided to teach him some humility. He piled up a nice soft next of dry grass and offered it to Hippo, saying, “Such a handsome animal as you must have the finest bed to sleep upon!” Hippo haughtily agreed and lay down to sleep.

The wicked Hare lit a fire at the edge of Hippo’s bed and sat back to watch. The fire set Hippo’s fur ablaze and he awoke in great surprise. Unable to put out the flames, Hippo ran to the nearest river and leapt in with a giant splash.

When Hippo emerged, his fine fur was gone, his tail was just a little stub and his burned skin was pinkish brown and bald. Weeping with shame, Hippo sank down into the water until only his eyes and nostrils showed, and has stayed there ever since.

Quietly seated at all times

How is this for a bench?No detail is ever spared when it comes to the parks of Walt Disney World, right down to the benches to rest upon. From the branch-fashioned benches of Camp Minnie-Mickey to the stone carved seats of Epcot’s Japan and beyond, the benches may not always be the most comfortable but they do possess that something extra in the way of style. However, between the serpentine coiling of the iron and the glowing red eyes of the various creatures that reside upon this Haunted Mansion bench, I don’t know that it is possible to be more uncomfortable on any bench property-wide.

While this may be a terrifically terrifying feature that is sure to amuse and amaze many, including any Disney geeks you may know, it is probably best to keep the child clutching your hand from seeing this bench while standing in the Haunted Mansion’s exterior queue. Unless, of course, you want them to start screaming and crying before they are introduced to your Ghost Host.

Just down the trail

Each year Florida releases Camp Florida, an official directory of campgrounds located in, shockingly, Florida. This year’s directory comes in at 56 pages, including advertisements, and divides the campgrounds into either a North, Central, or South Florida designation. Beyond that, the directory lists all of the campgrounds by the city or town they are a part of. Locating Lake Buena Vista, the directory lists only one campground, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The listing reads:

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is the only campground that’s right in the middle of the Walt Disney World Resort magic and fun. Enjoy sparkling pools, boating, fishing, biking, horseback riding, roasting marshmallows at Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-a-long and more. Plus, convenient transportation all around our world.

If that weren’t enough, the directory also has an advertisement for Fort Wilderness two pages prior. It is enough to make me want to pack my tent and head back into the old loops and Comfort Stations.

The spirit of rhythm

This week, I again had the honor to sit in with Lou Mongello on the WDW Radio Show. During the show we discussed the pavilions and attractions of the World Showcase that might have been. Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and Australia are among the many people and places of the world that were conceptualized by Imagineers and dissected by Lou and I on the segment.

One pavilion that received a lot of attention, both from us and by EPCOT Center in 1982, is Equatorial Africa. To supplement the podcast, here are a few pieces of Equatorial Africa concept art for your viewing pleasure. And remember to check out the WDW Radio Show this, and every, week.

In the Spotlight: College Musicians

The youth of the world have always been a source of vibrant energy to the theme parks of Disney. From the college program to Magic Music Days, the young people of the world have come in droves to Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and they have brought with them a fantastic set of skills, unbridled optimism, and a glimpse into tomorrow. In the Spring of 1981, Disney News highlighted the All American College Marching Band program at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The benefit to both the parks and the young people involved is clear as you read through In the Spotlight: College Musicians.

Lively summertime music and snappy marching routines are part of the entertainment supplied by the versatile All American College Marching Band at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Two spirited dancers accompany the 20-piece bands at each of the themed parks.

There talented musicians have been selected in response to posters and letters set to colleges and universities nationwide.

Students are attracted to the 12-week program not only because of the opportunity to perform live before so many appreciative people, but because of the educational daily clinical workshops… featuring noted guest lecturers. Dancers attend similar workshops.

Disney provides housing and a stipend, plus transportation for the summer program. It’s possible, depending upon the student’s host college requirements, for the student to apply for college credit at the close of the program.

To choose instrumentalists, a series of live auditions are held in key locations. Dancers’ auditions are held in Orlando, Florida and at Disneyland. Applicants must be enrolled in a college as a freshman, sophomore or junior and be 18 or over. They must be able to sight read. Dancers are taught a routine to present.

Dr. Art Bartner, director of bands at University of Southern California, will direct the band this year, and Mike Davis will be in charge of the Florida ensemble. 1981 will mark the 11th year of the college program.

Passamaquoddy: Freedom

We’ve finally been released from our attractions inside of Passamaquoddy. The week Team Piranha spent inside of Buoy Store Minnow Mania had some intriguing results, from muscles to music and flirtations and digestions. Thankfully, Big Blue seems to be a stalwart bunch of competitors. Be sure to watch for news from our first week in Passamaquoddy soon, as well as our first Tribal Council meeting.

The greatest sensational mystery

Harry Houdini, born Erich Weiss, is perhaps the most well-known of all magicians. He is, without a doubt, known instantaneously by name for his skill at escape acts. Successful escapes came from not only handcuffs and shackles, but also straightjackets, prisons, ropes, and chains. It was not uncommon for him to be stripped naked and searched for his performances. It is no wonder that during a thriving tour in Europe that Houdini became known as “The Handcuff King,” much like the early name he had billed himself as, “King of Cards.” To distances himself from handcuff imitators Houdini began more dangerous stunts, such as the Chinese Water Torture Cell, which pulled in audiences with its death-defying nature.

By now, you might be asking yourself what all of this has to do with Walt Disney World. As it so happens, Houdini appears in several locations around property.

In Magic Masters, the magic shop located in Downtown Disney’s West Side, is a small case on a bookshelf displaying several models of handcuffs that Harry Houdini used in his various escapes.










Outside of Magic Masters is a small encased room with promotional posters for Harry Houdini’s stunts and notable tricks. Metamorphosis and the Chinese Water Torture Cell are two posters among the collection.









A smaller version of the Metamorphosis poster can be found in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In The Great Gonzo’s locker and living quarters (homage to the Muppets’ residence during The Muppets Take Manhattan), located inside of the Studio 1 store, several pieces of Houdini history along with some cards are visible.












It looks like The Handcuff King has a well-stocked place in Walt Disney World. Perhaps this is fitting, after all, with all of the visual magic and illusion that takes place within the boundaries of Walt Disney World one would expect great magicians, such as Harry Houdini and Walt Disney, to be given their appropriate nods.

Young Adventurers - Bathing Fountain

Along the banks of the Chakranadi River, deep within the heart of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Asia, lies a quiet getaway for young explorers. The waters of the Chakranadi are rough and many of the expeditions will not allow passengers on their rafts unless the meet a height requirement of 38 inches. For those not quite up to the physical challenge of the river, but still the will to get wet, there is a small bathing fountain just outside of the entrance to Maharajah Jungle Trek.Here, water from a fountain springs up for all who venture near the stone structure. While the fountain itself may only hold five bathers, additional spouts and sprays can be found along the exterior of the small building for those seeking refreshment. Though, a word to the wise, there is to be no food, drink, glass, or animals permitting in the bathing fountain while you are soaking your troubles away, as ordered by the crown.

Passamaquoddy: Opening Credits

Not much news tonight from Passamaquoddy, although several of us on Team Piranha are starting to suffer some ill effects from playing Buoy Store Midway Mania so much. For a first peak at the opening credits, which includes a look at all of the Survivors, to Survivor: Passamaquoddy, be sure to check out Jeff W.'s The Snowy Tundra Report. As for me, I am really craving an egg roll right about now.

Movin' right along

Scientific study can be a one of the toughest pursuits in life. It occasionally requires a belief in things you cannot see and touch. Take, for example, the Law of Local Motion. What? You’ve never heard of this law?

The Law of Local Motion was put forth by the Department of Line Engineering and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Under constant study in the queue for MuppetVision 3-D, the law is intended to prove that it is, in fact, possible to get from here to there. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew goes one step further by providing step by step instructions for any laymen in the queue. Let’s take a look at these instructions and see if it is indeed possible to get to from Here to There according to Dr. Honeydew’s theory.

Passamaquoddy: Abominable

Snow has been piling up around the Gazette offices for the past few days, and the staff were actually given a rare holiday. I suppose this is only fitting, since I’m currently locked away in Passamaquoddy with some minnows and a spud, and not actually in the offices. At least the company is nice, and no one seems to have turned on anyone else,… yet…

Ah well, back home a few of the staffers took this picture of the conditions and sent it to me. At least it looks like they had a friend drop by!

Warrant of Authority

Tucked away on a small wall near the fixin's bar at the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe are a couple of documents pivotal to the safety and settlement of the West.

In Liberty City, Texas on March 24, 1894 Pecos Bill received his Warrant of Authority in Company C of the Texas Rangers. His Provisional Captaincy came along with his occupation, which is listed as Defender of the Defenseless. Additionally, Pecos Bill's faithful companion, Widowmaker, was also granted his Warrant of Authority in Liberty City in March of 1894. Though Widowmaker's Warrant of Authority lists him as an enlisted man and Honorary Member.

Looking a little closer at the Warrants of Authority we see some folds in the papers, causing damage to these priceless papers that seems out of place. As it turns out, these documents were issued by Texas' Adjutant General beginning in 1874 until 1935. In lieu of badges and credentials the Rangers kept their Warrants of Authority on their person, often folding them and placing them in their pockets for safe keeping and easy access.

Upon further investigation, both Pecos Bill's and Widowmaker's documents raise questions. Widowmaker is listed as being an enlistee in the Texas Rangers. Yet, according to Ranger history, Warrants of Authority were only bestowed upon officers, never enlisted personnel. As for Pecos Bill's, his Warrant of Authority is dated for March 24, 1894, while making reference to an “Act of the 27th Legislature of the State of Texas. Approved, March 29th, 1901.” Still, Pecos Bill and Widowmaker were both legends in their own right, and a few inconsistencies can certainly be overlooked.

All in all, Governor Sam Houston and Adjutant General John Reid could not have asked for a finer man or a finer stallion to represent the Texas Rangers than Pecos Bill and Widowmaker.

Survivor: Passamaquoddy

In the seaside town of Passamaquoddy, the television show Survivor has come to town. Yours truly, the intrepid reporter, has been cast on the blue team, TEAM PIRANHA, alongside some of the brightest and best the game has ever seen.We are currently working on our first challenges and, while we aren't suppose to have any contact with the outside world, I thought I would leak the story to my rampant fans. I'm currently locked away in Crustacean Command, and I am convinced there is a story here. I have bonded closely with my teammates, and look forward to Outwitting, Outplaying, Outcasting, and devouring Team Sashimi.

To keep tabs on your favorite Survivor, as well as the rest of the competition, be sure to check out Passamaquoddy.

More to come...

For your safety

This past weekend a guest at Walt Disney World decided it would be proper to climb over the stone stela, the carved artwork that graces to entrance to the Mexico Pavilion, and run up and down the stairs on the exterior of the pavilion. To add to the concern, reports claim that he was yelling about jumping as he neared the top, before making his way back down. You can read about the incident here.

Walt Disney World goes to great length to protect its guests. From restraints and warnings in attractions to the fences and hidden architectural features like Mexico's stela, every attempt is made to see that guests can enjoy themselves in a safe environment. In fact, they are so cautious that there are even warnings about the possibility of dizziness as a result of the CircleVision films, such as O, Cananda. Whenever possible, after an incident Walt Disney World pursues further measures to protect its guests, such as removing a low wall and replacing it with an iron fence.

In the case of this weekend's scaling, the guest had to climb over the stela which, according to Richard R. Beard in Walt Disney's EPCOT, was placed in front of Mexico because it, “effectively discourages children from climbing the stairs to test the will of the gods.” Apparently children and grown men see testing the will of the gods in two entirely different lights.

For my own part, I debated whether or not to report what happened at Epcot this weekend with the sole fear that some teenager may see the photographs and take it upon his or herself to try to recreate the stunt. My fear is that they do not have as easy a time removing themselves from the pyramid and injure themselves. But, as a voice in the community, I felt that something besides the cold hard facts of this story was needed.

All of this is to say that Walt Disney World can only do so much to protect us from ourselves. At some point we must be accountable for our own actions. We must be able to find our own line between what sounds and looks good, and what is actually good for us, those around us, and those watching us. When we find this line, we must decide not to cross it. After all, in Walt Disney World there is plenty of fun to be had without trying to make up our own.

A night like this, forty million years ago

Inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Boneyard and Restaurantsaurus fans of background music are treated to a special treat. The background loop for these areas is comprised entirely of dinosaur, caveman, and extinction songs. Across the way at The Dino Institute, instrumental musical of the sort found throughout Walt Disney World keeps the atmosphere mellow. The specific music surrounding The Dino Institute comes from the Dinosaur film score. Yet, where research assistants reign supreme the music has a bit more life to it.

Artists such as R.E.M., Raffi, and Was (Not Was) are all present and accounted for with songs entitled It’s the End of the World (As We Know It), If I Had a Dinosaur, and Walk the Dinosaur. My own personal favorite tune to hear while diggin’ in Dinoland is Jonanthan Richman & The Modern Lovers’ I’m A Little Dinosaur. A majority of the songs come from Barnes And Barnes aptly named album The Dinosaur Album, which is filled with tunes like Ugga Bugga, The Dinosaur Dance, They’re All Gone, and Sweet Dinosaur of Mine, all of which can be heard in either Dinoland or on the iTunes available album. All of these songs build a more laidback and festive atmosphere, and are definitely indicative of the eclectic collections of college students’ music.

Giving the students a radio station may have been a mistake, but it makes for some great listening. So, the next time you have sweat beading on your brow from excavating a mammoth in Dinoland U.S.A., be sure to tune into station W-DIG for humor that is sure to tickle your funny bone and songs of extinction.

A new view of Norway

As far as World Showcase is concerned, Norway is the youngest sibling of the eleven pavilions along the promenade. Yet, of the various pavilions, Norway is the only pavilion with two attractions: a film and a flume ride. Though the more popular Maelstrom has since its inception filtered guests from their boats to the film (in recent years guests have been allowed to bypass the film before it began), the travelogue has always had its own small, yet devoted, following.

In the early part of the new century, plans and discussions between Disney and Norway began to reviewing the possibility of infusing some new life into the Norway pavilion by replacing the film that had been present since the opening of the Maelstrom. A new film could have been ready to go before Norway’s centennial in 2005, but, as is apt to occur in business, the best laid plans fell through.

Kristoffer Rønneberg wrote a terrific article in 2004 that was equal parts history and optimism, with a dash of business thrown in for good measure:

Disney executive Ben May is noticeably relieved when he hears the words. Across the table, in a conference room above one of the most popular attractions at the Epcot Center in Orlando, the Norwegian Minister of Culture is smiling at him. “I think,” she has just told him, “that it’s a good idea to make a new movie.” That little piece of goodwill may put a show on the road for Disney that has previously been kept on ice.

Rønneberg’s A new view of Norway, available on Norway’s official United States site, gives a fantastic glimpse into what might have been. I highly recommend this article to all World Showcase enthusiasts who dare to dream of what might have been.

Every stride a victory

Tucked away behind, and to the left of, the stave church in Epcot’s Norway is a statue of a woman on the move. Her name is Grete Waitz, and she not only ran, but she moved, and continues to move, the world.

Waitz was born on 1 October 1953 in Oslo, Norway. At a time when women athletes were considered second class at best, she set out to be taken seriously as a professional athlete. She competed in the 1972, 1976, 1984, and 1988 Olympics, held in Munich, Montreal, Los Angeles, and Seoul, respectively. Though she competed with all of her heart, her only medal came in Los Angeles where Waitz produced a silver medal run in the Marathon. Remarkable in their own right, in Grete Waitz professional athletic career, the Olympics would take a back seat to the New York and London Marathons.

From 1978 through 1988, Waitz won the New York Marathon a total of nine times. In London, she won the Marathon twice, in 1983 and 1986. Through the combination of these two races Waitz took the woman’s marathon record, held by Christa Vahlensieck with a time of 2:34:47, down over nine minutes to 2:25:29 by the time she ran the London Marathon in 1983.

After retiring from professional running, Grete Waitz continued to break down barriers and build people up. She has worked with CARE International (an organization that seeks to address the underlying causes of poverty and empower women), JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge (a series of footraces meant to inspire fitness in the workplace), and the International Special Olympics.

Though Waitz has been honored with a half-marathon in New York, identified as Grete’s Great Gallop, a statue in front of Bislett Stadium in Oslo, immortalized on the face of a postage stamp, and has had the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, First Class, bestowed upon her, there is no recognition great enough to pay tribute to this woman who has worked so hard, for so long, so that the future would be brighter for so many. With her feet, spirit, and will she has given hope to those who had none and stood up for woman everywhere who wanted to feel the thrill of competition on a professional level.

Growing up alongside the riverbanks

My aunt recently found these photographs among my grandmother's belongings and immediately sent them on to me. I estimate these pictures are from 1972 or early 1973 because, as you can see in the pictures, the construction of Tom Sawyer Island is not complete. The island itself would not open to the public until 20 May 1973. Another factor in my attempted estimation is the process of trying to approximate the age of my cousins who were captured in a couple of the photographs. Since I was not alive in the early 1970s, I inquired family members about the possible ages of the cousins pictured with little in the way of solid information.Though the photographs themselves can be grainy, blurry, or, in a couple of cases, damaged, they tell me quite a bit about my grandmother. One, Walt Disney World, and the traditions and feelings it invokes, is definitely a family trait. Two, like her grandson would years later, my grandmother was fascinated by the Liberty Square/Frontierland corner of the Magic Kingdom. Specifically, my grandmother seemed to love the sights surrounding the Liberty Square Riverboat.









I hope to examine my family's Walt Disney World's history more in future articles, and this set of the Magic Kingdom's beginnings seemed like a wonderful launching point. I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did.

Harambe Conservation Code

At the edge of Harambe are the offices and loading dock of Kilimanjaro Safari, an official sanctioned safari of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. Harambe is not the only border for the reserve, however, privately owned and operated plantations, ranches, industrial headquarters, and even the Eastern Star Railroad all mark off the boundaries between the Harambe Wildlife Reserve and the outside world.

As its own entity the Harambe Wildlife Reserve has its own geography, culture, and rules. With locales given names such as Muiringo Salt Lick, Majani Plains, Kujikwaa Tembo Lodge, and Unkungu Forest, is it any wonder that people the world over flock to Harambe for a glimpse of the protected wildlife? Coincidentally, the Haramabe Wildlife Reserve receives a generous grant from the Main Street Gazette whenever we make our way to Africa, I guess that is why the reserve also includes an area referred to as Gazetted Territory. It is a lovely gesture, but it really is too much!

Clearly, due to its goals being consevational in nature, the Haramba Wildlife Reserve has some strictly enforced guidelines to ensure the survival and well-being of the endangered creatures. Though they number only five, the statutes of the Harambe Conservation Code send a powerful message.

No. 1 – Wild Animals always have the right of way.
No. 2 – Litter can seriously injure wildlife. Please do not drop camera cases, paper wrappings, or any rubbish from you vehicle.
No. 3 – Please do not make excessive noise. This causes unnecessary stress to the animals and makes them flee from vehicles.
No. 4 – Do not ask you driver to leave the motorable tracks, as this causes harm to the vegetation and scenery.
No. 5 – Never attempt to feed the animals. They are wild creatures with natural diets and should not be made dependent on handouts.

As well, as distinguished safari guests, Kilimanjaro Safaris itself, as if to reemphasize the reserve's standards, asks its patrons to, “not throw or drop anything from your vehicle as the animals might eat it.” All and all, these rules make for a more enjoyable interaction, not just for the wild creatures but for the guests on the safari as well.