Featured Attractions

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Wish You Were Here!




Toontown Tuesdays: “No” White


When DISNEYLAND first opened, Walt Disney saw the Fantasyland attractions as being a way for his guests to enter the world of his animated features. As a result, he decreed that the attractions would not feature their titular characters. After all, *you* would be experiencing things as Snow White or Peter Pan might have seen them.


However, this confused park guests, who assumed that they would actually get to see Snow White when they rode her attraction. It didn’t take long for the park to change things up and include Snow White in subsequent upgrades.




Monday, January 29, 2018

Remember- Dreams Come True!




Music Mondays: DISNEYLAND Records Release #16: Tutti’s Trumpets



Tutti Camarata had been given free reign by Walt Disney to work on any project he wished in between his assigned projects. This allowed Camarata to produce more esoteric albums that probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day otherwise. One such project was Tutti’s Trumpets, which unsurprisingly featured Camarata’s compositions and arrangements played on trumpets. It was an odd choice for a release from a children’s record label named after a theme park, but it gained a cult following and became a must have recording for trumpet aficionados.



Friday, January 26, 2018

Freaky Fridays: Fantasia in the 1960’s




Fantasia was considered to be ahead of its time when it was released in 1940. The expensive, revolutionary film would find an audience and acclaim over twenty years later- in the 1960’s. The psychedelic generation would find much to like about the film and often showed up at theaters having enjoyed various hallucinogens. While the normally staid and square Disney Organization never encouraged such indulgences, its publicity department promoted both Fantasia and the similarly trippy film Alice in Wonderland with psychedelic imagery and posters. While it is possible that the company’s art department cluelessly put together the trippy promotional materials, they must have had some idea of what they doing.



Thursday, January 25, 2018

Theme Park Thursdays: Swan Boats


When Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom first opened, the high cost of building its infrastructure forced Roy Disney to scale down its original attraction lineup. (Of course, the project’s initial attraction lineup had already been reduced from what Walt Disney had originally planned.) This didn’t cause much of a problem at first, because the park was sparsely attended in its early days. Unlike DISNEYLAND, which was bursting at the seams from day one, Florida’s Magic Kingdom theme Park was a relative ghost town for several months. Luckily for Roy Disney the crowds eventually arrived, though a new problem arose. The attraction cutbacks meant that the park had a severe capacity problem. 

Several emergency projects were started, including two attractions that were cutback from their DISNEYLAND versions- Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain. Other quickie attractions were put into place, like the Swan Boats.


With a ship bow patterned after a Swan, the boats provided a leisurely tour of the lagoons surrounding the park’s Cinderella Castle. While the attraction was hampered by a lack of scenic views and the rushed nature of construction (the lagoons were not designed for a boat attraction) it did the trick in giving people something else to do in a park that was starved for things to do.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Walt Wednesdays: Hidden Walt


Many people have heard of a Hidden Mickey, but have you heard of a Hidden Walt? While much rarer, there are several Hidden Walts places throughout the various Disney Theme Parks. One of the most visible Hidden Walts will not be around much longer. Located on Disney California Adventure’s Paradise Pier, the Hidden Walt is meant to depict a familiar looking fire breathing man.


This Hidden Walt will most likely be removed as part of the upcoming “Pixar Pier” retheming of the area.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Toontown Tuesdays: Donald Duck’s Boat


While most of Mickey Mouse’s friends live in Toontown, Donald Duck lives in Duckberg. He does like to stay close to his friends, however, which is why he keeps a boat docked across the street from Mickey’s house. The houseboat can be toured daily at Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom in DISNEYLAND.



Monday, January 22, 2018

Minnie Mouse Week: Congratulations, Minnie


Today, almost 90 years after her Hollywood debut, Minnie Mouse will finally be immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


With a laugh that will truly make you smile and a winning personality, Minnie Mouse is number one in the hearts of millions around the world.


Her biggest fan, of course, is Mickey Mouse. Their storybook romance has lasted throughout the years and shows no sign of slowing down. Who owns Mickey’s heart? Who else could it be but Minnie Mouse?





Monday, January 15, 2018

Music Mondays: A Minnie Mouse Week FactPic




It’s Minnie!



On Monday, January 22, 2018, Minnie Mouse will finally receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! To celebrate, we will be celebrating Minnie Mouse all week long!

She’s got a laugh that’ll make
you smile!

Who else could it be- but 
Minnie Mouse!