Spaceship Earth

Epcot's iconic Spaceship Earth weighs 16 million pounds!

One of the most recognizable structures at Disney World, it is not only the centerpiece and main focal point of Epcot, but also the name of the attraction housed within the 18-story geodesic sphere.

Staying in every Disney's Guestroom

If you wanted to stay in every guestroom in all of the hotels & resorts currently open on Walt Disney World property (at a rate of one per night) it would take you about 75 years!

Pianist Richard Carpenter and guitarist John Bettis performed music at Coke Corner on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. during the summer of 1967

Pianist Richard Carpenter and guitarist John Bettis performed music at Coke Corner on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. during the summer of 1967. Because they routinely deviated from the selections of turn- of-the-century tunes they were asked to perform ... the pair were sacked after four months. Richard went on to have great success with his sister Karen - as The Carpenters. Many of their biggest hits were written by Richard and John Bettis.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs nearly bankrupt the company

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs cost Disney over $1.5 million and nearly bankrupt the company!

Yet, the film grossed over eight million dollars internationally when originally released.

First Audio-Animatronics featuring an Human Figure

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was the first Disney-created attraction to feature an Audio-Animatronics human figure.

The attraction made its debut at the 1964 World's Fair.

The only People to ever live at Disneyland

Disneyland's only residents were Owen and Dolly Pope. They were hired in 1951 to put together some livestock for Walt's future park. They first lived in a trailer at the Disney Studio where they raised and trained horses. Three days before Disneyland opened, they moved into the park to run the Disneyland Pony Farm

 Located on the side of the Car Barn

"In 1951, Walt hired Harper Goff to begin drawing up plans for the little park he was visualizing being built on the Studio grounds in Burbank. Walt also hired horse trainer Owen Pope and his wife Dolly. He wanted the couple to begin training horses for the western section of his new park. Being close to the livestock was necessary for the amount of training that was to ensue so the Pope’s moved into a trailer on the Studio lot. Besides teaching horses and mules how to behave, they also helped build wagons and coaches for the new park. 

As plans for Walt’s dream changed and grew, the location of his park moved from the Studio to Anaheim. Eventually the Popes needed to move to Anaheim as well to be near the horses. 

Before construction began on Disneyland, something had to be done with the houses that belonged to the former owners of the land. Walt told the Popes they could choose any one of them to live in. Their selection was soon moved to a ten acre area behind what would eventually become Fantasyland. This area was known as the Pony Farm and at one time, the Pope’s cared for as many as 220 animals. The Popes are also the only people to actually ever live at Disneyland. Walt may have had an apartment above the Fire Station, but he never lived there. This honor belongs to the Popes alone. 

The Popes continued working and living at Disneyland until 1971. It was at this time that they moved to Florida to help open the Magic Kingdom. They created the Tri Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness where it still stands today. They retired in 1975 and it’s due to their efforts here in Florida that they earned a window at the Magic Kingdom – and it is appropriately located on the Car Barn."

- Posted by Jack Spence on April 17, 2009 5:00 AM

 Click Here to read the entire post at allears.net

Disney's Buena Vista

Buena Vista means "pleasant view" in Spanish. It has been frequently used as a name for divisions of The Walt Disney Company.

Lake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company.

Lake Buena Vista is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Click Here to read about the city history!

Buena Vista is also a brand name frequently used for divisions of The Walt Disney Company, whose primary studios and offices are located on Buena Vista Street in Burbank, California.

It was originally created by Walt Disney in 1953 after the release of Peter Pan to distribute his film and television productions, thus ending a 20-year affiliation with RKO Pictures. Disney semi-retired the name in May 2007, although this name is, to the present day, used for most home video and DVD distribution.

Click here to read about the re-organization of the Company name!

We have a lot of places around the world with this same name:

Bolivia

    * Buena Vista, Bolivia, capital of the Ichilo province of the Santa Cruz Department

Canada

    * Buena Vista Road, Edmonton
    * Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
    * Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in the city of Saskatoon

Cuba

    * Buena Vista Nature Reserve in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
    * Bay of Buena Vista

Dominican Republic

    * Buena Vista, Dominican Republic, a municipal district of the Jarabacoa municipality

Peru

    * Buena Vista, Peru, site of 4200 y.o. observatory near Lima

United States

(by state)

    * Buena Vista, Amador County, California
    * Buena Vista Oil Field in Kern County, California
    * Buena Vista, former name of Buttonwillow, California, in Kern County
    * Buena Vista, Mariposa County, California
    * Buena Vista, Nevada County, California
    * Buena Vista Park, a park in the Haight-Ashbury and Buena Vista Heights neighborhoods of San Francisco, California
    * Buena Vista, Santa Clara County, California
    * Buena Vista, former name of Visalia, California, in Tulare County
    * Buena Vista, Colorado
    * Buena Vista (St. Georges, Delaware), listed on the NRHP in Delaware
    * Buena Vista, Miami, a neighborhood within the City of Miami
    * Lake Buena Vista, Florida (owned by The Walt Disney Company; see also the Disney divisions below)
    * Buena Vista, Georgia
    * Buena Vista Township, Schuyler County, Illinois
    * Buena Vista, Indiana
    * Buena Vista County, Iowa
    * North Buena Vista, Iowa
    * Buena Vista (Stonewall, Louisiana), listed on the NRHP in Louisiana
    * Buena Vista (Leonardtown, Maryland), listed on the NRHP in Maryland
    * Buena Vista, Michigan
    * Buena Vista Charter Township, Michigan
    * Buena Vista Township, New Jersey
    * Buena Vista, Ohio (disambiguation), 4 different places are named Buena Vista in this state
    * Buena Vista, Oregon
    * Buena Vista Historic District, Nashville, TN, listed on the NRHP in Tennessee
    * Buena Vista, Virginia
    * Buena Vista (Roanoke, Virginia), listed on the NRHP in Virginia
    * Buena Vista, Portage County, Wisconsin, a town
    * Buena Vista, Richland County, Wisconsin, a town
    * Buena Vista Marsh, Wisconsin, a state wildlife refuge
    * Buena Vista Lake Bed, a watershed within the Great Basin
    * Montgomery-Janes-Whittaker House, commonly known as Buena Vista Mansion, listed on the NRHP in Autauga County, Alabama

Celebration - The Town that Disney Built

Celebration, Florida (the town that Disney built) is located on the south side of Route 192, five miles south of Walt Disney World at the intersection of I-4 and U.S. Highway 192 East.

Celebration is a master-planned community in Osceola County, Florida, United States, located near Walt Disney World Resort and originally developed by The Walt Disney Company. As part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area, Celebration's population was 7,427 at the 2010 census.

Subsequent to founding Celebration, Disney followed its plans to divest most of its control of the town. Several Disney business units continue to occupy the town's office buildings, and two utility companies, Smart City Telecom and Reedy Creek Energy Services, both operated from Walt Disney World, provide services to the town. The town itself remains directly connected to the Walt Disney World resorts via one of its primary streets, World Drive, which begins near the Magic Kingdom.

Celebration is separated into areas referred to as villages. The main village, closest to downtown, is where the first homes were constructed. North Village, closest to U.S. 192, houses the Georgetown Condos as well as Acadia Estate Homes. East Village includes Roseville Corner and Aquila Loop. Lake Evalyn, generally considered its own area of Celebration but not quite its own village, includes a small lake where one can find a multitude of ducks, alligators, and the occasional river otter. South Village houses the Spring Park Loop estate homes and Heritage Hall. Additionally, Siena Condos complete the outer edge of South Village by Celebration Blvd. Mirasol includes condos with concierge service and a day spa. Artisan Park is at the end of Celebration Ave and houses condos, town homes, single-family residences as well as a clubhouse consisting of a pool, gym, and restaurant.

For more information, visit: http://www.celebration.fl.us/

The Tipton Hotel from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody

The Tipton Hotel is a fictional apartment hotel set in Boston, from Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.





The Tipton Building itself doesn't exist; shots of the building's exterior are pictures of the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Walt Disney World Preview Center [1970]

The Walt Disney World Preview Center (at one time located near the intersection of Interstate 4 and State Road 535) became the first building on WDW property to open to the public in 1970.

Q: Where was the Visitors Center located for Walt Disney World prior to opening? I remember visiting the center with my grandparents probably 1969-70.

Rick, Richland Center, Wisconsin

A [David Smith]: The Walt Disney World Preview Center was open from January 10, 1970, to September 30, 1971, in Lake Buena Vista, just off I-4 and Highway 535. The building is still there; it is now the national headquarters for the Amateur Athletic Union. The street on which it is located was originally named Preview Blvd., then later became Hotel Plaza Blvd.

Bart Simpson and Hannah Montana

The Simpsons make reference to Hannah Montana in a December 2007 episode. Bart writes on a blackboard - "The capital of Montana is not Hannah."

Walt Disney World's Wedding Pavilion

Walt Disney World's Wedding Pavilion is located on a private island on The Seven Seas Lagoon between The Grand Floridian and Polynesian Resorts.

The Largest of all the Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Animal Kingdom is the largest of all the Walt Disney World parks. It encompasses 500 acres!

It is also the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely around animal conservation, a philosophy once pioneered by Walt Disney himself.

Comic Strip Artist's Kit

This is a guide made by Carson Van Osten with drawing tips!

He was the writer and artist of Disney Comics. From 1969 to 1976, he created Mickey Mouse and Goofy  comics for the publisher Disney Studio, which produced comics for the European market. Starting in 1976, he was art director for Disney's comic strips  department in the 1980s. After that, it seems that he has sporadically worked on new Disney comics, including some covers and the adaptation of the Atlantis: The Lost Empire film.

This is a 7-pages .PDF file and will start automatically. Please, be patience!

 

The Minnie's Voice

Marcellite Garner, from Disney's ink and paint department, was the original voice of Minnie Mouse (starting in 1928).

She can be heard in such shorts as The Karnival Kid, Mickey's Orphans, and Mickey's Surprise Party. (Thelma Boardman took over thevoice in 1940.)

Holiday Lights to LEDs

In 2008, Disney World converted 430,000 incandescent holiday lights to LEDs, saving an estimated 1.1 million kilowatt hours throughout the holiday season, which is enough to power 61 homes annually!

The Original 9 Nations at World Showcase Lagoon

World Showcase in Epcot originally opened with 9 nations surrounding the World Showcase Lagoon. These nations were Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the United States of America, Italy, Germany, China, and Mexico.

Amateur Photographs taken at Disney Parks

According to Kodak (one time sponsor of Journey Into Imagination) 6% of all amateur photographs are taken at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

that's just like it is inside the space shuttle

"When you're lying on your back and see all the smoke billow up around the windows before you rocket off, that's just like it is inside the space shuttle." 

-Winston Scott 

(retired astronaut) 

on Epcot's Mission: SPACE

Disney's OmniMover System

Doom Buggy is the show name for Disney's OmniMover system (used in their Haunted Mansion attraction). It was initially developed for the "Adventures in Inner Space" attraction. Disney World's Haunted Mansion has 160 cars with a guest capacity of 3,200 guests per hour.

The Omnimover is an amusement ride system used for Disney theme park attractions. Roger Broggie and Bert Brundage developed the system for WED Enterprises, which patented Omnimover in April 1968. The term was coined by Imagineer Bob Gurr and is a portmanteau of OmniRange and PeopleMover. 

Click Here to read an Exclusive Interview with Bob Gurr talking about the creation of the Haunted Mansion Omnimovers, People Mover, Monorail, small world boats and more! 

 Current attraction series using the Omnimover system

    * Haunted Mansion Series
          o Disneyland
          o Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
          o Tokyo Disneyland
          o Disneyland Paris

    * Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster Series
          o Disneyland
          o Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
          o Tokyo Disneyland
          o Disneyland Paris
          o Hong Kong Disneyland

    * Boo Blasters on Boo Hill (Kings Island)

    * Hershey's Chocolate World Great American Chocolate Tour

Current individual attractions using the Omnimover system

    * Spaceship Earth

    * The Seas with Nemo & Friends System recycled from a previous attraction
          o EPCOT at Walt Disney World

Omnimover attractions no longer in operation

This list includes all Omnimover attractions that have been permanently removed and not recycled.

    * Disneyland
          o Adventure Thru Inner Space (replaced with Star Tours in 1987)

    * Epcot (Walt Disney World Resort)
          o World of Motion (replaced with Test Track in 1999)
          o Horizons (replaced with Mission: SPACE in 2003. Homages to Horizons can be found in both Mission: SPACE and in the Magic Kingdom's newly refurbished Space Mountain.)

--Two Omnimover systems have been in continuous use since their debut but have featured different attractions.

    * Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom uses the Omnimover ride system of two former attractions. The first attraction to occupy this space was If You Had Wings, which was sponsored by Eastern Airlines from 1972 to 1987, when they dropped sponsorship. The ride then was known as If You Could Fly until closing in January 1989. Six months later, the old ride system was reused as If You Had Wings was transformed into Delta Dreamflight, which was sponsored by Delta Air Lines until 1996. The ride vehicles were reprogrammed in 1989 to alter their viewing direction. In 1996, the ride became known as Take Flight, and closed on January 9, 1998. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin uses the very Omnimover ride system of If You Had Wings/Delta Dreamflight, except for having new third generation vehicles that can be rotated by the riders to any angle to shoot at various targets. Space Ranger Spin also uses two of the speed tunnels from If You Had Wings.

Although Journey Into Imagination with Figment in Epcot is now an Omnimover basis track it was once all Omnimover (this was back when the Dream finder was still part of the attraction).

    * The Seas with Nemo & Friends previously was home to The Living Seas, which utilized a different attraction theme as well as a different Omnimover vehicle design.

 Click Here to read "Limbo: Loading the Doom Buggies" at doombuggies.com

 

The Walt Disney World Wardrobe

Walt Disney World has the largest working wardrobe on Earth with more than 1.5 million operational garments in use and over 7,000 different garment types. In addition there are over 2 million pieces of entertainment costumes. (That's a lot of dry cleaning!)

The Original Magic Kingdom's "E ticket" Attractions

The original eight "E ticket" attractions at WDW’s Magic Kingdom were Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Jungle Cruise, It’s a Small World, and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.

The Original Monorail Track at Walt Disney World

WDW's original monorail track ran in a loop directly through the concourse of the Contemporary Resort, to the Polynesian Resort, the Magic Kingdom gate & the Ticket & Transportation Center. In 1982 the monorail was extended with a four mile run to Epcot, including a scenic loop through Future World.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Walt Disney personally selected Richard Fleischer (son of his old competitor in animation, Max Fleischer) to direct the live-action film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The Disney Symphonic Legacy

Today, back in 2009, the Walt Disney Concert Hall hosts an event called The Disney Symphonic Legacy - a program featuring, for the first time ever at the Hall, Disney music. It also marks the Disney Hall debut of longtime Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conductor John Mauceri.

Here is a glimpse of the WD Concert Hall:

Dumbo premieres at the Broadway Theater in New York City

October 23, 1941

Disney's 4th animated feature film, Dumbo (directed by Ben Sharpsteen) world premieres at the Broadway Theater in New York City. Walt Disney, his wife Lillian, and a handful of his staff are in attendance. The 64-minute film, released by RKO Pictures, will win the Oscar for Best Score for a Musical Film and "Baby Mine" (the song that plays during Dumbo's visit to his mother's cell) will be nominated for Best Song.

"It's like 64 minutes, and it's so concise in its storytelling. I learned a lot from it, as a student at CalArts and a young animator at Disney."
-Pixar's John Lasseter on Dumbo

Like Dopey in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, Dumbo never utters a single word!

Animator Bill Tytla, known for his sinister characterization of Pinocchio's Stromboli, was the key animator for Dumbo. He based the character's childlike expressions and earnestness on those of his son, Peter.

"What's the matter with his ears? I don't see nothin' wrong with 'em. I think they're cute."

- Dumbo's Timothy Q. Mouse (voiced by Edward Brophy)

Walt Disney World's STOLport in Action [Oct. 22, 1971]

Down in Florida, inaugural service to Walt Disney World's own airport STOLport, by both Shawnee and Executive airlines, begin. The occasion is marked by a lunche on ceremony, with the state of Florida presenting Disney with STOLport license No. 1. A group of local and state politicians and officials are on hand, as well as executives from the airlines. Disney announces that STOL service will commence with around 26 flights daily.

 

 

A single airstrip located not too far from the Contemporary Resort, the Lake Buena Vista STOLport, consists of a 2000-foot runway (and plans for a terminal building). Disney has high hopes for the service. (Unfortunately by December 1972, the idea of affordable short-range air routes became completely impractical and STOLport closed.)

A rare picture of the Lake Buena Vista STOLport in action, 1971