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The Magic Worlds of Walt Disney [August 1963 issue of National Geographic]

2011-08-05T00:03:00.000-03:00

The August 1963 issue of National Geographic featured "The Magic Worlds of Walt Disney," a 49-page article by Robert De Roos.

It also featured a rare photo (taken by Thomas Nebbia) of Walt, his wife and their grandchildren in the Disneyland Fire Station apartment ... a photography first!

Next, you will see a PDF file with the complete article. Please, be patience and wait to load!

First Disneyland Fireworks

2011-08-04T00:02:00.000-03:00

Disneyland premiered its first fireworks presentation in 1956. The show was actually created by hand - with employees touching off the fuses with a flare! (A few years later, technology enabled fireworks to be launched electronically and synchronized with a soundtrack.)

“MAGICAL” – FIREWORKS BY THE NUMBERS

The pyrotechnic devices are fully choreographed to “Magical’s” musical soundtrack, using 750 discreet digital control channels.
Guests see the burst of fireworks before hearing it because light travels roughly a million times faster than sound.
The Disney Air Launch system installed in 2004 creates less ground level smoke than the former system that used black powder.
Disney is recognized as the world’s largest producer of fixed-base fireworks shows, at its parks in the United States, France, Japan and China.

A SPARKLING HISTORY OF FIREWORKS AT DISNEYLAND

Disneyland opened to the public in July 1955. There was no fireworks show that year.
In 1956, after seeing fireworks tests in the Disneyland parking lot when the park was closed, Walt Disney said, “Let’s give it a try.”
Mickey Aronson, who worked in Disneyland Resort Entertainment for more than 50 years (originally as an outside fireworks consultant), began “shooting” Disneyland fireworks the summer of 1956. In those days, Aronson fired the show by hand, touching off the fuses with a flare.
Beginning in the late 1960s, Disneyland Entertainment developed a system for firing the shells electronically, synchronized to a musical soundtrack.
During this period, the fireworks “choreography” was storyboarded like an animated cartoon. At one time, the storyboard artist was Roy Williams, the “Big Mooseketeer” from “The Mickey Mouse Club.”
The current system, with its multiple fireworks launch sites, special lighting and lasers, and high-tech marriage of music and choreographed pyrotechnics, was first installed for the 2000 Bicentennial/Disneyland 45th Anniversary show, “Believe…There’s Magic in the Stars.”

Elaborate fireworks shows synchronized with Disney songs and often have appearances from Tinker Bell or Dumbo, flying in the sky above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Since 2000, presentations have become more elaborate, featuring new pyrotechnics, launch techniques and story lines. In 2004, Disneyland introduced a new air launch pyrotechnics system, reducing ground level smoke and noise and decreasing negative environmental impacts. At the time the technology debuted, Disney announced it would donate the patents to a non-profit organization for use throughout the industry.

* Regular Fireworks Show:

o 1958–1999 Fantasy in the Sky

o 2000–2004 Believe... There's Magic in the Stars

o 2004–2005 Imagine... A Fantasy in the Sky

o 2005–2010 Remember... Dreams Come True

* Special Fireworks Show:

o June 12, 2009 – September 20, 2009 Magical: An Exploding Celebration In The Sky

o September 25, 2009 – November 1, 2009 Halloween Screams

o November 13, 2009 – January 3, 2010 Believe... In Holiday Magic

Since 2009, Disneyland has moved to a rotating repertoire of firework spectaculars.

* Yearly Fireworks Repertoire

o Winter – Spring Remember... Dreams Come True

o Summer Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations

o Independence Day Week Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky

o Halloweentime Halloween Screams

o Holiday Believe... In Holiday Magic

During the Holiday Season, there is a special fireworks presentation called Believe... In Holiday Magic which has been running since 2000, except for a short hiatus in 2005 during the park's 50th Celebration.

Scheduling of fireworks shows depend on the time of year, during the slower off-season periods, the fireworks are only offered on weekends. During the busier times, Disney does offer additional nights, such as an extra night for a 3 day holiday. Also, Disney does offer Fireworks nightly during its busy periods, which includes Easter/Spring Break, Summer and Christmas time.

The show is normally offered at 9:25 PM if the park is scheduled to close at 10 PM or later, but shows have started as early as 5:45 PM. Also, a major consideration is weather/winds, especially at higher elevations, which can force the cancellation of the show. Disney usually waits an additional time (15 minutes) to see if the winds die down. Shows, with a few minor exceptions, such as July 4 and New Year's Eve, must finish by 10 PM due to the conditions of the permit issued by the City of Anaheim.

The Princess Diaries & Mary Poppins

2011-08-03T01:04:00.001-03:00

The Princess Diaries was Julie Andrews first movie with Disney since Mary Poppins.

Anne Hathaway was hired for the role of Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who discovers that she is the heir to the throne of Genovia, because director Gary Marshall's granddaughters saw her audition tape and said she had the best "princess hair."

This Day in Disney History

2001:

Disney's romantic comedy The Princess Diaries, starring Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway, opens in theaters. Directed by Garry Marshall, it is a screen adaptation of Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name.

Disneyland Fun Facts - The Enchanted Tiki Room, Sleeping Beauty Castle & Haunted Mansion

2011-07-26T01:43:00.000-03:00

The Enchanted Tiki Room: Walt's inspiration for the Tiki Room -- the first show featuring fully synchronized Audio-Animatronics figures -- came from a small mechanical birdcage that he found at a New Orleans antique shop. He was so fascinated by the birds in the cage that he bought two of them -- one to display and one to take apart. One of the original birdcages can usually be seen in the reproduction of Walt's office located in The Walt Disney Story attraction on Main Street; however, it's been temporarily relocated to the "One Man's Dream" exhibit at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida as part of their 100 Years of Magic celebration.

Haunted Mansion: The singing busts in the Graveyard scene represent the singing group the Mello Men, who also play the parts of the singing cards in Disney's "Alice in Wonderland," and can be heard on Alice's attraction singing "Painting the Roses Red."

Sleeping Beauty Castle: A special spot just beneath Sleeping Beauty Castle marks the original center of the park, before Critter Country or Mickey's Toontown were added. As you emerge on the other side of the tunnel into Fantasyland, there's a golden spike driven into the ground -- look for it on your next visit!

1966 - Disneyland Topiaries

2011-07-25T01:04:00.000-03:00

The tradition of Disney Topiaries began in 1966 when Disneyland horticulturalists sculpted larger-than-lifesize characters in Fantasyland, in particular surrounding the It's a Small World attraction. At Disney World, the process began 3 years before the resort’s 1971 opening and is still evolving today at the WDW Nursery!

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The Disney Influence and the 1964-1965 World's Fair

2011-07-24T01:04:00.000-03:00

The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City.

The fair ran for two six-month seasons, April 22–October 18, 1964 and April 21–October 17, 1965.

The theme was symbolized by a 12-story high, stainless-steel model of the earth called Unisphere.

The longest lines at the 1964-1965 World's Fair (in New York City) were for the 4 attractions created by Disney. Walt took some of the attractions and elements of others to his Anaheim park when the Fair closed.

The fair also is remembered as the vehicle Walt Disney utilized to design and perfect the system of "audio-animatronics", in which a combination of sound, mechanical electronics and computers controls the movement of lifelike robots to act out scenes.

The Walt Disney Company designed and created four shows at the fair:

ºoº In the "it's a small world" attraction at the Pepsi pavilion, animated dolls and animals frolicked in a spirit of international unity on a boat ride around the world. The song was provided by the Sherman Brothers. Each of the animated dolls had an identical face, originally designed by New York (Valley Stream) artist Gregory S. Marinello in partnership with Walt Disney himself.

ºoº General Electric sponsored "Progressland" where an audience seated in a revolving auditorium viewed an audio-animatronic presentation of the progress of electricity in the home. The Sherman Brothers song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" was composed for this attraction.

ºoº Ford Motor Company presented Disney's "The Magic Skyway," the second most popular exhibit at the fair, using Ford cars in an early prototype of the Omnimover system to move the audience through scenes featuring life-sized audio-animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen. The Walt Disney Company had earlier been asked by General Motors to produce their exhibit, but they declined.

ºoº At the Illinois pavilion, a lifelike President Abraham Lincoln recited his famous speeches in "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln".

After the fair, there was some discussion of the Disney company retaining these exhibits on-site and converting Flushing Meadows Park into an east coast version of Disneyland, but this idea was abandoned. Instead, Disney relocated several of these exhibits to Disneyland and subsequently replicated them at other Disney theme parks; Walt Disney World is essentially the realization of the original concept of an "east coast Disneyland" with Epcot Center designed a "permanent" world's fair in 1982 and was expressly built as a tribute to the World's Fair.

Two attractions from the fair exist at Walt Disney World, including a variation of the original "it's a small world" and the updated Carousel of Progress. The two remaining attractions currently exist as evolutions of the originals: The Magic Skyway inspired the PeopleMover, and later the Tomorrowland Transit Authority; and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was expanded into The Hall of Presidents.

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Mickey Mouse and Madame Tussauds

2011-07-23T05:05:00.002-03:00

Mickey Mouse (playing the piano) was first added to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London in 1930.

The Tallest Attraction on Walt Disney World

2011-07-22T01:05:00.001-03:00

At 199 feet, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the two tallest attractions on Walt Disney World property!

Do you know which is the other one?

Click Here to see the Official WDW Tower of Terror site!

Click Here to see the amazing Disneyland Paris Tower of Terror site!

Disneyland's New Ride Tickets

2011-07-21T01:04:00.000-03:00

Disneyland replaced individual ride tickets (in use since 1955) with its new passports (single admission price to the park) in 1982.

"I remember the first day we had paying guests in the park and Walt was over at the Fire Station looking out the window. And I heard him say, 'Paying guests I love you' ... and threw them a big kiss."

-Hank Dains (original Disneyland Cast Member)

John Stamos & Disneyland Sign

2011-07-20T01:04:00.000-03:00

Actor & Disney fan John Stamos was the winning Ebay bidder for the galvanized steel Disneyland sign that stood in front of the park from 1989 to 1999. He paid $30,700 for the marquee.

Click Here to learn everything about Disneyland Signs

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Invisible from within Disneyland

2011-07-19T02:04:00.001-03:00

Back in 1955, Walt Disney had an agreement with the city of Anaheim that no outside buildings could be tall enough to be visible from within Disneyland.

After the Opening of Disneyland

2011-07-18T01:04:00.000-03:00

"We're gonna kick ourselves for not buying everything within a radius of ten miles around here."

-Walt Disney

How Long to Construct Disneyland?

2011-07-17T01:04:00.002-03:00

From groundbreaking to opening day, the original Disneyland [California] was built in just 365 days.

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40th anniversary of Disneyland

2011-07-16T05:05:00.000-03:00

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Disneyland, Disney created a series of 41 collector cards, one for each year the park had been open. A card for each year represented an event or an attraction. The cards were handed out to visitors to the park starting with the "1955" card on January 21,1995 and ending March 2, 1995 with the "1995" card.

Tomorrow is Disneyland's Birthday :)

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Financing Disneyland

2011-07-13T05:05:00.000-03:00

To finance Disneyland (July 17th, 1955), Walt Disney sold a vacation home and even borrowed against his life insurance.

1960 Monorail Board Game

2011-07-08T01:01:00.000-03:00

Parker Brothers released the Disneyland Monorail Game in 1960. The object of the board game was to be the first player to complete the Monorail Ride and finish ahead of Casey Jr.

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Disneyland Light

2011-07-07T05:05:00.000-03:00

Disneyland uses over 200,000 light bulbs per year!

There are 11,000 lights alone used to outline the buildings on Main Street, U.S.A.!

Disneyland's Lamps

The street lamps on Disneyland's Main Street USA are approximately 100 years old

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Disneyland's Sailing Ship Columbia

2011-07-06T05:05:00.000-03:00

Disneyland's Sailing Ship Columbia was modeled after the first vessel to successfully circumnavigate the globe.

When constructed in 1958, it was the first three-masted windjammer to have been built in the United States in more than 100 years.

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The Liberty Tree

2011-07-05T01:01:00.001-03:00

Disney's Liberty Tree at the Magic Kingdom, which sits across from Hall of Presidents, is based on the original Liberty Tree in Boston that served as a gathering place for the Sons of Liberty in the months leading up to the Boston Tea Party.

The events of this time period (and the tree) were featured in the 1957 Disney film, “Johnny Tremain,” which follows Johnny, a young silversmith’s apprentice, in the days before the start of the Revolutionary War. In one scene, Johnny and his friends parade through the streets singing the song “The Liberty Tree” and stop to hang lanterns on its branches.

During the making of this film, Walt Disney became excited at the possibility of adding a similarly themed Liberty Street to Disneyland park. His vision eventually grew into a whole “land” that was added to the plans for Magic Kingdom Park.

Today, our Liberty Tree illuminates each evening with the light from 13 lanterns. Each light represents one of the 13 original colonies.

Fun fact: Walt Disney’s youngest daughter, Sharon, had an uncredited role in the film, “Johnny Tremain,” playing a friend of Johnny’s. (Pictured above, right).

Ratatouille is Released

2011-06-29T11:51:00.000-03:00

June 29, 2007
Ratatouille is Released

After nearly seven years from conception to completion, Pixar released its eighth feature-length animated film, Ratatouille, on June 29, 2007 to immense critical and commercial success. Set in Paris, the film follows an aspiring chef and rat, Remy, who was recently forced to abandon his home in the French countryside. Once in Paris, he sniffs out a restaurant and forms a friendship with Linguini, the kitchen cleaner. When Linguini accidentally knocks over a pot of soup, Remy helps Lou recreate the meal — and then some of the most delicious dishes the diners have ever tasted. Directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava, Ratatouille boasts the vocal talents of Patton Oswalt (Remy) Lou Romano (Linguini) and others including Ian Holme, Peter O'Toole and Brad Garrett. The film went on to win the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature.

Hollywood Records

2011-06-22T05:05:00.000-03:00

Hollywood Records' (established by Disney in 1989) very first release was the Arachnophobia motion picture soundtrack in 1990. Today the label releases albums by such artists as Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, and Aly & AJ.

Walt Disney World's telephone system

2011-06-20T05:05:00.000-03:00

Walt Disney World's telephone system was the first totally electronic system to use underground cable instead of standard poles with overhead lines.

Vista Florida Telephone System was responsible for installing the nation’s first commercial fiber-optic phone cable!

Sammy Fain

2011-06-17T05:05:00.000-03:00

(Samuel E. Feinberg, June 17, 1902 – December 6, 1989)

Songwriter Sammy Fain's contribution to Peter Pan include the songs "The Second Star to the Right," "You Can Fly!," "What Makes the Red Man Red?," "Your Mother and Mine," and "The Elegant Captain Hook."

For a Detailed Song List, Click Here!

Sammy Fain was born in New York City. In 1923, Fain appeared with Artie Dunn in a short film directed by Lee De Forest filmed in DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. In 1925, Fain left the Fain-Dunn act to devote himself full-time to composing.

Fain worked extensively in collaboration with Irving Kahal. Together they wrote classics such as "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella". Another lyricist who collaborated with Fain was Lew Brown, with whom he wrote "That Old Feeling". His Broadway credits also include Everybody's Welcome, Right This Way, Hellzapoppin', I'll Be Seeing You, Flahooley, Ankles Aweigh, Christine and Something More.

Fain also composed music for more than 30 films in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. He was nominated for the best Original Song Oscar nine times, winning twice, with "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane in 1954 and with "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" from the movie of the same title in 1955. He co-wrote both songs with Paul Francis Webster, another long-time collaborator. Fain wrote the second theme to the TV series Wagon Train in 1958, which was called "(Roll Along) Wagon Train". He also contributed to the song scores for the Walt Disney animated films Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Rescuers.

In 1963, he collaborated with Harold Adamson in writing songs for the movie The Incredible Mr. Limpet, which came out in 1964, and such songs as "I Wish I Were a Fish", "Be Careful How You Wish" and "Deep Rapture" enhanced his fame.

Fain died in Los Angeles, California, and is interred at Cedar Park Cemetery, in Emerson, New Jersey.

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Disney's Character in Different Movies

2011-06-16T01:05:00.006-03:00

The Lion King

2011-06-15T05:05:00.000-03:00

The Lion King originally started as a project called "King of the Jungle."

The Lion King was the first Disney animated feature to be an original story, rather than being based on an already-existing story.

Richard Nixon and Walt Disney - Matterhorn

2011-06-14T05:05:00.000-03:00

Riding in the very first sled down Disneyland's Matterhorn in June 1959, were Walt Disney, his wife Lilly, their daughters ... and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon.

When Vice President Nixon and Walt were waiting for the official first ride on the Disneyland Monorail, an empty train came by.

In his excitement, Walt couldn't wait. He grabbed Nixon and jumped on board, leaving Nixon's Secret Service agents standing, stunned, on the platform!

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The Basil Rathbone's old Sherlock Holmes Radio Show

2011-06-13T05:05:00.001-03:00

Actor Basil Rathbone (born on this day in 1892) can be heard in Disney's 1986 animated The Great Mouse Detective.

Though he had passed in 1967, a 25-second dialogue taken from one of Rathbone's old Sherlock Holmes radio shows was used in the animated feature as the voice of ... Sherlock Holmes!

The Living Desert

2011-06-11T05:05:00.001-03:00

In 2000 the United States Library of Congress deemed Disney's 1953 The Living Desert (co-written by James Algar) "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

The Living Desert won an Academy Award for Best Documentary and a Special Golden Globe for Artisitc Merit.

Cinderella Castle

2011-06-10T05:05:00.002-03:00

Walt Disney World's Cinderella Castle is larger and more ornate than Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom - Orlando, Florida)

Cinderella Castle was completed in July 1971, after about 18 months of construction. It is 189 feet tall - more than twice the size of Sleeping Beauty Castle!

Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland - Anaheim, California)

Donald Duck's Voice

2011-06-09T01:01:00.000-03:00

After Clarence Nash's passing, Donald Duck's voice was taken up by Disney animator Tony Anselmo, who had been trained under Mr. Nash personally.

The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank

2011-06-08T03:29:00.000-03:00

The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, is the only major film/animation studio not to run backlot tours.

Designed primarily by Kem Weber under the supervision of Walt & Roy Disney, the Burbank Disney Studio buildings are the only studios to survive from the Golden Age of film.

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Special Plaque for Walt Disney at Disneyland

2011-06-06T02:11:00.001-03:00

In Disneyland, there is a plaque at the base of the flagpole in Frontierland's stockade that reads:

"To Walt Disney, in recognition of outstanding assistance and cooperation in extending humane ideals to peoples throughout the world."

It was presented by the American Humane Association in 1955.

Public Benefactor No. 1

2011-06-05T00:17:00.001-03:00

Walt Disney arrived in England in June 1935,
and was welcomed by this cartoon in Punch:
'Public Benefactor No. 1', by Ernest H. Shepard

Mr. Toad presenting the Toad Hall deed to Owl

2011-06-04T05:05:00.001-03:00

Disney World's "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" attraction is built on the former location of "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." It contains a picture of Mr. Toad presenting the Toad Hall deed to Owl (look to the left behind the car immediately after the ride begins).

Disneyland's Space Mountain

2011-06-03T05:05:00.000-03:00

Disneyland's Space Mountain is actually sunk 17 feet into the ground so it won't dwarf the Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Space Mountain was designed by Bill Watkins of Walt Disney Imagineering.

The attractions that originated in Walt Disney World and were duplicated in Disneyland is Space Mountain, Country Bear Jamboree, Mickey's House, and Innoventions (coming in new Tomorrowland in the Carrousel Theatre).

The entire park compressed air system is ran by one huge air compressor backstage. If the air pressure gets too low the rides that it supplies will stop functioning as a safety feature. Space Mountain, the Bobsleds, and Big Thunder all share this compressed air line.

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The Disney Magazine

2011-06-02T05:05:00.000-03:00

The Disney Magazine began life as the Disney News in 1965.

The publication changed its name to the Disney Magazine in 1994 and unfortunately ceased to exist by 2005.

The magazine began life as the Disney News on December 1, 1965. The first issue was 30 pages long, and the cover showed Walt Disney surrounded by several costumed characters in front of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The magazine was initially a free benefit for members of the Magic Kingdom Club but later started charging a cover price (discounted for members).

The publication changed its name to the Disney Magazine on March 1, 1994 to better reflect the increased size and content of the magazine. When Disney ended the Magic Kingdom Club on March 1, 2001, the magazine continued, but circulation numbers began dropping.

Publication ended with the Summer 2005 issue. Subscribers were offered subscriptions to either FamilyFun or Disney Adventures, or refunds. The magazine's website said the end was due to an increase of people choosing to find information on the Internet, and thus lack of readership.

To see all the issues of The Disney Magazine, go to Tim's Disney News Archive

http://www.disneynewsarchive.com/index.html

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Eastern Airline and 1970s Walt Disney World

2011-06-01T05:05:00.000-03:00

Eastern Airline wings were distributed free of charge during the 1970s to guests of Walt Disney World's If You Had Wings attraction.

Audio

If You Had Wings ride-through
Live recording of full ride, c. 1985, mp3 file, mono, 2.2mb, 4:35

If You Had Wings Main Theme excerpt
IYHW theme as heard when first entering the globe, from ride demo recording c. 1971, mp3 file, mono, 185kb, :23

"You Do Have Wings"
Voice heard at the end of the ride, from live recording, 1987, mp3 file, mono, 100kb, :11

If You Had Wings demo recording
WED recording c. 1971, features voice of Peter Renoudet, mp3 file, mono, 7.8mb, 6:19

The song, If You Had Wings, was written by the prolific Disney composer Norman "Buddy" Baker and lyricist X. Atencio

The Lyrics*

If you had wings, you could do many things
You could widen your world, if you had wings
Chorus: If you had wings, if you had wings, if you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings
You could fly to a plaza, where the people play
At the Mexican fiesta, in the land of ole
Chorus
You could fly to Bermuda, like a flying fish
Have a ball on a cruise ship, or catch fish if you wish
Chorus
Wanna buy a sombrero, made of real fine straw?
How about a nice handbag, for pretty mama?
Chorus
You could follow a tradewind, down to Old San Juan
And explore an old fortress, before traveling on
Chorus
You could flitter and flutter, to the isle of springs
To that emerald green garden, and do wonderful things
Chorus
You could fly with flamingos, to that old French town
Go on regale New Orleans, wear the carnival crown
Chorus
You do have wings, you can do all these things,
You can widen your world, for you have wings

Post-show (exit) version:
For you have wings, For you have wings
For you have wings, have wings, have wings, have wings, have wings

* This transcription is based on comparisons of a demo recording of the ride's music and live recordings of the attraction's true audio tracks, during which the stupidity of the lyrics was made fully manifest. WYW is not responsible for the contents of the above song nor does it assume liability for any damages resulting from the misuse of the same.

Video

Eastern Airlines WDW Commercial with Orson Welles voiceover
1971, wmv file, low-resolution, 2mb, 1:00

If You Had Wings ride-through
1985, courtesy Jan & Donna Freitag, wmv file, low-resolution, 4.8mb, 4:47

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Sorcerer Mickey at The Great Movie Ride

2011-05-31T05:05:00.000-03:00

The Great Movie Ride (an original opening day attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios), features a scene from Fantasia that includes swirling winds.

Why the wind?

That portion of the ride was originally designed to be the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz, but was changed to feature Sorcerer Mickey at the last minute.

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