Search Results for: John Hench

During its four-year run, Holidayland gave guests a Disneyland experience right outside the fabled berm

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
An aerial view shows Holidayland during its heyday, right outside the berm at Disneyland. Much has been written about the berm at Disneyland … those large mounds of dirt, cleverly placed foliage and other inconspicuous obstacles which keep Disney guests from seeing the outside world, effectively insulating them from reality. As Disney Legend John Hench … Continue reading "During its four-year run, Holidayland gave guests a Disneyland experience right outside the fabled berm"
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C.V. Wood: The most nefarious Disney villain of them all

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Walt Disney, left, goes over plans for Disneyland with C.V. Wood, center, and Harrison [Buzz] Price. [The Walt Disney Company] Disney Villains are all the rage. These days, bad is good. You can’t go anywhere in a Disney park without crossing paths with the likes of Lady Tremaine [a.k.a. the Wicked Stepmother], her daughters Anastasia … Continue reading "C.V. Wood: The most nefarious Disney villain of them all"
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Omnimover and PeopleMover: A look at two Disney-designed ride conveyances

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Bob Gurr sits behind the wheel of a car as he tests the ride system that would be used on the Ford Magic Skyway attraction during the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. Note the individual drive wheels embedded in the track. [The Walt Disney Company] From the time when Disneyland was in the planning stages … Continue reading "Omnimover and PeopleMover: A look at two Disney-designed ride conveyances"
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After leaving WED, Tania Norris took on several eclectic challenges

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Edna and Roy Disney pose with Mickey Mouse in Town Square. [The Walt Disney Company] Tania Norris made some remarkable contributions during her nine years with WED Enterprises, supplying the interior designs for New Orleans Square, the Haunted Mansion and the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Disneyland, as well as doing interior design work for some … Continue reading "After leaving WED, Tania Norris took on several eclectic challenges"
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Former WED designer Tania Norris saw Disney from the inside

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Inside the Disney Company plane. Walt and Lillian are seated, left. Also in view are Bill Martin, seated center, and Herb Ryman. The woman in the back, right, is unidentified. [The Walt Disney Company] In 1964, Walt Disney’s world was expanding. There was the California-based company’s participation in the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, which … Continue reading "Former WED designer Tania Norris saw Disney from the inside"
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Disney’s participation at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair was a pivotal moment for the company

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
The endearing dolls in the it’s a small world attraction at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. [Chuck Schmidt collection] Before there was Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai Disneyland, there was just little, ol’ Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Although Walt Disney detested doing sequels to his movies, he … Continue reading "Disney’s participation at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair was a pivotal moment for the company"
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Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reflects on his contributions to Disneyland Paris

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Eddie Sotto poses for a photo in front of Main Street Motors right after Disneyland Paris opened in 1992. [Courtesy of Eddie Sotto] Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland was Walt Disney’s pride and joy … a window into his life as a young boy growing up in Marceline, Missouri, in the early 1900s. According to … Continue reading "Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reflects on his contributions to Disneyland Paris"
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Monorail guru Bob Gurr talks about Monty … and his concept drawing of the famed transit vehicle

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Bob Gurr’s original drawing of the monorail, sketched in late 1958. The color was added by Disney Legend John Hench. Hey, Bob Gurr … now that you’ve completed a documentary showing the world just how you designed some of the world’s most innovative theme park attractions, what are you going to do next? “My next … Continue reading "Monorail guru Bob Gurr talks about Monty … and his concept drawing of the famed transit vehicle"
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Disney Legend Marty Sklar on Shanghai Disneyland: ‘It’s the best Disney park’

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
The first time Marty Sklar walked down the main thoroughfare of a Disney theme park -- Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A., on July 17, 1955 -- he was a 21-year-old intern working in the park's public relations department and was, for all intents and purposes, just another face in the overheated crowd on that momentous opening day. The most recent time Marty walked down the main thoroughfare of a Disney theme park -- Shanghai Disneyland's Mickey Avenue, on opening day, June 17, 2016 -- he was an 82-year-old retiree who was far from just another face in the crowd.
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