Step Back in Time News & Updates

Disney Artist – Alex Maher

September 27, 2015 by Gary Cruise

Guest blogger Gary Cruise had the chance to meet Disney Design Artist Alex Maher at a recent Disneyana meeting in Dayton, Ohio. He shares this profile of Maher.

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From the Tickle Trunk – Audio-Animatronics

September 13, 2015 by Gary Cruise

On a recent trip into his wife's Tickle Trunk, blogger Gary Cruise came across an article on Audio-Animatronics from the Summer 2003 issue of Disney Magazine. The article described how the Enchanted Tiki Room, with its exciting new technology, created a sensation more than 50 years ago.

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The Orange Bird

August 30, 2015 by Gary Cruise

Back in the mid-1960s Walt Disney was busy building his latest daring venture, which he called the Florida Project. The Disney Company had acquired 57 square miles of land in central Florida where Walt envisioned a huge family entertainment complex. To keep ahead of the constant demand for cash the Disney Company entered into partnerships with a number of companies and groups who "sponsored" different aspects of the project. One of those partnerships was with the Florida Citrus Commission, which would sponsor a $3 million pavilion in Adventureland and a massive marketing campaign began using the little Orange Bird.

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Disneyland Chronicles — An Updated Timeline

August 16, 2015 by Gary Cruise

By the time this blog is published on AllEars.net Carol and I will be enjoying our 10th visit to Disneyland and attending the D23 Expo in Anaheim. Although it seems like yesterday, it was a decade ago when we made our first trek west to visit Disneyland for the park’s Golden Anniversary. We had a … Continue reading "Disneyland Chronicles — An Updated Timeline"

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Hockey “Disney-Style” . . . The Mighty Ducks

March 1, 2015 by Gary Cruise

Like most boys growing up in Canada in the 1950’s and 60’s my world revolved around hockey. There wasn’t much else to do in the tiny Ontario fishing village I called home. I played peewee hockey and my entire family followed the exploits of our local men’s Intermediate B team, the Port Dover Sailors. The … Continue reading "Hockey “Disney-Style” . . . The Mighty Ducks"

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It All Started With . . . Storyboards

February 15, 2015 by Gary Cruise

Recently, while I was reading The Revised Vault of Walt written by noted Disney historian (and AllEars.net Feature Writer) Jim Korkis, I ran across an interesting quote. Walt Disney was writing of memories from his school days and commented, “It was always my inclination to think in pictures rather than words.” My mind started to … Continue reading "It All Started With . . . Storyboards"

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From the Tickle Trunk – Disney Clubs

January 18, 2015 by Gary Cruise

Are you a member of D23? To the best of my knowledge, it is the only “official” fan club, organized by Disney, in operation today. But D23 has had several ancestors over the years . . . and those old clubs are what I’ll describe briefly in this blog. I’ll be using plenty of scanned … Continue reading "From the Tickle Trunk – Disney Clubs"

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From the Tickle Trunk – WDW News – Autumn 1989

December 21, 2014 by Gary Cruise

Let’s pull another old newsletter out of the Tickle Trunk. This is a colorful one; it was issued in the autumn of 1989 and the masthead calls it the “Wonders of Life Edition“. That new pavilion at EPCOT opened October 19, 1989 and this edition heralded all the brand-new attractions on the front page! Most … Continue reading "From the Tickle Trunk – WDW News – Autumn 1989"

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Memories of Discovery Island

December 7, 2014 by Gary Cruise

Before I begin, I have a confession to make – I have never been to Discovery Island. Sad, but true! Fortunately, Carol and Rob enjoyed several short boat rides from Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground to Discovery Island, so once again they have acted as my consultants! 1979 Postcard Bay Lake, which surrounds Discovery Island, … Continue reading "Memories of Discovery Island"

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From the Tickle Trunk – Disney Matchbooks

November 23, 2014 by Gary Cruise

Here’s another piece of Disney history plumbed from the depths of the Tickle Trunk – Disney matchbooks! Carol’s old pine box of memories contains a shiny metal box full of matchbooks she collected decades ago! Times were much different in the 1970’s and 1980’s and our acceptance of tobacco smoke and those who used tobacco … Continue reading "From the Tickle Trunk – Disney Matchbooks"

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