I’ve covered the wonderful world of Disney for more than 45 years. During that time, I’ve met some amazing Disney cast members, had some unforgettable experiences, and, along the way, have amassed a collection of photos that are quite interesting.

Some have historic significance, some are funny, some are a bit quirky, but all have a connection – however loosely – to Disney.

Each photo in this blog will be accompanied by text, which will explain why I’ve insisted on keeping these photographic gems in my computer archives. Enjoy!

AN UNDERGROUND TREASURE

We all know about Hidden Mickeys. But what about hidden pirates?

This photo shows a mural with a bumbling band of buccaneers, hanging on for dear life from a lifeboat. Turns out, they are members of Capt. Hook’s nefarious ne’er-do-wells. That’s the easy part.

The question is: Where is the mural located?

Would you believe in a tunnel at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort?

With a major roadway – Florida’s fabled A1A – bisecting the resort, a tunnel was built underneath the roadway to allow guests to cross from one side of the property to the other without having to worry about oncoming traffic.

There are actually several Peter Pan-themed murals along the tunnel’s route. And music from the classic film can be heard as you make your way under and through.

Once you’ve reached the other side, you’ll find walking paths and nature trails, tennis and basketball courts, soccer and volleyball fields, and lakeside picnic areas.

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

Actor Michael J. Fox, along with a Dumbo ride vehicle, was on hand to help Disney launch its Let the Memories Begin promotion in September 2010 at a posh Manhattan restaurant.

What invited guests learned that day was this: The folks at Disney are well aware that, while they are first and foremost an entertainment company, they also are in the business of creating lasting vacation memories.

And what Disney discovered is that those cherished memories at Disney Parks have a very long shelf life … so long, in fact, that the feelings of togetherness and familial bonding tend to span generations and often are passed on from mother to daughter, father to son, grandparents to grandchildren.

Let the Memories Begin was Disney’s way of celebrating the enduring nature of family getaways and making guests’ trips even more … well, memorable.

During the event, Fox told guests of how much his family loved visiting Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

“We’re official Disney junkies,” Fox told host Tom Bergeron, who served as quick-witted moderator of the event.

Fox added that even though they do everything together as a family during their Disney visits, “it’s amazing how we have different versions of the same memories … I could go on all day with the memories of our visits to the parks.”

TWIN PEAKS

This photo was taken from a balcony at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa.

Way off in the distance, the snow-capped Santa Ana Mountain Range is visible. It was January, so of course, the mountain tops were glistening with snow.

Much closer to the resort, we noticed another fabled mountain peak.

The Matterhorn Bobsled attraction’s top is visible behind the building’s roof on the right.  It, too, has a layer of snow … OK, so maybe it’s a layer of white paint.

Still, it’s an interesting juxtaposition.

WHERE THE MONORAILS AND TRAINS SPEND THE NIGHT

Ever wonder where the monorail trains and the Walt Disney World Railroad cars go after the park closes?

Well, there’s a maintenance facility located behind the Magic Kingdom at the end of World Drive where they are taken after a long day of transporting guests throughout the property.

World Drive is the thoroughfare that allows buses and cars to access the Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower.

If you continue straight on World Drive, you’ll pass the Space Mountain and TRON attractions to the left before spotting the monorail/train depot.

A separate monorail beam runs from the main beam between the Main Street Station and the Contemporary Resort to the backstage area, while an ancillary railroad track allows the train to exit the Magic Kingdom route and head to the maintenance facility.

Once at the depot, the monorail cars and trains are serviced and cleaned ahead of the next day.

Also in the area where the monorail/train depot sits is a building designated for costuming, as well as the Disney University campus, textile services, holiday services, and vehicle and boat maintenance facilities.

ALL ABOARD IN DISNEYLAND PARIS

Speaking of trains, we found this beauty pulling into the Main Street station at Disneyland Paris.

Train travel is an important transportation option for commuters throughout Europe. In fact, there’s a bustling station – Marne La Vallee/Chessy – located just steps from the entrance to the Disneyland Paris complex, which includes a Magic Kingdom-style park, the Walt Disney Studios, and a Downtown Disney shopping/dining/entertainment district.

Riders arrive at the station from downtown Paris on the local RER line, while guests from as far away as England can take the Eurostar under the English Channel and arrive at Disneyland Paris in about 2 ½ hours.

But we digress.

Much like its predecessors in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Paris Railroad attempts to give guests a “grand circle tour” of the park. In reality, what you get is a “grand foliage tour” … trees, bushes, and shrubs block just about every view of the park along the route.

To be honest, the Disneyland Paris Railroad was boring … even the Grand Canyon diorama scenes weren’t nearly as impressive as the ones in Disneyland in California.

The engines, however, are something to behold. The elegant locomotive pictured above is The George Washington. There’s even a picture of America’s first president attached to the headlamp.

Other Disneyland Paris locomotive names include the William F. Cody, otherwise known as Buffalo Bill, and the C.K. Holliday, who was president of the fabled Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad.

Chuck Schmidt is an award-winning journalist and retired Disney cast member who has covered all things Disney since 1984 in both print and on-line. He has authored or co-authored eight books on Disney, including his On the Disney Beat and The Beat Goes On, as well as his latest, Marty, Mickey and Me, all for Theme Park Press. He has written a regular blog for AllEars.Net, called Still Goofy About Disney, since 2015.

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