Chuck Schmidt

Chuck Schmidt, bitten by the Disney bug at an early age, remembers watching The Mickey Mouse Club after school in the mid-1950s. During his 48-year career in the newspaper business, he channeled that love of Disney as the Sunday News and Travel editor for The Staten Island Advance. Chuck has written or co-authored seven books for Theme Park Press, including Disney's Dream Weavers, On the Disney Beat, An American in Disneyland Paris, Disney's Animal Kingdom: An Unofficial History and The Beat Goes On. Chuck has shared his passion for all things Disney in his Still Goofy About Disney blog on AllEars.Net since 2015. He resides in Beachwood, N.J., with his wife Janet. They have three adult children and seven grandchildren.

That Sinking Feeling: How a Keel Boat Skipper Kept His Wobbly Boat Afloat

October 25, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

Remember the Mike Fink keel boats? You know, those top-heavy, low-capacity vessels that used to navigate the waters around Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Frontierland in Disneyland Paris?

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Returning To The High Seas Aboard the Disney Fantasy

October 11, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

On Saturday, September 25th, we left the cozy confines of the Old Key West Resort on Walt Disney World property, bound for Port Canaveral and a four-night cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy. Once onboard, we found that safety protocols abounded.

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Expect Ratatouille: The Adventure to Take Zany to the Next Level

September 15, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

For fans of the Disney-Pixar movie Ratatouille, the wait is nearly over. On Oct. 1 – the day Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration begins – Ratatouille: The Adventure will officially open to guests in World Showcase at EPCOT.

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The Disney Store as We’ve Known it for 34 Years is No More

August 30, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

The recent announcement that the mostly mall-based retail wing of the Walt Disney Company will be pared down to just 25 stores around the United States came as no surprise: Just a few months ago, the company shuttered a large percentage of its stores around the country … with the promise that more closings would follow.

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It Turns Out Many of Disney’s Animated Classics are Steeped in…Tea!

August 9, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

Care for a spot of tea, anyone? Thanks to the good folks at The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co., we’ve learned that Disney has incorporated tea into its films at [pardon the pun] a rather brisk pace.

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Ruthie Tompson, Disney Legend and Women’s Animation Pioneer, Turns 111

July 31, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

Disney Legend Ruthie Tompson turned 111 years old on July 22. The fact that she doesn’t want to be remembered for her longevity – remarkable as it is – but rather for what she’s accomplished during her lifetime, speaks volumes about the women’s pioneer.

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Remembering the Magic of Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary

July 20, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

In October of 1996, it was time to remember the magic: Walt Disney World turned 25 years old. In keeping with founder Walt Disney’s philosophy that the resort would never be completed “as long as there is imagination left in the world,” WDW was in the midst of monumental changes before, during and after the big 2-5 celebration.

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Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary Brought New Meaning to the Term Over-The-Top

July 5, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

Walt Disney World celebrated its 15th year of operation on Oct. 1, 1986, by throwing what was arguably the most ambitious, over-the-top, spare-no-expense party it has ever hosted.

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As Walt Disney World Approaches Its 50th, We Look Back at Previous Anniversaries

June 16, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

Beginning in 1981 and for every five years hence, Walt Disney World was the place where anniversaries were not only celebrated, but were celebrated in grandiose, over-the-top fashion.

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This Popular Arizona Tourist Attraction Has a Strong Disney Connection

May 31, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

The second most popular tourist attraction in the state of Arizona, after the majestic Grand Canyon, has a strong Disney connection. The London Bridge, located on the banks of Lake Havasu in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, draws visitors from far and wide to check out what is arguably one of the most unique destinations in the world. The bridge, as well as the city itself, were the brainchild of Robert McCulloch and C.V. Wood, who was a key figure in the construction of Disneyland.

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