With the recent release of David A. Bossert’s Claude Coats: Walt Disney’s Imagineer—The Making of Disneyland: From Toad Hall to the Haunted Mansion and Beyond [The Old Mill Press, 264 Pages, $65] the world will learn about Claude Coats – through indepth text and stunning archival photos – and his amazingly productive career with the Walt Disney Company.
Zinger at the End of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway’s Was Imagineer’s Way to ‘Leave ‘Em Laughin’’
Posted onIt turns out that the gentle nudge at the end of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway wasn’t in the original plans for the ride. After years of meticulous planning down to the smallest detail, Kevin Rafferty admits he was winging it for that last surprise ... a trademark of the now-retired Disney Imagineer.
That Sinking Feeling: How a Keel Boat Skipper Kept His Wobbly Boat Afloat
Posted onRemember 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?
Returning To The High Seas Aboard the Disney Fantasy
Posted onOn 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.
Expect Ratatouille: The Adventure to Take Zany to the Next Level
Posted onFor 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.
The Disney Store as We’ve Known it for 34 Years is No More
Posted onThe 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.
It Turns Out Many of Disney’s Animated Classics are Steeped in…Tea!
Posted onCare 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.
Ruthie Tompson, Disney Legend and Women’s Animation Pioneer, Turns 111
Posted onDisney 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.
Remembering the Magic of Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary
Posted onIn 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.
Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary Brought New Meaning to the Term Over-The-Top
Posted onWalt 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.

