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.


Disney Dollars Were The Brainchild Of Disney Marketing Guru Jack Lindquist

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
The Disney Dollars initiative was the brainchild of Disney Legend Jack Lindquist, who was among other things, a marketing genius. He joined the Disney fold in 1955, working in Disneyland’s marketing department, where he dreamed up some of the park’s most famous promotions, including Grad Nites, Vacationland Magazine, The Magic Kingdom Club and the Disneyland Ambassador Program. “I got the idea for Disney Dollars by reading the financial pages,” Lindquist said. "It dawned on me that Disneyland was big enough to have its own currency."
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Four Walt Disney World Attractions We Miss The Most

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
During Walt Disney World's existence, many park attractions have come and gone, sadly sinking into the dust bin of Disney lore, replaced by newer rides using more advanced technology and different storylines. Some attractions became tired and outdated but were spared demolition with upgrades and refurbishments. Here are the four attractions from each Walt Disney World park we miss the most.
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runDisney’s 2025 Dopey Challenge: On The Outside Looking In And Loving Every Minute Of It

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
It was during this time that I began yearning to be out there with the other competitors. I missed the camaraderie shared among runners, the thrill of hearing people cheering for you along the course, and the adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment you get when crossing the finish line. But knee replacement surgery in February of 2024 had me sidelined. For the first time, I was on the outside looking in … and loving every minute of it. I couldn't have been more proud of my daughter.
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The DVC Cabins At Fort Wilderness: Nice, If Rustic And Rural Is Your Thing

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
In 2024, the Disney Vacation Club joined the Fort Wilderness Campground fold with the introduction of its highly anticipated cabins Adding the cabins to DVC’s inventory was, shall we say, an interesting choice. For folks used to staying at some of DVC’s high-end properties (Bay Lake Tower, the Grand Floridian or the Animal Kingdom Lodge come to mind), the cabins take some getting used to.
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Re-Imagined Country Bear Musical Jamboree Is a Much-Needed Upgrade

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
The Country Bears recently underwent a much-needed refurbishment and my first reaction was: What took so long? Yes, the gregarious, tuneful bruins are wearing new, more colorful costumes and, yes, the script for the show has been rewritten, but to me, the biggest change is the music. After all these years, the powers that be at Disney finally decided to use classic Disney movie songs throughout most of the show.
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Hidden In Plain Sight: Mailboxes, Public Phones, and Imagineers’ Tributes

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
One of my favorite things to do when I visit a Disney theme park is to seek out all the hidden gems. While most other park guests are making a beeline to the next attraction or show – heads down, dodging strollers and wheelchairs with the skill of an NFL running back – I can be found checking out the smallest detail, the tiniest nugget left behind by those clever folks at Walt Disney Imagineering.
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At Disney, It’s All Relative When It Comes To These Cast Member Connections

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Walt Disney was all about family, in his life and in his life’s work. When he created award-winning animated films, it was with family entertainment in mind. And when he conceived Disneyland, the world’s first theme park, the impetus was to build a place where parents and their children could have fun together. So it … Continue reading "At Disney, It’s All Relative When It Comes To These Cast Member Connections"
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The Beauty Of Disneyland Paris, Captured In Photos

Posted on by Chuck Schmidt
Jay Rasulo, then the Walt Disney Company’s Parks and Resorts Chairman who was about to become the company’s Chief Financial Officer, had perhaps his most career-defining moment years earlier when he was tasked with reversing the fortunes of Disney’s one and only European theme park, located 20 miles east of Paris in the town of Marne-la-Vallee. His efforts helped transform Disneyland Paris into Europe's top tourist attraction.
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