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Walt Disney World Cast Members From 1971 Were a Big Part of 50-Year Celebration

April 1, 2022 by Chuck Schmidt

During the recent 50-year anniversary celebration, the Walt Disney Company made it a point to pay special tribute to those long-time cast members who were part of the magic on that memorable day more than five decades ago.

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The Long and Winding Road of Disney’s PeopleMover

January 17, 2022 by Chuck Schmidt

When it comes to low-tech, low-speed attractions at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, there’s one ride that is sure to fulfill one's desire to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery: The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.

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New Book Helps Shine Light on Career of Disney Background Specialist Claude Coats

November 30, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

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.

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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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The Most Unintentionally Scary Disney Parks Rides

September 12, 2021 by Jess Landers

Here are Disney Parks rides that you don't expect to be scary... but they are!

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Why Disney’s Most Futuristic Land is Its Most Outdated

July 18, 2021 by Brian Delpozo

These issues have plagued Imagineers working on Tomorrowland for decades, and are still impacting the land today.

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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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A Stroll Down Memory Lane: Marty Sklar’s Disneyland-Themed Retirement Party

May 18, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

When Marty Sklar retired from the Walt Disney Company on July 17, 2009, after 53 years of service, he received the type of sendoff that was worthy of … well, Marty Sklar. The night before his official retirement date, family, friends and colleagues gathered for a party at Walt Disney Imagineering’s Glendale, California, campus. The night was filled with laughter, nostalgia and good-natured fun … with a smattering of emotion sprinkled in for good measure.

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Disney’s Decades Long Near Obsession with Dinosaurs

May 3, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

In the make-believe world of a pre-school boy, there’s one thing that’s pretty much a sure thing. He’s obsessed with dinosaurs. And the Walt Disney Company has had a big hand in that.

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Kevin Rafferty Pumps the Brakes on His Illustrious Imagineer Career

April 5, 2021 by Chuck Schmidt

On April 1, Kevin Rafferty – one of the most prolific members of Walt Disney Imagineering – pumped the brakes on his daily trek, as well as his heralded Disney career, leaving behind a legacy that few, if any, will ever match.

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