John Hench News & Updates

MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT DISNEY: The Boat Ride From Old Key West to Disney Springs

November 20, 2023 by Chuck Schmidt

When all is said and done, boat transportation may well be the best way to get around much of Walt Disney World. To many guests, the slow and steady water taxis are the preferred method of transit inside much of WDW’s vast property, where lakes, canals and tranquil waterways abound.

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Disney100: The Exhibition Opens Walt’s Vault, Unlocking Scores Of Disney Treasures

September 8, 2023 by Chuck Schmidt

The Disney100: The Exhibition ran from Feb. 18 through August 27 at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, was curated Becky Cline and members of the Disney Archives, who opened up the Disney vault and unveiled a boatload of Disney treasures for Disney fans to savor.

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Imagineers’ Recent Trip To New Orleans Is Another Example Of Their Boots-On-The-Ground Quest For Authenticity

July 10, 2023 by Chuck Schmidt

One of the most important tools used by the members of Walt Disney Imagineering in creating cutting-edge attractions and adventures is – believe it or not – hitting the road. A recent trip by a group of Disney Imagineers to New Orleans is just another example of the Imagineers' commitment to authenticity.

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Snow White’s Grotto At Disneyland: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

April 24, 2023 by Chuck Schmidt

The resounding success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – the first full-length animated feature film – in 1939 helped pave the way for all that has followed in the wonderful world of Disney ... including an anonymous gift from Italy in 1961 which became the Snow White Grotto in Disneyland.

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We Observed A Lot By Watching Bruce Kimbrell’s Disney Magic Presentations

November 7, 2022 by Chuck Schmidt

Former Disney cast member Bruce Kimbrell, who worked for the company for 40 years, gave seven thoroughly enjoyable presentations in the Disney Magic’s Buena Vista Theatre during a recent trans-Atlantic voyage. Kimbrell began the series by talking about his 40-year career, which he described “as a real E-ticket ride.”

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SAILING WITH DISNEY: PART 4: From Park Attractions To Modes Of Transportation In Florida

May 30, 2022 by Chuck Schmidt

In building Disneyland, Disney’s creative staff had to figure out ways to make realistic-looking bodies of water on fertile soil that had supported orange groves for decades; in planning Walt Disney World in Florida, planners had to learn how to manage water in a way that was both efficient and environmentally sound, as well as devise ways to transport guests on the area's waterways.

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Omnimovers: How Disney Revolutionized Theme Park Rides

October 4, 2020 by Nathan Schmidt

Ever wonder what makes rides like Haunted Mansion and Journey of the Little Mermaid work? Find out all about how the omnimover changed the way Imagineers designed dark rides.

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10 More Walt Disney World Attractions That Walt Had a Hand in Creating

February 18, 2019 by Chuck Schmidt

A recent AllEars.net blog highlighted four Walt Disney World attractions that Walt Disney had a hand in creating. But there at least 10 other WDW attractions with Walt's imprint on them.

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How Roy E. Disney Brought His Uncle’s Collaboration with Salvador Dali to Life

January 7, 2019 by Chuck Schmidt

In the late 1990s, Roy E. Disney was researching material in his quest to put together a sequel to "Fantasia." While in the Disney archives, he came across artwork from the 1940s by Disney Legend John Hench and world-renown surrealistic artist Salvador Dali. Thanks to the efforts of a team of Disney animators, that artwork would eventually become the Academy Award-nominated short film "Destino," which was released in 2003.

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