
Tag: marty sklar

When Marty Sklar was knee-deep in the planning of EPCOT back in the late 1970s, he had one of those lightbulb moments that helped define the project. That’s when Marty came to the harsh realization that, despite all the hard work and meticulous planning that had already taken place, Disney had overlooked something very fundamental and functional ... a park staple that hadn’t seen anything new for more than a decade. We’re talking about music.

DISNEYLAND AT 70: Tom Nabbe Was On The Outside Looking In When The Park Opened
Posted onThanks to TV star Danny Thomas, furture Disney Legend Tom Nabbe was able to secure much sought-after admission tickets to Disneyland on July 17, 1955 -- opening day. Once inside, Tom discovered that most of the attractions were malfunctioning and "there was trash heaped up on the ground. In my decades and decades with Disney, that was the trashiest I'd ever seen the park."

Chuck Schmidt’s NEW Book ‘Marty, Mickey and Me’ Is Available Now!
Posted onAdd this book to your summer reading list!

DISNEYLAND AT 70: Marty Sklar Went From Media Go-Fer To Emergency Horse-Whisperer
Posted onWhen July 17, 1955, dawned, Marty Sklar was very much behind the scenes, assisting the throngs of media members on hand for the big event. “My assignment for the morning was actually in our PR offices in the original administration building – part of which had come from Ron Dominguez’s home on the site,” Marty told me. “Our offices had been turned into a press facility, and of course, as the ‘kid’ – I had been working ‘professionally’ all of one month by then! – I was basically a go-fer for the media.”

Reliving Disneyland Memories…and Creating New Ones With My Friend Kevin Rafferty
Posted onDisneyland is more than a place where parents and children can have fun together, as its creator, Walt Disney, intended. It’s also a place where precious memories reside.

To Quote Marty Sklar: The Walt Disney Family Museum Is ‘A Real Gem’
Posted on“It means a lot to me to preserve Walt's legacy,” Marty Sklar said. “Diane (Disney Miller) was always intent on doing just that. I've always appreciated what she tried to do ... to focus on Walt the man, and what he accomplished. That was always her goal" in creating the Walt Disney Family Museum.

How a Giant SINKHOLE Almost Destroyed EPCOT
Posted onDid you know that a giant sinkhole almost destroyed EPCOT?

The Stories Are What Defined Bill [Sully] Sullivan’s Storied Disney Career
Posted onThe Story — or, more accurately, The Stories — are what defined the 40-year Disney career of William (Sully) Sullivan, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 88.

At Disney, There’s No Shortage of Ideas, Even Recycled Ones
Posted onThere are many other examples of highly touted Disney projects that didn’t make it past the concept stages … but would resurface years later in different forms. At Disney, good ideas are never discarded.

Disney At The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair: Ford’s Magic Skyway
Posted onRight from opening day at the New York World's Fair, Ford Motor Company's Magic Skyway attraction was among the most popular shows on the Flushing Meadow, Queens, fairgrounds. To accomplish this, Disney had to come up with dozens of realistic-looking and moving dinosaurs and cavemen, as well as a new, innovative way to move automobiles along a constantly moving track.