Disney Cicerone - Disney Cicerone

The Lost Spaceship Earth Script

Disney Cicerone February 20, 2025 0 Comments

The moment I read the original 1977 script for Epcot’s Spaceship Earth, I knew more people needed to see it. Ray Bradbury wrote these lovely, poetic words to explain Man and His Spaceship Earth, but they sadly were never used in the attraction because the script was much too long (and too abstract in places for guests to be able to understand the story). Instead, the Imagineers used his words...

The Armor We Choose: Finding Grace in Painful Places

Disney Cicerone December 30, 2022 0 Comments

Armor. That's what she had to put on, every day. Amidst cat calls, pranks, and those who watched and waited for her to fail so they could pounce, Grace Huntington walked a daily minefield with invisible protective gear making her not as invisible as she wished she could be. Walt had warned her about this in her job interview for the story department at Walt Disney Studios. He was honest with...

The Lost Jungle Book that Never Was

Disney Cicerone August 29, 2022 1 Comment

I recently had the privilege of visiting The Walt Disney Family Museum's special exhibit for the Jungle Book called Walt Disney's Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece, and, to be honest, I was only mildly excited about it walking into the experience. Don't get me wrong, I have always liked The Jungle Book, but it had never been a top 10 (or even 20) Disney movie for me. But after watching the...

“Did you know that… ?” Seeking the Truth in Disney Stories

Disney Cicerone June 14, 2022 0 Comments

I once had a conversation with a former Imagineer who told me something along the lines of, "Disney people are storytellers." And boy, isn't that the truth? Sometimes Disney fans, creators, and even Cast Members hear a story about something in Disney history and get so excited to hear a "secret" that they immediately pass it on as fact without tracking down the primary source (my professor...

The Secrets of the Pirates

Disney Cicerone May 9, 2022 0 Comments

What is it about Pirates of the Caribbean that so captures our imaginations 55 years later? Looking at the attraction with fresh eyes, one may see outdated technology and vintage jokes that aren't *quite* fitting to the modern aesthetic. It could be easy to write it off as a slow or boring ride... or even one that should be replaced with a more exciting version (hello Shanghai Disneyland!). But...

Repurposing The Magic: How We Reimagine Our Moments

Disney Cicerone November 2, 2021 0 Comments

It occurred to me the other day that so much of what we see at Disney isn't actually what we think it is. Or it used to be something very different, but we don't realize it. Let me explain. When you ride on Splash Mountain and sing along (jubilantly, if you're anything like me) with the geese and the swamp critters at the end, you probably aren't thinking about how they were all...

What you need to know now about Disneyland – FAQs & Tips (Updated May 2022)

Disney Cicerone September 28, 2021 0 Comments

Hey everyone! I know SO many people who are headed to Disneyland for the first time in forever, so I wanted to make a post with some of the questions I'm asked most frequently right now to help you out! If you're planning a Disneyland adventure soon (or just thinking about it!), read on! Q: What has changed since the pre-pandemic days? A: Not as much as you might think, but there are quite a few...

Mastering Time like Dr. Strange

Disney Cicerone September 18, 2021 0 Comments

Ok, confession time. I didn't always love Marvel. I used to roll my eyes when people went on and on about it, not understanding why superheroes were a thing. But one day, my husband and I decided to watch all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in chronological order, and that was it. I was hooked. I know that Marvel isn't traditionally Disney, and maybe you feel the same way I used to about...

How Disney Gives Us the Magic of Confidence

Disney Cicerone August 3, 2021 2 Comments

On a recent visit to Avenger’s Campus, I witnessed a kind of Disney magic I had never seen before. Now, this is really saying something. I’ve held my babies with teary eyes during fireworks, I’ve been pixie-dusted for once-in-a-lifetime moments, and I have witnessed a gentle snow falling on Main Street USA in Disneyland Paris at Christmastime. But this moment was one that will go down in...

Disney Parks Hidden History & Secrets Scavenger Hunt- Disneyland Edition

Disney Cicerone July 3, 2021 1 Comment

Hey Disney friends! I had so much fun crafting the Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt that I knew I needed one for Disneyland as I'm headed there this month! *insert "when you wish upon a star" theme here* If you're headed to Disneyland too (HOORAY!!), make sure you print out or save this FREE scavenger hunt full of unique items to look out for, along with some fun facts about each one! I...