Category: Disney Parks

Dear Tony Baxter: How one Disney Imagineer’s fearlessness taught us all to be brave

Disney Cicerone May 7, 2026 0 Comments
Dear Tony Baxter, It must have been frustrating to be so youngwanting to be heard but wondering if you had a right to do more than listentrying to find your place at 22 in the shadow of Walt’s legacycobbling together a new idea from pieces of older onesfragments from the original dream-buildersof the park that you loved. It must have been heartbreaking to watch your detailed models go into...

Making Peace With Our Lost Haunted Mansion Hitchhiking Ghosts

Disney Cicerone April 29, 2026 0 Comments
These hitchhiking ghostsused to haunt our Magic Kingdom Doom Buggiesand now they are relics of a timewhen we valued magic tricks over technology. Subtle over silly. Seeing them now brings mixed emotionsremembering the first time they hitched a ridewhen I gazed in wonderat the character whom I hadn’t invitedbut who had chosen me to follow home. When change happensoften the fading pieces of our...

Disneyland Was Made for Adults: Historical Evidence in Defense of Those Who are Young at Heart

Disney Cicerone April 21, 2026 0 Comments
Over the decades I’ve spent as a Disney historian, I’ve heard people say time and time again that there must be something wrong with Disney Adults. Their argument is usually accompanied by the assumption that Disneyland was made for children. But I have historical evidence that proves that Disneyland was, in fact, created for the enjoyment of adults from the very beginning. At the Cannes...

“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...

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...

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...

Disney Parks Hidden History & Secrets Scavenger Hunt – Magic Kingdom Edition

Disney Cicerone June 21, 2021 1 Comment
Hey Disney friends! If you're headed to Walt Disney World for the first time this year (or just the first time in FOREVER!), I've put together this scavenger hunt full of unique items to look out for, along with some fun facts about each one! I tried to include many things from Disney history that are overlooked or not widely known, and some of my favorite Magic Kingdom secrets. You can use them...

Where do you find yourself in the story?

Disney Cicerone June 5, 2021 0 Comments
Hey Disney friends! Let's consider some deep Disney thoughts today. Are you up for it? Yes? Great! Let's make some magic.... First, think of a wonderful thought: Your favorite Disney ride, movie, and character. Go ahead, I’ll wait. No really, take your time. Got your answers? Ok, let’s go. What you answered reveals more about you than you know, and I’m not talking about those...