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  • eBook – Who the Mirror Reflects

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10/10 do not recommend. Worst choice I’ve made i 10/10 do not recommend. Worst choice I’ve made in a while at Disney 🤢 In case you’re wondering, my friend Kirk from @walruscarpclothing and I have this thing that whenever we get food, we have to try one condiment from the place where we are eating. It started with Kirk asking me how much he’d have to pay me to drink a container of syrup at Sleepy Hollow a few months ago, and now it’s just become a tradition 😂 So far creamer has been my favorite and mayo is for sure the worst (though sugar packets were also pretty bad). It was so fun to have @magicbandsandtrashcans along for the fun this particular day, though I think he got off easy with zesty sauce tbh 😜 Even while the condiments all tasted pretty gross on their own, most of them are amazing when combined with real food. Sometimes we focus on the bad stuff so much that we forget to see the good (which is often times much more abundant), or we can’t see how the hard things are developing good things in us over time. A little bad is necessary sometimes to make us grateful for what we have and to recognize the depth of the good. When we only focus on what’s going wrong, it can feel as overwhelming as getting run over by a giant Pixar ball. But if we take a minute and change our perspective, we might just find that we can get up and walk away from that ball anytime we want to because we don’t have to choose to lay under it anymore. (Thanks Kirk, btw, for taking one for the team and laying on the ground in HS for this one 😂) - #wdw #disney #disneyvlog #disneyvlogs #disneyhistory #disneyfun #disneyfriends #disneycreators #disneycreator #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #disneyparks #disneytrivia #disneyday #disneylife #epcot #hollywoodstudios #disneyfood #disneydining #disneyeats #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #encouragement #hopecore
I haven’t seen Casey the same after making this I haven’t seen Casey the same after making this connection… it seems obvious but I didn’t put two and two together until recently 🙈 The character of Casey comes from the 1888 poem “Casey at the Bat” by Earnest Thayer, which Disney made into an animated segment of Make Mine Music in 1946. The description I included of Sleepy Hollow Refreshments came from a pre-opening 1971 cast member handbook for Liberty Square. My apologies for my wonky highlighting, I was reading it while I was on a flight that had crazy turbulence flying into Denver ✈️ As for the Hall of Presidents, there weren’t that many attractions in the Magic Kingdom when this park opened, and it had zero thrill rides. Instead, they leaned heavily on shows and slow-moving rides because they assumed that the local population was largely who they were catering to (like they did in Anaheim). Considering that the local population was more elderly, WED (Imagineering) assumed that guests wouldn’t be interested in throw rides. That’s why you see so many shows in the Magic Kingdom, like the Country Bears, the Hall of Presidents, and the Tropical Serenade (which is now is the enchanted tiki room). They did add more thrill rides later when they realize this was more of a destination park and they needed to design it as such. I always thought that was funny because they marketed Walt Disney World as the Vacation Kingdom, and their target market was the entire Eastern seaboard. There must’ve been some sort of disconnect between marketing and design 😂 - #wdw #disneyworld #magickingdom #disneyhistory #vintagedisney #retrodisney #disneynerd #disneyfan #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #mainstreetusa #libertysquare #caseyscorner #fantasyland #disneyparks #waltdisneyworld #disney #disneydining #disneychristmas #disneyholidays #disneyfood #disneydrinks #disneyreels #disneyreel #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
Sometimes a story is just a great story 🤷‍♀ Sometimes a story is just a great story 🤷‍♀️ Unfortunately, when it comes to Disney history, there is a lot of misinformation that sometimes finds its way into becoming accepted as truth over time, especially when it’s a heartwarming tale like this Mary Poppins origin story. The Joe Grant remembered his wife reading the book to Walt’s daughters Diane and Sharon when they came over to their house. In a ln interview with Michael Barrier on Oct. 14, 1988, Joe Grant recounted, “She used to read it to the kids. [Walt] came over one day, and we mentioned it to him. He wasn’t interested in it right away, but that’s the first time he heard of it. Mary Poppins originated with Jennie” Of course, one interview is never enough to quite trust as fact, because people sometimes misremember details or make up their own stories. That’s why Diane Disney Miller’s account is what confirms that the popular story is not true. As she told it, “Dad would hear me laughing alone in my room and come in to see what I was laughing at, and It was usually the gentle, whimsical humor of A. A. Milne’s Pooh stories.” She stated specifically that it was Winnie the Pooh that she begged her dad to make into a movie, not Mary Poppins. All that being said, I do think that, besides this historical error, the 60th anniversary tribute was lovely and I for sure cried like a baby at the Sherman Brothers tribute section. Mary Poppins will always be one of my absolute favorite Disney films of all time and I’m so glad they honored it in such a beautiful way 🥰 (Btw the sketch at the end is a portrait of Jennie by Joe Grant) - #marypoppins #disney #disneymovie #waltdisney #disneyfilm #jollyholiday #disneyparks #disneystudios #disneyhistory #disneyfacts #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #joegrant #disneyland #disneynerd #disneyfan #disneymistakes #abc #disneystories #disneyfactsyoudontknow #vintagedisney #retrodisney #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
Did I mention it was his wedding day when she had Did I mention it was his wedding day when she had to choose between her fins or her prince? 😬 While the outcome is quite grim, I do appreciate the themes of love and self-sacrifice that are highlighted within the tale, the idea that loving someone sometimes means choosing their happiness over your own, even if that means letting them go. It’s not all sadness and seafoam, however. In the HCA version, the mermaid is rewarded for selflessness by becoming a “daughter of the air” who has the chance to earn immortality by performing good deeds for 300 years. Part of this story came from Didier Ghez’s wonderful research in the Hyperion Historical Alliance Annual from 2023. There’s much more to the story of the plans for a Hans Christian Anderson film, including how some of the women at the studio contributed, so we’ll have to dig into this more later. Many thanks to the Hyperion Historical Alliance for continuing to preserve valuable Disney history so that it isn’t lost over time. (In case you’re wondering, the footage of The Little Mermaid and the Hans Christian Anderson books/characters came from the Hans Christian Anderson ride in Tivoli Gardens in Denmark. Walt visited Tivoli when he was planning Disneyland and many ideas for his park came from that one.) - #thelittlemermaid #littlemermaid #disneymovies #disneyparks #journeyofthelittlemermaid #ariel #disneymovie #80snostalgia #moviesecrets #disneyhistory #disneyconceptart #disneyanimation #disneystudios #waltdisney #hyperionhistoricalalliance #disneyworld #disneyland #californiaadventure #wdw #magickingdom #disneyfan #disneytrivia #disneystories #disneyfacts #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneygram
You all are truly the magic that I am thankful for You all are truly the magic that I am thankful for every day 🥺 I can’t tell you how many sweet, encouraging messages I get from people telling me to keep going and that what I do matters 😭 Some of them have come on some very difficult days when it wasn’t easy to keep going… so, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for reaching out, thank you for sharing your Disney memories, and thank you for allowing me to be even a small part of your world as I share these Disney stories that have been lost over time. I’m honored and humble that I get to do what I do every day 🥹 A special shout out to all my Distorian pocketfam friends… you are my Roy. 💜 (Btw in case you’re wondering, that was indeed a much younger Kate with that Minnie Mouse statue, at ages 11 and 14. I always stop and say hello to her when l’m in Disneyland, it’s like visiting all the previous versions of myself 🥰) What Disney/Disney history things are you most thankful for? - #thankful #disney #disneyparks #disneyhistory #disneyconceptart #disneyland #marcdavis #thanksgiving #disneyworld #wdw #waltdisneyworld #disneycreator #disneycreators #disneytrivia #disneysecrets #peterpan #disneyfacts #disneylandpark #vintagedisney #disneybound #disneybounding #disneyreels #disneyreel #pocketfam #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
Safety standards have changed a bit since 1955 😂 That particular shop that now is just a red door wasn’t just a store, it was an exhibit of weaponry throughout American history, featuring antiques and replicas on display. The exhibit disappeared in the 1960s, though merchandise of that particular kind didn’t depart Disneyland till 2001. As for the restaurants, the Wheelhouse was a seasonal quick-service restaurant serving milk shakes, burgers, and snacks, so named because of it’s view of the Mark Twain from it’s seating area. Don Defore’s Silver Banjo BBQ was the place to get barbecue sandwiches, chicken, and ribs. It was what moved into the space that Casa de Frito’s used to occupy before it moved to a larger location in Frontierland (where Rancho del Zocalo is now). Casa de Fritos was also the birthplace of Doritos, but that’s a story for another day. - #disneyland #frontierland #disneyhistory #disneylandhistory #disneyparks #disney #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #disneysecrets #disneyrestaurants #disneydining #disneyfood #disneynerd #disneyfan #distory #retrodisney #vintagedisney #disneyparks #disneytransportation #1950s #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
It makes us want to go on living 😭 If you’r It makes us want to go on living 😭 If you’re wondering about James W. Rouse, he was the architect who developed South Street Seaport in Manhattan & Baltimore’s Inner Harbor (among other things). In a speech to the Urban Design conference at Harvard in 1963 he said, “I hold a view, that may be somewhat shocking to an audience as sophisticated as this: the greatest piece of Urban Design in the United States today is Disneyland... It took an area of activity - the amusement park - and lifted it to a standard so high and its performance, and it’s respect for people, that it really has become a brand new thing. It fulfills all the functions it set out to accomplish unselfconsciously, usefully, and profitably to its own owners and developers. I find more to learn in the standards that have been set and in the goals that have been achieved in the development of Disneyland than in any other single piece of physical development in the country.” Ray Bradbury’s thoughts on Disneyland’s design are a little more poetic, saying, “Here, the wild brute is gently corralled, not used and squashed, not put upon… not tromped on by real estate operators nor exhausted by fog and traffic. Disney has proved once again that the first function of architecture is to make men over, make them wish to go on living, feed them fresh oxygen, grow them tall, delight their eyes, make them kind.” - #disneyland #disneydesign #disneyparks #disney #disneyhistory #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #inspiration #disneyadult #disneylandpark #mainstreetusa #disneycastle #imagineering #imagineers #johnhench #disneylandcalifornia #disneyfacts #disneyreel #disneyreels #urbandesign #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneynerd #disneyfan #disneylandresort #architecture
Change is always hard, but losing this important p Change is always hard, but losing this important part of Disney history is especially tough 🥺 The Liberty Belle was originally called the Richard F. Irvine, and was the second steamboat added to the park. The first one was called the Admiral Joe Fowler after the person who oversaw the creation of all the Disney steamboats (among other things). The Admiral Joe Fowler unfortunately cracked in drydock years ago and had to be decomissioned, but it’s engine we to Tokyo Disneyland, so its still around in that way. You could tell the difference between the two steamboats because the Admiral Joe Fowler had two smokestacks like the Mark Twain whereas the Richard F. Irvine (now the Liberty Belle) has one. The original plan was not to add two steamboats, but to add a columbia Sailing Ship like Disneyland a few years after opening. But the Florida weather and the need for greater capacity made them swap the open-deck Columbia for a second steamboat so they could have room for all the guests pouring out of shows around the Rivers of America. They did honor the Columbia, however, by naming the Columbia Harbour House after it, adding a mural to the side of the building (it was Nantucket Harbour House before that change). If you’d like to mentally linger on Tom Sawyer Island or float the Rivers of America aboard the Liberty Belle, my book Who the Mirror Reflects is available now on Amaz0n 🥰 - #libertybelle #riversofamerica #disneyparks #disneyconstruction #frontierland #libertysquare #magickingdom #steamboat #disneyworld #disneybook #disneybooks #disneyhistory #waltdisney #wdw #waltdisneyworld #disney #disneyfan #disneyland #marktwain #imagineering #castmembers #disneytrivia #disneysecrets #disneyfacts #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneyreel #disneyreels
I couldn’t help myself 🙈 it had to happen 😂 Thank you to all of the people who helped make this book a reality, including @walruscarpclothing for his brilliant idea, @conductor_jackson for his railroad expertise, @dizcartel for his beautiful cover photo, and my Distorian/PocketFam Discord community who contributed a some names, snacks, and ideas for the book 🥰 More about Who the Mirror Reflects: Two Disney history-loving cast members find each other in the reflection of the Rivers of America in the Magic Kingdom. But soon their perception of their relationship becomes distorted by their past. As their inner villains threaten to pull them apart, they discover that choosing love even when it’s hard is the most magical gift of all. Inspired by my experience as a Disney Parks content creator and author, this clean-read romance weaves obscure Disney history and all the Disney feels together in a novel designed specifically for anyone who calls the Disney Parks their home. 💜 Who the Mirror Reflects is available now on Amazon! 📖 🎉 (🔗 in bio) - #disney #disneypark #behindthescenes #disneybook #disneybooks #disneyparks #disneyhistory #disneysecrets #disneystories #castmembers #castmember #libertybelle #disneyworldrailroad #wdw #disneyfan #disneynerd #disneyadult #disneyfiction #magickingdom #disneyauthor #newbook #disneycreator #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #bookstagram #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneyreel #disneyreels
Alice needed a change 1958 was decades past and w Alice needed a change 1958 was decades past and while the ride’s story reflected its disjointed film with scenes developed piecemeal by an array of animators the imagineers thought the attraction could be more than what it had become. By the early 80s The painted flats were peeling the rooms were tired and worn They questioned the upside down room’s presence with its warped objects pulled and stretched under the influence of Claude coats known for his stylized leaves and distorted trees so they righted the room adding some friendly characters along the way Meanwhile, they planted flowers in the oversized room next door saying goodbye to the giant grinning Cheshire Cat. The Queen of Hearts had been MIA so they made her central to the story Chasing you out the door Through what used to be home to tea, an exploding cake and a former shrinking hallway. But the biggest change came when a grown-up Tony Baxter remembered his younger self’s disappointment of the anticlimactic U-turn at the end of the vine with no big finish so they made the tea party the big finale again adding back the exploding cake to go out with a bang because endings can and should be celebrated an exclamation point on your experience even if the ride is over even if you never get to ride again. -kg - #disney #aliceinwonderland #alice #wonderland #disneyrides #disneyhistory #tonybaxter #disneyattractions #disneyland #disneylandpark #disneylandcalifornia #disneytrivia #disneysecrets #disneyfacts #disneynerd #imagineering #imagineers #encouragement #fantasyland #disneyparks #disneystories #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #retrodisney #disneyvintage
Since most us will never be in THAT particular Dis Since most us will never be in THAT particular Disney club, I’m grateful for the Jollywood one we’re all able to enjoy 🥂✨ Technically, Walt’s hideout was in the Red Wagon Inn first before it became the Plaza Inn in 1965. It was at that point that the hideout moved from one side of the building to the other. I used Claude Coats here to demonstrate someone who would qualify for the Tip Top club at Imagineering, but he wasn’t alone. Model maker Jack Ferges was 6’8” and Rolly Crump used to joke that when Walt wasn’t around, Jack got a pair of tiny hands out of his drawer and used those to make his tiny models 😂 - #jollywood #jollywoodnights #disney #disneyparks #disneyhistory #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #disneysecrets #imagineering #tiptopclub #disneynerd #disneybound #disneyfashion #disneyoutfits #disneyfan #gingerbreadman #disneyworld #hollywoodstudios #towerofterror #wdw #disneyholidays #waltdisneyworld #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneyvlog #disneychristmas #disneyreel #disneyreels #waltdisney
I’m inclined to trust Walt Disney with this one I’m inclined to trust Walt Disney with this one 🤷‍♀️ (No offense to Dave Smith). As Walt Disney said in Film Pictorial magazine in 1933, “Mickey Mouse will be five years old on Sunday. He was born on October 1, 1928. That was the date on which his first picture was started so we have allowed him to claim this day as his birthday.” I think it’s interesting that Walt Disney did not count Plane Crazy as Mickey’s first picture, perhaps because he only counted the ones with synchronizes sound, or because Steamboat Willie is what put Mickey on the map. There’s also evidence that Ub Iwerks did some tests with Mickey for Steamboat Willie as early as July 1928 as they were developing synchronized sound techniques. Dave Smith chose to make an “official” birthday because, in his words, “The Walt Disney Company is now reaching a point in its history where there are many significant anniversaries to celebrate, and the company has come to realize that these celebrations can be very useful marketing tools.” He got the Nov. 18th date from a program of the Colony Theater in New York. Whether Mickey’s birthday was May 15, Sept. 30, Sept. 28, Oct. 1, Nov. 18, or some time in July, there is one thing we know for sure: Everyone will always forget that Minnie Mouse shares the same birthday 🎂 - #mickeymouse #mickey #mickeybirthday #mickeymousebirthday #steamboatwillie #waltdisney #disneyhistory #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #disneysecrets #disneynerd #disneyfan #disneystudios #disneyanimation #animationhistory #disneyparks #disneyland #hollywoodstudios #waltdisneyfamilymuseum #disney #disneycharacters #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #planecrazy #earlyanimation #waltdisneyarchives #disneyreel #disneyreels
What if the mirror lies? Over the past year, my What if the mirror lies? Over the past year, my attention has been inexplicably drawn to reflections in the Disney parks and it made me start to think about how we don’t usually see ourselves the way others see us. We focus on the flaws where others see only beauty. We see distortions of our character where they see the heart behind our actions. We see broken they see a mosaic. We see failure they see healing. We see unforgivable they see only accepted and loved. I decided to take this idea of how we see ourselves how we see who the mirror reflects and place it in a story wrapped in Disney history surrounded by a love that doesn’t give up. Because how we see ourselves is not always accurate and it takes the people we love most reflecting who we are back to us to help us understand who we truly are and free us to live the life we were always meant to live. 💜 (Who the Mirror Reflects will be available on Amazon Nov. 22! 📖) #disney #disneyparks #disneybooks #disneyauthor #disneyland #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #disneyfan #disneynerd #disneyhistory #selflove #reflection #castmembers #disneywords #disneycicerone #distory #booktok #newbook #disneylove #disneycouple #relationships #disneylandpark #magickingdom #disneylandcalifornia #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneygram #disneybook #author
It all fell apart. The Chicken of the Sea pirate It all fell apart. The Chicken of the Sea pirate ship wasn’t supposed to become a memory when they remodeled Fantasyland in 1983. The first plan was to move it carefully to the end of Storybookland Canal Boats so it could continue to add whimsy delight nostalgia but when they looked closer they saw a problem. Termites. Rot. Damage. Unsalvageable. And so the Fantasyland icon that had an earmarked spot for its second life instead crumbled to pieces as heavy machinery tore it apart. A second, smaller ship was planned and then later canceled, forgotten along the way erased by lack of money, or time, or both as good intentions often are But a few items from the first were salvaged from its hull snuck away into the night and found a home on a new pirate ship indoors this time where people don’t have to grow up and wonderful thoughts can make you fly. ropes and rigging found a purpose that wasn’t what was planned but in that way what fell apart helped build something new holding together a new dream as the broken pieces of ourselves often do. -kg Note: There have been rumors for years that the lanterns and hook in the queue of Disneyland’s Peter Pan are also salvaged pieces from the Chicken of the Sea pirate ship, but I’ve never seen any evidence to confirm that. The ropes and rigging, however, were something that imagineer Tony Baxter did say in an interview were repurposed when they extended the ride and imported the Jolly Roger purate ship scene from the Walt Disney World version. - #peterpan #disneyrides #disneyhistory #peterpansflight #disney #disneyparks #imagineering #disneyland #disneylandpark #disneylandcalifornia #vintagedisneyland #retrodisney #disneyattractions #disneyinspired #pirateship #1950s #disneyhistory #encouragement #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #disneynerd #disneytok #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinstagram #disneyinsta #fantasyland
This became standard practice for all Disney dark This became standard practice for all Disney dark rides over the years, which is why you can see in Walt Disney World’s Peter Pan as well as Disneyland’s Fantasyland rides. Claude Coats also oversaw the blacklight effects a few years later in the colored waterfalls of Rainbow Caverns Mine Train 🌈 A few points of clarification: The rides we have in Fantasyland now (and that I feature here) are not the originals. In 1983, Fantasyland went through an extensive remodel which demolished the original versions. However, the original rides also featured a transitional space that was lit with incandescent light before the black light scenes. Alice in Wonderland also went through a complete remodel in the 80s, and though it didn’t open until 1958, I included it here for several reasons: It was largely created by Claude Coats and it was planned to be included in opening-day Fantasyland (even as a walk-through), so I consider it in the same era as the other rides in terms of design. - #disneyland #disney #imagineering #imagineer #claudecoats #disneyparks #disneysecrets #disneylandpark #disneylandcalifornia #themepark #disneyhistory #fantasyland #disneytrivia #disneyfunfacts #transitions #peterpan #mrtoad #snowwhite #aliceinwonderland #disneyrides #disneyattractions #disneynerd #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneygram
John Hench said a few other things about Mickey’ John Hench said a few other things about Mickey’s shape that I won’t repeat here 😳🙈 The antlers on top of the trading post were something that was done in the old west to symbolize a mercantile or place to get supplies. Often strangers coming through town were not literate, so having a visual aid helped them know what store was what (the same reason apothecaries had a mortar and pestle out front and barber shops had barber poles). The antlers were a tradition started in Disneyland’s Frontierland in 1955 and I love that they continued it in the Magic Kingdom. Marc Davis’s Western River Expedition was lost for a variety of reasons, but they did add some nods to his concept in the town of Tumbleweed, including the saloon, the con artist Cumulus Isobar, the mesa near the back (where people dancing a rain dance on top were supposed to have caused a flash flood), and the pigs which are right next to a Pirates reference at the entrance of the tunnel (Dave V. Jones mine). #magickingdom #disneysecrets #disneyhistory #disneyparks #disney #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #disney #bigthundermountain #bigthunder #disneyvlog #disneyvlogger #disneyday #ropedrop #piratesofthecaribbean #mickeymouse #disneyfan #disneynerd #disneyworldflorida #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneyinstagram #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneycreator #dayatdisney
When Disney unexpectedly reminds you of a piece of When Disney unexpectedly reminds you of a piece of yourself you’d almost forgotten 😭 Jollywood Nights was an incredible event, and I absolutely loved every minute. This year felt relaxed and peaceful, and it was wonderful to unplug from the modern world for a while and time-travel a bit. The ice skating show called Glisten featured some wonderful original music, there was more Miss Piggy and Kermit in the Disney Holidays in Holllywood show than ever before, and the NBC sing-along was masterfully staged and put together. As for the TipTop Club (named after the “club” of people over 6’5” in Imagineering back in the day), I still can’t believe they played It’s a Good Day. The Peggy Lee version of that song is my go-to pick me up to start my day. Seeing that guest smile as she got up out of her wheelchair and danced was absolutely heartwarming 🥺 And getting to dance myself was such a meaningful moment for me because I used to be in a pre-professional ballet program once upon a time. I felt like I’d found the lost part of myself who loves to dance, even for just a moment, in this little courtyard in Hollywood Studios under the stars ✨ And that, among a million other reasons, is why I love Disney so darn much. 🥹 (Ps if anyone knows the dancer featured in this, I’d love his name so I can give him a cast compliment. I was so overwhelmed in the moment I didn’t think to ask 🤦‍♀️) - #disney #jollywoodnights #jollywoodnight #jollywood #hollywoodstudios #disneyparks #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #disneycreator #disneystories #disneyvlog #disneyvlogger #disneyjoy #hopecore #disneyfun #disneyfriends #disneychristmas #disneyholidays #disneyworld #wdw #disneyfan #disneynerd #disneyadult #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
I can just imagine Marc looking at a concept & thi I can just imagine Marc looking at a concept & thinking, “Something is missing… maybe if I throw in a couple cats... ah yes, PERFECT.” (Or should it be purrrrfect 😂) Marc Davis was notorious for creating vast amounts of concept art pieces for attractions just to have options for what direction they would like to go (he did the same for characters when he worked as an animator). He knew they would not use every single concept that he sketched, but I sometimes wonder if he wished they would have included more of these cats, especially in the Haunted Mansion where a black cat crossing your path just makes a lot of sense. The Sinister 11 portraits hang in the Walt Disney World version of the Haunted Mansion, though not in the portrait gallery like they originally did (unless you’re in the Tokyo version). The opera glasses lady and the Witch of Walpurgis both have black cats in their portraits. I’m still holding out hope they’ll add that kitchen someday to the Haunted Mansion 🥺 I’m glad they give a nod to the one-eyed demon cat in the queue, but he’s not *quite* as sinister as X. Atencio imagined 😂 Walt Disney World also has a little one-eyed cat in their extended queue area on the side of the crypt with the organ. - #disney #hauntedmansion #marcdavis #conceptart #cats #disneycats #disneyhistory #junglecruise #disneynerd #piratesofthecaribbean #disneyrides #disneyattractions #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #disneyfacts #imagineering #imagineers #disneyshauntedmansion #catart #disneyparks #disneyland #disneyworld #disneylandpark #wdw #magickingdom #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram
I truly regretted that last one 🤢😂 When Dis I truly regretted that last one 🤢😂 When Disney was creating it’s Disneyland TV show to promote the park before it opened in the 1950s, they didn’t expect that Davy Crockett with Fess Parker would be so wildly popular. Raccoon skins were few and far between in those days (since traders had long since slowed the fur trade), so Disney found a whole bunch of coonskins that were in a warehouse owned by a company in China. Disney bought them wholesale and that’s how the coonskin cap came back into popularity in America. As for “you can’t top pigs with pigs,” that was Walt Disney‘s reaction to the idea of making sequel, referring to Three Little Pigs, which was fairly successful as a short film. What he meant was you had to innovate, grow, and try new things, not just do what you’ve always done, because an audience will never be as enamored with something as they were the first time. Many thanks to my friend and Distory p0dcast co-host @walruscarpclothing who very early on in my life as a creator told me to keep going because he knew I’d be great (and who has been encouraging me ever since). Truly grateful for my little pocket of Disney nerd friends who continue to challenge and push me into the great, big beautiful life I didn’t even think was possible a few years ago. I am so grateful for Disney friends who not only speak my language but give me new ones to explore everyday 🫶 (Btw Kirk says we have to try more condiments on my trip next week… I guess stay tuned if that’s something you want to see 😂) - #disneyvlog #disneyhistory #disneyvlogger #disneyday #disneyfriends #wdw #fortwilderness #weirddisney #disney #waltdisneyworld #disneyworld #hollywoodstudios #slinkydogdash #disneyeats #disneydining #sleepyhollow #disneyfood #disneyfoodie #disneyfacts #disneytrivia #disneycreator #disneycreators #magickingdom #disneyfun #waltdisney #disneyinstagram #disneygram #disneyreels #disneyreel #disneyinsta
If it were up to Marc Davis, there would be a lot If it were up to Marc Davis, there would be a lot more cats in the Mansion 😂 as it is, we only have the one in the load area, which alludes to the abandoned one-eyed demon cat concept (well, and a couple in the graveyard as well, also courtesy of Marc). One elevation sketch did show a screeching cat weathervane though (kinda sad we don’t have that tbh). The Haunted Mansion went through so many changes in the decade of its development, but it’s hard to credit any one particular artist with these concepts. If you asked Marc Davis, he’d say that 85% of the ideas in the Mansion were his, but he used an awful lot of concepts and develoment work from Ken Anderson, Rolly Crump, Yale, Gracey, Claude Coats, and others. Like Leota, for example… she had variations created by Rolly Crump, Marc Davis (the Madame Z. concepts) Ken Anderson, and even Dorothea Redmond, all of which ended up in one way or another in the final version. There are endless ideas that came from the early walk-through concepts, but I just picked a few for lack of time. Some others include the trees outside the window in the conservatory (from the sleepy Hollow concept), the doom buggies up on the second level overlooking the grand hall, and the bride (though her story was very different than it is now). - #disney #hauntedmansion #disneysecrets #disneytrivia #disneyhistory #disneyhauntedmansion #disneylandhistory #disneyland #disneylandpark #disneyfacts #madameleota #disneyconceptart #disneypark #magickingdom #hauntedmansionholiday #imagineering #imagineers #disneynerd #marcdavis #disneyreel #disneyreels #disneygram #disneyinsta #disneyinstagram #disneylandcalifornia
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