Tag Archives: Imagineers

Disney Dreams we never saw…Part1

We all know and love the Disney Parks, movies, characters, and all the dreams that Walt left us. But there were many ideas and concepts that Walt and his Imagineers conceived over the years that never made it past the drawing board. I want to explore some of these dreams that we never could experience, but let’s take a quick look back at how Disneyland came about.

Walt Disney was always a go-getter and workaholic. He immersed himself completely in everything he did, which is why his product is the standard everyone else tries to copy. He always believed in giving the public more than they expected, quality was number one. He understood that people will always return for that reason. It was this work ethic that the idea of a “Disneyland” came about. Walt struggled for a time until the phenomenal success of the first full length cartoon feature, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” which debuted on December 21, 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theater. It was this success that Walt took his Studio from 2719 Hyperion Ave. into a newly constructed modern facility in Burbank, moving in August 1939.

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A Real Disney Legend – Marc Davis

Walt Disney was noted for his many quotes – one famous line he quipped, “We allow no geniuses around our Studio.” Walt himself was one of the 20th century’s greatest. His many talents included voice actor, entertainer, film producer, director, animator and most important, visionary.  Many of the hundreds of talented artists, story men and writers considered it an honor just to work with this “genius”

But Walt was never a man to give accolades freely, even to his most trusted and valued artists. And any veteran at the Disney Studios knew never to embellish his or her ideas on any project no matter how brilliant it might have seemed. All waited for Walt to give it the nod, then it would be incorporated into the plans. But even if the word “genius” was not bandied about the studio, the Disney Studios over the years produced a stellar list of artists that, even if Walt did not praise them personally, history accords them their due honors. One such a man was Imagineer, artist and animator, Marc Davis.

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Book Review: Four Decades of Magic

Photo Credit: Ayefour Publishing

Four Decades of Magic:  Celebrating the First Forty Years of Disney World: a collection of essays, Compiled by Chad Denver Emerson, Ayefour Publishing, 2011, 379 pp.

Amid the pomp and circumstance certain to be part of the Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary celebration, what will likely be ignored is any reference to the Walt Disney World that never was.

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D23 Expo Overview

Photo Credit: Jess Clawson

This year’s D23 Expo came to a close Sunday night rather quietly, much like the entire, relatively uneventful weekend.

Friday opened with the Disney Legends Ceremony and big cheers from the Disney fans.  A big highlight was the voice of the princesses singing songs from their movies.

Friday afternoon was much less well received as there was no large announcements at the Parks and Resorts presentation as many expected.  Among the discussed topics were the Fantasyland Expansion, Aulani, Carsland, Tangled coming to Disneyland’s Fantasyland and the Snow White Mine Train coaster being built in Fantasyland. Fans were furious because they expected big news just as was announced two years ago, but due to the economy and number of projects Disney already has under way, this lack of announcements comes as no surprise for some.

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WALT’S WHEEL MAN…BOB GURR

How many remember the Autopia cars on opening day at Disneyland? Or how about the Skyway Buckets, the People Mover, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride or perhaps the famous Flying Saucers? If you do, then you can thank Mr. Robert Henry Gurr for these and for working on more than 100 designs for attractions and vehicles during his long tenure with the Disney company. Bob even helped with the design of the first Disney Auto-animatronic, Abraham Lincoln, for the 1964-65 World’s Fair.

Bob Gurr was one of those naturally gifted individuals who could just look at a mechanical device and figure out how to repair or improve it. Bob was born in Los Angeles California in 1931. Even at an early age he loved mechanical things. His interest was further sparked by the fact he lived near the Grand Central Air Terminal during the ‘30s and ‘40s. Being so close to all the planes and cars just whetted his appetite for more. He would even sneak through a hole in the fence at the airport near the American Airlines terminal and sit in the cockpits of the new planes, playing with the controls until discovered by the mechanics. He continued his pursuit in designing planes and cars because he grew up so close to the airport.

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D23 DAY AT MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE ON SATURDAY 4/16

Mickey's of Glendale

Image Copyright: Disney

Grab your wallet (Disney Dooney of course) and your lanyard because once again lucky D23 Members have been invited for a day of shopping, signing, and trading at the exclusive Imagineering Boutique, Mickey’s of Glendale.

Posted in Beauty and Fashion, Collections, D23, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Events, Gifts, Hobbies, News, Pins, Shopping, Vinylmation | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
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IS THERE AN IMAGINEER IN THE HOUSE?

This past weekend I was listening to the incredible Betamouse Podcast, http://betamouse.net/, episode #37 Betapotter. At the beginning of the show, the Betamouse Team discussed Nate Parrish’s recent knee surgery. Their conversation got me thinking, if I needed to have surgery would I be better off with a medical doctor or an Imagineer performing the procedure?

I pondered this question for a few minutes. I thought about all the excellent surgeons we have here in the United States and across the globe. I thought of all the advancements in science and medicine over the last few years. Then I thought about the Disney Imagineers, both their imagination and their innoventions. I thought of the advancements in Animatronics since they first appeared and how lifelike they have become. I looked at their track record, and I said to myself, “Hands down I want a Disney Imagineer to operate on me!”

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MAGIC KINGDOM CHANGES

Late last week, the Disney Parks Blog posted about a couple changes being made to Magic Kingdom in the near future. There were two things announced and it’s one of those something old and something new situations

First change is the something old; it is old news that “it’s a small world” is under refurbishment now until October 22nd. The announced changes include bringing back the old style of queue that the attraction had prior to the 2004-2005 refurbishment.  The Imagineers have said that there are no plans during this refurbishment to put Disney characters in the attraction, as seen in other Disney parks.

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SEARCHING FOR A DIAMOND HIDDEN MICKEY

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It was a beautiful, sunny spring day. The temperature was in the low 70’s, the birds were chirping, there were green leaves on the trees and the flowers were starting to blossom. There was also a small breeze, the kind you only get in the spring. What a gorgeous day in New Jersey.

Except for one thing.

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