1 year without Roy E. Disney

A Message from Bob: Roy E. Disney Passes Away

Dear Cast Members,

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our friend and colleague Roy E. Disney. After a courageous year-long fight with stomach cancer, he passed away peacefully this morning at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, surrounded by his loving family.

Roy played an important role in our lives here at Disney, and in the success of our Company over many years. Along the way, he touched many of us in a personal way. During his 56-year association with the Company, his true passion and focus was preserving and building upon the amazing legacy of Disney animation that was started by his father and uncle. His commitment to the art of animation was unparalleled and will always remain his personal legacy and one of the greatest contributions to Disney's past, present and future.

Roy not only helped to keep the legacy alive, but he also embraced new technologies, and gave the filmmakers the tools they needed to tell their stories in new and exciting ways. He encouraged talent, and loved working with the creative community. And they loved working with him.

Roy was a Disney Legend in every sense of the word, and his contributions to this great Company have been profound and will always be remembered. For the next week we will be flying the Disney flag at half mast here at the Studio and at our parks, and I know you join me in sending thoughts and prayers to Roy's wife, Leslie, his four children, and his 16 grandchildren. For those who wish to pay their respects, the family has requested that donations be made in Roy's name to the California International Sailing Association (CISA) to benefit youth sailing.

Bob Iger

On Safari [1962] Expansion of Adventureland

The password is "Safari," and Summertime visitors to Disneyland will be validating their passports, stepping aboard tropical steamers and sailing off on a brand new tropical adventure that may set jungle exploration back to the days of "Dr. Livingston, I presume." 

Marc Davis concept art for the Jungle Cruise

For Disneyland's brand new Jungle River Cruise — part of another $7 million expansion at Walt Disney's Anaheim wonderland — has been designed as a combination "you are there" exploration and fun-filled laugh provoking adventure whose "actors" are elephants, tigers and many more beasts of the jungle. 

Starting with a proven success — the true-life jungle cruise has been one of Disneyland's most popular attractions since opening — Walt Disney is adding a jungle-full of animated animals — startlingly life-like — and making the explorer's voyage longer and full of humor. 

Top highlight is sure to be the Indian elephants — big ones and "little squirts" — who will frolic, splash and swim in a unique "elephant bathing pool." Their trunks loaded with watery surprises (for unwary animalsand explorers), nearly two dozen of the full-size elephants will eventually call Disneyland "home," all brought to life through the marvels of Disneyland animation. 

The emphasis in new attractions is on Adventureland, with (1) the "world's largest" Tree House, (2) a "Big Game Safari" shooting gallery, (3) a colorful African motif for portions of the bazaar shops and stores in Adventureland, and (4) the fabulous "Stouffer's in Disneyland" dinner-show restaurants. 

The Swiss Family Tree House will tower 70 feet above the jungle. Spreading its branches 80 feet in width, it will include three separate "homes" at different levels — the living room, parents' room and boy's room, all inspired by Walt Disney's motion picture "Swiss Family Robinson." 

For the youngsters, "the climb's the thing," but adults are sure to enjoy the "never before" panoramic view over much of Disneyland offered by this "species Disneydendron giganteum" of 150,000 leaves and 50,000 blooms. 

Walt Disney's "Enchanted Tiki Room," one of three new restaurants at "Stouffer's in Disneyland" and Disney's first "by reservation only" dining spa, may steal the spotlight from the other new attractions. For Walt Disney is bringing together all the talents of his "imagineers" to create a complete dinner show performed by an exotic collection of birds, flowers and Polynesian Tikis that actually sing, talk and act! 

Many new animation techniques, developed exclusively for Disneyland, will "bring to life" the birds, idols and flowers. And, lest you should think it's not possible for inanimate objects to sing and act, just remember that this dinner-show is based upon legends and myths treasured for centuries by the natives of the South Pacific. 

Stouffer's, one of America's foremost restaurateurs, will also open European and American Kitchens in its Plaza Pavilion (facing Main Street) and a Tahitian Terrace overlooking Adventureland. The latter will feature nightly dancing and South Seas entertainment. 

If you're a marksman, the new "Big Game Safari" is for you. While it's based on a time-tested shooting gallery tradition, this jungle hunt is an authentic Disney creation — a one-of-a-kind rapid-fire adventure where you'll shoot at all kinds of jungle animals and birds, each handcrafted for Disneyland. 

So it all adds up to another big "bonus" in entertainment this Summer at Disneyland� where the new adventures Walt Disney adds each year are the frosting on a $40 million entertainment "cake!" 

From the Summer 1962 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

Christmas Memories at Disney Parks

In this video you'll see the Christmas Parades and Decorations in 1960 and 1970!

At the end, testimonials from 2009 EPCOT's Candlelight Processional Narrators.

Disneyland Presents The Walt Disney Story

What Walt Disney and his staff did was to create for the world a realm of wonder and make believe never before experienced — and that fabulous world has become a part of our lives, a part of our culture. 

Walt Disney shown in his "formal" office at the Disney Studio in Burbank.

Most Americans and much of the world have grown up with pleasant memories of Dumbo, the Three Little Pigs, Cinderella and dozens of other characters of fact and legend as they were pictured by Disney. A whole generation watched television's Mouseketeers and thrilled to the exploits of Davy Crockett and Zorro. Millions of people have visited Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. 

The man behind it all, Walt Disney, received nearly 1,000 plaques, scrolls, Emmys and Academy Awards for his work. The Walt Disney Story at Disneyland's Main Street Opera House exhibits many of these awards in honor of the man who always remembered that "it all started with a mouse." 

The exhibit is presented free by the Gulf Oil Corporation, and features Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in the Opera House's 500-seat auditorium. 

One of the most intriguing displays of The Walt Disney Story concerns Disneyland. Surrounded by photographs taken during the building of the Park, a small viewing screen shows a speeded-up movie of the actual construction. Thus, the one-year-plus-one-day construction project, which turned an orange grove into a Magic Kingdom, is seen in only three minutes. 

The highlight of the attraction for many is a capsule history of Walt Disney's career. The short film features Disney himself as he tells the story in his own words. 

Guests see film clips from the earliest Disney cartoons (the "Alice" series), Mickey Mouse's first appearance in "Steamboat Willie," and how Disney advanced the art of film animation, beginning with his "Silly Symphony" series right up to "Mary Poppins." He also explains the philosophy behind the "Audio-Animatronics" figures developed by Walt Disney Productions for use at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. 

From the beginning, people began to collect anything bearing the imprint of Mickey Mouse or the other Disney characters — watches, toothbrushes, games, cups, bracelets, soap, candy. 

A few of these rare and valuable collector's items are displayed in a glass case towards the back of the exhibit area. There is an original Mickey Mouse watch, manufactured by Ingersoll in 1933, plus the five millionth and 25 millionth Mickey Mouse watches produced. 

On view also are books, clocks, dolls, glasses, plates, a toy stove, Christmas lights, an Emerson Mickey Mouse radio (circa 1933), records, a tea set — most of all of them manufactured in the 1930s or '40s. Today they are eagerly sought by dedicated collectors of Disneyana. 

Disney supervised his operations from two offices at the Disney Studio in Burbank, about 35 miles from Disneyland. They have been re-created as part of The Walt Disney Story, authentically furnished with pieces used during his lifetime. 

His "working" office was used for conferences with directors, writers, artists, and almost anyone involved in creating Disney projects. Behind his desk are a few of his favorite awards: a 1938 award for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" from the International Film Festival in Venice, Italy; the very special Irving Thalberg Award, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1942 for consistent high quality of Disney films; and an Oscar, symbolic of the 51 Academy Awards received by Walt Disney and his staff throughout the years. 

The other office, also re-created for The Walt Disney Story, is the "formal" office. It was used for appointments with special guests visiting the Studio and contained a baby grand piano. Leopold Stokowski played some of the music for "Fantasia" on it more than 39 years ago, and Richard M. and Robert D. Sherman used it to play songs from "Mary Poppins" in the 1960s. 

Behind the desk are two sketches of Disney's daughters, drawn by Norman Rockwell. Between them is a portion of Disney's miniature collection — animals, dolls and small figures gathered from around the world. 

The Walt Disney Story also includes a section on Disney's famous television creations: the Zorro and Davy Crockett series and the Mickey Mouse Club. Featured are Zorro's cape, sword and mask, an original Mouseketeer hat, and two Emmys, on for Best Variety Series (1955) and the other for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming (1964). 

One award that held a special place in Walt Disney's heart was the Oscar presented to him in 1932. This special award was given to him for the creation of Mickey Mouse, who, in a few short years, had become famous the world over. The Oscar presented to Disney now stands in a place of honor in The Walt Disney Story, surrounded by photographs from some of the early Mickey Mouse cartoons. 

A third film, shown in an area designed as an old-fashioned schoolroom, is devoted to Walt Disney, the Naturalist. The short movie, narrated by the "Audio-Animatronics" figure Y. Zol Owl, contains film clips from several of Disney's True-Life Adventure series. 

Launched in 1948 with the release of "Seal Island," the films are a continuing reminder of Disney's deep interest in ecology, the environment and the condition of man. 

Also on display in this area are various international awards and three Oscars, representative of the eight Academy Awards won by the 13 True-Life Adventure films. 

There is more: other international awards, pictures and posters of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, honorary degrees. 

The Walt Disney Story pays fitting tribute to a man whose genius made dreams come true — for himself, and for the world. 

From the Spring 1976 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

An Original Walt E. Disney Check

1970 - At The Disneyland Hotel

Dining by the water's edge, watching multi-colored lights sparkle on 40-foot fountains, spending a soothing session at the Health Spa, or fishing in a pond stocked with several-thousand trout are just a few of the many assets the Disneyland Hotel offers its guests.

For this summer — and all-year-round — the Disneyland Hotel has 1,000 attractive and comfortable guest rooms, 24 conference and exhibit areas, not to mention the massive Convention Center, which includes the Exhibit Hall, meeting rooms, and the elegant Grand Ballroom.

And, for your comfort and pleasure, there are soothing saunas, an Olympic-size swimming pool, "The Cove" swimming pool with waterfall slides, "Luau" grounds for parties, Miniature Golf — even a Driving Range.

To make shopping an enjoyable and convenient experience, the Disneyland Hotel features over 20 boutiques that range from an art gallery to a gourmet shop. And the Hotel's many services for its guests include closed-circuit television to keep them informed on activities throughout the Hotel and Southern California, a Travelport, babysitters, and transportation to Disneyland via the sleek Disneyland-Alweg Monorail.

When it comes to dining, the Disneyland Hotel's eight specialty restaurants have something for every appetite whether it's a cocktail at the scenic "Sailmaker's Den," filet mignon in the quaint English atmosphere of "The Oak Room," or a sizzling steak at "El Vaquero."

Unique shops, superb restaurants, superior accommodations, plus many helpful and informative services make the Disneyland Hotel a vacationer's finest bet on where to stay when visiting Southern California. And, best of all, "the happiest place on earth" is just a monorail ride in the sunshine away.

From the Summer 1970 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

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Dave Smith's from Disney Archives Final Day of Work

T H E   D I S N E Y   H I S T O R Y

October 15, 2010

Disney Legend Dave Smith, the founder and head of the Disney Archives, puts in his final day of work at the Burbank studio. Smith started the archives after being approached by Walt Disney’s family, including Roy O. Disney four years after Walt’s death in 1966, to preserve the history  of the company.

Click Here to read his Farewell Letter

The Marcio Disney Network has an entire blog  dedicated to him! It's called The Disney Archives and Mysteries: http://tinyurl.com/DisneyArchives

 Click Here to read the first post I wrote introducing Dave Smith!

In the video below, Dave Smith, receives the Disney Legends award, 10/10/2007:

Dave Smith (Archives)

Inducted 2007

Walt Disney Archives founder and chief archivist David R. Smith officially joined The Walt Disney Company on June 22, 1970, but his Disney roots are even deeper.

A fan of Disney films throughout his youth, Dave adds, "I grew up in Southern California, and so my appreciation of Disneyland began as a child." In 1967, he had become interested in compiling an extensive bibliography on Walt Disney. With approval from the Disney organization, he spent more than a year researching all Disney publications and productions. 

When the Disney family and Studio management decided to attempt to preserve Walt Disney's papers, awards and memorabilia, it was natural for them to contact Dave to do a study, and make a recommendation which established the guidelines and objectives of the Archives. Dave was selected as archivist, and in the years since the Archives was established, it has come to be recognized as a model among corporate archives in the country?and Dave is regarded as the final authority on matters of Disney history. 

Born on October 13, 1940, and raised in Pasadena, Dave graduated as valedictorian from both Pasadena High School and Pasadena City College. He earned his B.A. in history at the University of California at Berkeley. While in school, Dave worked part-time for six years in the Manuscript Department of the Huntington Library in San Marino. 

Upon receiving his Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of California in June 1963, he was selected as one of seven outstanding graduates of library schools throughout the country to participate in an internship program at the Library of Congress in Washington. 

He returned to California where he served for five years as a reference librarian at the UCLA Research Library. While there, Dave authored several articles and had bibliographies published on the Monitor and the Merrimac Civil War warships, and on Jack Benny. 

Of his Disney role, Dave said, "The thing I like best is the tremendous variety in our work. We never know when we come to work in the morning what we'll be doing that day. It keeps the job interesting when you're not doing the same thing day in and day out." 

Dave has written extensively on Disney history, with a regular column in The Disney Channel Magazine, Disney Magazine, Disney Newsreel, and numerous articles in such publications as Starlog, Manuscripts, Millimeter, American Archivist, and California Historical Quarterly. He is the author of the official Disney encyclopedia Disney A to Z (now in its third edition), with Kevin Neary he co-authored four volumes of The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book, with Steven Clark he co-wrote Disney: The First 100 Years, and he edited The Quotable Walt Disney. Dave has written introductions to a number of other Disney books. 

"My greatest reward has been getting to know the many people who have come to use the Archives over the years. I have been especially proud to be a guide and mentor to so many young people who have gone on to exceptional careers in the Disney organization." Dave says humbly. 

"I have had the pleasure and privilege to work with Dave Smith for nearly 35 years," author and animator John Canemaker says, "and, to me, he has always been legendary. For his steady building of the Disney Archives over the years into one of the greatest, most invaluable, world-class resources for studying American animation?and for his kindness and generosity to all researchers." 

The Magic Worlds of Walt Disney - The August 1963 issue of National Geographic

The August 1963 issue of National Geographic featured "The Magic Worlds of Walt Disney," a 49-page article by Robert De Roos. It also featured a rare photo (taken by Thomas Nebbia) of Walt, his wife and their grandchildren in the Disneyland Fire Station apartment ... a photography first!

1963 - National Geographic - The Magic Worlds of Walt Disney by Marcio Disney

Disneyland's Helicopter Passenger Service

From the late 1950s to 1968 Los Angeles Airways provided regularly scheduled helicopter passenger service between Disneyland and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and other cities in the area. The helicopters first operated from Anaheim/Disneyland Heliport, located behind Tomorrowland. Service later moved, in 1960, to a new heliport north of the Disneyland Hotel. Arriving guests were then transported to the Disneyland Hotel via tram.

English: Los Angeles Airways Sikorsky S-61L helicopter,

lifting off from the Disneyland Heliport, 1963.

This is the same aircraft that crashed—killing all on board

in August, 1968. Note the Matterhorn Mountain in the background.

The service ended after two fatal crashes in 1968: The crash in Paramount, California, on May 22, 1968 killed 23 (the worst helicopter accident in aviation history at that time). The second crash in Compton, California on August 14, 1968, killed 21

1st Disneyland's Fireworks

Disneyland premiered its first fireworks presentation in 1956. The show was actually created by hand - with employees touching off the fuses with a flare! (A few years later, technology enabled fireworks to be launched electronically and synchronized with a soundtrack.)

“MAGICAL” – FIREWORKS BY THE NUMBERS

• The pyrotechnic devices are fully choreographed to “Magical’s” musical soundtrack, using 750 discreet digital control channels.
• Guests see the burst of fireworks before hearing it because light travels roughly a million times faster than sound.
• The Disney Air Launch system installed in 2004 creates less ground level smoke than the former system that used black powder.
• Disney is recognized as the world’s largest producer of fixed-base fireworks shows, at its parks in the United States, France, Japan and China.

A SPARKLING HISTORY OF FIREWORKS AT DISNEYLAND

• Disneyland opened to the public in July 1955. There was no fireworks show that year.
• In 1956, after seeing fireworks tests in the Disneyland parking lot when the park was closed, Walt Disney said, “Let’s give it a try.”
• Mickey Aronson, who worked in Disneyland Resort Entertainment for more than 50 years (originally as an outside fireworks consultant), began “shooting” Disneyland fireworks the summer of 1956. In those days, Aronson fired the show by hand, touching off the fuses with a flare.
• Beginning in the late 1960s, Disneyland Entertainment developed a system for firing the shells electronically, synchronized to a musical soundtrack.
• During this period, the fireworks “choreography” was storyboarded like an animated cartoon. At one time, the storyboard artist was Roy Williams, the “Big Mooseketeer” from “The Mickey Mouse Club.”
• The current system, with its multiple fireworks launch sites, special lighting and lasers, and high-tech marriage of music and choreographed pyrotechnics, was first installed for the 2000 Bicentennial/Disneyland 45th Anniversary show, “Believe…There’s Magic in the Stars.”

Elaborate fireworks shows synchronized with Disney songs and often have appearances from Tinker Bell or Dumbo, flying in the sky above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Since 2000, presentations have become more elaborate, featuring new pyrotechnics, launch techniques and story lines. In 2004, Disneyland introduced a new air launch pyrotechnics system, reducing ground level smoke and noise and decreasing negative environmental impacts. At the time the technology debuted, Disney announced it would donate the patents to a non-profit organization for use throughout the industry.

    * Regular Fireworks Show:

          o 1958–1999 Fantasy in the Sky

          o 2000–2004 Believe... There's Magic in the Stars

          o 2004–2005 Imagine... A Fantasy in the Sky

          o 2005–2010 Remember... Dreams Come True

    * Special Fireworks Show:

          o June 12, 2009 – September 20, 2009 Magical: An Exploding Celebration In The Sky

          o September 25, 2009 – November 1, 2009 Halloween Screams

          o November 13, 2009 – January 3, 2010 Believe... In Holiday Magic

Since 2009, Disneyland has moved to a rotating repertoire of firework spectaculars.

    * Yearly Fireworks Repertoire

          o Winter – Spring Remember... Dreams Come True

          o Summer Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations

          o Independence Day Week Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky

          o Halloweentime Halloween Screams

          o Holiday Believe... In Holiday Magic

During the Holiday Season, there is a special fireworks presentation called Believe... In Holiday Magic which has been running since 2000, except for a short hiatus in 2005 during the park's 50th Celebration.

Scheduling of fireworks shows depend on the time of year, during the slower off-season periods, the fireworks are only offered on weekends. During the busier times, Disney does offer additional nights, such as an extra night for a 3 day holiday. Also, Disney does offer Fireworks nightly during its busy periods, which includes Easter/Spring Break, Summer and Christmas time.

The show is normally offered at 9:25 PM if the park is scheduled to close at 10 PM or later, but shows have started as early as 5:45 PM. Also, a major consideration is weather/winds, especially at higher elevations, which can force the cancellation of the show. Disney usually waits an additional time (15 minutes) to see if the winds die down. Shows, with a few minor exceptions, such as July 4 and New Year's Eve, must finish by 10 PM due to the conditions of the permit issued by the City of Anaheim.

Jack Wagner - The Voice in the Monorails

Most of Jack Wagner's Disney recordings were made at his own house where he had a recording studio (which was installed by Disney in the 1970s).

A voiceover booth in his home was connected to Studio D at Disneyland in Anaheim.

At the time, Jack's home in Southern California was one of the first to use a direct audio link from a remote recording studio!

CLICK HERE TO SEE HIS BIO AT THE DISNEY LEGENDS PAGE


You can hear Jack Wagner's Disney Monorail voice recordings here.

Statement made by Jack Bohannan on Hidden Mickeys

I would like to set the record straight on the voice. Throughout the 1970's and into the 1980's the voice heard on all Disney monorails, as well as most all the voiceover work for all the parks was the legendary "Voice of Disney", Jack Wagner.

I have had the privilege of working with him many times through the years.

One interesting side note is that Jack's home in Southern California was one of the first uses for a direct audio link from a remote recording studio. It was put in by Disney in the 70's and connected a voiceover booth in his home to Studio D at Disneyland in Anaheim. He frequently would receive last minute calls for special events and was able to just walk over to the booth and "beam" it directly to the park. Anyhow, with the amount of work that Florida was generating after Epcot and the Studios opened, plus the fact that Jack wanted to head towards retiring sometime, other voice talent was sought out locally in Florida.

There have been several people used in voiceover work since then, one of them being Kevin Miles, who is one of the original members of the Voices of Liberty at Epcot, and can still be heard there daily. Kevin recorded the monorail voiceovers after the Grand Floridian was built, and his voice was still there until the 25th Anniversary rolled around, when it was updated by one of the new voiceover talents.

The amount of voiceover work at the parks now is astronomical, and it is shared by a couple of people who have "the voice", including Kevin. Interestingly enough, though, Jack's voice can still be heard welcoming everyone to Orlando on the monorails at the airport terminals.

Tom Bohannan, quote from the HiddenMickeys.org site, added July 25, 1997.

Jack died 1995 on his way to Palm Springs at a rest area. His voice is still being used in the Disney Theme Parks like the WDW monorail and still welcomes guests in the Orlando airport monorail.