Daveland@Disneyland A-Z: Aunt Jemima

Yup, Aunt Jemima used to have her own restaurant at Disneyland (as can be seen in this 1967 view), located in the “old” New Orleans section of Frontierland. From 1955 until 1970, it was the Aunt Jemima Pancake House (changed to Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen during a 1962 expansion). Aylene Lewis portrayed the famous Southern Cook at the park and would pose with guests for photos. The menu included Davy Crockett’s Delight (4 “brown-as-a-berry” pancakes), Mark Twain Special (4 buckwheat pancakes), Golden Horseshoe Special (4 buttermilk pancakes), and Slue Foot Sue’s Favorite (a waffle).

Here’s an early construction shot, showing the section of New Orleans Street that had the original Casa de Fritos Restaurant as well as Aunt Jemima’s:

This pre-opening shot also shows a corner of Aunt Jemima’s on the left-hand side of the photo. The side seating area had more of a rustic look, due to the fact that it was bordered by Adventureland.

This adorable little tot in Mouse ears sitting outside of Aunt Jemima’s is from February 1956.

Another early color shot, with a closeup of the patrons enjoying their flapjacks:

This photo, most likely taken from the deck of the Columbia or the Mark Twain shows the corner of the Silver Banjo Barbecue and Aunt Jemima’s; if you look at the included closeup, you can just barely see Aunt J herself behind the trees.

This closeup of the sign is from 1967. Currently, this restaurant is now the Riverbelle Terrace.

Here’s a view from the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, showing the top of the building:

Back in the day, happy homemakers competed in the Aunt Jemima Pancake Toss down Main Street. Somehow, I don’t think this fun little competition would ever occur in this day and age.

Want to re-create some of that Aunt Jemima magic at home? All you need is one of these vintage pancake mix boxes:

Daveland reader CoxPilot has shared these first-hand memories of his visits to Aunt J’s: “Keith Palmer (high school buddy) got me the job at the Cox Thimble Drome at Disneyland just after my high school graduation in 1959. The first thing, after getting a uniform from wardrobe, was to go to Aunt Jemima’s and have pancakes. The Park didn’t open until 9:30, but Auntie served employees starting at 7:30 am. What a treat! I remember going to the Silver Banjo quite a bit too, and the food was great. I would try to eat there at least every week. I always thought it was a shame that we lost it due to expansion. However, I did see Don DeFore there a bit, but park management didn’t want us eating inside when celebs were around. I loved the old brick interior of Aunt Jemima’s before the renovation. It seemed too sterile after the 1962 changes. But, you could get your food a lot faster afterwards. Eating on the patio before the park opened was the best memory of all, and it was always crowded with big-wigs from the park (never saw Walt though). I learned to like coffee from there, too.”

NEXT UP: The Autopia! See more vintage and current Aunt J. photos on my regular website.

The "E" Ticket

One of my favorite magazines for research, enjoyment and all around Disney geekiness has ceased publication.

The "E" Ticket has been the premiere resource on Disneyland, Walt Disney, the Imagineers and theme park design. No one else is writing anything comparable; based on the Imagineers that the Janzens interviewed that have passed away recently, no one else will be able to. The passion that the Brothers Janzen brought to The "E" Ticket will be one of the gifts left to the Disney community--simply due to their unfailing optimism and their ability to distill Disney into a glossy and well-written magazine. Disney enthusiasts, historians and researchers will be thanking the Janzens for many years to come.

I have been able to collect the entire run of The "E" Ticket through print and the CD-ROM archives. The third CD-ROM has just been released and it collects issues 17-24. There is no word, yet, on whether issues 25-46 will be released on CD-ROM. Rumors over the past year have swirled about the fate of The "E" Ticket after Jack Janzen decided he no longer wanted to publish it after his brother's passing. Jack announced that issue 46 would be the last one.

Lo and behold, when I opened my copy of Issue 46, I read the opening remarks:

The "E" Ticket Magazine began in 1986 by two brothers, Jack and Leon Janzen, who wanted to add something to the new hobby of collecting Disneyland souvenirs and memorabilia. Years passed and the small-time magazine flourished. Leon Janzen, eldest of the brothers, died suddenly in 2003, leaving brother Jack to continue. Well, it hasn't been much fun without Leon, and it's time for this ride to come to an end. As most of you already know, Issue #46 is our last.

Now for the Good News! The "E" Ticket Magazine will soon become part of the extraordinary effort of the Walt Disney Family Foundation to establish a museum commemorating Walt Disney the man. The "E" Ticket body of work of the last twenty-three years will be safe and accessible to fans of Walt Disney and the Disney Theme Parks for many years to come. We couldn't be more pleased.

I have not been able to track down enough information about how the Walt Disney Family Museum is going to use The "E" Ticket, but I am glad that it will be accessible for generations to come.

If you have the opportunity, make sure to purchase the archive CD-ROMs before they sell out.

Walt Disney Family Museum

For more information on the Walt Disney Family Museum Memberships, click here.

Ad Astra Per Aspera

I have long celebrated and chronicled Disney-related futurism here at 2719 Hyperion. Connecting the Disney dots between the 1939 World's Fair, the Tomorrowland television episodes and ultimately Walt Disney's own vision of the future embodied in his plans for EPCOT, has been one of my more consistent passions over the past couple of decades. And it is also a passion that extends beyond Disney relevance; I continue to be fascinated and intrigued by the nostalgic futurism that became a significant part of 20th century popular culture.

So it is in these contexts that I experienced such joy and excitement upon discovering Brian Fies' wonderful graphic novel Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? It was as if Fies had channeled so many of my passions--the '39 Fair, comic books, Disney and the space program, just to name a few--into 200 beautifully illustrated pages that chronicle the birth, death and potential rebirth of forward-thinking idealism.

Fies tells the story of a father and son who enthusiastically visit the 1939 New York World's Fair, and are introduced to The World of Tomorrow--television, Elektro the robot, Futurama--just to name a few of its many wonders. Buddy and Pop readily embrace the Fair's idealistic message; Buddy through the wide-eyed wonder of a child, his father through a more grounded view of the necessity of hard work and intelligence.

Fies then employs an odd yet ultimately ingenious storytelling device. Each chapter of the story takes place in a subsequent decade, progressing through the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. These chapters continue the story of Buddy and Pop as they witness the evolution of the World of Tomorrow, but the pair age slower than the passage of time. Buddy begins in 1939 as a young boy of ten or so, but by 1975 is still a teenager straining at the boundaries of their father-son dynamic. All the ideals, hopes and dreams of three separate generations become encapsulated in Buddy and Pop's time-displaced half century journey.

Accompanying each of these chapters is a mock comic book that features the adventures of Commander Cap Crater and his young sidekick, the Cosmic Kid. These two characters are thinly vieled four-color incarnations of Buddy and Pop, and similarly journey through the decades, with each era's comic book brilliantly reflecting that time frame's comic book culture. The publisher creatively delivers these pages via halftone-dot newsprint.

Walt Disney is mentioned throughout, most prominently during the 1955 chapter where Fies correctly gives the Disneyland television program its due for bringing the notion of space exploration prominently into the public eye. Disney's death, and his unrealized dream of EPCOT is mentioned in the 1975 chapter, a vignette that summarizes the cynicism and cultural failures that ultimately squelched much of the forward thinking idealism that Buddy and Pop had previously embraced. Similarly, Commander Cap Crater retires his comic book when confronted with a reality that undermines the very principles of a brave and noble journey into the future.

But Fies does not dwell on futures lost. His concluding chapter jumps to a not-too-distant future that is both idealistic and realistic, bringing Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? to both a happy and satisfying conclusion.

If Disney's original EPCOT film gave you goosebumps, or if you ever emerged excited and energized after riding Spaceship Earth or Horizons at EPCOT Center, you will no doubt be similarly thrilled and motivated by Brian Fies amazing journey across the 20th century. It is a hopeful, happy vision, and one I intend to revisit many times in my own world of tomorrow.

America on Parade

Editor's Note: To celebrate Independence Day, we thought we'd revisit this patriotic-themed post from the 2719 Hyperion Archives, originally published in July of 2007.

America on Parade was the centerpiece of the Bicentennial celebrations at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 1976. Disney World was still relatively new and the elaborate parade represented the most extensive entertainment offering the resort had brought forth up until that point.

The parade, which premiered in June of 1975 and ran until September of 1976, combined traditional Disney characters with an entirely new cast of stylized creations called the “People of America.” Numbering over 300, the “People of America” were akin to the doll-like figures of It’s a Small World, but grown up, enlarged and much more elaborate in both costume and setting. Floats were themed to a wide range of subjects, encompassing everything from the first Thanksgiving to women’s suffrage. Perhaps the most famous and notable of the floats was the large oversize rocking chair featuring Betsy Ross sewing an equally oversize American flag.

The endeavor was two years in the making and the creative talents behind it were challenged to present something that was happy and whimsical, yet did not diminish the historical significance of the Bicentennial celebration. A souvenir book on the parade described some of that early concept brainstorming:

Because of Disney's vast experience and expertise in producing entertainments on a grand scale, it was very fitting, as America came to its 200th anniversary, that Walt Disney's company take a leading role in using Disneyland and Walt Disney World as a showcase for the best that America has been and has to offer.

Thus, the long task of collecting reference material on which to create this new and exciting event began. From the outset, the project's goal was not to glorify the famous wars of America, as others had done in the past. Instead, the purpose is to present the lighter, more beautiful aspects of America, those things which have helped make it a great nation. Research on America's history, people, achievements and life-styles was conducted for nearly a year. Thousands of man-hours went into producing the basic concept for a parade... for more than a parade.

As the concept unfolded, it was decided that the parade would be far more than a historical look at our country. The moving pageantry would also recreate memorable moments, such as the first Thanksgiving, Sunday in the park, school days, and many other events. Important American creations and contributions, such as transportation achievements, and inventions like the light bulb, electric iron, and the phonograph, would also be featured. Our beloved pastimes and ways of life including sporting events, popcorn, hot dogs, ice cream, television, movies, and the circus would also become highlights of America on Parade.

The production process was equally extensive in both time and scope as this excerpt illustrates:

When both blueprints and models of the America On Parade stages and settings were completed, the Disney team brought together all the top set design manufacturers in the United States and presented them with the parade plans. These professional theatrical builders, with broad experience in building everything from elaborate floats for the New Year's Day "Tourna­ment of Roses" Parade to grandiose sets for motion pictures and Las Vegas shows, expressed great excitement about America on Parade. After construction contracts were awarded to several firms, work began from coast-to-coast—from Pacoima, California to New York City. Other stages and settings were built in Las Vegas, Nevada and cities in Florida... Orlando, Deland, and Grant.

Because two of everything had to be built for the double production in California and Florida close coordination of all shipping activities was necessary to avoid delays and mix-ups.

Before reaching their final destination, some of the stages had to travel over 3,000 miles.

One of the most interesting aspects of America on Parade was the soundtrack that was created using a restored 1890 band organ. The “Sadie Mae” was discovered in Sikeston, Missouri, and after over 1400 hours of restoration work, it was sent to a Nashville studio where the parade music was recorded. The musical arrangements for America on Parade were done by Don Dorsey, who would go on to produce the music for such theme park spectaculars as the Main Street Electrical Parade and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Dorsey’s contributions were especially significant, as they ultimately led to the creation of the Mickey Track computer system that synchronized the parade’s audio between floats and parade zones throughout the park.

In addition, Disney musical veterans the Sherman Brothers wrote and composed a new song, “The Glorious Fourth,” to be the musical centerpiece of the pageant.

Much in the way that attractions like Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean were unique for presenting non-Disney character related entertainment, so was the People of America portion of America on Parade distinct and notable. With its highly stylized designs and nostalgic musical accompaniments, it remains a memorable presentation from Walt Disney World's first decade.

Windows to the Past: Saludos Amigos!

A great shot from Shorpy dated March 1943 of a rainy Times Square in New York City.

Notice the advertisement above the Globe Theatre on the right?

Below is a copy of the theatrical poster that is hanging above the marquee.

Explore the 2719 Hyperion Archives:

• Caxanga
• Caballeros in the age of Misinformation
• Comic Book Caballeros
• Windows to the Past

Daveland@Disneyland A-Z: Astro Jets and more!

Manufactured by the Klaus Company Bavaria, the Astro Jets “flew” in a 50' circle reaching heights upwards of 36'. The attraction stood next to Flight to the Moon/Moonliner. In 1964, United Airlines (a new sponsor for “The Enchanted Tiki Room”) thought that the name “Astro Jets” was free advertising for American Airlines’ coast-to-coast jet-airline service, so the name was changed to Tomorrowland Jets. The attraction closed in September of 1966 to make room for the new Tomorrowland.

In this 1956 publicity photo, actor Fess Parker (best known as “Davy Crockett’) is shown with costar Kathleen Crowley of “Westward Ho, The Wagons,” riding the Astro Jets.

This motion shot was for Treasure Tone slides, a commercial slide that guests could purchase as a souvenir of their trip to the park.

In August 1967, this attraction was renamed again as The Rocket Jets. This version was located on top of the new PeopleMover platform and was accessible from ground level via an elevator. The focal point was its replica Saturn V/NASA-themed rocket in the center. Rocket Jets lifted guests 70' above ground. This version remained open until 1997, when it closed for renovations with the rest of Tomorrowland. If you had a fear of heights, this attraction would not be recommended for you!

The revised attraction opened one year later as The Astro Orbitor. The Astro Orbitor was planned to be placed where the Rocket Jets were, but weighed too much for the current building. Instead, it was moved to the Tomorrowland entrance and placed on groundlevel, thus making the ride the new focal point as guests step from the main plaza of Disneyland into Tomorrowland. The top Rocket Jets mechanism was dismantled and a kinetic satellite-themed sculpture known as Observatron was built out of the ride’s skeletal structure. The coloration and design came from a futuristic Jules Verne theme that was part of the most recent Tomorrowland remodeling. Although still a fun attraction, its location at the Tomorrowland entrance created both a physical and visual barrier, causing frequent bottlenecks in guest traffic.

Just recently, the Astro Orbiter underwent a facelift, but for once, not a name change. The color scheme was changed to cooler metallic colors from its previous Jules Verne incarnation. The rumor mill has also been churning, stating that the eventual goal is to put the Astro Orbiter atop the former PeopleMover station once again. That’s one rumor that I hope comes to fruition.

Next up: Pancakes with Aunt Jemima! See more vintage & current Astro Jets/Rocket Jets/Astro Orbiter photos at my regular website.

Firehouse Five Fun Facts

Special to 2719 Hyperion by Jim Korkis

In the mid-1940s, a group of Walt Disney animators, artists, writers and musicians who loved jazz and collected records would gather around a phonograph at the studio during lunch breaks and play along with the records. “Then one day the phonograph broke down right in the middle of ‘Royal Garden Blues.’ Undaunted, we kept right on playing and found to our amazement that we sounded pretty good all by ourselves!” remembered band chief Ward Kimball.

Originally, the band was called the “Huggageedy 8”. Kimball explained: “That was the sound of my old Model-T Ford. Huggageddy-huggageddy-huggageddy.” Then it was called the “San Gabriel Valley Blue Blowers.” Laughed Kimball, “San Gabriel is a little town near Pasadena where I live. So if it didn’t turn out, the boys figured they’d let them come after me! But it went okay and pretty soon we began to feel like musicians.” The final name was a result of Kimball getting a 1914 American La France fire truck that took six months to clean and fix. In addition he got some red fireman shirts, white suspenders and authentic leather fire helmets for a trip with the band down to San Diego as part of an event of the California Horseless Carriage Club in 1948.

Why were they called “Firehouse Five Plus Two”? Kimball often gave coy answers but he did tell me in an interview at the Disney Institute: “Fivehouse Five was the original name and we thought it was great but in order to let people know they were going to get a seven piece band instead of five, we’d say ‘plus two!’ “

Over the course of a little over two decades, nineteen different men were members of the Firehouse Five Plus Two band at various times:

Danny Alguire (cornet)
Ralph Ball (tuba)
George Bruns (tuba)
K.O. Eckland (piano)
Eddie Forest (drums)
Harper Goff (banjo)
Jerry Hamm (drums)
Ward Kimball (trombone)
Don Kinch (trumpet/tuba)
Johnny Lucas (trumpet)
Jim MacDonald (drums)
Clarke Mallery (clarinet)
Monte Mountjoy (drums)
Bill Newman (banjo)
Ed Penner (sax/tuba)
George Probert (sax)
Dick Roberts (banjo)
Tom Sharpsteen (clarinet)
Frank Thomas (piano)

“Walt always liked music and he was very proud of us. He couldn’t get over the fact that some of the guys who worked for him as animators and artists were all of a sudden the toast of the music world. He didn’t get mad if we took some time off once in awhile but we made it a rule not to take advantage of the situation,” remarked Kimball.

The band played for Bing Crosby at his annual Pebble Beach Golf Tournament which led to four appearances on his radio show.

Television also welcomed the firemen and they appeared on the Ed Wynn Show, the Milton Berle Show, the Make Believe Ballroom and the very first Disney television special, One Hour in Wonderland in 1950. They also appeared in two feature films, Hit Parade of 1951, a B musical from Republic and Grounds for Marriage, an MGM comedy, where Van Johnson and Kathryn Grayson go to the Firehouse Club to hear the band play “Tiger Rag”.

In 1950 the band made a series of Snader Telecriptions (fillers for TV when shows ended early). These films show the band in a firehouse setting and feature Kimball and Harper Goff. They did The Lawrence Welk Show and made a memorable appearance on Bobby Troup's Stars of Jazz show in 1958.

On opening day of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, the band appeared at the firehouse on Main Street for the ceremonies. “Walt told us to wander around the park and play wherever there was a crowd. We were the first mobile band at Disneyland,” remembered Kimball in a 1984 interview.

In 1956 the band appeared on the original Mickey Mouse Club where the band joined the Mouseketeers for “I Want To Be a Fireman” and “Tiger Rag” with Mousketeer Cubby O'Brien sitting in on drums.

An animated version of the band appeared in the 1953 Goofy short How To Dance.

“Firehouse Five Plus Two At Disneyland”, recorded on July 27 and 28 of 1962 was recorded at the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland, a regular venue for the band in the summertime. Besides the music are samples of Kimball’s announcements like: “We're going to take a 15 minute break. So you have time to go on all the Rides!” The band also took part in many of the Dixieland at Disneyland festivals, sharing the bill with the likes of greats like Louis Armstrong.

Although the band’s last official gig was an auto show at the Anaheim Convention Center in 1971, few people realize that the band did get together nine years later to make one more final appearance in the 1980 Tournament of Roses Parade where they had performed thirty years before as the first jazz band ever to be in the parade.

Book Review: The Art of UP!

The Art of Up by Tim Hauser. 2009, 160 pages.

Chronicle books is well-known for beautiful and lavish books concerning the art behind many of today's modern animated films.

The Art of Up is no exception.

Author Tim Hauser is a graduate of the CalArts Character Animation Program and has been a writer, creative executive and producer. He also wrote The Art of Wall-E. The Pixar blog has a great interview with Tim about the experience of writing the book.

When I saw Up in 3D, I left the theater a little perplexed. I knew it was a great film, but, personally, I felt like the high points were the talking dogs; it was beautiful, engrossing and the comedy was top-notch. To me, though, I was missing a connection. After ruminating on the movie for a few days, I took The Art of Up from the shelves to review it. As I read the book, I saw the intent of the filmmakers to tell the story of a man's journey--not just through him, but through everyone and everything in his life.

As expected, the book is a visual delight. Each page is filled with glorious images from the pre-production of the film. Storyboards, concept art, sketches and digital paintings help to define the look and feel of the story. Hauser was able to capture the filmmakers' journey in bringing the project to fruition. One of the surprises for me lay in the area of character development. The artists coined the term simplexity to describe the process of designing the characters:

"...the art of simplifying an image down to its essence. But the complexity you layer on top of it--in texture, design, or detail--is masked by how simple the form is. 'Simplexity' is about selective detail." (Ricky Nierva, p. 18)

Most of the major characters follow a fairly simple shape format (Carl is a square, Ellie is a circle) which helps convey the internal makeup of the character. The insights proffered lead the reader into a deeper understanding of the growth of the film, from a concept vehicle into a major motion picture.

In terms of the design of the world, the filmmakers took great care in developing Carl's house. Not only did it symbolize everything tying Carl to his life (and Eleanor) but it was a character in the film, as well. The house was created in miniature, modeled in computer space and decorated according to Carl and Eleanor. The filmmakers realized that they needed to create the interiors with simplexity in mind. Especially with so many shots of the inside during flight and fight sequences.

As beautiful as the artwork is, the text written by Tim shares equal weight. He was able to interview almost everyone associated with the production process about the important challenges that were needed to be overcome. Tim brings us along during the trip to South America to see the vistas that inspired the production. Another world opens before our eyes and we read the thoughts and feelings of the artists as they travel through Carl's world. Peppered liberally throughout the text are quotes pertaining to the subject--some are from the filmmakers and some are from famous names in history.

Any Pixar or modern animation fan will love this title. If you are a fan of Up, then you need to add this book to your collection--it is an essential and seminal work. I applaud Tim and Chronicle books for creating such a lavish work. Up fans will treasure this book for many years to come. The hardcover (under the jacket) has "My Adventure Journal" pressed into it, just like the movie. My youngest son has now claimed the book and loves looking at the pictures. Together.

A 25-Year Dream...

Dedicated to the spirit

and memory of our dear friend

BRUCE GORDON

April 18, 1951 – November 6, 2007

His devotion, passion, intelligence

and humor informed and delighted

millions of Disney fans the world over.

Those words ring true to the presentation of the newly released 5-CD box set Walt Disney and the 1964 World’s Fair. You might question the need or the relevance of 45-year old audio from an almost disastrous World’s Fair—but you need to remember a few things about a pre-Walt Disney World world. Prior to 1964, animatronics dinosaurs never roamed; the world was not as small; there was not a great, big, beautiful tomorrow; and a long gone president had been silent for 100 years. There was also discussion within Walt Disney Productions of creating a possible East Coast Disneyland; would people visit Disney-style attractions on the East Coast?

This box set was a 25-year dream for Disney Imagineers Bruce Gordon and Dave Mumford. I was fortunate to interview Randy Thornton and Stacia Martin about their involvement with the project. Randy is a Senior Producer with Walt Disney Records and most Disney enthusiasts are familiar with his work—since 1989 he has worked on most audio projects for the parks, including the Disneyland box set and all of the official albums since 2000. Stacia Martin is a Disney Artist and Historian. She spends a lot of her time traveling, talking Disney trivia, creating unique art, writing and sharing her knowledge of Disneyland. Both Randy and Stacie were very eager, open and enthusiastic about the project.

Stacia remembers the twenty-year retrospective about the World’s Fair that Bruce and Dave did in 1984. It was for Disney castmembers and Stacia still has one of the programs for it. She said that Bruce was very passionate about the importance of the Fair and wanted to release the audio. It was fifteen years later before Stacia would hear of the project again.

Randy started at the Disney Company as a clerk in the Disney Music Division. One of his first jobs was to “do something” with the boxes of tape left behind by the previous clerk. He listened to several of them and discovered a demo by the Sherman brothers for Mary Poppins that was thought to have been lost. The first project he worked on was the 1989 release of the soundtrack for Mary Poppins. Since then, he has worked on many film- and park-related projects. Randy spent five years working on the Disneyland box set; Bruce did the layout for the set. In 2001, Randy was asked to be part of the World’s Fair project.

On June 27, 1999, Stacia was involved in a kickoff meeting about the Disney Pavilions where suggestions were made about material and people for the project. Bruce and Tony had just put together the Disneyland Forever kiosks in 1998 and they wanted to release the Fair audio with a pre-printed book. Their hopes were to pay royalties to the musicians and recording staff. According to Randy, one of the hardest and most time-consuming areas is tracking down rights and royalties. With the Disneyland Forever kiosks, there was not an easy way to track down the rights for the Magic Skyways Pavilion. Since the rights couldn’t be paid at the time of purchase and many of the musicians weren’t even known, the project faltered and could not be brought to fruition.

Randy and Stacia both worked on various projects through the intervening years. Randy handles the masters of most recording and pursues the clearances and rights of recordings. He also retrieves clips and prepares them for use—he provides recordings for all of the divisions. As an official historian, Stacia has traveled all over the country talking Disney history and animation. She worked with Randy and Bruce on the Disneyland 50th Anniversary album and book, the Sounds of Disneyland.

Stacia was asked to create the booklet for the World’s Fair set by Bruce, who had set forth a design. She looked into her personal library and the W.E.D. research notes. She wanted to capture the intent of the Fair and the excitement that had been felt within the Company during the creation and implementation of the pavilions. Stacia finished the writing in March of 2001; all that was missing were the track listings. At one point, Stacia remembers that a handheld recording made at the Fair was used to help identify audio cues during the ride for the Magic Skyway. Randy was called into the project in 2001 by Bruce. Together, they put together the audio recordings and tried to find ways of keeping the costs down.

In 2005, Bruce left Walt Disney Imagineering and began working with Diane Disney Miller and the Walt Disney Family Foundation on the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. At that point, Randy lost touch with the project and hoped to work with Bruce again to get the Fair material released. Bruce passed away on November 7, 2007. Randy mentioned that he thought the project would be over at that time. A few months later, an executive questioned Randy about the CD set and told him to keep the project going. He had promised Bruce that he would produce the project as Bruce had laid it out. One of the problems Randy saw concerned the amount of Progressland material and the lack of the It’s a Small World ride-through. After discussing the issues with Imagineering and the manufacturer, they created a compartment in the set for a fifth disc held underneath the fourth disc. This way, Randy could include the original Carousel of Progress and the Alternate Universe edition.

Author Jeff Kurtti wrote the dedication that appears at the top of this article. It sums up, quite nicely, how Randy, Stacia and many others connected with the World’s Fair project felt about Bruce. Randy and Stacia are very proud of their affiliation and their friendships with Bruce. They both are thrilled and pleased that the project has been released and that that the 25-year long dream of Bruce Gordon and Dave Mumford is available for all of us to share.

You can read my review of the CD Set here.

A special thanks to Randy, Stacia and Jeff Kurtti for all of their recollections and time.

Daveland@Disneyland A-Z: Ariel’s Grotto

After the Monsanto House of the Future vacated Disneyland in 1967, this nebulous patch of Fantasyland/Tomorrowland square footage that once housed the plastic home was converted into the Alpine Gardens. The signage in photo #1 is the only shot I have specifically related to the gardens. The next two shots show the general area of the Alpine Gardens.

In December 1997, 8 years after the 1989 release of “The Little Mermaid,” Ariel got her own piece of Anaheim real estate by taking over the Alpine Gardens. Basically a meet-and-greet area, young guests could line up to meet the famous Mermaid herself, sitting on a huge seashell in her grotto.

Sculptures of Ariel & her father, King Triton, were located nearby.

But time marches on, and eventually Ariel was replaced by Tinker Bell & Pixie Hollow. Yup...gonna’ make you wait awhile for that one. You won’t have to miss Ariel for very long; she’ll have her very own dark ride at Disney’s California Adventure in just a few years. If you can‘t wait until 2012, then you’ll just have to seek her out in the next Holiday Parade.

Next up: Astro Jets! For those interested in the Art Corner/Art of Animation, it would be difficult for me to add much to the fantastic post previously published here. See more vintage Ariel’s Grotto photos at my regular website.