Disney Histor!

[mattravels]

I LOVED learning about all the stuff about the wave machine and stuff about what was in Disney or was SUPPOSED to be but got screwed over. It's all so interesting! I thought we should start a thread for the History buffs for people to post anything you know about the History and stuff about Disney! I don't know if the history of Disney intrigues anyone else but I'm all for it! So if anyone has any links, pics, info, etc. just post on :sohappy:

THANKS

 

[mattravels]

spelling correction

Before ANYONE gets on me! I would like to say I'm SORRY for posting that mispelled title, I just typed too fast I guess!

HISTORY
HISTORY
HISTORY
HISTORY

There ya go spelling police...hahaha! :hammer:

 

[imagineer boy]

Disneyland had a yippie invasion once. Yippies were long haired "Peace Dudes". You know, the people who protested war, had bad hair cuts, bad clothes styles, and smoked Marajuana. They went to Disneyland, picked on little kids, followed the Main Street Marching band and sung their own lyrics to classic Disney songs played by the band. They smoked Marajuana in "Adventure Though Innerspace", ran around nude on Tom Sawyer Island, and shouted out bad words in Town Square of Main Street. Regular visitors tried to drown out the bad words by singing "God Bless America". That was enough. Gaurds and Anaheim police forced all of the yippies out. The yippies shouted "Burn the Park! Burn the Park!" they set off fire crackers, set trash cans on fire and ripped flowers out of the flower beds. They had to evacuate the whole park. over 200 yippies were arrested. I read this out of the book "Mouse Tales" pretty interesting book. I reccomend it. The yippie invasion of Disneyland sounded awful!

 

[gcurling]

How about the STOLport (short take-off and landing) near the Magic Kingdom toll booths. It was built when STOLcraft was the "next big thing" in aircraft. These planes could land and takeoff on very short airstrips. Of course, that never amounted to anything, but the airstrip is still there. You can clearly see it from the Epcot monorail.

I've heard someone say that the STOLport was used to bring Walt's plane (the one featured on the backlot tour) to Orlando. But, that plane never could have landed there. In fact, that plane landed on World Drive and was towed into Disney-MGM Studios.

 

[mattravels]

interesting?? *chuckles*

People might frown at this but I look at the yippies as a funny story? Now if I was there at the time I would have been SO MAD and I would have been right along with the people to beat those people up for disturbing the environment all the other people came to expierence, but still, running nude on Tom Sawyer Island, NOW THAT'S A STORY!! HEHE!

As for the plane, I've never noticed this landing place? Can you give me a sort of general area where it's at? Was this runway built as part of the EPCOT Center idea that Walt had or just built?

INTERESTING STUFF!!:sohappy:

 

[MicBat]

Re: interesting?? *chuckles*

Originally posted by mattravels
People might frown at this but I look at the yippies as a funny story? Now if I was there at the time I would have been SO MAD and I would have been right along with the people to beat those people up for disturbing the environment all the other people came to expierence, but still, running nude on Tom Sawyer Island, NOW THAT'S A STORY!! HEHE!

As for the plane, I've never noticed this landing place? Can you give me a sort of general area where it's at? Was this runway built as part of the EPCOT Center idea that Walt had or just built?

INTERESTING STUFF!!:sohappy:

I also find it very funny! It's one of those things that wasn't funny when it was happening, but when you look back at it, it ends up being hilarious!

I also love hearing about the history of WDW. My fascination with the history leads me to want to see what is behind the scenes of places (if this makes any sense?). For instance: Epcot. The look of future world has changed drastically since it's opening in 1982. But did they change the behind the scenes areas when they changed the exterior look?

 

[mattravels]

I would like to know what DORK or DORKS put away Walt's plans for things after he died! EPCOT as Walt invisioned it was A GREAT concept, and, just to mention another thing, the Asia Hotel that was supposed to be built where the GF is was a MAGNIFICENT idea! Who put these idea's away? Nothing is inconcievable with Disney? Well . . . maybe somethings hehe!

 

[Merlin]

I remember seeing a training video that featured one of the WDW executives telling a lot of behind the scenes stories about the resort.

For example, he talked about how all the hotels surrounding MK were originally supposed to represent each of the lands in the park (in fact, Walt originally wanted each of these hotels to be INSIDE the park, but his designers at the time told him it would be a logistical nightmare, so he chose to have them just outside the park instead). The Contemporary was supposed to represent Tomorrowland, Polynesian was supposed to represent Adventureland and Fort Wilderness was supposed to represent Frontierland. I don't know if there were hotels that were supposed to represent Fantasyland or Liberty Square. And evidentally, when they opened Grand Floridian, it was in keeping with that original concept. It is supposed to represent Main Street.

An interesting Disneyland story is the one about the "cat invasion" of Sleeping Beauty Castle. When they first opened the park, the Castle was intended as just a facade. But guests were always asking what sort of attraction it was. So Walt and a couple of his designers decided to scope out the interior of the Castle to see what sort of attraction they could put into it. When they entered, they discovered that hundreds of cats had taken up residence inside. Unfortunately, they were all infested with fleas and the fleas attacked Walt and his designers so they had to quickly get out. The cats were eventually found homes (per Walt's strict order that none of them be harmed) and the Castle was fumigated to get rid of the fleas.

 

[Disneyanna0521]

wow great info everyone

 

[mattravels]

*pondering*

I wonder why they never built any of the hotels INSIDE the parks! The idea would work out GREAT!! They put a hotel inside DCA? RIGHT?


Hmmmm...Cats? Wonder what kind of ride they were cooking up for the castle?!

 

[Main Street USA]

Re: *pondering*

Originally posted by mattravels
I wonder why they never built any of the hotels INSIDE the parks! The idea would work out GREAT!! They put a hotel inside DCA? RIGHT?

Nope! The Grand Californian is located just ouside of the park boundaries. It does, however, have its own seperate gate.

 

[mattravels]

OH! Well that blows that idea!

Still I wonder, any ideas what could have been built in the castle?

Has anyone been on a private tour of one of the parks where you've learned some stuff? If so, DO TELL!! HeHe! :sohappy:

 

[DonickCo]

Re: interesting?? *chuckles*

Originally posted by mattravels
People might frown at this but I look at the yippies as a funny story? Now if I was there at the time I would have been SO MAD and I would have been right along with the people to beat those people up for disturbing the environment all the other people came to expierence, but still, running nude on Tom Sawyer Island, NOW THAT'S A STORY!! HEHE!

As for the plane, I've never noticed this landing place? Can you give me a sort of general area where it's at? Was this runway built as part of the EPCOT Center idea that Walt had or just built?

INTERESTING STUFF!!:sohappy:

check out http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?S=11&T=1&X=1110&Y=7853&Z=17&W=2

 

[swacky78]

If you want to learn a lot about Walt Disney and Disney World, take the keys to the kingdom tour at the Magic Kingdom. It is $45 per person and you must be 16 or older. It is a 6 hour tour all around the MK and you go behind the scenes and to the underground tunnels. It is worth every penny just make reservations at town Hall in MK or call from your room!!!!!

 

[MicBat]

Originally posted by swacky78
If you want to learn a lot about Walt Disney and Disney World, take the keys to the kingdom tour at the Magic Kingdom. It is $45 per person and you must be 16 or older. It is a 6 hour tour all around the MK and you go behind the scenes and to the underground tunnels. It is worth every penny just make reservations at town Hall in MK or call from your room!!!!!

I've wanted to take this tour for quite a while now, but every chance I've had, I was too young at the time. Isn't there an Epcot behind the scenes tour, also?

 

[mattravels]

Does anyone have any pictures of OLD Disney World Pics?

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by mattravels
I would like to know what DORK or DORKS put away Walt's plans for things after he died! EPCOT as Walt invisioned it was A GREAT concept, and, just to mention another thing, the Asia Hotel that was supposed to be built where the GF is was a MAGNIFICENT idea! Who put these idea's away? Nothing is inconcievable with Disney? Well . . . maybe somethings hehe!

Matt in the end it was the bean counters but you have to know something about Walt Disney and the company at the time of his death, in short he was a visionary storyteller and found very creative people to work for him and to translate the ideas into prouduct. his Ideas came without consideration to the cost, that was roys job. Anyway after Walt died projects that were not already in progress were deemed to be to costly to the companys since the money people were uncertin about the company stability after it's heart and soul was gone, Walt couldn't fight for his vision and roy did his best but the money was always a looming factor in a post Walt company. The family ran it untill the take over threat in the early 80s when Eisner was brought in to bring the company back to promence he did more of the same cost cutting on Ideas. AK is evidence of that.

 

[Jonº0º]

"Anyway after Walt died projects that were not already in progress were deemed to be to costly to the companys since the money people were uncertin about the company stability after it's heart and soul was gone, Walt couldn't fight for his vision and roy did his best but the money was always a looming factor in a post Walt company. The family ran it untill the take over threat in the early 80s when Eisner was brought in to bring the company back to promence he did more of the same cost cutting on Ideas."

Roy never had the vision or fortitude for any of Walt's plans. He would fight with Walt over every idea he had, (money). There has not been anyone at Disney since, with the vision and the guts to just do it like Walt.

 

[skipperg]

The best $45 I ever spent at WDW was for the Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase at Epcot.

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven!

Morocco!

 

[pocahontas79]

I have a fact the I thought was kind of neat. One time taking a bus to EPCOT we had Bill the Bus Driver. And for anyone who has had Bill the Bus Driver you know he always tells history stories and has fun facts. He told us that one day somebody wondered how much lint Disney collects in one day with all the laundry they do. So at the end of the day the weighed and it weighed 115lbs. I just thought that was an unbelieviable story.