The fabulous 'Tony Baxter Tour of Disneyland' - a venture

[Figments Friend]

-

In a typical story-telling twist of fate, what was one of the first things i planned to do on this venture ended up being one of the last things i did while in town....

Seeking out and admiring the fabulous model of 'Tony's Mountain' over at the Disneyland Hotel -




I was blown away.
Just did not expect this to be so huge, and so detailed.
My mouth was hanging open between camera snaps....


I want one of these in my living room...someday !





Beautifully done...and although a recreation, it is absolutely stunning to behold.
Difficult to photograph however...at least i found it to be due to the reflections being cast on the plexiglass container protecting the model.




Yet another excellent example of how 'the more your look, the more you see'....
Just LOOK at everything present in just this scene ( sorry for the slight blur...).







I spent about 25 minutes looking this over and loving all the details.
Even shed tears while looking at it...yeah, it was that big of a deal to me.

Like i said, this was a emotional experience as a whole...and the model here was just icing on the cake.






Wow...






Just a great way to wind down a amazing four days....






A photo of the engraved description of the model is shown below.
Seeing this again makes me wonder where the true original concept model is...still at WDI, or was it lost?
Tony has some pieces of a BTMR model on display at his home..but i believe those are also recreations.
Hmm..i wonder....





Related, but not directly with the Tour....
A t-shirt i recently painted earlier this week in honor of one of my fave attractions.
Hand drawn on fabric, then hand painted.
The inspirational sketch is shown to the right.




I will save this to wear for my next visit to Baxterland which i am already planning for..!

More to come related to this venture...

 

[Figments Friend]

-

So what is a visit to 'Baxterland' without picking out a few perfectly themed souvenirs ...?
That was what i did while hanging around waiting for my flight back to the Eastside.

I came across this neat set of items quite by accident...strolling through 'World Of Disney' after talking to some CMs in the art department about their experiences with meeting Mr. Baxter.
This was knocked off a shelf on the floor...right at my feet.

Accident, or meant to be...you decide.
Perfectly themed mementos, indeed !



Tony Baxter Attraction ride vehicles - the affordably priced collectors set..!




Five piece set of die-cast metal toy vehicles...with a decent amount of detailing and paintwork.
$20.



Close up of the enclosed BTMR train....i want an entire playset of 'Tony's Mountain'...!




Why has this not been created yet?
We have monorail playsets...we have playsets of the Castle and Spaceship Earth...
WHERE is the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Playset?
You would think a train themed playset would be the perfect toy to market to Disney fans and kids in general, as both love train sets.
Someday i hope it happens, so i can have fun moving the trains around the track and have this awesome sculpture of the iconic mountain in glorious plastic on my tabletop.

I shall continue to wait patiently....


'Tony's Temple of Wonders' Transport and 'Tony's River Run' Log ...though not entirely accurate for DL's original version of the ride...







The Astro Orbiter rocket ship and Matterhorn Bobsled fit the theme too....considering the backstories i covered earlier on.

These are just too cool.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I'm really loving this thread. I'm a little ashamed to say I didn't know all of what Tony Baxter accomplised but all I can say is Wow! Sign me up for the Tony Baxter fan club!

 

[Figments Friend]

-

Well hi there ajrwdwgirl...! Thanks for your comments and i am glad to hear you are enjoying the 'Tour' !

Tony is quite a guy....his touch is all over Disneyland.
It is quite impressive a list of accomplishments he has done over the years at just that Park alone...not even counting all he has done elsewhere.

I just recently learned about something else he had a (literal) hand in doing in Fantasyland....will have to look for it next time i am in town.
The 'crooked' exit sign inside Pinocchio's Village Haus.

I recently heard him tell the story of how when this beautifully themed counter-service restaurant was nearing completion it was discovered that one of the exit signs over a pair of double doors was not centered correctly by the construction team.
It looked rather odd, and there was no way they could just pull it off the wall and move it as all the internal wiring had already been completed.
It would have been a mess to 'fix' it....so Tony came up with a alternative idea.
He climbed up on a ladder with famous Imagineer "X" Atencio, pencils in hand, and they drew a image of Figaro the little kitten pulling a rope 'attached' to the exit sign.
The finished, painted graphic made it appear as if Figaro was pulling the sign to the center of the wall..where it belonged !

Here is a photo i found -


I had seen photos of this elsewhere online pre-visit...but never knew this great story associated with it.

That is something else about Tony Baxter that is just awesome - the stories that man can tell you !
The insight you gain from just listening to what he has to say is priceless.

 

[IndianaJones]

-

Well hi there ajrwdwgirl...! Thanks for your comments and i am glad to hear you are enjoying the 'Tour' !

Tony is quite a guy....his touch is all over Disneyland.
It is quite impressive a list of accomplishments he has done over the years at just that Park alone...not even counting all he has done elsewhere.

I just recently learned about something else he had a (literal) hand in doing in Fantasyland....will have to look for it next time i am in town.
The 'crooked' exit sign inside Pinocchio's Village Haus.

I recently heard him tell the story of how when this beautifully themed counter-service restaurant was nearing completion it was discovered that one of the exit signs over a pair of double doors was not centered correctly by the construction team.
It looked rather odd, and there was no way they could just pull it off the wall and move it as all the internal wiring had already been completed.
It would have been a mess to 'fix' it....so Tony came up with a alternative idea.
He climbed up on a ladder with famous Imagineer "X" Atencio, pencils in hand, and they drew a image of Figaro the little kitten pulling a rope 'attached' to the exit sign.
The finished, painted graphic made it appear as if Figaro was pulling the sign to the center of the wall..where it belonged !

Here is a photo i found -


I had seen photos of this elsewhere online pre-visit...but never knew this great story associated with it.

That is something else about Tony Baxter that is just awesome - the stories that man can tell you !
The insight you gain from just listening to what he has to say is priceless.

Awesome exit sign story. I didn't know that.

Really have enjoyed reading this thread @Figments Friend. Not sure if that trip I wanted to take next year is happening so trip reports like this are fun reads.

 

[James122]

That model of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad looks really cool. I didn't even know that was there in the Disneyland Hotel. I'll have to check it out next time I'm there.

 

[Figments Friend]

Thanks guys...glad you are enjoying the insights.
I was hoping this would be entertaining for people.

Yes, that model of *Tony*s Mountain* is absolutely spectacular. It was placed in the lobby of the *Frontierland* tower earlier this year when the real attraction went down for the track replacement work. I am guessing it will remain there on display until the actual attraction reopens in the Park.
There are also a few other models related to the Jungle Cruise over at the *Adventureland* tower...be sure to check them out too!

I had heard about the BTMR model on this very website...in this very Forum section...and made it a point to go over and see it next time i visited.
I am so glad i did...really blew me away being able to look it over closely.

Dr. Jones, i am sorry to hear your trip now might not be happening.
Time has a way of changing things, so keep a stiff upper lip...you may find things clear and in the end you will end up being able to visit after all !
You HAVE to go....if for nothing else, just to experience the new Mara effects.
Totally worth the airfare just to see that....

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Yes, that model of *Tony*s Mountain* is absolutely spectacular. It was placed in the lobby of the *Frontierland* tower earlier this year when the real attraction went down for the track replacement work. I am guessing it will remain there on display until the actual attraction reopens in the Park.

I could be wrong, but I thought the model was placed in the lobby upon the completion of the lobby refurbishment, and was intended to be a permanent fixture.

 

[Figments Friend]

I could be wrong, but I thought the model was placed in the lobby upon the completion of the lobby refurbishment, and was intended to be a permanent fixture.

If that is the case, then this is indeed wonderful news!
It SHOULD be there all the time...the model is a spectacular display piece.

I was told it was temporary, but maybe that has changed. I hope so....as it fits in well there in the large lobby and is a attraction all it's own.

 

[Figments Friend]

-

More souvenirs from the Baxterland Tour....

Some appropriately themed Trading Pins collected during the venture...



The top two for obvious reasons....the bottom two perhaps not so obvious.
Both pertain to interests related to Mr. Baxter.

'Steampunk' Mickey conveys his interest in that industrial design style that has held appeal from way back. Several projects he was involved in featured design elements that harken back to this futuristic yet Victorian-ish design style.

The DL 'ticket book' pin pertains to his avid enjoyment collecting ticket books from the past.
As noted earlier in this thread, until recently Tony had loaned some of his ticket book collection to the Park to display in the Opera House.
I wish they were still there!

I love the Mickey head in this design....when i first spotted this one on a rack i immediately thought of three things : Tony Baxter, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and Dreamfinder's Dream Machine.

The 'ticket book' pin was also a delight to find...and prompted a great conversation with a CM who collects ticket books herself and wanted to get this same pin upon seeing it.



I will confess... i am a 'pin freak'.
Ever since the Pin Trading thing began in 1999 i have bought several pins that relate to visits over the years.
Most visits i come home with a full lanyard of pins directly related to that particular visit's adventures.

This visit brought home these gems, plus a few more i will share later...

 

[Figments Friend]

-

The official 'Tony Baxter Tour of Disneyland' pin lanyard...deluxe edition!






Favorites are most certainly the Splash Mountain pin and the 'stained glass' BTMR hinged pin...although i do dig that 'steampunk' Mickey quite a bit.

The 'Splash' pin is flocked with velvet areas where the 'grass' on the mountain is, and Brer Rabbit is on a spring to create a really neat dimensional scene.

The 'stained glass' BTMR pin is a DL Cast Exclusive from a few years back.
When you open the hinged transparent 'glass' , inside is a scene of our favorite mine train racing around that famous landmark of Frontierland.

The other reason i like this pin is it reminds me of the charming stained glass window Tony has at the top of the stairs in his home.
When i came across this particular pin i was immediately reminded of it.

Here is a small photo from a magazine article showing the window -

 

[Figments Friend]

-

Model ride vehicles and themed pins make swell souvenirs,
but i think the best memento from this venture is surely this on-ride photo from 'Tony's River Run' -


Yes, here it it folks.....the pic you have been waiting for..!









The full image...






35 minutes of riding non-stop to get the perfect shot..four rides total, little to no waiting ( i love being a Single Rider..).


Not only a fun photo to keep, but the experience of making it and the wonderful discussion with the CM who was at the photo pick up counter afterwards makes this the #1 keepsake of the visit.

 

[TuffyCatt]

What a fantastic picture!

I've really, really loved reading your trip report! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

 

[Californian Elitist]

That photo is hilarious.

 

[Figments Friend]

-

I hope Tony does not get all embarrassed about this....

( blushes )

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Boy, you know... if you do this again, but put a little thought and planning into it the next time, you might have something here.

Seriously though: great job!

 

[Figments Friend]

-
Thanks CC....yeah, i invested some time into planning the on-ride photo.
So many factors to consider -

Learning where to look so you are looking directly into the camera.
This took some research pre-visit...but it paid off quite nicely.

Preparing Tony*s photo to not only be somewhat waterproof, but stiff enough so it would not bend in the stiff breeze caused by the sudden fast plunge. I had to cut up a PhotoPass cardstock folder on site and insert it into the plastic sleeve after the first try as the speed of the drop would make the photo flex backwards.

How to hold the laminated photo so that the flash from said camera, or even the sun, would not reflect off of the plastic sleeve protecting it from the watery splashdown.
Another challenge was knowing how high to hold it up or to what side so that the *Splash Mountain* overlayed text that is superimposed over the on-ride shot does not cover *Tony* up.
This took a couple of rides alone to figure out..!

Having the right combo of riders dispatched with you that did not *ruin* the shot...as in, did not put their hands up or lose hats during the crucial camera-click moment.
This is why i rode a total of five times during the visit...as each time someone lost their hat or raised their hands blocking *Tony* or me during the moment the shot was taken.
The final try (shown) worked out perfectly as the family i rode with were hanging on for dear life.

Time of day and being aware of the position of the sun in regards to it*s angle shining on the drop area to avoid looking like i am squinting in the pic...or again, to avoid reflections off of the laminated photo.

Not to mention just getting over the fear of the final drop to begin with....now i am CURED thanks to this experience alone!
I have nothing to be intimidated about now...because from this point on, every time i ride *Tony*s River Run* i will be thinking about this positive experience and grinning from ear to ear.

I have indeed finally found my *Laughin Place*...

 

[Figments Friend]

-

Well folks, i sure hope everyone has enjoyed the Fabulous Tony Baxter Tour of Disneyland.
This is not the 'end'...but just closure to this chapter of the venture.

It was a awesome, intimate, insightful, uplifting, and inspirational experience.





I hope this thread provided some entertainment, and maybe some insights of it's own.
May it inspire others to make the journey and see the Park through a certain Imagineer's eyes.
It is so worth the effort...and the delights to be had when you take the time to slow down and enjoy what is right before you bring it to a whole new level.
So thank you again Mr. Baxter for letting me see the property from a unique perspective.

Feel free to continue to make suggestions, or share stories about Baxter-related attractions/projects related to DL in this thread.
I already have two new things to add to the list for NEXT time...hopefully in May.



Thank you for reading....and here's looking forward to the next chapter !

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

It was a great thread! Interesting and unique!

 

[Figments Friend]

-
Thank you...i am happy to hear you enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed putting it together.