 Two snaps and a sarape I’m not sure when this seriously awesome coaster dates to, but it has to be pretty close to 1982. Not only does it use the original Mexico pavilion logotype, but it uses the fairly rare World Showcase typeface as well. Also, I love Donald’s jaunty snaps. Related Posts...Just a heads-up that the folks at WEDway Radio were kind enough to ask me to guest-host an episode last week discussing Tokyo Disneyland. It was, as always, a great time, and even though neither of us have actually been to the park we’re talking about, hopefully it’s somewhat informative! The episode in question is Episode 77; you can listen on the WEDway Radio site or download (and subscribe!) on iTunes. I recommend checking out their other podcasts, which are typically excellent even when I’m not involved (some would say especially when I’m not involved). So for those who can’t get enough of me talking and talking and talking – check it out! Related Posts... I want to go to there. For those who wonder why so many of us who were there at the time are completely obsessed with the EPCOT Center of the 1980s, how about this – a simple souvenir button, which probably cost 50 cents or less at the time, with absolutely spectacular art. The artwork combines elements from conceptual art for Spaceship Earth, Horizons, The Living Seas, and Journey into Imagination, and really does get across the vibe that the park had in those early days. I’m not sure if there’s any park-specific merchandise on sale in Epcot these days, but I can imagine that any similar button they’d be selling today would have Mickey and Minnie floating around in spacesuits, with maybe Pluto in a fishbowl helmet and Donald yelling angrily at some alien in the background. Thus, our collective nostalgia, for an era with big, big ideas… even on a simple button. Related Posts...Today’s story on Progress City is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This, as you may recognize, is the Contemporary Resort Hotel – or is it? And if so, from when? And why?  "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my hotel, ye mighty, and despair!" For many years now, I’ve been trying to dig for information on this peculiar rendering by architect George Rester, an individual who did much design work for Walt’s original EPCOT city and the Walt Disney World resort. Sadly, the date has been cut off in my copy of the artwork, but the piece seems to depict an early concept for the Contemporary Resort Hotel – a concept that looks to be far more fanciful in its futurism. I’m especially intrigued by the colossal statue sitting outside the hotel’s entrance, reminiscent as it is of the seated statues of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. Who would have the statue been based on? Colossal Walt? Abe Lincoln? President GARCO? Who knows. It’s interesting that this early concept – again, assuming it’s the Contemporary; it couldn’t be an idea for EPCOT city, could it? – actually looks far more “futuristic” today than the hotel’s final design. The swooping lines of the balconies, the mixture of curved and angular lines, and the various layers of recessed surfaces much more resemble Disney’s current take on futurism than the straight, mid-century lines of the actual Contemporary. In addition, the glassy, curvilinear outbuildings remind me of features of the early renderings for the Journey into Imagination pavilion. One strike against this design, though – there’s no monorail! It’d be interesting to see how this design fit into the evolution of the Contemporary. Unlike its counterpart the Polynesian, we’ve really only ever seen artwork for the Contemporary that shows it as it was eventually realized. It had to come from somewhere, right? Hopefully some day we’ll see more renderings released that will show just how early Walt Disney World development progressed. And, strangely, if Disney ever wanted to build another futuristic hotel somewhere, they could look back more than forty years to Rester’s early designs. Related Posts... |
 From the Progress City archives comes this collection of 33 tall tales and true from Disney history. Available in paperback, hardback, and ebook formats.  |
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