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The Spaceship Earth Story

Part and parcel of Disney’s pride in its new theme park, Epcot Center, was the seemingly endless amount of documentation the park received when it opened in 1982. Not only did Disney want to promote its new and exciting offering, but each attraction had a major sponsor; these were the companies who had paid for […]

Chronicling Walt Disney World

I think one reason fans of a certain age bristle at the overly-heavy “dreams” and “wishes” slant of modern Disney marketing is that we grew up in a much different age. In the 1980s and before, Disney certainly promoted its “magical” aspects, but it also focused heavily on the real-world wonders behind its films and […]

Polynesian Princess, They Call Me

Some time ago, we wrote about a rather amazing phenomenon from Walt Disney World’s past: the tearoom fashion modeling trend found at Lake Buena Vista in the 1970s. But even before the Lake Buena Vista Village was constructed, these swanky luncheons were taking place at the Polynesian Village Resort.

In August of 1972, The Eyes […]

The Seas With Tony And Friends

In the frantic rush to open Walt Disney World in October 1971, a variety of “t”s and “i”s were left uncrossed and undotted. These ranged from a nearly empty Tomorrowland to unfinished resort hotels, not to mention a roster of incomplete attractions which were rolled out over subsequent months and years.

This second wave of […]

Riding The Rails

Engine 275, a Baldwin 4-6-0, en route from the Yucatan to Tampa, where it was refit and restored to become the Walt Disney World Railroad’s “Roger E. Broggie”

When Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was being designed, Imagineers had to seek out steam locomotives to power the park’s new Railroad. In early 1969, […]