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By Michael - September 8th, 2009 Those of you who have been around a while might remember the cell phone video that I posted in April of the vaguely terrifying effect that recent negligence has had on the Carousel of Progress. Father dearest seems to wobble drunkenly in his chair, head lolling about, and his artificial skin is riding so far up his neck it seems that he has some painful glandular issue.
Well, I finally got around to digitizing the longer video that I filmed afterward and I’ve uploaded it to the Progress City YouTube page. Behold:
Time for a rehab, ya think?
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By Michael - September 7th, 2009 This trip to the misty moors of Never Never World is less entertaining than most, as it lacks that most important element of any good story about unbuilt attractions – pictures! Unlike many of our other stories, too, this is not a project that Disney had committed to building or negotiations that they initiated themselves. Still, it’s an interesting and poorly known event in EPCOT’s history and certainly caught my eye.
After Walt Disney Productions announced the World Showcase project in 1974, they approached dozens of nations about participating in the new development. Over the years, though, this recruitment proved difficult. The 1970s weren’t a time of economic prosperity for anyone, and it was difficult to convince politicians to part with millions of dollars for theme park attractions when they had to worry about their next election. When the EPCOT Center concept was re-announced in 1978, with a combined Future World and World Showcase, Disney abandoned attempts to recruit governmental participation. Instead, they selected a short list of desirable nations and focused on approaching corporations in those countries who were used to spending money for advertising purposes.
This approach allowed Disney to recoup some of the costs of building the international pavilions, which weren’t able to profit from the deep pockets of American industry like the Future World attractions, and it allowed EPCOT to feature some key nations whose governments hadn’t been willing to participate. Unfortunately, it also limited the scope of the pavilions to what could be supported by willing sponsor companies; this generally meant the elimination of intended ride attractions in favor of shops and restaurants. It also meant that nations without willing companies, like Spain, were left for later; the long-planned Equatoral Africa showcase was abandoned because the only companies Disney could find to sponsor the pavilion were located in apartheid-era South Africa.
After Phase I of World Showcase had been built, later additions were supposed to have been funded by the nations themselves. This can be seen by the Moroccan government funding their national pavilion, but the scheme was obviously abandoned as Norwegian corporations helped support that pavilion’s construction in 1988; no other pavilions have been added to the park since.
We know the most prominent failed attempts to build pavilions afterwards; the 1990s saw talks break down with the Russians and the Swiss, and there was another botched attempt to bring Spain to EPCOT earlier in this decade. These were Disney-initiated talks, as far as I can tell; the only public attempt that I can recall of an outside party trying to solicit participation was also in this decade, when Korean businessmen spoke to the press about trying to interest Disney in a South Korea pavilion.
Then there’s this story, which dates all the way back to 1986. Back then, when Disney was still in the business of adding to World Showcase, there were serious attempts by the Indian government to secure their own place in EPCOT.
INDIA APPROACHES DISNEY ABOUT EPCOT PAVILION
THE ORLANDO SENTINEL – Thursday, December 18, 1986
By John Hill of The Sentinel Staff
Representatives of Walt Disney World and the government of India will meet Friday to discuss the possibility of that country opening a pavilion at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center, both groups said Wednesday.
But the spokesmen cautioned that the discussions are preliminary and that no agreement is likely soon.
”We have been working at it for quite some time,” said Vijay Kumar, political officer at the Indian Embassy in Washington. ”We have been in touch with Epcot , but it is still in the very basic stages.”
P.K. Kaul, India ‘s ambassador to the United States, will meet with Disney officials Friday, Kumar said. Kaul could not be reached for comment.
Kumar said the Indian government has no specific plans for a pavilion but wants to find out what Disney would require if one were built.
Bob Mervine, a Disney spokesman, said the company gets inquiries from foreign governments and developers ”regularly” about building new pavilions in Epcot ‘s World Showcase. While the company is satisfied with the 10 pavilions it has now, he said, there is room for seven or eight more.
”At this point we are basically reacting to queries that are coming to us,” Mervine said.
Any addition would have to complement the existing pavilions in the Epcot complex, Mervine said. It would have to be an entertaining exhibit in itself, he said, and would have to provide its own financing.
The 10 existing pavilions at the Epcot complex represent Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Morocco, the United States, Germany, Italy, China and Mexico. An eleventh pavilion, for Norway, is under construction.
Mervine said Disney has heard suggestions for pavilions featuring Africa, Spain, Israel and Soviet Union but has no plans now to build any of those.
As I mentioned, Disney would later take second looks at adding both Spain and Russia to their roster; India, though, hasn’t been mentioned publicly since. I’m sure that the original plans for EPCOT in the early 1970s involved some discussion with India, and it’s possible that some design work was done at that time, but aside from this article the participation of India really wasn’t mentioned after the final official pavilion lineup was announced in 1978. Personally, I think this is a shame. India is a nation rich with history, art, architecture and folklore. And really quite wonderful food. There would be a wealth of material from with to draw; more than a single pavilion could hold. While India now gets some slight representation in the Animal Kingdom, that has more to do with architecture and animals than with the culture itself.
India is one of the world’s largest nations, and has become a burgeoning economic engine in recent years; it’s a market, in fact, that Disney has doggedly attempted to penetrate. Perhaps, in all these megamillion-dollar deals for film distribution, merchandising and television outlets, a case could be made for a pavilion at EPCOT?
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By Michael - September 2nd, 2009  Brochure for Pioneer Hall, 1974 Since we’ve been hanging out at Fort Wilderness so much lately, it’s only right that I post this flier from 1974. Pioneer Hall had just opened as a dining venue for campground guests; as the flier mentions, it had breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets as well as a snack bar. Most importantly, though, it had the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue that debuted that same year.
Note that in this flier, the new show was still known as the “Pioneer Hall Show”. Also note – brace yourselves – that the price for an adult ticket was $11. $11! Holy smokes. I blame stagflation. And malaise.
D23 has an interesting article on the origins of the show; who knew so many Pioneer Hall vets went on to positions of prominence in the Disney company?
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By Michael - September 2nd, 2009  Euro Disneyland Paris, 1994 This isn’t an official park map; it’s from a booklet that Disney distributed at Walt Disney World to promote the Euro Disney Resort to American guests. It shows the park as it was in 1994, which is remarkably similar to how it is today. There were still some small attractions to be added as park of the capacity expansion program that occurred during the 1990s, but a lot of the major attractions intended for future expansions have yet to appear. One major missing element is Space Mountain, which would be added the next year and which would be credited with pulling the resort out of its financial doldrums.
I was actually saving this image at first for a story I was planning about how the poor Tomorrowlands have always received short shrift in every new Disney park since Disneyland’s 1955 opening. In any early map of any Disney park, Tomorrowland just looks so sad and pathetic. Look!
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By Michael - September 1st, 2009
Guests staying at the Walt Disney World resorts in 1987 might have found this flier waiting in their room. It touts one of the benefits of staying on-property – reserved dining at the resort’s exclusive restaurants!
I love the sense of classiness the flier’s graphics imply. The tuxedoed waiter serves wine over candlelight; the silhouetted man wears a suit while his ladyfriend, 80s perm and all, no doubt sports impressive shoulderpads. A far cry from sweaty tourists in unflattering t-shirts, trying to corral their loads of screaming children.
The flip side of the flier, listing all the full service restaurants on property, seems astounding these days. So few restaurants! Of course, having only four resort properties at the time certainly cut down on the options. What few restaurants are listed have changed mightily since then. Note how the restaurants’ old names try to evoke an air of the exotic; at the Contemporary there was the southwest-inspired Pueblo Room and Gulf Coast Room instead of the poseur-moderne “The Wave” or the blandly literal “Concourse Steakhouse.”
Then, of course, was the Empress Lilly, whose stately elegance presided over the then-calm waters by the Walt Disney World Village.
Below are the descriptions of these now-closed resort restaurants from the 1988 Birnbaum guide to Walt Disney World.
Contemporary Resort
Gulf Coast Room – One of the most elegant of Walt Disney World’s continental restaurants, with a subdued, relaxed atmosphere that seems worlds away from the bustling Grand Canyon Concourse and the congestion of the elevator lobbies. Roast lab chops Orloff, beef meunière, seafood brochette, and veal piccata are specialties of the house. There are delicious flambéed coffees for après. Carlos, the strolling guitarist, plays just about any song a guest may request. Children who don’t delight in the leisurely pace of the service can be dispatched to the Fiesta Fun Center Snack Bar. Jackets are required. Reservations are suggested; phone 824-3684. (The Gulf Coast Room closed in 1988 to make way for added convention space)
Pueblo Room – On the Grand Canyon Concourse, the spot is quieter than other Grand Canyon Concourse eating spots. The menu features Italian dishes including lasagna, pizza, chicken Torino, special Italian coffees, and homemade desserts. There’s a special children’s menu. Reservations accepted but not required. (The space formerly occupied by the Pueblo Room is now part of Chef Mickey’s)
Polynesian Village Resort
Papeete Bay Verandah – Serves Minnie’s Menehune character buffet breakfasts every morning, sit-down dinners daily, lunch Mondays through Saturdays, and brunch on Sundays. The breakfast buffet features all sorts of fresh fruit, French toast, eggs, and grits. The hot-and-cold lunch buffet is a favorite; one highlight is the coconut-spiked rice pudding for dessert. The prime ribs and red snapper are the best choices for dinner, but more adventurous diners may be tempted by some of the Polynesian-style offerings. Among the appetizers are scallops marinated in coconut milk with a touch of horseradish and sour cream; shrimp, kingfish, spinach, and cabbage steamed in ti leaves; and thin salted salmon fillets seasoned with lemon, scallions, and tomatoes. Main courses include Pua’a (sauteed pork tenderloin and oriental vegetables served in a pepper half over saffron rice) and chicken pago-pago (a marinated chicken breast glazed with a honeyed sesame sauce and served in a pineapple half). For dessert, the menu offers poached pear marinated in apricot brandy and served with a strawberry cream sauce, and the macadamia nut pie with passion fruit ice cream. The room itself is large and open and offers fine views across the Seven Seas Lagoon all the way to Cinderella’s Castle. After dark, Polynesian dancers and a small combo entertain quietly. Reservations are requested for dinner and Minnie’s Menehune breakfast; phone 824-1391. (The Papeete Bay Verandah became ‘Ohana in 1995)
Tangaroa Terrace – This sprawling establishment, on the eastern edge of the property near the Oahu longhouse, serves that delicious banana-stuffed French toast made with sourdough bread (eggs and other more usual breakfast selections also are available), plus dinners of prime ribs, steak, and fresh seafood, including blackened grouper. (Tangaroa Terrace closed in 1996 and has sat empty ever since)
Walt Disney World Village
Empress Lilly
Empress Room – The most amazing thing about this restaurant (located amidships on the Promenade Deck) is not its food (though the menu is one of WDW’s most ambitious), but the combination of service and atmosphere. The Louis XV decor includes painted-wood paneling, damask wallpaper, a shallow-domed ceiling with an Italian brass chandelier glittering with crystal droplets, and, between the tables-for-four along the wall, dividers fitted out with paneling and etched glass. Parts of the elaborate moldings are covered with real gold leaf (worth $8,000 when the Empress was constructed in 1977).
The culinary offerings include hot and curried spinach and oyster soup or chilled avocado soup, Bibb lettuce and fresh mushroom salads, country pâté, smoked duck with creamed horseradish, crabmeat sautéed in butter with brandy, Dover sole stuffed with salmon mousse and mushrooms and doused with a vermouth sauce, stuffed breast of pheasant, venison, and more. The quality of the food preparation can be erratic, but this is among the most elegant eating places in the World. The restaurant seats guests from 6 P.M. to 9:30 P.M., and a 20 percent surcharge is added to each check for service. Not all the fish here is fresh; if this matters to you, be sure to get a status report before ordering. Jackets are required for men, and reservations are a must; they are available up to 30 days in advance (828-3900).
Fisherman’s Deck – This seafood spot on the forward Promenade Deck has a huge curved expanse of window – 180 degrees’ worth – and in the afternoon, the sunlight that washes the pale cream-colored tongue-in-groove paneled walls and the blue tufted Victorian side chairs is as remarkable as the food. At lunch, the chefs offer shrimp with pasta; crab meat, and avocado salads; fresh fruit salads; sandwiches made with grilled crabmeat, cheddar, tomato, and bacon; and fresh seafood daily. At dinner, shrimp cocktail, oysters raw or fried, snapper, prawns en brochette, and Maine lobster (seasonal) are the specialties; the Empress Delight includes a bit of everything – pompano, oysters and bacon en brochette, and crabmeat-stuffed lobster. At both lunch and dinner, there are also limited offerings for meat eaters. No reservations are accepted; give your name to the hostess and then wait over drinks in the always-lively Baton Rouge Lounge, on the forward main deck.
Steerman’s Quarters – This ornate main deck salon, full of heavy red upholstery and turned mahogany spindles and paneling, is named for the steering gear that would have occupied this area in one of the original stern-wheelers. Meat is the big deal – ground steak in puff pastry, strip steak, beef tenderloin – though oysters on the half shell and shrimp cocktail are available, along with fresh seafood and specialty crepes stuffed with seafood in white-wine sauce. At dinner, you can order prime ribs, buffalo steak, or half-a-dozen grilled meats. While you’re waiting for your food, you can sit by a big glass window that seems only inches away from the paddle wheel’s gleaming white arms and watch it turn. No reservations are accepted; give your name to the hostess and wait in the Baton Rouge Lounge. (The three Empress Lilly restaurants were all closed in 1995 to make way for the garish Fulton’s Crab House)
Lake Buena Vista Club – This former country club-like establishment is now a family-oriented restaurant complete with a new menu and new decor. Prime ribs, chicken, New York strip steaks, and filet mignon are offered. A children’s menu features 6-ounce prime ribs, fried fish, hamburgers, and grilled cheese. The dessert specialty is a layered Italian ice cream loaf. A new lighter cream-colored decor complements the natural wood tones. Ceiling fans and fern-filled planters add to the Southern feeling of the dining room. The dress is now casual and men no longer need to wear jackets. Reservations suggested; phone 828-3735. (The Club, which has just changed its name from the Pompano Grill, was closed in 1994 to make way for the ill-fated Disney Institute)
Village Restaurant – This unassuming dining room is one of the most pleasant restaurants in Walt Disney World – and there’s no waiting since reservations are accepted (828-3723). there are fine views of Buena Vista Lagoon, and the sunshine that streams through the windows keeps a whole garden’s worth of house plants robust and green all year. Fresh fish is usually available here. The restaurant serves “bruncheon” from 9:30 A.M. to 3 P.M. and dinner from 5 P.M. to 10 P.M. The menu features shellfish salads, eggs Benedict, quiche, and an interesting omelet stuffed with crab and artichoke hearts, as well as a selection of terrific sandwiches and homemade soups. Adjoining the Village Restaurant is the living-room like Village Lounge. Fitted out with comfortable low sofas and club chairs, it features pop musicians. A great spot for after-dinner drinks. Valet parking is available. (The Village Restaurant became Chef Mickey’s in 1990, and when that restaurant moved to the Contemporary in 1996 the building was buried under a giant volcano and turned into the Rainforest Cafe)
The Disney Inn
The Garden Gallery – The former Trophy Room as been completely renovated and redecorated and now offers an open, airy atmosphere with skylights and plants. This is the resort’s only full-service restaurant, and it ranks among the most pleasant spots in the World for a meal. Many Disney executives come here for lunch. The restaurant offers a pleasant away-from-it-all feel. At breakfast there is an immense all-you-can-eat buffet or you can opt for a continental breakfast. Lunch features tasty entrées and a fresh and varied salad bar. At dinner, fresh seafood prepared in a variety of light sauces is the specialty. There are also beef, veal, and fowl selections daily. French-fried ice cream, served on a peach half with vanilla sauce, is offered both at lunch (on the à la carte menu) and at dinner; it’s truly scrumptious. A delicious old-fashioned strawberry shortcake is also worth a taste. (The Garden Gallery remains open but off-limits to civilians after the United States military began their lease of the Disney Inn (renamed Shades of Green) in 1993. UPDATE: According to Aaron in the comments below, I was wrong about this. Looks like we can all still eat at the Gallery!)
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