WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Back in 2003, Disney decided that the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay needed a bit of a boost. So out go the little monkeys banging cymbals and in come Oogie Boogie. The bag of worms was hidden throughout the attraction. While you were in the really long line you were given this map and a new game to play. Follow the clues and you will see all sorts of surprises are in-store for you inside and outside of the attraction.

The SamLand Twitter Feed for Updates

If you would like to get an update when I post an article I recommend joining my Twitter feed. I am not one to post everytime I take a drink of water or do anything else. In fact, I tend to go way off line when visiting the parks. Check it out:

www.twitter.com/samlanddisney

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Pet Cemetery

Once upon a time, just outside the gate to the right of the Haunted Mansion's entrance was a pet cemetery. It was hidden from public view and created in the early 80s by Imagineer Kim Irvine. Kim has a spiritual connection to the Haunted Mansion as her mother is Leota Tooms - Madame Leota as well as little Leota inside of the attraction.

The idea was such a hit with the Imagineers that they moved them to the public queue in 1993. The cemetery has been expanded over the years. Let's take a closer look.

Memorial wall.

Here lies Long Legged Jeb

Got tangled up in his very own web.

In memory of my rat

Whom I loved

Now he resides in the realms up above

Beloved Lilac

Long on curiosity...short on common scents

1847

Roddy

Our friend until the end.

FiFi

Old Fly Bait

He croaked

August 9, 1869

Rosie

She was a poor little Pig but she bought the Farm

1849

This little bunny has a nice view.

The Mansion's favorite feline and her little...friends?

During the Holidays, Oogie Boogie pays a visit to the Pet Cemetery.

In 2009,Disney hired the artist SHAG to celebrate the attraction's 40th anniversary. As you can see, SHAG was also inspired by our poor departed friends.

Review: The Haunted Mansion compact disc

For Disney theme park fans, those words conjure up many memories. Since 1969, Paul Frees, as the Ghost Host, has welcomed us into this extraordinary attraction.Now you can bring some of that magic home. Disney has released 2 wonderful CDs;The Haunted Mansion and The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion. I purchased both discs at the D23 Expo.

Like many of you, I am a big collector of Disney theme park audio tracks. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, a CD was released, which was meant to be the definitive word on the attraction. The limited-edition anniversary disc went out of print but another version carrying the same material has been in the stores for years. This disc contains some wonderful stuff such as outtakes, alternative versions from around the world (Vincent Price does the soundtrack for an unused version of the Euro Disneyland version of Phantom Manor!), and a complete ride through.

So I bought The Haunted Mansion with the expectation I was going to get one great thing - an updated ride through with the Constance the Black Widow attic storyline and a bunch of filler I already owned. I am happy to report that this disc not only exceeded my expectations but is a must buy for anybody who is a fan of the attraction.

Of course there is the complete ride through. Also included is an extended version of the Porter Music Box rendition of Grim Grinning Ghosts that you hear at Disneyland's Fastpass during Haunted Mansion Holiday. The iconic song is repeated a variety of ways including an organ concerto (10 minutes long - perfect for your front door at Halloween), the groovy graveyard scene version, other snippets from the attraction, and the surprise highlight, the Phantom Manor Suite. This was the soundtrack that was underneath the Vincent Price version on the 30th anniversary. It is just beautiful. It takes Buddy Baker's brilliant theme music (not to forget the most memorable lyrics by X. Atencio) and turns it into something of pure grander.

The packaging also contains a 12-page booklet highlighting the many Imagineers who have contributed to the Haunted Mansion attraction concept - built and unbuilt.

A terrific disc and a must have for your collection.

Oh one more thing. A reader of the blog, Keith LuBrant has taken the Grim Grinning Ghost theme and has added his own twist. A huge fan of the attraction, he has offered a free download of his version and I think you will like what you hear. Please visit his site at http://www.lubrant.com/ggg.

Review: The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion

Welcome foolish mortals…

For Disney theme park fans, those words conjure up many memories. Since 1969, Paul Frees, as the Ghost Host, has welcomed us into this extraordinary attraction. Now you can bring some of that magic home. Disney has released 2 wonderful CDs; The Haunted Mansion and The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion. I purchased both discs at the D23 Expo.

For those of us at a certain age, The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion will be step back into a time machine. The original recording was released in 1969 along with the attraction’s opening at Disneyland. You get a 24-minute walk through the Haunted Mansion with Robie Lester and a very young Ron Howard. The story follows roughly the scenes within the attraction but goes places where the attraction couldn’t even imagine.

It certainly sounds like a product of its time and I feel this is a major part of its charm. The story is timeless, just like the attraction. For those in the know, the idea of Ron Howard will evoke immediate images of a young Ritchie Cunningham and to younger children it is a rather mild little Halloween treat. The sound effects sounded out of this world back in the day and will make you chuckle today.

The disc contains only one more track, the official Disneyland Park version of the Grim Grinning Ghosts. Anybody with a souvenir disc from the past few years will already have this track. The packaging is first class with a reproduction of the original storybook. The book features an 11-page booklet with color drawings from Collin Campbell that became the inspiration for the Haunted Mansion we all know. It even includes a rendering of the infamous Hatbox Ghost.

Oh but there is more. Plug the CD into your computer and you get a digital image gallery filled with more (printable) Collin Campbell drawings.

I highly recommend this disc.

Walt Disney Family Museum December Events

With the blustery weather in LA right now, the idea of holiday programs does not seem so strange. It looks like a wonderful time to visit the museum. For Disney geeks I suspect the lecture on December 5th with Blaine Gibson (Sculptor of virtually everything cool), Rolly Crump (its a small world facade, Tiki Room tikis, Museum of the weird, amazing), and Richard Sherman (do I really have to tell you who Richard Sherman is?).

www.waltdisney.org

www.facebook.com/thewaltdisneyfamilymuseum

www.twitter.com/wdfmuseum

The Walt Disney Family Museum

Events Calendar

CONCERTS

December 12th - String Circle Quartet

4:00pm, Special Exhibition Hall, 122 Riley Avenue

tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org

Concerts in our Special Exhibition Hall continue to shine light on composers of Fantasia with Schubert’sString Quartet in G. Henry Purcell’s delightful Suite from The Faery Queen—a bit of musical fantasy—is also performed. Joseph Edelberg, Anthony Martin, and Kati Kyme, violins, and Thalia Moore, cello.

December 19th and 20^th - Artists’ Vocal Ensemble Concert: A Candlelight Christmas

4:00pm, Special Exhibition Hall, 122 Riley Avenue

tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org

Nothing is more magical than a choir performing classic Christmas songs and carols. Our candlelight program will include European Renaissance motets and carols, contemporary American carols and anthems, and an audience sing-along led by Jonathan Dimmock.

FILM

Film of the Month: Christmas with Walt Disney

Christmas with Walt Disney runs until January 4

12:30pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm, Theater

(except Tuesdays, December 25, January 1, and December 5^th at 12:30pm and 3:30pm)

tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org

This special holiday screening includes The Nutcracker Suite from Fantasia (1940), Pluto’s Christmas Tree(1952), scenes from the television Christmas specials, and rarely seen home movies of Walt and his family. See how Walt celebrated Christmas at the Studio, at Disneyland, and at home.

LECTURE

December 5^th - Memories of Walt: A Conversation with Legends

2:00pm, Theater

tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org

Join us on Walt’s birthday as we hear from Disney Legends Blaine Gibson, Rolly Crump, and Richard Sherman as they share special memories of Walt. Blaine is the sculptor behind the Hall of Presidents, Rolly is one of the Imagineers behind “It’s a Small World” and “Haunted Mansion” and Richard wrote such Disney music classics as “It’s a Small World” and “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. It will be an extraordinary afternoon filled with stories, laughter, and reflection.

Christmas Day - Museum is closed

The Animal Kingdom Arrival Experience now on Touringplans.com

You can find today's article also on the World Famous Touringplans.com. Congratulations to Henry and his crew for completing Disneyland's ultimate touring plan on Saturday. More than 50 attractions and shows in one day. Amazing.

DESIGN: THE ANIMAL KINGDOM ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE

Not long ago, I was privileged to be a guest on the world famous WDW Today Podcast. I get my WDW news fix three times a week from Matt, Mike, Mike, and Len. The show topic was the design behind the arrival experience at each of the 4 parks. Making a great first impression is one of the hallmarks of the Disney parks. So let’s try and get into the head of the Imagineers and figure out why each entrance is unique but distinctly Disney.

As you know, first impressions matter. For themed environmental design, a proper introduction can create a level of comfort that allows the visitor to let go and enter the story. This idea came from Disney animated films. The reason that the backgrounds have such a high level of detail is to create a sense that the setting is real and anything that happens in the foreground is believable. Walt Disney called this the Plausible Impossible. This formula has been applied to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom arrival experience.

The Imagineers want you to leave the land of theme parks and enter a mythical tropical forest. They want you to slow down and let the environment grow on you. Create a park where the shortest path is neither the straightest line nor the best way to get from here to there.

The Imagineers’ trick is the use of contrast. They take you from a barren plain into a lush tropical forest. You go from a lifeless environment to a place filled with life. The Imagineers are trying to slow you down so you can absorb your surroundings and feel a part of the natural environment. Does it work?

Built into this park are two deep-seated design patterns. The first is the well-known fact that this park is designed to reward the visitor who takes their time. The second pattern is how the Imagineers use contrast at the entrance to hammer home the main theme of conservation.

What do I mean about contrast? As you pull up to the park notice that this parking lot is one hard, giant, treeless, hot place. Not a very inviting first impression. This is by design. You are getting your first lesion in the park’s guiding principles that illustrate the Circle of Life concept. You experience first hand what could easily be described as a lifeless place - the parking stalls. Off in the distance, beyond the edge of the parking lot is a lush forest. The Imagineers will exploit this use contrast to enhance the story and message.

As you disembark from the parking lot tram or walk over from the bus stop you will notice that unlike the other parks, you cannot see any buildings sticking up above the trees. I understand that some may argue that Expedition Everest and the thin tall cell tower that is camouflaged like a tree might be exceptions. Over time the cell tower will be somewhat hidden within the parks tree canopy. In fact, the park’s design guidelines and building code took into account the natural changes to the landscape from the start.

The design objective was to have the tree canopy rise entirely over the roofs of the buildings. The buildings would become secondary to nature. One result is that over time the iconic Tree of Life would be better integrated and apart of the landscape as it remains the same size while everything grows around it. Since the park opened in 1998, the plant material has really matured and the desired effect is taking place.

As you walk toward the front gate take some time to look down at the ground because the materials on the ground add to the story. The parking lot paving materials appear to be washed out and already cracking especially at the edges. It is as if the parking lot wants to return to nature. As you move toward the front gate you notice how the hard asphalt turn to friendlier materials. If you look closely you will see how the colors of the pavement consist of long, wavy red and green patterns. From a bird’s eye view this puzzle would reveal that you are seeing a giant mural of the Tree of Life.

In all things concerning life, there must be a balance. This is a central message throughout Animal Kingdom. And balance is best achieved when the edges are blurred and the environment is a gradient. In the field of ecology, naturalist use transects to describe the characteristics of an ecosystem and describe the changes in ecosystems over a gradient. When the Transect is severely disrupted, significant environmental impacts can be felt. Virtually every attraction deals with a disruption in the natural transect when you really think about it.

The ticket booth and gateway architecture is based on the American Arts and Crafts tradition as a demonstration on how man-made structures can seem compatible with the natural environment. Within this design tradition, the blending of indoor and outdoor space is blurred, natural materials are featured, and the machine age is shunned for hand-made.

This is not the first time Disney has used this architectural style for inspiration. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is also based on this style. The difference is the Anaheim resort takes the style and blows up the scale beyond any real building in that style. The gateway and ticket booths in Florida are at an appropriate scale and blend into the environment.

Once upon a time, Animal Kingdom was supposed to have three realms - animals of the past, animals of the present, and animals that only lived within our imaginations. This concept was reinforced throughout the entrance. Along with lions, elephants, and dinosaurs is the image of a dragon. The dragon would represent Beastly Kingdom, a land of unicorns and other mystical beasts. The dragon makes another appearance above the far left ticket booth.

Once past the gateway you enter a land unique to this theme park. It is called the Oasis. Functionally, the Oasis serves the same purpose as Main Street, Hollywood Boulevard or walking under Spaceship Earth; to create a shared experience that sets up the adventures that lie ahead. For this park, the Imagineers were trying to slow you down and they described the Oasis as a “cool, green decompression zone”. As people run toward the safari or Everest, this is a feat that is rarely achieved on the way in but with some success on the way out.

The pathways meander and cross under a land bridge (reminiscent of the tunnels under the train at the Magic Kingdom?) acting like a curtain until the big reveal – your first view of the Tree of Life. The wide walkway is designed to accommodate the large crowds who just stand there. From the parking lot to this point you have walked up a 20-foot hill.

Like the other Disney park entries, the Oasis funnels you through single entrance and a narrow portal to separate the real world from the fantasy world. At the end is a hub with the various lands radiating out like spokes on a wheel.

Animal Kingdom is unique. By using contrast, not only is the environmental design experience different so is the way to tour the park successfully. At every other theme park, it is the destination that matters. At Animal Kingdom the best way is to let the journey become the thing. The arrival experience supports that change and hopes you accept the challenge.

6 Months of SamLand

It is hard for me to imagine that I started this blog only six months ago. I want to thank all of you who have visited, made comments, sent nice notes, and pushed the ad buttons. So what has happened in the last 6 months?

TOURING TIPS AND SAMLAND'S DISNEY EXPERIENCES

DCA Food and Wine Festival Michael Jordon's Wine tasting class is here.
43 Disneyland attractions in one day and home in time for dinner is right here.
The Model Mountain - Expedition Everest
The Model Mountain - Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Up! Screening at El Capitan guest blog by Laura Dahl
Disneyland Single Rider lines
DCA Single Rider lines
Disneyland's Haunted Mansion gets the Last Laugh
The matching train stations of Disneyland
DCA's Hidden Walt Disney
Samland's June 13, 2009 Magic Morning Report
The best touring tip of them all: Getting to Disneyland early
The Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Goat Trick
A ride on the tender car on the Disneyland Railroad
Disneyland's Pixie Hollow special spot
An August Disneyland Trip Report
Another August Disneyland Trip Report
September Disneyland Trip Report
October Disneyland Trip Report
September WDW Trip Report - Part One
September WDW Trip Report - Part Two
September WDW Trip Report - Part Three
The SamLand Library
My favorite spot at Napa Rose
What does Tom Morrow do between shows?
Disneyland's Toontown and the Urban Transect - Part One
Disneyland's Toontown and the Urban Transect - Part Two
Disneyland Hidden Walt

DISNEYLAND VERSUS WALT DISNEY WORLD ATTRACTION COMPARISONS

Splash Mountain
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Astro Orbiter vs. Astro Orbitor
WDW Railroad vs. Disneyland Railroad - Part One
WDW Railroad vs. Disneyland Railroad - Part Two
Snow White
Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds vs. Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest

THE DESIGN OF WALT DISNEY WORLD'S MAGIC KINGDOM SERIES

Introduction to the Urban Design series is here.
A walk down the Magic Kingdom's Main Street - Part One.
A walk down the Magic Kingdom's Main Street - Part Two.
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland - Part One.
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland - Part Two.
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square through Frontierland - Part One
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square through Frontierland - Part Two
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square through Frontierland - Part Three
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square through Frontierland - Part Four
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland - Part One
A walk through the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland - Part Two

THE PLAUSIBLE IMPOSSIBLE: WESTCOT CENTER AND THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven

PHOTOS

The old Disney Gallery Panorama
Knotts Berry Farm's Ghost Town
The American Adventure
Disneyland's Town Square May 9. 2009

WALT DISNEY QUOTES

Always inspired by the words of the man himself, I have posted a number of Walt quotes here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

HISTORY

Disney's California Adventure A Bug's Land
Adventures Thru Inner Space Booklet
Disneyland Grad Nite '67
Rocket to the Moon Certificate

THE PROCESS OF UNFOLDING
A unique series that explores the design theories of Christopher Alexander and applies them to why the parks urban spaces work so well. This series is for those who want to understand why, not just how, design patterns make for meaningful places.

Part One - Introduction to the Series
Part Two - The 90% Solution
Part Three - Why does it work?
Part Four - It's all about Centers
Part Five - More about Centers
Part Six - Introduction to the 15 Properties
Part Seven - The 15 Properties that create beauty
Part Eight - Levels of Scale
Part Nine - Strong Centers

WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM RELATED POSTS

Gallery One
Gallery Two
Gallery Three
Gallery Four
Gallery Five
Gallery Six
Gallery Seven
Gallery Eight
Gallery Nine
Gallery Ten
Mouseketeer Bobby Burgess and the WDFM

BOOK REVIEWS

Mousejunkies
Mouse Maps 2009
The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World
Walt's Words of Wisdom
Anaheim Vacationland
Knotts Berry Farm: the Early Years

THE VIDEOS

Disneyland Omnibus
Disneyland Horse Trolley

THE WDW ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE SERIES

Epcot - Part One
Epcot - Part Two
coming soon is the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and the Disney Studios

Of course there is always more including advice from Shrunken Ned, the occasional rant, and one-off articles. And don't forget my appearance on WDW Today's podcast talking about the arrival experience of the 4 WDW parks. My first and second appearance on the podcast are also available.

Mouseketeer Bobby Burgess visits the Walt Disney Family Museum

On September 29, the Walt Disney Family Museum held a very special party and preview for their friends and family. Only 400 guests were invited. One of those guests was Bobby Burgess, original Mouseketeer and long-time performer on the Lawrence Welk show. He sat down with me and recalled his memories of that special party.

Diane Disney Miller had been working six years to bring the museum project to the public and her family, including husband Ron and more than a dozen members of the Disney family, paid tribute to those who worked with Walt and made this event possible.

Bobby and his wife Kristie arrived and started the evening by touring the museum. Guests would have approximately two hours before the dinner service. Bobby was immediately impressed and tried to absorb as much as he could. However, as to be expected, numerous old friends interrupted him.

He talked with Leonard Maltin and learned that the audio of Walt’s voice heard throughout the museum is from a lengthy interview with the Saturday Evening Post. Throughout the museum, many displays encourage you to touch and set off video or audio enhancements to the displays. Bobby struggles with a DVD player and could easily navigate his way through the technology.

Bobby was surprised to hear Walt’s voice throughout and how it seems as if he was talking just to you. He would guide you through the galleries. You got a better sense of what Walt learned. What Bobby found most chilling and emotional was how Walt suffered through the bad days but found the strength and enthusiasm to overcome whatever was happening and whatever project he was working on next.

One of the displays the most impressed Bobby was in the first gallery. Here many of the awards that Walt won throughout his life are on display. Bobby told me the story of how every time he went into Walt’s office; the thing he noticed first was the Oscar for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. You know, the one with the regular size statue and the seven mini-Oscars. That brought back a flood of memories of his Mouseketeer days.

Of course the Mickey Mouse Club display was his favorite. He enjoyed the fact that the show got a lot of space at the museum. He was proud to see his name alongside Annette and the others.

Bobby also chatted with Richard Sherman. Other things that stood out include John Lasseter not wearing a Hawaiian shirt, the perfect setting for the museum within the Presidio, and the model of Disneyland at the bottom of the long ramp.

Bobby asked Diane why was the museum located in San Francisco to learn that she lives in nearby Yountville and there was no “Disney” attraction in the Bay Area.

He also had a conversation with Bob Iger. Iger asked Bobby what he thought of Dancing with the Stars. Bobby, America’s most popular dancer for many years, is a fan. Bobby asked about the Walt Disney Company’s involvement in the museum and Iger mentioned that they had loaned many artifacts including the multi-plane camera. Iger was very impressed with the museum, the facility, and the displays. He also mentioned that the Studios had an incredible collection of stuff and a museum like this would be an interesting idea. The two had met before at the D23 Expo.

A large white tent was set up beside the museum and dinner was about to be served. The food was prepared by Wolfgang Puck with an open bar and wine provided by Silverado. Sitting at Bobby’s table was his wife; the winemakers from Silverado Jonathan and Sandy Emmerich and Disney author Jeff Kurtti. Also sitting with Bobby was Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walt’s granddaughter.

Jennifer recalled a story that really touched Bobby. Apparently the grandkids were shuttled over to Walt and Lillian’s house every Saturday and one ritual was to watch the Lawrence Welk Show. When Bobby would appear, Lillian would often say, “That’s my Bobby!”

The other Mouseketeer guest was Sharon. Her companion for the evening was Beverly Washburn who was in Old Yeller. Both Bobby and Sharon worked with Diane Disney Miller on the excellent documentary Walt: The Man Behind the Myth.

Bobby said the staff was incredible and lived up to the high standards that Walt was so famous for. For us who have known Bobby for a long time, we know that he rates everything on a scale of 1 to 10. For the Disney fan, this museum is easily a 10+. When pressed to rate the museum for the average Bay Area tourist who is just trying to see all the attractions he would still give it a 9. The combination of interaction, layout, a compelling story loving told, and just enough stuff where everybody can find something to relate to in a meaningful way was very entertaining. He is anxious to revisit and spend more time at the Walt Disney Family Museum.