A Special Deal from Disney at Work

As many of you know, I have been raising money for Women at Work, a nonprofit job and career resource center committed to helping women (and men) reach their full employment and earning potential. The fine folks at Disney at Work have been incredibly generous on donating whatever proceeds they receive from the purchase of one of their iPhone/iPad apps to the cause. They have been collecting money all month long and now is the time for those of you who got one of these devices for Christmas to get a wonderful app and do something great as well. So give them a visit and check out the apps and download one for your device. Here is a description of what the Disneyland app is all about:

Learn powerful best-in-business insights on how to improve your workplace by benchmarking “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Disneyland comes to life like never before in stories that will transform you and your organization. Put the behind-the-scene tales of Disneyland to work in your own employment through this new interactive showcase. Enjoyed by even Disney Enthusiasts, Disney at Work: Disneyland showcases experiences like the following:

• Discover how Walt Disney walked the park in the shoes of both Guests and Cast Members.

• Envision the power in how a Cast Member selling popcorn in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle can “Create Happiness”.

• Encounter Joe Fowler’s “can do” attitude that made many attractions at Disneyland a reality.

• Experience Disney’s service standards of safety, courtesy, show and efficiency in the Indiana Jones Adventure.

1. •Unleash how the creative efforts by Imagineers made attractions like Splash Mountain, Star Tours, and the Haunted Mansion come to life.

Video Month - Part 7

This is a story inspired by my Disneyland annual pass expiring this week.

For the next few weeks I will be concentrating on some revenue generating writing projects, job applications, and project proposals. In the meantime, I will be reposting some of my favorite older items and occasional new observation. If I start to see some revenues through the DONATE button on the right then I may be able to bring some new content to Samland in the near future. Thank you for your understanding.

Sam

When I started Samland I discovered a fun feature on my Canon camera. I was able to take low-quality videos. With the assistance of my Mac I have been able to pop out a few videos over the past few months.

Views from the Grand Californian.

Finally, an exciting ride down the slopes of the Matterhorn in a bobsled. Music by Myron Floren.

Year End Report

I guess if you are going to be in the "new media" world your year could not be complete without a list. So here is my list. When I reflect upon the production for Samland over the past year I am reminded about how fun it is to write and actually have a few of you interested in reading it. Listen to Seasick Steve's song "Man From Another Time" if you want to get a sense of my frame of mind about the state of things.

So here it is. For the most part a summary of what I have written over the past year.

The best news of the year was the success of the the Women at Work charity drive. Donations are still coming in and I thank all who gave. Here is the article that started it all. Thanks to those who gave.

March was also a banner month with my participation in a communications class from Western Illinois University and the publication of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World Color Companion which features a bunch of essays called Disney Design by Sam Gennawey. Very proud of that work.

Multi-Part Series

As regular readers know, I tend to break things up into regular series. I figure there is only so much that you want to read on a website in one bite. This allows me to really dive into a topic and give it the space that it deserves while providing fresh content each week.

The Western Illinois University Communications Course Tour

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five

The Reedy Creek Improvement District Comprehensive Plan Review

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four
• Part Five
• Part Six
• Part Seven
• Part Eight
• Part Nine

Urban Design

Looking at the application of positive urban design patterns is one of the major reasons for Samland to exist. I hope you have enjoyed looking at the parks through my pair of eyes and that it all made some sense.

Introduction to The Urban Design Series

Disney California Adventure Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four

Disney's Animal Kingdom Asia

Disney's Animal Kingdom Africa

Disney's Animal Kingdom Camp Minnie- Mickey

Disney's Animal Kingdom Dinoland

Disney's Animal Kingdom Discovery Island

Disney's Animal Kingdom The Oasis

Disney's Animal Kingdom Rafiki's Planet Watch

Disneyland Adventureland 02: The Arrival Experience

Disneyland Adventureland 03: The Tiki Room Lanai

Disneyland Adventureland 04: Dominguez Tree

Disneyland Adventureland 05: Harper Goff Window

Disneyland Adventureland 06: The Indiana Jones Effect

Disneyland Adventureland 07: The Adventureland Bazaar

Disneyland Adventureland 08: Tarzan's Treehouse

Disneyland Adventureland 09: Shrunken Ned

Disney Hollywood Studios Animation Courtyard

Disney Hollywood Studios Echo Lake

Disney Hollywood Studios Pixar Place

Disney Hollywood Studios Commissary Lane

Disney Hollywood Studios Sunset Boulevard

Disney Hollywood Studios Streets of America

Epcot Future World

Epcot World Showcase

Walt Disney Burbank Studios

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three

The Disney's America series has been completely rewritten and will be rereleased early next year.

Book Reviews

Some say I am a big fan of Disney books....

Beyond the Attractions - Guide to WDW with Preschoolers by Lisa M. Battista

Building A Better Mouse by Steve Alcorn & David Green

Building A Dream: Roy O. Disney by Bob Thomas

Cast Member Confidential: A Disneyfied Memoir by Chris Mitchell

Confessions of an Accidental Mouseketeer by Lonnie Burr

Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell

Disneyland After Dark by Richard Carradine

Disneyland: From Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After by Jeff Kurtti

Disneyland Through the Decades by Jeff Kurtti

Disneystrology by Lisa Finander

The Hidden Mouse by Alan Joyce

Imagineering Guides to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot

Knott's Berry Farm - Then & Now by Jay Jennings

Knott's Preserved by Christopher Merritt and J. Eric Lynxwiler

Mouse Trap by Kevin Yee

Project Future by Chad Emerson

The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis

Travelers Guide Books Disney World by Mikayla Brielle

Universal Orlando 2011 by Seth Kubersky and Kelly Monaghan

The Unofficial Guide: the Color Companion to Walt Disney World by Bob Schlinger & Len Testa

Walt Disney Imagineering by Melody Malmberg

Walt Disney World Hidden History by Kevin Yee

Trip Reports

I don't do a trip report for every visit but on occasion, there is a enough fun stuff that the trip is worthy of a report.

March - Walt Disney World

• Part One
• Part Two

June 4 - Disneyland

July 14 - Disney California Adventure

July 16-17-18 - Walt Disney Family Museum Disneyland 55th Anniversary Celebration

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four

October 11 - Universal Studios Flordia

October 13 - Disney's Animal Kingdom

October 14 - Magic Kingdom

October 18 - Disney's Hollywood Studios

October 19 - Epcot

October 21 - Disneyland

November 8 - Disneyland

December 8 - Disneyland

Videos

My little Cannon camera allows me to shot short videos. Combined with Mac software, I occasionally go off the reservation and put together little videos. Let's go on a trip, eh?

Disneyland Mad Tea Party

Disneyland Mark Twain Pilothouse

Disneyland Matterhorn Bobsleds

Disneyland Monorail from the rear seat

Disneyland Nature's Wonderland Rock Remains

Disneyland Roastie Toasties

Knott's Berry Farm Railroad Tender Car

Magic Kingdom Liberty Belle Pilothouse

Other Stuff

The Permanent Temporary Prop

The Spirits of America

Magic Kingdom 1971 Guide Book

Club 33 Concept Art

The Artist of New Orleans Square

Main Street Party Line Phones

Predicting the Arrival of the Disneyland Railroad

Thank you for visiting. There is a lot more in store for 2011. Ya'll come back now hear?

Sam

Video Month - Part 6

When I started Samland I discovered a fun feature on my Canon camera. I was able to take low-quality videos. With the assistance of my Mac I have been able to pop out a few videos over the past few months.

From Day One, the Omnibus was a Main Street attraction. It only took one A-ticket to enjoy the high speed thrills and...wait wrong ride. This bus chugs along at a whopping 5 miles per hour. At this breakneck speed you can really enjoy the wonderful details of Main Street USA and save your feet for later.

One of the first motorized vehicles to find a home on Disneyland's Main Street was the fire truck. Rumor has it Walt used to slide down the pole from his apartment above the fire station and would putter about in his bathrobe.

The little fire truck was designed by Imagineer Bob Gurr. It has completely modern mechanical parts wrapped in an old fashioned body. The truck is powered by a two-cylinder water pump engine. The horns, lights, and wheels are authentic. This is one of the earliest interactive attractions in the park as somebody in the back as to ring the bell.

Happy Christmas!

Images are from Eyvind Earle

Video Month - Part 5

When I started Samland I discovered a fun feature on my Canon camera. I was able to take low-quality videos. With the assistance of my Mac I have been able to pop out a few videos over the past few months.

The Disneyland horse drawn streetcar is one of the park's signature attractions. It provides a wonderful way to immerse oneself in the Main Street theme of turn of the Century America. Main Street USA represents the transition from the gas lamp to the electric street lamp and the horse powered vehicle versus the motorized vehicle. Sadly, in Disneyland, horses have been losing out since the beginning. Today, only the horse drawn trolley remains.

Everybody likes gossip, right? How about a little old-fashioned gossip? I mean really old-fashioned. Like the type you might pick up if you go on to one of those new fangled telephone machines down at the corner market.

You can relive those days down at the Market House (formerly the Swift Market) at the corner of Main Street and Center. You know the place -- the one with the potbellied stove, and all of the kitchen and household items. I bet you probably just stopped to buy some coffee or candy, right?

Adjacent to the doors are some old-time telephones with a sign that invites you to:

Stop a minute and pick up the earpiece. Sorry that it doesn’t clip on your ear but this is the way great-grandpa did it. If you don’t hear something immediately, just click the hookswitch, which holds the earpiece. That should do it.

You never know what you might hear (yeah right) but once I heard about a fire! This is a great spot to lean, relax, people watch, and get a good chuckle. There have been a couple of versions. The latest one was written in 2001. If you like little audio gags like this, you will be in heaven if you take your time here and along Center Street just outside the door.