Your best Disney fact or insider story...

[kayemgi]

Well, I found this gold nugget about Hollywood Studios and that seemingly out of place dinosaur in Echo Lake. Apparently it based on a non-disney film character from 1913.

What a subtle and great tribute to early films.

Gertie at Echo Lake

That's very interesting! Reading about the film and presentation of it reminds me of the little educational film they created in Jurassic Park. Gertie surely was an influence there as well!

 

[Hootch]

Ok, that is a little freaky.
And I had to google it.
Yup, its true.

but the Americans he had contact with had a very high opinion of him. He became good friends with Jimmy Doolittle and Gabby Gabreski after the war and was invited to a few WWII fliers conventions.

I can only assume that his immigration to the US was helped by the people he was in contact with during the war. It is also telling that even though he was their ace interrogator, he was never charged with a crime.

 

[Rileygirl]

You learn something new every day!

Thanks for the insight Hootch

 

[phdhycster]

Love this post, please keep the info coming.

 

[bcrook]

and effective Nazi interrogator designed and built the mosaics in Cinderella's Castle. Hanns Scharff was an premier interrogator and specialized in gathering information from downed pilots.

His methods were gentle and a couple of times he helped prevent the torture of American officers. He relied on vast amount of information that the Nazis developed throughout the war to gain even more information.

After the war Scharff immigrated to the US. He was asked to interrogate a US soldier accused of treason and later testified at the hearing. Scharff also lectured at the Pentagon on interrogation techniques.

Scharff designed and built the Cinderella mosaics with his daughter in law though she was early in her training. His studios did the mosaics outside the Land in Epcot. His daughter in law Monika was the lead on that project.

Incredible story.

I think I am going to have collect these stories that deal with art, gather photos on my next trip, and prepare an Art and Disney presentations for my students next fall. The art teacher and I work together a lot. Hmmmm, I am feeling a new thread.

 

[MellinMickey4333]

Incredible story.

I think I am going to have collect these stories that deal with art, gather photos on my next trip, and prepare an Art and Disney presentations for my students next fall. The art teacher and I work together a lot. Hmmmm, I am feeling a new thread.

Yesss! Let us know if you do... I love me some artsy fartsies! e

 

[RedheadRinger]

I have spent the better part of this day getting nothing done except for reading this thread. Thought that it was worthy of a bump. So much great info.

 

[godchaser]

We just returned yesterday from a 6-day trip to WDW and for the first time we went in the "One Man's Dream" showing at DHS. Learned a lot about Walt Disney the man and his life, One fact that interested me was that Walt went broke twice before he finally made it; shows a great committment to his dream. Also learned that Walt orignally thought of the name "Mortimer" for his animated mouse, but when he asked his wife what she thought her reply was that it sounded "too pompus" and she suggested "Mickey" instead.

"One Man's Dream" is definitely worth the little bit of time it takes, and it's air conditioned which always is a plus. LOL

 

[cobright]

There's a graveyard underneath the WDW Railroad round-house.

 

[ekdj]

Feral cats, bugs, & I thought all the animals were at AK!

You never see a cat. Do they come out at night & then respond to a whistle like the animals at AK?

I've seen them. Look in the bushes, especially in AK.

 

[bcrook]

I've seen them. Look in the bushes, especially in AK.

. This sounds like a fun adventure... Finding feral cats. I will see what I can find in October.

and your first post too! Welcome!

 

[smraynor]

I teach painting and color theory and I was intrigued by John Hench's book about designing Disney. He used colors that matched/resonated the blue hue of the Florida sky.

Florida light is very unique and Disney did a great job making the colors work and flow together. I would say that the new Fantasyland is stellar in this regard. Bravo to the color designers!

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

I teach painting and color theory and I was intrigued by John Hench's book about designing Disney. He used colors that matched/resonated the blue hue of the Florida sky.

Florida light is very unique and Disney did a great job making the colors work and flow together. I would say that the new Fantasyland is stellar in this regard. Bravo to the color designers!

That is fascinating! I can't believe the lengths that they went to in creating this park!!

 

[smraynor]

Hench's book is really good if you have an interest in this sort of thing!

 

[d1gitman]

that John Lennon signed the papers officially breaking up the Beatles from the Polynesian resort and that Richard Nixon gave his 'i am not a crook' speech from the Contemporary resort

 

[smraynor]

that John Lennon signed the papers officially breaking up the Beatles from the Polynesian resort and that Richard Nixon gave his 'i am not a crook' speech from the Contemporary resort

Funny he didn't mention that when I interviewed him...wink, wink...nudge nudge.

http://www.itats.org/my-interview-with-the-beatles-about-traveling-to-europe/

 

[ekdj]

I have read about the fire place at wilderness lodge representing the rock strata of the Grand Canyon in color and size. But, I have never paid any attention. I think a trip over there might be fun, and maybe check out artists point.

Theres also a hidden mickey in the one at the back.

 

[ekdj]

I believe they're moving the FotLK to Africa and putting Avatarland where Camp Minnie Mickey is.

I thought Avatarland was going in MGM aka Hollywood Studios

 

[mesaboy2]

I thought Avatarland was going in MGM aka Hollywood Studios

You thought incorrectly.

 

[patrickpiteo]

Pixar's John Lasseter was a Jungle Cruise skipper.
http://www.worldfamousjunglecruise.com/johnlasseter.html

And, as a tram driver once told us - the real meaning of EPCOT is "Every Person Comes Out Tired!"

Started as a street sweeper...