10 Things You May Now Know About Rapunzel
1. Rapunzel’s origins go back much farther than Tangled of course, all the way back to 1812 in fact. That’s when the Brothers Grimm included her story as part of a collection called Children’s and Household Tales, or Grimm’s Fairy Tales as they are commonly known...
Remembering Harriet Burns
Harriet Burns holds a special place in Disney history. She earned the distinction of being the first woman hired to Walt Disney Imagineering in a creative capacity. She also became the first woman given a window on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland. In honor of...
10 Things You May Not Know About Belle
The character of Belle was based on that of Beauty, the eldest daughter and main character from the 1740 fairy tale La Belle et la Bête written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Contrary to what you might think, “Belle” does not mean “Beauty”...
10 Facts About Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews has been delighting Disney fans for over half a century. From her practically perfect role as Mary Poppins to her work as the official ambassador for the Happiest Homecoming on Earth at Disneyland, she has become a Disney Legend in every sense of the...
Remembering Admiral Joe Fowler
Before coming to work for Walt Disney, Joe Fowler had served in two world wars. He met dignitaries like Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and Edward, Prince of Wales. He retired from the United States Navy after thirty five years of service. He had...
Five Reasons Why We Love the Contemporary Resort
The Contemporary Resort was (along with the Polynesian) the first resort to open at Walt Disney World in 1971, and to this day it remains one of our favorites. Why? There are so many reasons of course…in fact far too many to distill into one list. But even with the...
The History of Disney’s Alice Comedies
Walt Disney famously said, “I hope we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse,” but long before Mickey Mouse, Disney made his mark with the Alice Comedies. Over the course of three years, Walt Disney made 56 Alice films, which combined live...
Ten Things You May Not Know About Chip ‘n’ Dale
1. Chip 'n’ Dale made their first appearance in the 1943 cartoon short, Private Pluto, though at the time they didn’t have names yet. 2. It would be another four years before they got their names, when they starred in their own short, Chip an’ Dale. Pluto evidently...
Ten Things You May Not Know About Timon and Pumbaa
1. The comic duo made their debut in the 1994 film The Lion King and have since gone on to star in two additional direct-to-video films as well as their very own TV series. 2. They are also the stars of their very own Walt Disney World attraction: The Circle of Life...
The History of the Hoop Dee Doo Revue
Walt Disney loved the Wild West. It played a prominent role in his live action films, animated shorts, and park designs. He was known to regularly visit the Golden Horseshoe Revue when visiting Disneyland. Early Attractions at Frontierland in Anaheim included rides in...