<<

Enjoy the magic of World all year long with Celebrations magazine! Receive 6 issues for $25.90* (save nearly 30% off the cover price!) *U.S. residents only. To order outside the , please visit www.celebrationspress.com.

PLUS you’ll receive a FREE gift: IllumiNations: A Magical Keepsake. Your FREE IllumiNations Booklet takes you on a pictorial tour of one of the most magical nighttime experiences to be found at : IllumiNations at , and will arrive with your next regular issue (March/April).

Subscribe online at www.celebrationspress.com.

Cover Photography © Tim Foster The Changing Seasons of Disney

Florida may offer a more temperate climate than other parts of the country (where snowy winters are the norm), but the last couple of years have seen a fair number of cold snaps take hold of the Sunshine State. But for now the temperatures are climbing back to normal (and hopefully will stay there), and Walt Disney World is still a great place to visit to escape those brutal northern winters.

But that’s not to say that the changing of the seasons aren’t a part of the Disney experience. Even on warm December evenings, you’ll find it snowing on Main Street U.S.A., and as the holidays drift off into the distance, we can now look forward to the coming of Spring with Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival. But Florida is best known (season-wise) for its hot summers…the better to enjoy those dips in the ocean or, if you’re at Disney, those wonderfully themed water parks and resort pools. And of course, the Fall brings out the bright oranges and yellows of the changing leaves as Halloween takes over at the Magic Kingdom, and Epcot ushers in the changing seasons with the International Food & Wine Festival.

The fact is, though most people associate Walt Disney World with hot summer days and sometimes-brutal heat waves (and yes, that predictable late afternoon summer thunderstorm!), all of the seasons are celebrated in this wondrous land. It certainly helps when the temperature drops outside, but even if the sun is beating down on you in early Spring or late Fall, you can still celebrate the seasons in true Disney style through its many festivals and events.

But with all of that being said (and I’m writing this knowing that we still have plenty of winter ahead!), it’s nice to start thinking about the Flower & Garden Festival and the promise of warmer days ahead!

Enjoy the magic! Tim Foster

3 · Celebrations Disney News innie Mouse has made Disney History. The famous Mmouse received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Minnie Mouse Heads to Fame in Southern California. The sidewalk star was un- veiled on Monday, January 22, recognizing the iconic status Hollywood and the Reveal of of the world-famous mouse who made her film debut in 1928’s Steamboat Willy. Before she left on her grand Hollywood adventure, Min- Her Star on the Hollywood nie was celebrated with a special send-off from Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Flor- Walk of Fame ida. The send-off celebration took place Sunday, January 21, at 1 p.m. ET.

4 · Celebrations teem and the success achieved by our two creative busi- New Cirque Du Soleil Show nesses throughout the past two decades with La Nouba,” said Tiffany Rende, Senior Vice President, Corporate Alli- ances and Operating Participants, The Walt Disney Corpora- For Disney Springs In tion. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with Cirque du Soleil in developing this new show that will honor Development Disney animation’s rich history.” After paying homage to some of entertainment’s great- irque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Walt Disney est artists, such as The Beatles and Michael Jackson, Cirque CParks and Resorts announce the renewal of their long- du Soleil will leap into the iconic world of Disney. lasting relationship with the creation of a brand- Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du new show to premiere at Disney Springs. The Soleil Entertainment Group, added “We are two entertainment companies first teamed incredibly inspired by Disney’s immense up to bring La Nouba to the stage in 1998. creative universe. We are convinced that Twenty years later, Cirque du Soleil Enter- bringing Disney’s magic to life on stage will tainment Group and Walt Disney Parks touch audiences and bring them back to and Resorts are working together on a their childhood.” new project. The curtain will close on La Nouba on Dec. The new show created by Cirque du Soleil 31, 2017. Since its première, La Nouba has en- in collaboration with Disney will draw its in- tertained more than 11 million guests and has spiration from Disney’s heritage of animation. It performed close to 9,000 shows. There have been will celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du over 2.8 million flips in the PowerTrack act and the ward- Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of a kind robe department has handled over 21 million costumes craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary. and headpieces. Tickets are still available here to watch the “This long-standing relationship is built on mutual es- show before it takes its final bow.

Photos ©Disney 5 · Celebrations It’s All In the Numbers

even Dwarfs. 101 Dalmatians. Three Little Pigs. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. SNumbers have certainly played a big part in Disney’s cinematic history (quick, name all seven dwarfs!), but many folks don’t realize that numbers play a significant (though oft-overlooked) role in the parks as well. And not just in attraction names (with all apologies to at ’s Gran Fiesta tour), but in the smallest of details found throughout all of the parks; details that may seem innocu- ous at first but in fact are clever inside jokes or veiled references to an historic date. Let’s begin with something as innocent as house numbers. Most of us have one, and by and large they don’t mean anything. (For example, even though my house by Tim Foster number is 308, it doesn’t mean I was born on March 8!) But at Walt Disney World it’s a different story. Given that the Imagineers needed to put house numbers on many of the buildings throughout the parks (particularly the Magic Kingdom), and given that they’ll never miss a chance to infuse some humor or historic authenticity into the smallest of details, you’ll find that the house numbers you see actually carry some significance. Most famously, you’ll find that the buildings that line the streets from Liberty Square all the way through Frontierland have numbers that are in fact years; in- dicating the time periods when those buildings would have existed. Walking from Liberty Square through Frontierland toward Splash Mountain is like traveling through time, with the buildings in Liberty Square numbered in the 1700s (begin- ning with the Hall of Presidents bearing the number 1787, the year the U.S. Constitu- tion was ratified) and those in Frontierland representing those in the 1800s (many buildings have two-digit numbers, the trick is to put an “18” in front of it, and just like that you’ve travelled back in time!) Tim Foster is the creator of You’ll also find some references to significant dates in Disney history on Main Celebrations magazine and Street U.S.A., such as a plaque over the door of the Emporium Gallery that reads the author of the Guide to the Magic book series, which “Established in 1901” (the year Walt Disney was born). According to its sign, the Em- includes the Guide to the Magic porium itself was established in 1863, but the derivation of that year is a bit more for Kids and the Deluxe Guide to complicated. According to the fictitious back-story, that was the year the Empo- the Magic Autograph & Sticker rium was established by its founder, Osh Popham. But why 1863? It turns out that Book. Tim is also the creator of Disney had released a film called Summer Magic in 1963 (one hundred years later the www.celebrationspress.com if you don’t want to do the math), which told the story of a Boston widow and her website. children who took up residence in a small town in Maine. The film also starred Burl Ives (of “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” fame) as…you can see where this is going… none other than Osh Popham. But that’s just the beginning. You’ll also find lots of references to opening dates throughout the parks, disguised as seemingly random numbers on signs and other decorative items. For example, the Starport Seven-Five sign you see on the Tomor- rowland Transit Authority PeopleMover as you enter Space Mountain is a reference to 1975, the year Space Mountain opened. Over at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, you used to be able to see a more obscure reference to a significant date. Be- fore it was recently removed during a renovation, you could find a small painting of zipping through space in a tiny ship with some alien writing on the side. This writing (which used the same alphabet seen in Stitch’s Great Escape! and on

6 · Celebrations the newspapers being sold by the robot newspaper vendor While you’re in Hollywood Studios, why not take a jour- at the entrance to the TTA) spelled out 1972, the year that ney on Star Tours? While you’re making your way through the building that houses the attraction opened. Over at the queue, see if you can hear the announcement saying the Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak play area, see if you can spot the “will the owners of a red-and-black landspeeder, vehicle ID numbers on the various train that represent the years THX 1138, please return to your craft. You are parked in a no- that each of the four Disney parks opened. (Magic Kingdom hover area.” THX 1138 is the name of ’s first film, in 1971, Epcot in 1982, Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, and Dis- which of course set the stage for Star Wars, released six years ney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 in case you forgot!) later. Another infamous movie reference is , which can Over in Epcot, pay close attention to the flight announce- be found in nearly every film, as well as many recent ments as you wait to enter the boarding area of Soarin’ Disney films. (A113 was the number of the classroom used Around the World. You’ll hear that you’ll be embarking on by graphic design and character animation students at flight 5505, which is a reference to the date that Soarin’ first the California Institute of the Arts, whose alumnae include opened; May 5, 2005. At the nearby Living With the Land, , Tim Burton and .) Surprisingly, A113 look closely at the mailbox in the farm scene that reads “B. isn’t very prevalent in the parks, though you could find a Jones RFD #82.” 82 is of course a reference to the park’s open- poster of ’s nephews that included the image ing date. More humorously, a trip over to Chester & Hester’s of a Disney Vacation Club travel ticket with the number A113 Dino-Rama at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will uncover several on one of the exterior facades of the Streets of America in road signs and license plates bearing the number 498, a ref- Disney;s Hollywood Studios. erence to April 1998, the date the park opened. And in Disney’s This only scratches the surface of the numerical myster- Hollywood Studios, sharp-eyed Guests can spot the imprints ies to be discovered at Walt Disney World. The next time you in the sidewalks along Sunset Boulevard that read ”Mortim- visit; take a closer look at the posters, signs, and crates you er & Co. 1928 Contractors.” That’s a reference to the year that see along your travels. If you spot a number, you just may Mickey Mouse (briefly named Mortimer Mouse before Walt’s have found a little Disney secret…but it’s up to you to figure wife Lillian suggested Mickey instead) came to life. out what it means! Good luck, and happy hunting!

Photo ©Tim Foster 7 · Celebrations Hidden Mickeys in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

f you’re alert, you’ll likely come across many awesome Hidden Images scattered Ithroughout this great park. The art of Hidden Mickeys had evolved to a higher level by the time the most recently constructed WDW park opened.

1. Riverside Depot store, Discovery Island - Along the rear wall opposite the entrance door from the walkway between the Oasis and Discovery Island, three baskets come together as a classic Mickey, tilted to the left. Find the baskets on an upper shelf in a tall merchandise cabinet at the middle of the rear wall.

2. The Boneyard - A tiny Lightning McQueen makes an appearance here! Look for him in a screened-in display on the right side of the Dig Site, to the left of the fan- by Steve Barrett and-hard hat classic Mickey.

3. Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures shop, DinoLand U.S.A. - Near the rear en- trance, a classic Hidden Mickey is made of dark spots at the lower left of the left side of a “Cold Drinks” dispenser. It’s just above the lower red horizontal band.

4. Expedition Everest, Serka Zong Bazaar gift shop - Small gold balls form classic Mickeys at the bottom of both sides of a merchandise display in the middle of the gift shop at the ride exit. The display is across from the photo pickup area.

5. Expedition Everest - Outside the attraction, at the front of the left side of the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck, look for a painting with two towers. A classic Hidden Mickey, tilted to the left, hides in the clouds at the upper right of the painting. (Note: the images on this truck change from time to time.)

6. Kali River Rapids - Along the entrance queue, keep your eyes peeled for stone stat- ues in the grass. As you approach the next room to your right, study the lower left Steve Barrett is the author of the corner of the outer wall. Three of the plates on the wall form a classic Mickey, Hidden Mickeys Guide Book Series tilted down to the right. (Note: these images change from time to time.) (Walt Disney World, , and the Disney Cruise Ships) available in 7. Kali River Rapids - Inside the next room to your right, just past the wall plate Hid- book stores, on Amazon, and on Kindle den Mickey, a dark classic Mickey is on the back of a light brown boot, which is and other downloadable formats. high on a shelf near the ceiling in the middle of a collection of boots. To find it, The WDW and Disneyland Hidden walk through the first door to the room and look up behind you to the shelf. (If the Mickeys Guide books are also offered room is roped off, ask any Cast Member nearby if you can just look around in the as iPhone and Android apps. Steve room - a museum - for a few minutes). and his wife Vickie (hiddenmickeygal) are the webmasters of http://www. 8. Conservation Station - Toward the end of the inside entrance mural on the left HiddenMickeyGuy.com and are on wall, the pupils of an owl’s eyes are classic Mickeys. @hiddenmickeyguy and Facebook as Hidden Mickey Guy. 9. Conservation Station - Midway along the right curving mural along the hallway to the exhibit area, high up near the ceiling, a classic Mickey-shaped marking is on the white skin of the chin under the middle of a frog’s face. The frog is behind a red-faced monkey.

10. Conservation Station - Along the bottom of the right mural as you draw near to Rafiki’s Theater, two black classic Mickeys are near the bottom of the wings of an orange butterfly under a monkey,.

8 · Celebrations Photos ©Steve Barrett 1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

9 10

9 · Celebrations 10 · Celebrations By Lori Elias ilming a movie, even (and sometimes especially) an that time the president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, Fanimated one, is never easy, and Lilo & Stitch is no excep- the idea evolved into Stitch mingling among humans, spe- tion. But when that movie enjoys success, it is well worth cifically becoming attached to a human child, rather than the work. What began as a failed book pitch would, almost animals. It was also decided that it would be very difficult twenty years later, become a hit film, making the story of to attract a marketable actor to the project if he would Lilo & Stitch a real-life “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride”! be limited to what were basically sound effects, so words Lilo & Stitch, Disney’s 42nd animated feature, was written were added to Stitch’s repertoire. and directed by and Dean DuBois. Alan Sil- In its early stages, the story was conceived of taking vestri composed the score, with additional songs by Mark place in a rural area such as Kansas and Kentucky – an area Keali’i Ho’omalu. small enough where the arrival of an alien being might fly Not only was the movie the first Disney animated fea- under the radar (so to speak) and not draw excessive media ture to be set in Hawaii, Lilo & Stitch has the distinction of or military attention, as the creative team did not want to being one of three animated films created at Disney’s Hol- take the story in that direction. As discussions continued, lywood Studios! At that time, the park – known then as Dis- attention gradually turned to Hawaii, lush with vivid land- ney-MGM Studios – included a working animation studio scapes and a distinctive culture that would be interesting in the former Art of Animation building. (1998) was and fun to put on screen, but isolated enough to maintain the first film to be created there, followed by Lilo & Stitch, the atmosphere of a small town. and finally (2003). In order to stay with the concept of a “simpler” film, wa- After the grandiose blockbuster movies of the Disney tercolor was used for the backgrounds of the animation Renaissance, not to mention the recent advancements of cels. It had not been used in several years – since , the early Pixar films, all of which were hurtling Disney into in fact – because it was not particularly easy to work with, the 21st century like Buzz Lightyear’s spaceship, Lilo & Stitch and in those earlier years did not provide as much variety seemed like a bit of a throwback to the studios’ earlier days. in color than paints that were developed later. In fact, there And rather surprisingly, that is exactly what Disney wanted. were members of the team who pushed to use the more Though Lilo & Stitch did not hit theaters until 2002, its contemporary opaque wash paints to mimic the effects roots date back to the fall of 1997, when then-Disney CEO of watercolor, but the higher-ups insisted on watercolor, Michael Eisner invited a number of studio creators to his which proved to be a more aesthetically pleasing appear- mother’s home in Vermont. As they picked apples in the ance. It had been so long since watercolor had been used, brisk New England autumn air, they discussed the state that some of the artists had to learn how to paint cels in of the company, and in which directions they considered the unfamiliar medium, as they had never learned the moving next. A question arose: what could be the Dumbo technique! of this current era in Disney films? In other words, a movie Two significant rewrites were incorporated during the that was not so grand as what had been released in recent creative process. The first was the relationship between years, but one that focused less on technological advances Nani and Lilo: while they were always intended to be sis- and more on a heartfelt story, with perhaps more tradi- ters, audiences attending early screenings perceived their tional visual art. relationship to be as mother and daughter, and with that This prompted Chris Sanders to return to a character he in their minds were both confused and troubled at the way had created almost 20 years earlier, a rascally alien named Lilo sometimes spoke to Nani. The writers took the audi- Stitch, who had landed from his home planet in the middle ences’ comments to heart and re-conceived certain scenes of a forest. He had hoped to develop this character into a to more clearly illustrate the sister relationship. book for children, but was unable to construct a story that Another major scene was altered in respect for a na- was thorough, yet short enough for young readers, and so tional tragedy. An extensive amount of time was spent the plan had been abandoned. He described this charac- constructing a scene involving Stitch rescuing Lilo from a ter to his colleagues, and how because the other animals plane hijacked by Jumba, thus demonstrating his newly- shunned this unusual creature, he learned to mimic their discovered understanding of the idea of ohana, or family. sounds, as well other natural sounds, such as wind and A variety of scenarios were discussed, debated and con- water. After pitching the idea to , at structed, and just as the writers reached a consensus, the

Artwork © Disney 11 · Celebrations nation was devastated by the attacks of September 11. The Schools Children’s Chorus, consisting of 100 4th-6th graders, team was immediately aware that their scene, as it stood, all of Hawaiian heritage. would be entirely inappropriate, and so the scene was com- Of course these were not the only young people involved pletely reworked, with the original 747 replaced by Gantu’s in the film. Lilo was voiced by then-nine-year-old Daveigh spaceship, and changing the timbre of the scene to being Chase, who also that year provided the voice of Chihiro in more comedic. the English-language version of the anime film , Lilo & Stitch was not conceived as a musical, but music was which would go on to beat Lilo & Stitch for the Oscar for Best still a crucial component to the film. Elvis’s hordes of fans Animated Film! Chase has gone on to perform throughout certainly had reason to celebrate, with the singer having her teens and 20s, including notable roles in (2002) such a prominent place in the film! The Presley estate had and the acclaimed HBO series . to give permission to use his songs, as well as his image, and Her sister Nani was played by Hawaiian-born actress Tia fortunately they were both cooperative about Disney’s us- Carrere, a veteran of Wayne’s World (1992) and (1994). age, and also very enthusiastic about the film! Canadian character actor Kevin McDonald was the voice of Veteran film composer Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future, Pleakley; he would return to Disney in 2005 to portray Mr. , Forrest Gump, and later, the Aveng- Medulla in Sky High. Jason Scott Lee, who played the title role ers franchise) was Disney’s first choice to pen the score, and in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), was the voice of David Ka- he eagerly accepted. The creative team was determined to wena. avoid the stereotypical (and typically incorrect) Hollywood Ving Rhames, whose rich career has ranged from Dave style of Hawaiian music, so they studied hula dancing with (1993) to Con Air (1997) to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu, a hula master, in order to portray au- voiced Cobra Bubbles. Bona fide Broadway superstar and thentic musical and cultural traditions. He also contributed four-time Tony Award winner Zoe Caldwell (Slapstick Trag- much of the traditional Hawaiian music used in the film; vo- edy, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Medea, Master Class) was the cals were performed by a local ensemble, the Kamahameha formidable Grand Councilwoman.

12 · Celebrations Artwork ©Disney While not officially a Disney Legend (yet), the Disney ca- Lilo & Stitch Fun Facts reer of David Ogden Stiers, the voice of Jumba, certainly • As is typical of Disney films placed in unique locations, the qualifies as “legendary.” The M*A*S*H star made his Disney creative team ventured to the setting to explore the flora, debut as the narrator and Cogsworth in the animated ver- fauna and local traditions of the area, this time spending sion of (1991), with repeated returns to time on the island of Kaua’i. the Studios to voice Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in Poca- • Co-writer/director Chris Sanders provided the voice for hontas (1995), the archdeacon in The Hunchback of Notre Dame Stitch while the film was in development. The creative (1996) and as the narrator in a number of Winnie the Pooh team became so accustomed to his take on the role that short films and videos, as well as portraying J. W. Harper his voice was used in the final cut of the film. in the live- Iron Will (1994). He also joined co-star • Stitch was originally conceived to be the leader of an inter- in the English-language version of the anime stellar criminal gang. It was decided that audiences would film Spirited Away, voicing Kamaji. prefer to see him as more impish than evil, so he became a With an original story that was so different from Dis- loveable – if destructive – genetically-mutated alien. ney’s recent films, it was known that generating audience •  (Nani), a Honolulu native, and Jason Scott Lee interest before its release would be crucial to the box office (David Kawena), who was born in Los Angeles but raised success of Lilo & Stitch. In order to promote the film, Disney in Hawaii, assisted in providing the scriptwriters with au- produced a series of trailers inserting Stitch into a variety thentic Hawaiian slang, as well as the casts’ accents. of previous (and recognizable) films: he startled Rafiki on • Two scenes – one in which Stitch rips the stove from the Pride Rock, surfed in Ariel’s ocean, dropped the chandelier in wall and using the leaking gas to blow up the house, and the center of the Beast’s ballroom, and flirted with Jasmine another showing Jumba using a gun to coerce Stitch from as his spaceship met up with ’s flying carpet. the ceiling – were cut, as they were deemed too violent. (In Their efforts worked: Lilo & Stitch enjoyed a strong open- the latter scene, the gun was replaced with plates, which ing weekend, ranking second to the -Tom Jumba tossed at Stitch.) Cruise blockbuster Minority Report, but just barely: Minority • The students of the the Kamahameha Schools Children’s Report brought in $35.7 million, while Lilo & Stitch earned $35.3 Chorus and their parents were the first audience to see the million. The film ultimately grossed $245 million worldwide. completed film.

13 · Celebrations Spring Is In The Air! Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival Returns By Lindsay Mott

14 · Celebrations Photo © Mike Billick 15 · Celebrations his year, Epcot will again play host to a wealth of spring liad dragon at the China pavilion. Tbounty as the park welcomes the Epcot International A brand-new Epcot front-entrance topiary garden will Flower & Garden Festival back for its 25th year. This year’s set the milestone anniversary scene with a kaleidoscope of festival will run from Feb. 28 to May 28, bringing seasonal blooming color where topiary icons Mickey Mouse, Minnie spring-time fun for all. What began in 1994 as a 38-day cel- Mouse and will greet festival Guests. This year’s fes- ebration of Disney-style gardens and topiaries has grown tival is set in the middle of the year as Epcot celebrates its over the years to a 90-day spring extravaganza in 2018 with 35th anniversary, which kicked off in October 2017. something for every generation and every member of your family. Play Gardens Since 1994, the festival has expanded to include more than This year’s festival will see the addition of a brand-new just blooms, breathtaking garden spaces, and wildlife habi- interactive play garden in Future World featuring a play tats. Now, it’s really a festival for all of the senses with fla- maze, sensory garden, activity zone, and a covered seat- vor-rich cuisine from 15 Outdoor Kitchens, interactive play ing area. The “Road to Florida 500” garden will also be rede- gardens, live chart-topping musical acts during the Garden signed with a Cars themed garden based on the Pixar sequel Rocks Concert Series, educational seminars and more. Cars 3. This will now feature games and play challenges that will set the pace for family festival fun, such as fun activities Gardens, Topiaries, and More like highway bingo for families. This festival takes the beauty of Epcot and its already scenic garden areas and turns them up a notch. Dozens of Garden Rocks Concert Series Disney-crafted “flower towers” and beds of multi-colored The popular Garden Rocks Concert Series will again fea- blooms will transform the park’s landscape into a colorful ture hit makers of the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s on the Ameri- wonderland. ca Gardens Theatre stage. Three evening concerts each Fri- With at least 70,000 bedding plants full of colorful blooms day through Monday present musicians that span multiple surrounding the Future World east and west lakes alone, genres and generations. the sights are breathtakingly set against the blue Florida This year, guests can expect to see acts such as STARSHIP sky and the warm sunshine of spring. These lakes are also starring Mickey Thomas, The Guess Who, Don Felder from filled with 220 mini-gardens set afloat on top of the tranquil the Eagles, the Village People, Lonestar, Rick Springfield, waters. Smash Mouth, and more in the weeks from February to Pro tip: one of the best ways to views these gardens is May. Visit EpcotinSpring.com for a full lineup. from the monorail! As the monorail gets to Epcot, it takes Garden Rocks Dining Packages are also available on select you on a full loop over Future World as well as the garden days at a number of Epcot restaurants. areas before heading back to the station at the front of the park. It’s worth it: one, just to ride the monorail itself, and Outdoor Kitchens two, for this great bird’s eye view of the center of the park. Taking a nod from the ever-popular Epcot International Besides these iconic flowerbeds, the festival plays host Food & Wine Festival, the Flower & Garden festival is now to nearly 100 festival topiaries spread throughout the park. home to its own mini-food festival. These dining experienc- These include classic Disney character favorites such as es were added to the festival in 2013 as part of the festival’s Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, along with the return of 20th anniversary, and they have since become as popular as Belle and Beast in France, and the Seven Dwarfs the garden aspect they were added to. in Germany, Anna and Elsa in Norway, The Three Caballeros New and creative dishes will debut at 15 Outdoor Kitchens in Mexico, Disney-Pixar’s Woody at the American Adventure encircling the World Showcase Promenade. Guests can sip pavilion, and Buzz Lightyear in Future World, just to name and savor their way around Epcot, enjoying chef-inspired a few. noshes and refreshing libations. Also, back by popular demand, you can find the Figment What makes this part unique to the Flower and Garden topiary garden between Future World and World Showcase Festival is that each Outdoor Kitchen will feature its own along with festival favorites such as the pandas and Brome- raised-bed or in-ground garden of herbs and produce that

16 · Celebrations Photo © Tim Foster 17 · Celebrations 18 · Celebrations Photos ©Tim Foster can inspire the growing numbers of Guests who want to up The Land Pavilion is perfect for anyone with an interest learn to grow what they eat. in gardening or natural sciences. It allows Guests to explore “The culture of growing your own food continues to the future of agriculture and get up-close and personal trend, and our guests each year have quite a few questions with the critters of The Land pavilion. related to edible gardens,” says Eric Darden, festival horti- culture manager. “They get a big kick comparing items in Miscellaneous our gardens with the herbs and produce our chefs incorpo- This year will also see the return of the Egg-Stravaganza rate into the festival’s Outdoor Kitchen recipes.” scavenger hunt that begins around Easter time and lasts until the end of the festival (or while supplies lasted). During Tours and More the scavenger hunt, Guests search for special hidden eggs The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is also using a specially themed map, representing each location to home to inspirational exhibits, seminars and how-to dem- record findings with a sticker. Last year, there were 12 eggs onstrations as well as special garden-themed tours. to find. You then return your card to Disney Traders to pick The Royal Tea Garden Tour will return for a second year up a prize. each festival morning at the United Kingdom pavilion. For a Don’t forget that Disney is also the king of special event small fee, Guests can follow a knowledgeable guide through merchandise. You’re sure to find souvenirs specific to the the tranquil tea garden setting to learn the history and Flower & Garden event as well as special vendors showcas- artistry behind growing and blending tea. A post-tour treat ing hand-crafted art work, natural products, garden pieces of tea and scones is included. The shorter, complimentary and more. English Tea Garden Tour also will be offered on select days. As the festival nears, more details will be available at The Behind the Seeds Tour is also a unique event to do EpcotInSpring.com. The festival, including all gardens and during the festival, or any time of year. This one-hour walk- exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission. Some dem- ing tour of the fish farm and four greenhouses that make onstrations and tours require extra purchase.

19 · Celebrations 20 · Celebrations ain Street in the Magic Kingdom is home to an array Brothers began producing the machines in the late 1890s. Mof small town wonders plucked out of turn-of-the- Unlike the Mutoscope, the Cail-O-Scope worked automati- century America. From the Harmony Barber Shop, where cally. Both types of machine were popular in early penny Guests can experience an old fashioned hair cut, to Casey’s arcades, causing a scandal across the country with their Corner, where they can feast on hot dogs while listening promise of “lurid” entertainment that drew guests of all to ragtime piano, the land is a ages. smorgasbord of nostalgic de- Disney purchased a large lights. Though the street has re- number of their machines from mained largely unchanged since collector Paul Eakins. He’d be- its opening in 1971, a few old fa- gun collecting antique music vorites have disappeared. As we machines in the 1950s and built continue our tour of Walt Disney his collection over the decades, World’s vanished attractions, first housing them in a tour- let’s take a little time to visit the ist attraction called the Indian house of mechanical wonders Trading Post, and later display- that was the Penny Arcade. ing them in the Gay 90’s Melody The Penny Arcade opened in Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. 1971, a replica of the arcades that After the Gay 90’s Melody Mu- popped up around the country seum closed, Eakins sold of his in the early years of the 20th collection. Most of the items century. Guests could step inside were placed in the Magic King- and play modern and vintage dom’s Penny Arcade, with others, games, watch moving pictures like the Orchestrion known as in Mutoscopes and Cail-o-scopes, “Big Bertha,” winding up in Walt or have their fortune told by a Disney World’s Grand Floridian fortune telling machine. Mod- Resort. ern arcade games, like the Teen- Guests could visit the arcade age Mutant Ninja Turtles game until 1995, when it closed to make and Sega’s Time Traveler holo- way for the Main Street Athletic graphic game, were located in Club (which also replaced the the back of the arcade. In the House of Magic and Main Street front, there were vintage ma- Book Shop). The majority of the chines including a classic “Test machines were placed in stor- Your Strength” style game. The age, finding a new home in the arcade also housed the first Utilidors beneath the Magic penny-pressing machine in the Kingdom. Two of the machines Magic Kingdom. The moving pic- were briefly used at the Disney tures featured titles like Yes, We Institute, before moving to Dis- Have No Bananas, Raid on a Watermelon Patch, and Captain ney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas. Several other machines can Kidd’s Treasure. be seen in the Main Street Station. At well over a century The Mutoscopes were authentic machines, manufac- old, they are a bit temperamental and don’t always work tured in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the Ameri- quite right, but just looking at them feels like stepping back can Mutoscope and Biograph Company. They functioned in time. like a flipbook. A series of 850 photographs were housed Though close to 23 years have passed since the Penny Ar- in the machine, and viewers made them move by turning cade closed, Guests lucky enough to walk through its doors a hand crank. The Cail-O-Scopes were similar. The Caille will never forget the myriad miracles it once housed.

Photo © Nick Comande 21 · Celebrations Do you know the name of the town or city where these characters live? 1. Mike Wazowski 2. Anna 3. Wendy, John, and Michael 4. P. Sherman 5. Princess Kida 6. Alfredo Linguini

Can you figure what all of these signs are for? You’ll find them throughout the parks in Walt Disney World.

1 2

3 4

5 6

22 · Celebrations BB-8 can’t seem to find R2-D2, and he’s got an important message to give him! Can you find the one path that will take BB-8 to R2-D2 safely?

Answers on page 73 23 · Celebrations Ten Things You Didn’t Know About WALL-E

1. WALL-E’s name was going to be W.A.L.-E., but Steve Jobs low, the better to mimic the typical coloring of a construc- didn’t like that particular spelling, so it was changed to the tion or maintenance vehicle. (Remember that WALL-E was familiar WALL- E. But what does WALL-E mean? A reference a utilitarian “machine” whose only purpose was to collect to Walt Disney perhaps? Actually, the name is an acronym and compact trash.) Since WALL-E himself was largely yel- for Waste Allocation Load Lifter – Earth-Class). Apparently low, Production Designer Ralph Eggleston avoided using “loadlifter” was one word in the original spelling! that color (as well as green) when designing the color pal- 2. WALL-E’s “voice” was created by legendary sound designer ette for the background settings in the film, particularly Ben Burtt, most famously known for creating the sounds those on Earth. As a result, the garbage-strewn Earth is of R2-D2. In the course of creating WALL-E’s different sounds, largely devoid of color. Burtt recorded 2500 pieces of audio, more then twice the 7. As with most Pixar characters, WALL-E makes a cameo in number he recorded for Star Wars. another Pixar release, the short film Your Friend the Rat 3. And what were some of those sounds? They included a that was included with the DVD release of Ratatouille. hand-cranked electrical generator (to create the noises 8. The concept of WALL-E’s distinctive eyes came at, of all plac- WALL-E made while moving about), an automobile self- es, a baseball game! Inspiration came from a pair of binocu- starter for when WALL-E went fast, and curiously, the lars director was given at an Oakland Ath- sound of cars being wrecked at a demolition derby. letics/Boston Red Sox game. He was so mesmerized by Why? That’s how Burtt recreated the sounds of them that he missed an entire inning of the game. WALL-E compacting trash! 9. At one point WALL-E was going to have elbows, 4. However, the most recognizable sound but it was quickly realized that a robot whose to most viewers was the familiar Macin- sole function was to pull garbage into itself tosh start-up chime that sounded when would have no need WALL-E has fully charged up. Coincidentally for them. Not to (or not), the design of his companion Eve is mention that test highly reminiscent of Apple’s dis- animations of tinctive product design. him waving (with 5. Finally, when WALL-E runs from elbows) made him look the shopping carts aboard the flimsy. Instead, Animation Director Axiom, Burtt went straight to Angus MacLane had the idea to at- the source to create the clat- tach his arms to a track on the sides tering sound effect. He of his body, similar to the inkjet printers and his daughter ac- his father designed. tually went to a su- 10. WALL-E had quite a collection of gad- permarket, placed gets and gizmos in his “home,” but his a recorder in a most prized possession was an old shopping cart, and VHS tape of Hello, Dolly!, which instilled sent it careening in him the concept of love, which he down a hill! would ultimately convey to Eve when 6. WALL-E’s main he reached out to hold her hand, reminiscent coloring was yel- of his favorite scene from the old film.

Back Cover Photo © Tim Foster 24 · Celebrations There’s even MORE Disney Magic to discover in this issue of Celebrations magazine!

More Features! Building an Icon: Spaceship Earth • The Architecture of the Magic Kingdom The Art of the Disney Poster • Living With the Land More Columns! • Taking Photos of Disney Architecture - Mike Billick • Dining at Epcot’s Rose & Crown - Heather Coursen • Disney Legend Sam McKim - Jamie Hecker • Secrets of Dinoland U.S.A. - Chris Smith • MagicBands - Beci Mahnken and Mouse Fan Travel • California Adventure - by J Darling Plus Lots More Disney News, Fun & Games, and Beautiful Photos! Subscribe today at www.celebrationspress.com “People often ask me where we find our stories...and my answer is that nature herself writes them. The wonders of nature are endless...” – Walt Disney