EDITION u Be sure to No visit our 68 online store carolwood.com/store u WINTER 2018 the official newsletter of the carolwood society The Carolwood Society TCS Celebrates 25 Years 9325 18 YEARS F or those who joined The Carolwood Due to his formal education, and background in Society 25 years ago, it’s hard to marketing learned in the publicity department at Walt Disney Studios, Michael understood he needed believe a quarter of a century has an identity to create interest in his forthcoming book. passed so quickly. At this Disneyana convention he offered attendees IN THIS ISSUE the opportunity to win a rare serigraph Disneyland Originally named the Carolwood Pacific Historical Railroad poster if they participated in a written PLATFORM 1 Society, founders Sharon and Michael Broggie survey that probed their awareness of Walt’s created the title for their first participation in a THE CAROLWOOD SOCIETY interest in trains. Disneyana convention held in the Disneyland Hotel CELEBRATES 25 YEARS in Anaheim in 1993. Event organizers required The results were to be shared with Retlaw u that each booth have a title card. Even though the Enterprises, the Disney family’s privately held PLATFORM 2 “society” had not actually been organized at the company, which supplied 50 of the serigraphs to be NEW AND RENEWING time, they decided the name would create interest sold at the show. If the results indicated sufficient MEMBERS in a little known aspect of Walt Disney’s personal interest, Mrs. Lillian Disney agreed to provide support history: his lifelong passion for steam railroads. for the book. It turned out that two important THE CAROLWOOD SOCIETY questions ranked above 90 percent: “Do you know CELEBRATES 25 YEARS that Walt Disney was a lifelong railfan?” Answer: CONTINUED “No.” And, “Would you be interested in a book on u the subject?” Answer: “Yes.” PLATFORM 3 With these results, Mrs. Disney became the book’s WORLD’S GREATEST sponsor and offered access to her private files of HOBBY ON TOUR photographs and archives. Later, she agreed to write the foreword for this book, something she did only SMOKE TREE once in her 98 years. RANCH WEEKEND u After word spread among Disneyana collectors PLATFORM 4 and Disney fans, a group from the San Diego area DISNEY LEGEND TONY ANSELMO requested a meeting with Sharon and Michael to FEATURED AT UNMEETING discuss the “society,” which was not accepting members. They offered to serve as the board of u governors and help organize events to get things PLATFORM 5 To draw attention, Michael and Sharon invited Ward started. In response, the Broggies agreed on one REMEMBERING WALT DISNEY’S Kimball and his wife, Betty, to be their special guests condition: There would be no regular membership RETLAW 1 COACHES in the booth. Needless to say, the presence of one meetings. They refused to contribute to the “meeting u of the greatest animators in Disney history created boredom factor” that affected so many lives and PLATFORM 6 quite a lot of excitement--and traffic. It should be organizations. The group accepted this stipulation. noted that Betty, in her own right, was a talented IN AND AROUND THE BARN member of the team of women in Disney’s Ink & Paint u Department. Without their patient skills, there would PLATFORM 7 not have been Academy Award-winning Disney VIEW FROM THE CUPOLA classic animation. u By the time of the convention, Michael was doing PLATFORM 8 research and writing, and Sharon editing copy for a CAROLWOOD book that eventually became “Walt Disney’s Railroad EVENT CALENDAR Story,” initially published in 1997. Continued on Platform 2 t PLATFORM 1 WINTER 2018 welcome aboard u The Carolwood Society Celebrates 25 Years T he Carolwood Pacific Historical Society is CONTINUED FROM PLATFORM 1 enriched by its many wonderful members. u NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS: Eventually, the Board of While the Society has adhered Governors consisted of such to its policy of “no boring Chris & Dawn Frazier Tom Nelson Scott A. Smith Brian Ballinger Disney icons and Legends as meetings,” a group in the Mike & Sharon Chase Linda Olson Ward Kimball, Ollie Johnston, Eastern area of the country-- Ken and Sally Fletcher Dave & Molly Simms Jaren Henderson Peter Athans Diane Disney Miller, Tony Baxter, mainly Florida--asked if they Brian M Smith Dave Manore Dick Cook, Bob Gurr, John could gather at Walt Disney Craig Renee and Beau Story Richard and Shirley Powell Eitan Cramer John and Katie Abbott Lasseter and Michael Campbell. World as a Society event. Steve Matthew and Amy Burr David J Daisy Broggie suggested the name David and Holly Racker Nyle Monday Roger Savage Janet and Tom Joyce The Carolwood Society’s first “UnMeeting,” which became an Russell and Chula Banks Sonia Samuels official event was held at annual fall event in Orlando. Steve Solovitz Tom and Carol Naumann Kimberly Cook Karl Mogel the San Gabriel, California, Sam and Diane Raymundo Dave Meek residence of Ward and Betty The origins of the UnMeeting J. Kathleen Huge Patrick and Helen Lewis Joseph Criscuolo Danilo and Ann Viazzo Kimball, also known as the can be traced to Oct. 21, 2003, Perry Ford Tom and Kay Yendes Grizzly Flats Railroad. Over 200 when Walt Disney World held Barrett Moravec Paxton and Shelley Gagnet Harold Wilson Phillip Freer members attended the day-long a special rededication of Jaimie Teindl Demy and Margaret Riley event. Admittedly, the Kimballs the Roger E. Broggie steam Ben Nance Michael Welch Carmine Crudele Brian Allan suggested a limit of about 50, engine at the Magic Kingdom Chris Runco John Grigas but demand was far exceeded. and invited Roger Broggie, Jr. John and Sandy Hopkins Lynn Bodell Bill Foster Michael Perl and Michael Broggie to the Christopher & Roseann Del Gandio Rory Osborne event. Twenty-five members Derek Dubasik Peter Barilla Chris Tunison Keith Wolfe of the Broggie family attended Jay Laird Gary and Carla Woolard and Breitner Parker Amoroso David Byerly the ceremony at Main Street Della A. Rose Kenneth Humphries Station along with members of Lawrence Sifuentes John Sloane Jeff Giovanniello Paul Hamra the Disney Vacation Club, which Stephen Joy Lynette Goad was a sponsor, and members Brian Peterson Marie Diane Schilly Mike Forrester Michael Bollenbach of the Carolwood Society. Thomas Jolander Randall K Boyce Pei Hua Chung Bruce Foote David Turner Mark Williams Wes Tyler Edmar Lemoire Matern Christopher Dolciato Tim Codispoti Ron LaPedis Robin Hollis Van Riley John & Laura Garcia Donald and Martha Edmondson Ashley R Leaphart Clint Cottrell Jr. Karin and Kenji Luster Grant and Sandra Fetzer Ellen Petrokiewicz Erick Kanter Darrell Holmquist George Huff Joseph F. and Marianne Martin Gary and Mercedes Naumann Dean and Billie Jean Tecklenburg Andrew Chaney Jack Milanak Dave and Brenda Bayless Todd McCartney William Lenharth Terry and Kathie Fairchild Gary Verville Carol McGuire Michael Rashis Russ Cole Randolph Riscol Ed and Paula Hartnett Mark Scheidegger Dave Sutton Jim Kelly Beth Katelyn Michael Summers and Amanda Schuck Past UnMeeting programs have James Prentki Lauren Scott included Disney Legend Roy E. Ray Fleischmann Curtis McCormick Ken Stevens Thomas & Lorraine Phillips Disney, Imagineer Legend Bob Dave and Linda Paulson Anthony Hoffman Gurr, Tinker Bell model Margaret Frank Perry C R Scott Bob Maurer Doug Shaffer Kerry, Roy P. Disney, grandson Tracy Lunquist Ryan Nickerson of Disney co-founder Roy O. David Walkup Christopher Williams Jim and Nancy Cotterman Mark Opyd Disney, Retired Walt Disney Bob Van Buskirk Jennifer and John Germaine Rusty Rice Don Steger World Railroad Foreman Michael DeAngelis Stephen McClure George Britton, Society Dan Buonarota Edward Lee T John and Sharon Laser Don and Michelle Morin Governor Michael Campbell, Pamela Sternberger Angela Diaz and many more. Jay Miller Nicholas Cappelloni Rick Boyce Lance Priez James Klich Gary Beecham There’s a group photograph of This year, Disney Legend James Dinwiddie Ron Fauset Jane Boyce Windlebleck Kris Kaiser the gathering located among Animator and Voice Actor of Roy Hollis Tyler Przedwiecki the Ward Kimball display at Donald Duck, Tony Anselmo Sid Bartos Lynn and Ryan Anderson Alex Lundy Douglas Folsom Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn joined the growing list of Hugh Rutherford Greg Salisbury Museum in Griffith Park, Los distinguished UnMeeting Robert C Belke Thomas Maier Angeles. presenters. PLATFORM 2 PLATFORM 3 Smoke Tree 20 19 Ranch Weekend Many fans are aware that Walt Disney enjoyed visiting the two homes he built at Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs. The sprawling 500-acre private residential ranch consists of 73 homes, recreational facilities, horse stables, walking trails and a ranch house featuring gourmet-quality meals. Over the years, Carolwood Governor Fred Lack III has organized opportunities for visiting the ranch. While these outings are not “official” Carolwood events, many Carolwood Society members have participated. WORLD’S GREATEST HOBBY on tour Since 2004, the model train industry has sponsored a national tour promoting the hobby. Called “World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour,” the shows are booked into major convention facilities that draw from 25 to 40 thousand attendees. Selecting four to six venues annually in regions of the country, the tour this coming 2019 season will appear at Schaumburg, IL, Jan. 5-6 (near Chicago); Oaks, PA, Jan. 12-13 (near Philadelphia); Council Bluffs, Iowa, Feb. 9-10; Novi, Michigan, Feb. 23-24 (near Detroit). Over 1.5 million have made it the largest hobby show in the world. As he has since the first show in Edison, NJ, Michael Broggie will present his multimedia “Walt Disney’s The dates are Jan. 4-5-6, 2019. Railroad Story” three times each day. Fred estimates the cost to be $1,000 per couple including accommodations in one of the custom ranch cottages, Members and families of The Carolwood Society are meals and entertainment.