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Disney history

Disney’s Treehouse Villas: Original WDW to Today

11 July 2024 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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For those of you who have been reading Zannaland in one form or another since the beginning (that’s *15* years ago!) you have probably heard me talking or writing about my stays at the Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas many, many times. If not, you can read about it at that link. I wish I had even more proof of my stays there; rolls and rolls of photos, ephemera, journal entries…it’s a time I would definitely travel back to if I could. That’s probably why I’m so grateful that the Treehouse Villas are still a place anyone can stay on Walt Disney World property. It was always my dream to stay in a Treehouse Villa (I mean, what child of the 80’s wouldn’t want to stay in a treehouse?!) I’m not sure why we never made it there back in the day, I can only imagine perhaps my parents were not as excited about potential mosquitos while staying in a swampy forest? The other (more probable) scenario is that Disney started to build more and more new resorts, and we wanted to try them all, finding new favorites along the way. 41 years after my first-ever stay on WDW property, I finally had this dream come true. (There are fewer and fewer dreams left – Cinderella Castle Dream Suite, I’m looking at you!) Now the Treehouses have gone through a few changes over the years, and I thought before I reviewed my recent visit, I’d take a stroll down one of my favorite streets of all – Memory Lane. Let’s see where those Treehouses came from and how they’ve stuck around after all these years.

Treehouse Villa 1970's
Image ©Disney

Back in the planning stages of Walt Disney World Resort, after Walt had sadly passed, and the original idea of EPCOT would not come to fruition, some thought there could still be a way for folks to live IN Walt Disney World. They soon realized residents would have to vote on town governance issues, which is a WHOLE other topic. So instead, they decided to build some townhomes and spec houses for corporate sponsorship. Disney aimed to have corporate lease-to-purchase sales of these properties, so companies could have getaway home style resort accommodations for employees. This didn’t work out the way Disney had hoped, so after a few years, Disney opened up reservations to stay at these unique properties. The first were the Vacation Villa townhomes (where I stayed a few times as a child), followed by the Treehouse Villas, built up on stilts to “prevent flooding” as they were essentially nestled in to a swampy wetland area. A golf course had also been built and was followed by the Fairway Villas, little duplex-style homes right on the, well, fairway. Club Lake Villas were the last to be built, aiming at housing conventioneers. The four larger spec homes that had been built but never further developed were the Grand Vista Suites. These were like what we’d now think of a “grand villa” under the Disney Vacation Club lineup, but back then, more like a real 3-bedroom home.

Disney’s Vacation Villas in 1984

Today we’ll just discuss the Treehouse Villas, which were of course the most whimsical of the lineup. Can you imagine Disney building a property today with a spiral staircase in the middle of the living space? Well that’s what the Treehouse Villas originally were. One bedroom on the ground level, with a spiral staircase leading up to the main living room, with two more bedrooms and a full kitchen upstairs. An outdoor deck overlooked the wetlands or the golf course, or the canal (later named the Sassagoula River!). If you’ve ever visited, you’ll see that there are smaller roadways connecting the villas. This is because all of the Lake Buena Vista Villas were intended to be traveled to by golf carts. You could rent one at the main check-in area and park your car there, making the rest of the trip by cart. That’s also how you’d travel to the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village (later Disney Village, later Downtown Disney, later Disney Springs). We did this when we stayed in the 80’s, and I almost drove our rented golf cart into the canal separating the Vacation Villas from the Village. Good times. I was 9, what do you want from me? (I didn’t ACTUALLY go into the canal.) Anyway, now of course there are parking spots, and there were when we stayed at the Vacation Villas too, but we still got a golf cart. It was THE way to travel.

Treehouse Villa 1970's
Treehouse Villa 1970's
Treehouse Villa 1970's

Another of my vivid memories was taking the Disney buses (there were maybe only 4 routes back then?) and looking for the correct flag bus that went to the Villas. Because the Treehouse Villas were the first stop, riding back there in the pitch black at the end of the night was always a treat. I’d look out the huge windows in the front and watch for deer, bunnies hopping across the road, racoons, all sorts of critters. The Treehouse Villas were a magical utopia to me as we’d drive by, day or night. With their floor to ceiling windows and round shape, truly a dream destination. Ok, back to history.

Michael D Eisner

When Michael Eisner took over, a lot of what he had experienced personally in his life became the blueprints for changes he made at the company. And while we all look back on his time fondly (I know I do), some of his decisions didn’t always translate to success for the Company. One of those blueprints was the Disney Institute. It’s funny to me that I (and many of my Disney-obsessed friends and family) take for granted our inherent knowledge or first-hand experience with long past Disney experiences. I mean, they certainly aren’t talking about the Disney Institute’s creation in Traditions, or on the latest vlog. Anyway, the Disney Institute does technically still exist and is now usually a corporate enrichment program for “master class” type of professional development.

When it started, however, anyone could choose to spend a portion or all of their Walt Disney World Vacation learning a new skill under the various topics of: Animation, Culinary, Gardening, The Great Outdoors, Photography, Television, as well as youth programs. In order to make Disney Institute a reality, changes were made to the existing villas and the surrounding buildings. During this time, the Treehouse Villas were turned into residences for the International Program Cast Members. You could still view the villas as you sailed by on a boat going from the Port Orleans Resorts to Downtown Disney.

Disney-Institute-concept-art

When the Disney Institute didn’t take off as planned, it was retooled a few times, finally closing to the public in 2000. At this time, the Vacation Villas and all its other properties had to be destroyed. Well, “had to be” is debatable, but they were. The new resort of Disney’s Saratoga Springs sprung up in its place becoming the seventh Disney Vacation Club property. It would’ve been very easy to raze the Treehouse Villas and add another building or three of DVC villas to the Saratoga Springs land. For whatever reason, Disney chose to actually remodel the Treehouses, make them modern, yet still rustic, and create a few ADA compliant treehouses as well. They remained in their location and became a part of the Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa family. And the rest, as they say, is history, well, actually that brings us up to current time. There are lots of sites out there that cover this history more in-depth, this is just my personal memories and knowledge from previous research.

I have attempted to stay at the Disney Treehouse Villas many times over the years, but we are not DVC members, and I’ve never really gotten into attempting to figure out renting points, so when we stay at Disney, it’ll be a cast member or travel agent rate, or sometimes full price. But the Treehouse Villas always remained woefully out of reach at over $1000 a night on an off-peak date. I was finally able to secure a 50% off rate recently, despite being right around the 4th of July. It was the perfect storm of all of the kids (2/3 of whom have real jobs where dates aren’t always the easiest to take off) being available and me being able to work from home meant I could make it work too. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my stories and my excitement and awe walking up to the treehouse. Today I shared a Reel on instagram, and I had so much fun both recording and creating it, it inspired me to get back to writing again as well. So here we all are. I did forget to take any still photos but I guess that just means I have to go back again.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Zanna ✨ Disney ✨ Travel ✨ Adventures (@zannaland)

We had a wonderfully relaxing few days there and it was like when we go up to the mountains in a cabin, without the 10 hour drive. The couch was comfy, the views were amazing, and it was so secluded. We felt like we were in Fort Wilderness before they changed Trail’s End (RIP). I also felt like I was 9 again for a bit, and really renewed my passion for the Walt Disney World Resort and what made me fall in love with it to begin with. If you’ve read this whole post, I hope you now know a little more about WDW history and if you’ve been at the Treehouse Villas before, I hope it brought back some wonderful memories for you as well. I’d love to hear them in the comments if so!

June 25 marked 15 years of me writing on this site, zannaland, and though I don’t write as much (or even post as much on instagram thanks to my full time job AND running VeganDisneyFood.com) zannaland is always, always on my mind and something I will probably never give up on because sharing my love for Disney history and how it has affected my life and my family is a passion I just can’t shake. Thank you again for reading, and I promise, more to come.

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney News, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Disney Past, Disney Resorts, Family Memories, Places to Stay, Top Stories, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Buena Vista Village, Disney history, Disney resort review, Disney Treehouse, Disney Vacation Club, DVC, History of Treehouse Villas, lake buena vista, Lake Buena Vista Village, Treehouse Villa review, Treehouse Villas, vacation villas, Walt Disney World, WDW history, WDW resort

Disney Book Review: A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth

27 October 2021 by Scott Otis Leave a Comment

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A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth 

 

By Kevin Kern, Tim O’Day & Steven Vagnini

“The boys and girls of the world regard a visit to Walt Disney World … as a must in their lives. It’s a magnet, it’s a mecca for the dreams of youth and for the inspiration of mature people.” Herb Ryman, Disney Legend, Imagineer and artist

 

When famed Disney artist and then-retired Imagineer Herb Ryman spoke these profound words in 1982, just after the opening of the brand new masterpiece EPCOT Center, little did he know just how prophetic he was, with Walt Disney World since growing to gargantuan proportions, with four full-fledged theme parks, two epic water parks, a massive shopping and dining district, more than two dozen themed hotels, a campground, and more leisure and recreational activities than one can possibly imagine.

 

It was right around this time, with the shiny futuristic Spaceship Earth beckoning me, that this Orange County California boy of 12, then fully devoted to the only thing he possibly knew or cared about, Disneyland, became fully aware of the wonders of Walt Disney World, and set his mind on getting his family, some way, somehow, to take a summer family vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth. I finally got that trip in May and June of 1984, and my life changed forevermore, and I knew I’d spend the rest of my life here, in the other Orange County, in the shadows of the very Cinderella Castle that Herb Ryman so beautifully designed years before.

 

For its 25th Anniversary in 1996, noted Disney historian and author Jeff Kurtti graced the world with his amazing quintessential history of Walt Disney World up to that point, Since the World Began: Walt Disney World – The First 25 Years, and it has held a prominent place on the center bookshelf of my vast Disney book collection, and I’ve turned to that book time and time again in my never ending research of Walt Disney World.

 

As the 50th Anniversary was growing closer, I was hoping the Company would once again turn to Jeff to write a Part Two, the 2nd 25 Years of Walt Disney World. Alas, that did not happen. But instead, we Disney fans were in for a treat! Not one, not two, but THREE!! fully qualified Disney historians were tapped to author the companion book of Disney World’s Golden Anniversary. When I saw the names attached to this project, I knew it was in the right hands. 

 

Kevin Kern is a longtime Walt Disney Archivist and an accomplished Disney historian and writer; Tim O’Day is one of the foremost experts on Disney history and an amazing idea man who has worked on countless Disney special events; and my dear friend Steven Vagnini has been a constant champion of Disney heritage and history in his vast career with the Disney Archives, the official Disney fan club D23 and his current role in Walt Disney Imagineering.

 

And boy, oh boy… they did not disappoint.

 

This enormous 320-page volume is chock full of stories, nuggets, facts, quotes, photographs, captions, drawings, detailed renderings and top secret blueprints, current and historical, of all things Walt Disney World. Rather than the usual chronological format, the authors chose to organize the proceedings almost by using the famous Disneyland plaque “Here You Leave Today and Enter the World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy” as their guide.

Before they get into that, though, the authors begin the book with a look at Disney’s history with the State of Florida, and the inner workings of the Company that led them to build their Resort destination there, as well as the purchase of the land tracts, and the massive construction project that turned the vast square mileage of swampland into The Most Magical Place on Earth. They detail the master plans of Project Florida, including the idea of EPCOT, the progress city of the future, that was initially planned for this land. There are extensive amounts of rare and never-before-seen photographs of the early planning stages and construction, with Walt surveying the Florida landscape just before his untimely passing in December 1966.

This section is followed by three short essays from some very important people, remembering their role in all of this, including: Dick Nunis, the former Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions and Disney Legend looking back at the vast job the Company had ahead of them to build and open this stupendous project; Debby Dane Browne, Walt Disney World’s first Ambassador, fondly recalling her early days at the Preview Center, becoming the first Ambassador and her memories of the Grand Opening of the Magic Kingdom and all of Walt Disney World; and Roy Patrick Disney, the grandson of Roy O. Disney, telling stories of his grandfather, who selflessly delayed his own retirement, literally spending the rest of his life to foresee and lead the Company to opening Walt’s greatest legacy, dying mere weeks after its Grand Opening.

 

This is where the meat and potatoes of the book begins, separating all the different Park areas, lands, attractions, shows and other bits of all of Walt Disney World into the four categories of Nostalgia (An Idealized Yesteryear), Fantasy (The Art of Make Believe), Discovery (Adventure and Exploration) and Tomorrow (A Step into the Future).

Nostalgia includes examinations of such things as Main Street U.S.A., Liberty Square, Frontierland, Hollywood Boulevard and the Grand Floridian Resort. The Fantasy chapter is where you’ll find Fantasyland (of course), Pandora: The World of Avatar, Galaxy’s Edge and Blizzard Beach.

Adventureland, Harambe, The Living Seas, major portions of World Showcase, Wilderness Lodge and much more can be found in the Discovery section. The pages of Tomorrow are where you’ll find stories on Tomorrowland, Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, Contemporary Resort, and such unique concepts as transportation, solar energy, the utilidors and much more.

This is such a fun way to categorize all the distinctive individual ideas that make up the entire 50 year history of Walt Disney World, all with comprehensive quotes, captions and researched and notated footnotes (there are separate bibliographic and endnotes listings for the text, the captions and the quotes found throughout the chapters).

I very much enjoyed reading this incredible historical volume, and inspecting all the amazing images found within, examining the details of things I thought I knew so well. I recommend you take a closer look at this book by clicking the image below, or stopping by your local independent bookseller to pick up your own personal copy!

What a way to celebrate 50 years of the Most Magical Place on Earth! Thank you, Kevin, Tim and Steven! Also thank you to Disney Publishing for providing us this book for review. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.

Walt Disney 50th Books

There are quite a few other books that Disney has released for the Walt Disney World 50th celebration. I’ll link them here: (these are Amazon affiliate links, with a very small portion of the purchase going back to the site – we appreciate your support!)

You can see Scott’s previous reviews here, and we also discuss and review A Portrait of Walt Disney World and others on one of our Up the Waterfall  weekly LIVE shows (we have quite a few book discussions there so check them out and subscribe for more!):

https://youtu.be/5KqFR2AdXHA

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Filed Under: Books, Disney Movie News & Reviews, Guest Authors, Movies & Books, Reviews, Top Stories Tagged With: Disney book collection, Disney book review, Disney books, Disney history, Disney history books, Disney Publishing, Kevin Kern, Portrait of Walt Disney World, Scott Otis, Steven Vagnini, Tim O'Day, Walt Disney World 50th, Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary, WDW 50th book

History of Pleasure Island from Rosie O’Grady’s to Raglan Road

4 June 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Welcome friends! We once again have a sparkling new Up the Waterfall podcast to share with you! This time it’s all about the interesting history of Pleasure Island. Believe it or not, our story begins with a little spot down the street from Walt Disney World – Rosie O’Grady’s at Church Street Station. In this latest Up the Waterfall, we take you though the history, the backstory, and the demise, of Pleasure Island.

Rosie O'Grady's Church Street Station

 

As always, you can hear the full podcast wherever you download your podcasts. We’ve got a handful of places to download and listen to Up the Waterfall here and at the bottom of this post.  You can also watch the video highlights version of Up the Waterfall, which will show you fun historical footage and images of what we’re talking about to go along with the show. Please subscribe to the audio or video version so you know when we next upload. We’d love to hear from you too, share with a friend, leave a comment or review/rating. That helps us know you want more fun shows!

I mention in this episode that I would list all of the “histerical” plaques that once adorned the original buildings at Pleasure Island. Here they are below, thanks to MousePlanet for providing this info.

The Pleasure Island Plaques

PLEASURE ISLAND (entrance plaque on the bridge by the ticket booths)
Founded 1911
An unverifiable, anecdotal, purely subjective, theoretical alleged purported history. Also, ersatz. A living monument to “the wise fool, the mad visionary, the scoundrel, the scalawag, and the seeker of enjoyment.” Merriweather Adam Pleasure, who purchased the island in 1911. Pleasure’s profitable canvas manufacturing/sail fabricating empire, founded on this site, provided him with the capital to indulge his lifelong interest in the exotic, the experimental, and the unexplainable. Known as the Grand Funmeister, Pleasure disappeared during his 1941 circumnavigation of the Antarctic. His sons, Henry and Stewart, took over the island and the Pleasure enterprises. Their mismanagement led to bankruptcy in 1955; Hurricane Connie hit that same year, and Pleasure Island was abandoned. In 1987, Archaeologists uncovered the site and its remains, and a large scale reclamation project was begun. In 1989, the new Pleasure Island was re-opened and dedicated to the legacy of Merriweather Adam Pleasure: “Fun for all, and All for fun!”
Placed here by the Pleasure Island Histerical Society.

THE EMPRESS LILLY
The Floating Arts Palace
1886
Originally christened The Floating Arts Palace, this vessel plied the mighty Mississippi River for 25 years. Boat fancier Merriweather Pleasure purchased it in 1911 to use as a home, guest house, and entertainment center while he began construction on Pleasure Island. In 1918, the former showboat was unmoored and transformed into a summer houseboat for steaming down the tree-lined waterways of Central Florida. In 1971 the boat was restored to her original glory and re-commissioned The Empress Lilly in honor of Mrs. Lillian Disney.

LILLY PLAZA
1922
Originally a turnaround for the limousines of guests visiting the Pleasure family houseboat. The plaza was remodeled for the July 4, 1937, debut of the 118-member Pleasure Island Philharmonic Concert Band conducted by Maestro Don G. O’Vanni. The P.I.P.C.B. concerts on this site ended with a piece Mrs. Isabella Pleasure commissioned, the haunting “Fugue for Triangle, Piccolo and Steampowered Riverboat Whistle.”

PORTOBELLO YACHT CLUB
Pleasure Family Home 1918
Island Founder Merriweather Pleasure built this home for his family who lived on their beloved island for 20 years. Here, Mrs. Isabella Pleasure hosted hundreds of tea socials, garden parties and croquet tournaments, featuring fine food and uninhibited conversation. As she often said, “If you don’t have something nice to say, come sit next to me!” Restored in 1989 as a joint effort of the Walt Disney Company and the Levy Restaurants.

PORTOBELLO ROSE GARDEN
Mrs. Isabella Pleasure, wife of Island founder Merriweather Pleasure, spent 20 years and several-hundred-thousand dollars attempting to crossbreed a “true blue” rose. Like others before her, she had to be content with variations on the color lavender. Mrs. Pleasure’s garden, first planted in 1919, was recreated in 1989 from notes in her journals and diaries.

BRIDGE
Originally constructed 1914
This bridge stood until 1943, when young Stewart Pleasure, son of Island founder Merriweather Pleasure, piloted the family showboat directly into the graceful span connecting Pleasure Island with the mainland. Stewart supervised the rebuilding of the bridge in 1944, but destroyed it again on September 2, 1954. The current bridge was built from the 1914 plans by the Walt Disney Company.

MERRIWEATHER’S MARKET
M. A. Pleasure’s Original Sailmaking Factory
1912
Foundation and wellspring of the considerable fortune of Island founder Merriweather Adam Pleasure. Once a month during the full moon, Pleasure could be seen on the roof of this building, chanting to the goddess of the the tides to keep his various enterprises afloat. Pleasure Island’s first sail was completed here December 18, 1912. After the assembly of the last sail on June 4, 1931, perfectionist Merriweather Pleasure insisted that the factory be preserved intact. The building was devastated by Hurricane Connie in 1955. Restored in 1989.

MANNEQUINS
Pleasure Island Canvas Works Fabrication Plant
1912
Second building erected on the island, this actually housed Merriweather Pleasure’s famous canvas fabrication works. In the 1930s, it was converted to a soundstage for Invincible Pictures, then into a design studio and workshop for various Pleasure projects. Most notable of these was a huge locomotive powered by a combination of steam and magnetic power. A colossal turntable was installed to facilitate the work on this revolutionary product, called Maxwell’s Demon, that was intended to revolutionize world transportation. It didn’t. For further unverifiable information on the life and times of Pleasure Island, refer to the theoretical histerical plaques located at the island’s entrances.

THE ISLAND DEPOT
Pleasure Island Administration Building
1913
Originally a wooden shack housing Pleasure Island’s paymaster/accountant/bookkeeper, telegraphy office, mailroom, first aid station, and social center, the first building on this site (constructed in 1913) burned to the ground in 1933 during a party celebrating the repeal of Prohibition. A subsequent building erected on the site was blown apart by a savage 1944 typhoon. Refurbished 1988-1989. The complete and dubious history of Pleasure Island is inscribed at each island entrance.

FIREWORKS FACTORY
Fireworks Laboratory and Storage Bunker
1922
Island founder Merriweather Pleasure had a passion for pyrotechnics. In 1922, he persuaded China’s premier fireworks inventor, The Bang Master, to immigrate to Orlando. The Master’s lab and storage bunker were built on this spot, and for the next four years Orlando’s citizens enjoyed stupendous Independence Day aerial displays. On July 3, 1927, a stray spark from Pleasure’s pipe set off an explosion that was heard in Tampa, 82 miles away. Mrs. Pleasure insisted that the wreckage of the factory be preserved as a reminder of “Pleasure’s Folly.” Renovated as a joint venture by the Walt Disney Company and the Levy World Company.

CHANGING ATTITUDES
Pleasure Perfect Upholstery
1923
Six full-time seamstresses worked here to refurbish the interiors of the custom yachts in the Pleasure Island Dry Dock. In 1934, the shop was responsible for stuffing the head of a rare Mongolian Yakoose for the Adventurers Club. This profitable sideline ended in 1943 when a war time shortage of kapok put taxidermy on the endangered species list. Further information on the incredible doings at Pleasure Island from 1911 to the Present Day is inscribed on the ersatz histerical plaques at all island entrances.

DOODLES
The Machine Shop
1937
Built as a custom tool-and-die shop for fearless flyer and Island founder Merriweather Pleasure’s “X-Thing” project. His granddaughter, Katie, converted it into Katie’s Kustom Kars, the first female owned and operated auto customizing shop in the Southeastern United States. Katie, a.k.a. Doodles, closed the shop in 1954 to join the Air Force as a test pilot for the only customized X-1 ever built.

ROCK AND ROLL BEACH CLUB
(XZFR Rockin’ Rollerdome-a roller skating dance club)
Building X
1937
Island founder and UFO enthusiast Merriweather Pleasure built his experimental “X-thing” here. Pleasure himself designed this super amphibious aircraft that could harness the power of the wind. The “X-Thing” flew only once—Sept. 1, 1940—with Pleasure himself at the controls. The test flight is shrouded in mystery, but upon landing Pleasure began broadcasts to outer space. Beamed from the roof of this building, the international Morse Code messages repeated “W-E-L-C-O-M-E.” Further information on the incredible doings at Pleasure Island from 1911 to present day may be found inscribed on the quasi-historical plaques at all Island entrances.

REEL FINDS
(Hammer and Fire – shop that featured titanium jewelry, stoneware, and wall hangings)
Fittings Foundry
1923
The bronze foundry for Pleasure Island Yacht Refurbishing Inc. was built in 1923. Unique custom fittings, individually cast at great expense, were required to achieve the “pleasure principle” of lavish but functional ornamentation of sailing vessels.
Further information on the illustrious and illusionary past of Pleasure Island may be found upon the plaques at each island entrance.

History Pleasure Island

YESTEREARS
Remains of Pleasure Island Ltd. Chandlery and Tool Crib
1924
One of the many support facilities for the cornerstone of Island founder Merriweather Pleasure’s commercial empire, Pleasure Canvas and Sailmakers, Ltd. A 1944 hurricane sheared off the front of the building, sending a million (more of less) bolts, screws, linchpins, lugnuts, and spanner wrenches into the depths of Lake Buena Vista. The silly saga of Pleasure Island is told in its imprecise entirety at each island entrance.

SUSPENDED ANIMATION
Navigational Pleasure Graphics Ltd.
1924
Island founder and graphics connoisseur Merriweather Adam Pleasure rocked the art world when he lured R. North Camilpoter, America’s premier gold leaf stylist, to Orlando. Camilpoter spent his days peacefully hand-painting the bows of the yachts Pleasure refurbished. When Hurricane Charlotte damaged the building in 1944, only three years after his patron’s demise, the graphic artist was too dispirited to rebuild. History buffs: The incredible and unverifiable story of Pleasure Island is summarized for your entertainment at each island entrance.

AVIGATORS SUPPLY
Pleasure Shipping and Receiving
1924
Island founder Merriweather Pleasure had this building constructed to facilitate his business refurbishing ships and yachts. It later became a clearing house and depot for the booty from his global adventures. In 1939, Pleasure befriended a group of native Floridian stunt pilots, the “Avigators” who operated a short-lived import/export business here from 1949-1951. The entire history of Pleasure Island is misrepresented on the plaques located at each entrance to our island.

SUPERSTAR STUDIOS
Mrs. Pleasure’s Music Parlor
Composed 1929
Built to store island matriarch Isabella Pleasure’s gargantuan collection of 78 rpm Italian opera records. Immediately upon her passing in 1949, her two sons sold her collection (valued at $475,000) to an Orlando junk dealer for $150. Refurbished by the Walt Disney Company and Star Trax Enterprises in 1989. Find the fabulous fable of Pleasure Island and its founding family on the plaques at each entrance to the island.

VIDEOPOLIS EAST/CAGE
Artificial Intelligence Lab
1929
Built for Island founder Merriweather Pleasure’s son Henry, the “mad genius of Lake Buena Vista” and Henry’s life work, the Pleasure Cellular Automaton. Henry died thinking his experiments in artificial intelligence had failed. But when the building was reopened in 1987, the automaton was alive and thriving. In fact, it directed the refurbishing of its home and designed the sophisticated computer hardware that shows itself to best advantage. The complete and purely subjective saga of Pleasure Island is synthesized on the ersatz histerical plaques at the Island’s entrance.

LOMBARD PROMENADE
1929
Designed by Island founder and incurable romantic Merriweather Adam Pleasure after a trip he and wife Isabella took to San Francisco. They both fell in love with the city’s back-and-forth boulevard, Lombard Street. Isabella wanted a photograph as a souvenir, but Merriweather insisted on recreating the street itself. It later became a favorite site for the legendary, day-long hide-and-seek tournaments organized by the Pleasure grandchildren.
The fabled follies of Pleasure Island and its founding family are recorded on the histerical plaques at each island entrance.

COMEDY WAREHOUSE
Power Station
1912
This building became a storage facility when Pleasure Island was electrified in 1928. Six years later, the power station became home to the Pleasure Island Thespian Players, founded by and featuring Isabella Pleasure, wife of island founder and drama enthusiast Merriweather Pleasure. The players specialized in elaborate Central Florida Historical Pageants, including the seminal “Song of the Seminole.” After Mrs. Pleasure’s death in 1949, the building was closed and the players disbanded.  Since its restoration by the Walt Disney Company, this site is again a warehouse, storing strange notions, again attractions and ideas slightly ahead of their time.

NEON ARMADILLO
The Greenhouse
1927
Constructed to house the vast array of exotic desert plants collected by island founder, a globe-trotter and amateur cactogogist Merriweather Pleasure. Pleasure regarded the Greenhouse as his personal Eden. He nurtured his “prickly pals,” as he called them, with fanatical devotion. After Pleasure’s disappearance in 1941, his Greenhouse was sealed off. When it was reopened in 1989, scientists discovered a huge and happy family or armadillos. The inhabitants were immortalized in neon by the Island renovators.

ADVENTURERS CLUB
Founded 1932
This imposing building was designed to house the huge personal library and archeological trophy collection of island founder and compulsive explorer Merriweather Adam Pleasure. Pleasure won the plans in a game of dominoes and attributed them throughout his life to noted architects Sir Edwin Luytens, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Eliel Saarinen. The building became the headquarters for the Adventurers Club, Pleasure’s zany band of globe-trotting friends. Exotic souvenirs of the members’ outlandish expeditions and riotous adventures were displayed on the walls. After Pleasure vanished at sea in 1941, the Club was sealed until it was opened to the public for the first time in 1989.

WEST END PLAZA
1941
Island founder and stargazer Merriweather Adam Pleasure was convinced during the sole flight of his “X-Thing” aircraft that he could make contact with alien beings. Working feverishly, Pleasure completed the world’s first and only Alien Landing Platform on July 4, 1941. His wife Isabella immediately laid claim to it for her beloved Pleasure Island Philharmonic Concert Band. Much to Merriweather’s disgust (“How can ‘they’ land when that blasted band is playing?’”) this became home base for the P.I.P.C.B.

THE PLEASURE ISLAND AMC 10 THEATERS
Pleasure Canvas Works
Fabrication Plant No. 12
1922
Originally constructed to house Island founder Merriweather Pleasure’s burgeoning canvas fabrication business. Hoping to discover and patent a cheap, clean, abundant, renewable source of power, Pleasure had the building refitted in 1938 as a laboratory for testing “thermomagnetics”—a process designed to harness the earth’s magnetic force. The success of the experiment was proven in 1940 when the facility blew sky high with no visible, provable use of combustibles. Pleasure commanded that the ruined super structure and outbuildings remain as testimony to “the awesome power of the planet”. Rebuilt jointly by American Multi-Cinemas, Inc. and the Walt Disney Company. Opened in 1988.

LOOKOUT POINT, PLEASURE ISLAND
Defense League
1941-44
Son of Island founder Merriweather Pleasure, “Paranoid Henry” Pleasure camped up here every single night from December 8, 1941, to V-J Day. He was convinced that the Axis powers were plotting an assault on America by coming ashore at Pleasure Island, which was then—and remains—80 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. In his nearly four years of vigilance, Henry fired his musket only once. He mistook a family of herons for the leading edge of an invasion force. The herons escaped unharmed.

Here’s the video version of our History of Pleasure Island Up the Waterfall podcast:

 

 

We hope you enjoy our History of Pleasure Island episode of Up the Waterfall! Do you have memories from Pleasure Island’s history that you want to share with us? Let us know in the comments below, or join us on our weekly LIVE show each Thursday at 8pm right on our Zannaland YouTube channel. See you there!

 


As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast. Also please leave a review on Apple or Google podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you listen. Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
  • Zannaland’s facebook page
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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Filed Under: Disney Past, Up the Waterfall Podcast, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Adventurer's Club, Adventurer's Club history, church street station, Disney history, Disney history podcast, history of pleasure island, orlando entertainment history, Pleasure Island, rosie o'grady's, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast

The History of Celebration Florida – Up the Waterfall Episode 45

10 December 2020 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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We rejoin our Up the Waterfall show podcast in full swing, with an episode near and dear to my heart, the history of Celebration, Florida. As you’ll see and hear in this week’s show, I followed the origins of Celebration from the start, and remember driving through the town as it was being built, and always wishing to one day call it home. I actually did, from 2011 – 2013, and enjoyed having a first-hand view of “The Town that Disney Built.”

This week we go over exactly how the town of Celebration came to be, what went into the planning, and what’s been going on since ground breaking in 1994. Celebration was born during a time of great progress in the Eisner-Wells era of the Walt Disney Company. The early 90’s saw the inception of the Disney Vacation Club, EuroDisney (now Disneyland Paris), hit movies and more. It seemed only natural that it would also see the first Disney designed and built town in America.

Here’s some of the Celebration Sales Center preview homes, from 1995 that I mentioned this on the show, see how it’s just a front facade?

Celebration preview center 1995

Whether you’ve visited, lived in, or just driven through Celebration, Florida, we think you’ll enjoy this show and the facts and tid bits we learn along the way. As mentioned on the show, we wanted to share the books we referenced on the show, in case you’d like to add them to your collection or brush up on your Celebration history. All links below are affiliate links, which means if you purchase, a small commission comes back to Zannaland to support our costs. Just click on the book cover below to see the book:

 

 

Celebration The Story of a Town by Michael Lassell
Celebration – The Story of a Town by Michael Lassell
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture by Beth Dunlop
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture by Beth Dunlop
CELEBRATION JOURNAL - Inaugural Issue by Carole Engle
CELEBRATION JOURNAL – Inaugural Issue by Carole Engle
The Celebration Chronicles: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Property Value in Disney's Brave New Town by Andrew Ross
The Celebration Chronicles: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Property Value in Disney’s New Town by Andrew Ross
Celebration, U.S.A.: Living in Disney's Brave New Town by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins
Celebration, U.S.A.: Living in Disney’s Brave New Town by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins
WALT DISNEY WORLD Architecture By Disney
WALT DISNEY WORLD Architecture by Disney
Work in Progress by Michael Eisner with Tony Schwartz
Work in Progress by Michael Eisner with Tony Schwartz
Walt Disney: An American Original by Bob Thomas
Walt Disney: An American Original by Bob Thomas
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture by Beth Dunlop
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture (earlier edition we discussed on the show) by Beth Dunlop

Be sure to check out my other posts on Celebration Florida, including the famous Pirate House and some of the holiday events mentioned on the show! Have you visited or even lived in Celebration, Florida? What did you like (or not like) about the town? Let us know!

 


As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast. Also please leave a review on Apple or Google podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you listen. Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
  • Zannaland’s facebook page
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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Filed Under: Disney Past, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: celebration, Celebration FL, Celebration Florida, Disney history, Disney history podcast, History of Celebration, michael eisner, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast

Ranking Extinct Disney Attractions – Up the Waterfall Episode 44

21 October 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Another fun stroll down memory lane, this week we discuss Extinct Disney Attractions. More than just discuss, we rank them! This is one of those episodes where you’re going to want to watch it rather than (or in addition to) listening, as we rank them with cool graphics created by Christian.

Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland

Speaking of Christian, he chose the 30 extinct attractions that we ranked, so if you have any rides you think we should’ve included, please direct your comments to him! 😉 All joking aside, I think we could do quite a few more of these and still not get to all the former favorites that once existed at Disney parks. I know personally I would’ve added the Disneyland Peoplemover, which I never got to experience, as well as Magic Journeys among others. What rides do you miss the most? Or shows, or restaurants? We want to hear it all!

Scott’s Trivia Corner

This week we also brought back Scott’s Trivia Corner, with an answer to our last trivia question, which was all the way back on our Scariest Disney Attractions episode. Be sure to listen for that result. Because this week’s question was a little confusing, we wanted to include it here too so you can make a better guess – come on Disney trivia buffs we know you’re out there! Here it is:

There is one Disney park that featured TWO extinct attractions in TWO separate lands. During their time in the parks, they featured the SAME song, voiced by the SAME person (actor or actress, not character). One of which was an attraction with an Audio-Animatronics character voiced by an entertainer who sang the same song LIVE, in the second extinct attraction – a stage show. What are these two attractions, and as an added bonus, what was the featured song? Confused?! Yeah I was too haha! Two attractions…two characters…two lands…one person…one song. Try to figure it out and let us know in the comments below, or by commenting on the video, on social media, wherever you’d like to answer!

Journey into Imagination original

We thank you as always for listening and watching our Extinct Disney Attractions episode – if you can, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen, and like and subscribe on YouTube. It really helps get the word out and spread the Disney love! See more ways to connect below:

Ways to Help Laid Off Cast Members: 

As we mentioned on the end of the show, it is such a devastating time for so many. As locals, and a Cast Member family, we want to spread the word as much as possible about ways to help if you can. 

Cast Member Pantry Facebook group for Orlando area Cast Members

Ear for Each Other Facebook group featuring Cast Members from both coasts offering their services or talents for sale

Google Sheet with Cast Member run Small Shops and businesses

Also check out our friends Sarah and Tom Bricker’s post on ways to help, including donating to the Second Harvest Food Bank in both Orlando and Orange County, California. Thank you for reading, and thank you for helping the magic makers. 


As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these movie choices, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
  • Zannaland’s facebook page, Up the Waterfall on Facebook
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Disney Past, Disneyland Resort, Top Stories, Up the Waterfall Podcast, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney history, Disney history podcast, Disney past, Extinct Attractions, Extinct Disney attractions, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast

Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks Book Review – Up the Waterfall

14 October 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Everyone loves Disney books, and Scott has made no secret that it is his greatest passion. I recently bought him a couple of new releases that came out, and we were given a new holiday book to review – Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks. This book looked so amazing that I thought it deserved its own episode to share the fun and spread the word of this great new title. While we certainly could’ve devoted an entire hour to this one book (it’s THAT chock-full of Disney holiday nuggets), we added a few more recent titles, like the Disney Monorail book and Disney Maps of favorite movies.

As promised, here is a rundown of the books we discussed. The links are affiliate links, which means no extra cost to you, but we will get a very small commission amount, which helps offset the costs to run Zannaland and Up the Waterfall. We appreciate your help and consideration. Just click on the book title or cover image to go to the link to purchase.

Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World, by Andreas Dejas:

A companion book to a recent exhibition at the phenomenal Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, this book details the global phenomenon of the Walt Disney Original, Mickey Mouse, and his contributions to the world, including black and white and color cartoons and films, merchandise, comic books, and even modern art. This book and all the other companion books for all the previous retrospective exhibitions at this first-rate museum are excellent keepsakes showcasing amazing displays. Very highly recommended.Mickey Mouse Dejas book

The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky, by Jeff Kurtti, Vanessa Hunt, et al.:

This book is a fantastic must-have addition to anyone’s Disney book collection. It is filled with not only the history of the monorail itself, but also how Walt Disney became interested in transportation, futurism, and the desire to bring monorails to the parks. Here are some photos from the book (not high-quality scans, just to give you an idea of what lies in store!).

Walt Disney monorail model
Monorail construction
Monorails of Disneyland and Walt Disney World list
Monorails of Disneyland and Walt Disney World list
Disney Monorail concept art panorama
The Disney Monorails book inside jacket – as mentioned on the show! – sorry for the quality, but you get the idea.

Disney Maps: A Magical Atlas of the Movies We Know and Love, by Disney Book Group:

This is a fun book that families will love. I know Gio would love getting his hands on this book to explore the various lands we know and love from Disney animated movies. It provides a character list and fun facts about each film too. Here is an example of the Ratatouille pages:

Disney Maps Ratatouille
Disney Maps Ratatouille

 

Entertaining with Disney: Exceptional Events From Mickey Mouse to Moana! by Amy Croushorn:

This book is like Pinterest in book form. Entertaining with Disney is all organized by theme and has detailed instructions for creating the crafts, making the snacks, and setting the scene for your exceptional Disney events. I got this book for Scott as kind of a joke because he’s not really an entertainer in any way, but he is a completist, so he can cross this one off his list. However, *I* love it, and even if I don’t make any of these super cool themed parties, it’s really relaxing and fun to look at! Here’s the Peter Pan spread:

Entertaining with Disney Peter Pan

 

The Art of Disney Costuming – Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between, by Jeff Kurtti and the Staff of the Walt Disney Archives:

This book is a companion piece to the D23 Expo Archives exhibit from the most recent Expo in 2019. There are spectacular close-ups of the many beautiful and detailed costumes displayed there, as well as backstories. There are also sections on the costumes created for Disney parks, really fascinating stuff. Here are a couple of pages from the book:

 

Disney Costuming book
Disney Costuming book

 

Holiday Magic at Disney Parks: by Graham Allan, Rebecca Cline, and Charlie Price:

The headliner of this episode, Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks (out October 20, available for pre-order now) is a must-have for any collection. Packed with nearly 1,900 amazing photographs, it truly is an encyclopedia of information, detailing the history of the Fall and Winter holidays at Disney parks. This includes decorations, snacks and food items, parades, spectaculars, parties, and rethemed attractions at ALL of the Disney Parks, and Disney resorts as well.

Featuring comprehensive descriptions and photos, the authors have documented the history of these holiday offerings from Disneyland’s earliest years to present day. This book is a great way to see all the holiday fun and remember the magic. We can’t say enough about this masterpiece. Here are just a few of the many, many, pages of documentation:

Disneyland holidays Tomorrowland
How amazing is this vintage Tomorrowland photo from Disneyland??
Santa atop Disneyland's Matterhorn
Disneyland Paris Halloween decor
Disney's Boardwalk Holiday decor

Again, these are not high-quality scans, just some photos to show you the treasures that lie inside these books. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on them myself and dig into this Disney history. We hope you enjoyed this book-filled episode. If so tell us in the comments below, leave us a review wherever you watch or listen, give us a thumbs up on Zannaland’s YouTube and Subscribe to see all our other videos. Thank you as always for watching and listening! We’d love to know if you pick up any of these titles for your Disney book collection! You can watch this week’s episode right here:

Ways to Help Laid Off Cast Members: 

As we mentioned on the end of the show, it is such a devastating time for so many. As locals, and a Cast Member family, we want to spread the word as much as possible about ways to help if you can. 

Cast Member Pantry Facebook group for Orlando area Cast Members

Ear for Each Other Facebook group featuring Cast Members from both coasts offering their services or talents for sale

Google Sheet with Cast Member run Small Shops and businesses

Also check out our friends Sarah and Tom Bricker’s post on ways to help, including donating to the Second Harvest Food Bank in both Orlando and Orange County, California. Thank you for reading, and thank you for helping the magic makers. 


As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these movie choices, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
  • Zannaland’s facebook page, Up the Waterfall on Facebook
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

Up the Waterfall logo

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Filed Under: Books, Disney Holidays, Disney Movie News & Reviews, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: Andreas Dejas, Becky Cline, Disney book collection, Disney books, Disney costuming book, Disney entertaining book, Disney history, Disney maps book, Disney monorail book, Disney monorail history, disney podcast, Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks, Jeff Kurtti, Mickey Mouse book, Rebecca Cline, Up the Waterfall podcast, Up the Waterfall show, Vanessa Hunt

Up the Waterfall Set Tour and Disney History Book List – Episode 30

29 June 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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We are now 30 whole episodes in to our passion project, Up the Waterfall podcast. We initially had a different topic planned for today, to mark this momentous occasion, with our first GUEST and everything! However, the tiki gods were angered by all our celebrating, so some pesky technical issues have put a delay on that. Instead we are bringing you a fun little episode where we give you a tour of all the little knick-knacks and collectibles we have around our podcast set.

In addition, Scott gives us a quick overview of the stack of Disney history books he has on display on the shelves behind us on our set. Who doesn’t need more Disney history books, right? As a bonus, there is a LOT of our resident kitty, Stella in this episode. What can we say, she loves Disney books as much as we do.

As promised on the episode, we are sharing links for every book he discusses so you can investigate picking up a copy for your Disney library if you don’t already have one. Some of them may be out of print and being sold by third party marketplace sellers, or you can find them on eBay or your local independent bookseller as well, but now you’ll have the list right here below:

Of course, due to the sheer number of books in this episode, Scott just gives a general overview of their contents. We will do other episodes focusing on one or two books in-depth. Do you have a favorite book you’d like us to discuss? What about our silly collectibles? What are some of your favorite Disney collectibles to display? We’d love to hear from you!

Up the Waterfall Podcast set

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

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Filed Under: Books, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: Disney books, Disney collectibles, Disney history, Disney history books, Disney history podcast, Disneyland books, Imagineering books, Marc Davis book, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast, Up the Waterfall show, Walt Disney World books

Finding the Grand Canyon At Disney – Up the Waterfall

24 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Grand Canyon at Disney? Well sure, I’m sure everyone knows about the Grand Canyon Concourse at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and perhaps the Grand Canyon Diorama on the Disneyland Railroad, but there are more than just those connections between the Grand Canyon and Disney.

On this episode of Up the Waterfall, we share and discuss the first appearances of the Grand Canyon as it relates to Disney, and all the way up to current representation in the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Of course as usual, we inject our own memories, experiences and thoughts on all of these connections.

The blog post from Passport 2 Dreams, I will link here. Foxxy actually has two posts on the Contemporary if you’d like to read, they are fascinating and accurate historical accounts of the creation and changes to Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Passport2Dreams: The Contemporary Resort in the 1970’s

and The Contemporary Resort through the 1990’s

Additionally, I wanted to share some photos from our family’s trip to the Grand Canyon in 2016. This was part of a multi-part summer vacation, where we visited Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park, as well as the North Rim and South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Parks. (And ended up in Disneyland!) (you can click on any photo to enlarge it)

Grand Canyon North Rim panorama

I mentioned on the show the Grand Canyon Lodge where we had lunch, but I didn’t really have good photos of that, just one from inside showing the view from the windows. But be sure to watch the show on the video below for even more photos, including the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone, one of the inspirations for Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. So be sure to check those out!

The Grand Canyon North Rim
You can see where Disney gets many of its names – National Parks!
Grand Canyon North Rim
North Rim Visitor Center, where the Lodge is
Grand Canyon North Rim
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon North Rim
Scott standing on a trail at the North Rim
The Grand Canyon North Rim
I loved this view at the North Rim
Grand Canyon Lodge
The Grand Canyon Lodge
Grand Canyon Lodge view
Grand Canyon Lodge dining room
The Grand Canyon Lodge
Dining room view
The Grand Canyon Lodge
Brighty the mascot of the Grand Canyon – rub his nose for good luck!
Grand Canyon Watch Tower
The Watch Tower at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon Watch Tower
View from inside the Watch Tower at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon South Rim
View from the top of the Watch Tower at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon North Rim Elk
The big Elk we saw leaving the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

 

Grand Canyon North Rim
Gio overlooking the North Rim of the Grand Canyon – I think it’s much prettier than the South!

 

We hope you enjoy this week’s episode of Up the Waterfall!

How to Listen to Up the Waterfall

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Where to Watch Up the Waterfall

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and some images of the Grand Canyon represented in Disney over the years. Here’s the latest episode:

 

Feel free to comment below with your memories of the Grand Canyon at Disney, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney or Grand Canyon fans!

How Can I Learn More About This Episode?

Here are some of the books we referenced for this episode (the links will go to the item on amazon.com and are affiliate links – meaning no extra cost for you but a small portion goes back to zannaland if you make a purchase – thank you for supporting our site!):

   

There are a few Sleeping Beauty DVD sets out right now, this one linked here contains the Grand Canyon short mentioned on the show.

 

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney, @badgesickle
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney, @badgesickle
  • Zannaland’s facebook page
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

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Filed Under: Top Stories, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: Disney animated Shorts, Disney history, Disney live-action movies, Disney past, Disney's Contemporary Resort, disneyland railroad, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Concourse, Grand Canyon Diorama, Up the Waterfall podcast

The History of the Carousel of Progress – Up the Waterfall Episode 19

3 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Carousel of Progress Father Now most carousels just go round and round without getting anywhere.  But on this one, at every turn, we’ll be making progress.  And progress is not just moving ahead.  It’s dreaming and working and building a better way of life.  Progress is the sound of a motor, the hum of a turbine, the heartbeat of a factory, the sound of a symphony, the roar of a rocket.  Progress is people getting release from drudgery, gaining more time to enjoy themselves and live richer lives.  And as long as man dreams and works and builds, this progress will go on…in your life and mine.

And with those words, Rex Allen began the original “Progressland” attraction hosted by General Electric at the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York. Progressland is more familiar to us as the theatre portion of the experience – the Carousel of Progress. In truth, there was quite a lot more to the World’s Fair exhibit and we go over all of its retro-fabulous history. While we may all be able to recite the current iteration of the classic Carousel of Progress attraction, it does have a very interesting and storied past, including Walt Disney’s personal involvement in its creation.

Progressland pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair - a Walt Disney Production - the original Carousel of Progress
General Electric’s Progressland pavilion – a Walt Disney Production – from the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York

 

In this episode of Up the Waterfall podcast, we journey back to the very beginnings of this beloved attraction, the changes it has experienced over the decades, and what we hope will happen for its future. We hope you enjoy this info-packed episode, I know we loved recording it!

Progressland at night 1964 World's Fair
General Electric’s Progressland pavilion at night

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including: 

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • I Heart Radio
  • Anchor

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

You can also watch on our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our fun opening sequence and some fun images of the Carousel of Progress over the years. Here’s the latest episode:

 

Feel free to comment below with your memories of Carousel of Progress, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Carousel of Progress fans!

Progressland concept art
Early concept art for the Progressland energy-filled future

 

Progressland concept art
Artist rendering of the incredible drama of nuclear fusion from the Progressland exhibit

 

Here are some of the books and recordings mentioned in this episode (the links will go to the item on amazon.com and are affiliate links – meaning no extra cost for you but a small portion goes back to zannaland if you make a purchase – thank you for supporting our site!):

Walt Disney and the World's Fair
The images from this post are from this CD set and booklet an amazing trove of Disney history!
Designing Disney by John Hench
Designing Disney – Imagineering and the Art of the Show by John Hench
Walt Disney Imagineering book
Walt Disney Imagineering – A Behind the Dreams Look at Making Magic Real


 

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
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  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch on YouTube

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Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Past, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: 1964 World's Fair, Carousel of Progress, Carousel of Progress history, CoP, Disney Attractions, Disney history, Disney history podcast, General Electric Progressland, history of Carousel of Progress, imagineering, John Hench, New York World's Fair, Progressland, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast, Walt Disney

Up the Waterfall Podcast Episode 11 – The History of Space Mountain

11 November 2019 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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This week we take a stroll back in time…and space. Space Mountain that is. Pull back on your safety bar and sit back as we explore the history of this beloved attraction, from concept art to present day, and everything in between.

Space Mountain concept art
Space Mountain concept art by John Hench from the Top of the World lounge at Bay Lake Tower

Scott takes us on a journey through the years and the historic milestones of the Space Mountain attraction in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond. Believe it or not, I only rode Space Mountain at age 31. Crazy, right? Anyway, we hope you enjoy our chat and stories along the way as we share some fun facts and history of this iconic attraction that is the cornerstone of Tomorrowland (or Discoveryland) in every Disney park.

 

Disneyland Paris Space Mountain
Disneyland Paris Space Mountain in Discoveryland

 

For this episode, we highly recommend you watch the video version as well, Christian has added some great images of the topics we bring up, from the many books Scott brought out for this episode. We will link to those books on amazon below, some of which may be through 3rd party Marketplace Sellers on Amazon, or you may find them on ebay as well:

 

We hope you enjoyed this episode, if you did, please share with a friend so they can discover us too. What are your favorite memories of Space Mountain? We’d love to hear about it either in a comment below or on social media. Feel free to comment wherever is easiest for you with the hashtag #UpTheWaterfallPodcast. We thank you for listening and for your support of our passion project – Up the Waterfall.

 

Up the Waterfall logo

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND TEAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney, @tikibirdz
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @otisney, @tikibirdz, @UpTheWaterfallShow
  • Zannaland’s facebook page
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love! 

 

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

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Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: Discoveryland, Disney history, Disney history podcast, disney imagineers, disney podcast, History of Space Mountain, imagineering, John Hench, Retro WDW, Scott Otis, Space Mountain, Space Port, Tomorrowland, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast, vintage wdw, Zannaland podcast

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