Up the Waterfall

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

29 June 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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!

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:

(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.

When Disney Met Jules Verne: Up the Waterfall Episode 27

8 June 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It has been a very turbulent few months in the world. The past couple of weeks have brought so many important matters out of the dark and into the light. We do not want to make light of recent events, nor move on as if nothing has happened. However, we know that many people still need to take mental health breaks from what they’ve been dealing with. So in that understanding, and because we did take such a long break during the quarantine times (for our own mental health), we have made the decision to continue with our next Up the Waterfall episode.

We actually recorded this Jules Verne episode 2 weeks ago, but technical difficulties prevented us from posting it last week, and then we felt it was not the time to post during such an important time in history. We are not stopping our actions, our learning, or our listening as we spread the message that Black Lives Matter, and we hope you continue to do the same. If you have not yet visited the resources listed on my last blog post regarding anti-racism, I urge you to read and seek out further education leading to action. Thank you.

In this week’s episode of Up the Waterfall, we journey back to the days of Jules Verne, and all of the ways that he can be found and seen in Disney parks and films. For some people, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea instantly comes to mind, either the movie or the attraction. Others may remember the homage to the “Grand Old Man Himself” in the former Horizons attraction. Still others may know of his influence in other Disney parks around the world. And we’ll cover all of those and more.

Mysterious Island — Photo ©Tom Bricker – DisneyTouristBlog.com

Jules Verne was such an elaborate storyteller. He filled his pages with endless amounts of details, bringing each sentence to life as he wove his tales of adventure. As you can imagine, Jules Verne’s narratives filled with exploration and travel, perfectly lent itself to Disney’s method of storytelling. This is evident both on film and in attraction form. As you will see and hear on this episode, Disney only improved on bringing Jules Verne’s creations to life over the years. Perhaps the best representation is Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea. As we discuss, be sure to comment below or on the YouTube video of Up the Waterfall Episode 27, which we highly recommend watching this time around, as our producer, Christian has inserted so many fun photos, videos, and more referencing what we are describing. We’d love to hear your thoughts or favorites too!

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!

How to Listen to Up the Waterfall

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

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

How to 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
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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!

Disney Parks Anniversary Celebrations – Up the Waterfall Episode 26

25 May 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

This week on Up the Waterfall, we explore the many Disney Parks anniversary celebrations. Most of these moments were televised as specials featuring stars of the time, song and dance numbers, and even skits. Now that decades of time has passed, these specials provide loads of entertainment and a spotlight on how things used to be both in and out of the parks.

We discuss the major Disneyland and Walt Disney World anniversaries, recent EPCOT celebrations, and of course, the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. However, it is hard to fit all of that celebratin’ in one show! For instance, Scott remembered after we recorded that he’d forgotten to mention the 6 CD set that came out for Disneyland’s 50th, which is chock-full of amazing recordings. We’ve mentioned that one before in our History of Carousel of Progress episode. Similarly, while looking up photos, I realized I forgot to mention one of the promotions from the 100 Years of Magic – the collectible glasses from McDonald’s! I collected 2 sets, and have since sold them on eBay. So if you watch or listen and find we’ve missed some aspect that you remember or loved, be sure to let us know!

In addition, we promised we’d link to all the crazy anniversary specials that aired on TV back in the day. Thank goodness these are on YouTube, because I don’t think some of them will be showing up on Disney+ any time soon. If you watch them all, let us know your favorite! I think I love the ones where families travel by car and make a whole road trip out of their Disney destination vacation. Despite the cheesiness, they really did capture how things were at the time (maybe minus the breaking into spontaneous song) and what an EVENT it was to visit a Disney park.

All the YouTube TV specials of note:

As we conclude the show, we discuss how things have shifted since the earlier Disney anniversary celebrations. A focus more on merchandise vs. special events in many cases. Let us know what you think of more recent celebrations!

Lastly, as always, we hope you enjoyed this week’s episode and the walk down memory lane with us. Tell a friend if you did, so we can get the word out about our still growing podcast!

How to Listen to Up the Waterfall

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

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

How to 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.

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!

The Return of Up the Waterfall!

20 May 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Hello, friends!

It has been a bit but we have recorded a special Up the Waterfall episode, a kind of check-in to see what we’ve been up to, what’s been going on, and just an acknowledgement of all that’s happened and is still happening over the last few months. We will then continue with our regular Monday posting schedule on next Monday, the 25th.

We have missed recording, and sharing our stories and Disney history with all of you, but we definitely needed a moment to take a step back and take care of our family first and foremost as things were turned upside-down. We look forward to future topics and sharing new discoveries with you all and thank you for your patience with us during this trying time.

We’d love to hear from you and share your thoughts on the state of things, and the future of Disney Parks, Resorts and more! As always, thank you for listening, and if you like our show, please share with a friend or two! 🙂

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:

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

How to 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.

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!

Best Special Effects at Disney – Up the Waterfall

9 March 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Season 2 – Episode 9 (Episode 24) of Up the Waterfall

One of the things that makes us love Disney so much is the ability to transport us. Whether it’s visually or through sounds, smells and movement, Disney parks have some of the Best Special Effects around. We’ve discussed some of the Biggest Hits (and Misses) of Disney parks, and among that list were things like animatronics. Jumping off from that point, this week on Up the Waterfall, Scott and I each share our picks for the best special effects used by Disney Imagineers that really “changed the game” so to speak as far as attractions go. And as always, we know that attractions doesn’t necessarily mean rides.

With all of the amazing ride and Imagineering technologies available today, one of the things we explore is that it can sometimes be the simplest of effects that have the biggest impact. For example, growing up, for both Scott and I, the effect of “fire” in Pirates of the Caribbean burning village scene. Another of Scott’s favorites (and mine once I finally got to Disneyland) was the “lava” in the Primeval World diorama on the Disneyland Railroad. Simple rolling logs covered in foil, with lighting, has the uncanny appearance of flowing lava.

Pirates of the Caribbean village fire scene — photo credit: Disney

Effects like this laid the groundwork for today’s Na’vi River Journey‘s Shaman of Songs animatronic, or the newest attractions of Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (which we don’t discuss too much to be completely spoiler-free).

Get comfy and listen along or watch below and see if our list matches yours – OR – if we left one of your favorite Disney special effects out of this episode! Feel free to comment below with your picks, or if you disagree with our choices. If you enjoy our show, we’d love you to subscribe to Up the Waterfall podcast, either on your podcast app of choice, or on Zannaland’s YouTube channel, to see all of the fun as well as hear it. Keep reading below for all the places to find and listen or watch.

Thank you for reading, watching, and listening as we go Up the Waterfall!

You can watch this Best Special Effects at Disney episode here:

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:

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

How to 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.

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!

Disney Parks Recent Changes-Good/Bad?-Up the Waterfall

2 March 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Taking a break from Disney parks history, we’re sharing a round table discussion of the Disney Parks Recent Changes. All the major and subtle changes that have taken place at Disney parks over the past 5-10 years and how those changes have affected the park-going experience.

This past week we’ve seen major announcements and changes upcoming to Disney parks – a new chairman – Bob Chapek, Spaceship Earth closing, and so many other updates. Rather than comment on the decisions that will affect FUTURE experiences, we are commenting on past changes and how that has affected current park experiences.

We discuss many controversial topics like Upcharge Events, Festivals, Drinking in the Parks, and Homogonization of the parks in general. HOT BUTTONS! You may not agree with us, and that’s ok too! We’d love to hear your thoughts.

You can watch this episode here:

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:

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

How to 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.

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!

Best Scenic Spots in Disney Parks – Up the Waterfall

17 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

This week on Up the Waterfall we took a break from the deep dives into Disney history and have a palate cleanser of sorts with a Best Scenic Spots in Disney Parks episode. This came about from my handful of recent visits to the newest Disney hotels – Disney’s Riviera Resort and Gran Destino Tower, both of which have rooftop restaurants or lounges with amazing views. It made me really appreciate some of the great scenery that exists around Disney parks. Of course, I mean outside of the normal ones we expect like Cinderella Castle and the main “weenies” of the parks.

In this episode we share our favorite scenic spots in Walt Disney World, Disneyland and the Disney resort hotels as well. Do any of our picks align with yours? What did we leave out? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear your best scenic spots in Disney parks picks too!

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:

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

How to Watch Up the Waterfall

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and some unique images of the places we mention. Here’s the latest episode:

Feel free to comment below with your favorites spots, 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 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, @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!

Disney California Adventure and it’s Crazy Past – Up the Waterfall Podcast

10 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Disney California Adventure has had quite the history in its short 19 years of existence. February 8th saw DCA’s 19th birthday, so to celebrate we thought we’d venture Up the Waterfall and discuss all the crazy changes this young park has experienced over the years. It’s definitely had some…growing pains. Special thanks to Yesterland.com for all the incredible photos from California Adventure‘s opening days.

Personally, I did not get to enjoy Disney’s California Adventure in its original or even secondary “glory.” This was due to the fact that around the time it was built I was not only dealing with two kids under two, but I was still in California-is-a-foreign-country-I-may-never-get-to mode regarding Disneyland. (But once I did get to experience the Disneyland Difference, I fell head-over-heels in love!)

As a result of not visiting California Adventure for years, I missed a lot of the things we discuss in the beginning of the episode. Sure, I knew about Super Star Limo and the pun-filled Paradise Pier area, but that was sort of it. So this episode was really fun for me to discover some of these things for the first time too.

In this episode, we start out with the history of a second park on the west coast; where and what could have been. Next we chronicle how Disney’s California Adventure first came to be. We cover all of the strange design and attraction choices that existed at park opening in 2001. Followed by the little changes and the major changes that followed.

Flik's Flyers — ARE Egg Rolls the fastest?

When I finally got to visit DCA in 2011, it was full of construction walls and not much else. Really, just Paradise Pier and World of Color were the highlights for me. Certainly, when I returned in 2012, it was a whole new world. Cars Land, Buena Vista Street brought with it a new design standard. All the additions that came with those areas really improved the whole park, making it a must-see destination.

Rounding out the discussion, we share where we think the park will go in the future with the upcoming Avengers Campus. Above all, we ponder what will become of Disney California Adventure in the years to come. What do you think will happen?

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:

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

How to Watch Up the Waterfall

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

Feel free to comment below with your memories of Disney California Adventure, 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 DCA 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!):

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
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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!

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

3 February 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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:

(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

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

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Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney, @badgesickle
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Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch on YouTube

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

Disney Parks Biggest Hits and Misses – Up the Waterfall Episode 18

27 January 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Hello friends! This week’s episode of Up the Waterfall podcast could get a little heated! Scott and I have each compiled our lists of what we think are the biggest hits and the biggest misses/flops/disappointments or whatever you’d like to call them, across the Disney parks. Will you agree? Will you want to yell at us next time you see us in the parks?! Have a listen or a watch and see if you agree!

I know for me, some of my “misses” may not be the concept itself, but what it has turned into, or what effects it had on the parks and the way they run, as well as the way we visit them. As usual, Scott’s ideas may surprise you as they surprised me, and we even had the same item for a miss, unplanned.

You can listen in everywhere you download and listen to podcasts – if there’s a place you’d like to listen and can’t find us, let me know and I’ll be sure we add it there. You can of course find it on Apple podcasts and Google Play in addition to Anchor and many other locations. If you’d like to see our facial expressions and the amazing opening sequence that Christian created for us, head to ZannaLand on YouTube to watch (and see our other vlogs and videos too!)

Some fun other blogs to read relating to this topic are:

The Hollywood that Never Was and Never Should Be

D23 and Me (and You!)

Backstage Magic Tour – for the Disney Fan Who’s Seen It All

We hope you enjoy this episode, and invite you to share your favorite hits and misses in a comment below, or find us on whatever social channel you prefer to share your comments there.

WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING AND WATCHING! HAVE AN IDEA FOR A NEW EPISODE? LET US KNOW BELOW! AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

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Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney, @badgesickle
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Up the Waterfall is a weekly Disney history podcast hosted by Zanna and her husband, Disney history buff and bibliophile, Scott Otis, where they share stories of Disney past, present and future.
Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch on YouTube

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