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Conference koolit::disney

Title:The Disneyphile's Disney File
Notice:This Conference can show you The World
Moderator:DONVAN::SCOPA.zko.dec.com::manana::eppes
Created:Thu Feb 23 1989
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:536
Total number of notes:19961

217.0. "The Disneyland Story" by BREAKR::STARKGRAF (Arroyo Surfing, a spectator sport) Mon Aug 13 1990 18:21

Last night, August 12th, a local station here in LA showed a 1-hour program
titled "THE DISNEYLAND STORY".  It gave the history of DISNEYLAND from the
start.  Some of the old clips of the parks opening brought back old memories.
It featured Harry Anderson narrating the program explaining the creation and
growth of Walt's dream.  It all started as a TV show and then with backing
from the network, it was put "A major network", the park was built.  The
TV show was used to introduce the park and show the attractions.

A point that I did not know was when Walt was running out of money when he 
was building the park, he resorted to re-cycling.  He used the giant squid 
from 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER TO SEA in the submarine ride.  He also got 
landscaping from the State of California when they were clearing the land for 
the freeway system.  The best yet was when the money ran out for landscaping,
little signs were placed by the local vegetation in the park with the Latin 
name of the plant.  Harry read the name of one plant which turned out to be 
ragweed.

Walt did almost anything to improve the park.  The MARK TWAIN was the
first ship on the "Rivers of the World" and Walt wanted another one.
He mortgaged his home to raise the money to build the COLUMBIA.

The creation of The Haunted Mansion (Roy Disney's baby) was under some
fire for people thought it might be too frightening for small children.
The plan went ahead and became a hit.

There was a segment "After Midnight" which showed what went on after
all the guests left. 

Disney has many plans to change Disneyland in the years to come.  The plans
mentioned last night extend into 1999.  Some of the up and coming ideas
that I remembered were:

	Dick Tracy attraction
	Another George Lucas attraction
	Baby Herman's wild buggy ride.

I hope this show gets repeated, then I can tape it.

Bill
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
217.1Try The Disney ChannelCLOSET::VAXUUM::LOWELLGrim Grinning Ghosts...Tue Aug 14 1990 19:258
    Bill,
    
    Is this the show where Harry Anderson gets on the train and travels
    back in time?  Assuming that's the show, I think it's one of the
    35th anniversary specials and is being shown on The Disney Channel
    this month.
    
    Ruth
217.2Gotta lookBREAKR::STARKGRAFArroyo Surfing, a spectator sportWed Aug 15 1990 22:538
    Ruth,

I think that is the same one.  At the end of the show, Harry gets out of
the dining car (last car on one of the Disneyland Trains that remains
locked).  Now I have to look. It was part of the 35th special.  Silly
me, I have the Disney channel and take it for granted.

    Bill
217.3Overdeveloped!DELREY::MEUSE_DAMon Aug 20 1990 16:428
    Yes, it was an interesting show. Since I grew up that area, it made me
    sad to see how pretty Orange County used to be and what a mess it is
    today. I remember we used to chase jackrabbits through the groves, and
    hike to Disneyland through them.
    
    DM
    
                                    
217.4ReplayVAXUUM::LOWELLGrim Grinning Ghosts...Mon Jul 08 1991 01:334
    For those of you who didn't get to see/tape this show, it will be
    shown again on the Disney Channel.  According to the July/August
    issue of The Disney Channel Magazine, it will be shown on August 27
    at 8PM ET/PT (7PM Central).
217.5Walt's biographyDPDMAI::MATTSONIt's always something!Wed Sep 04 1991 15:4117
    I just returned from Disneyworld, and one of our bus drivers was
    telling us some trivia about Walt Disney, and recommended that we go to
    our local library, and check out a book about the man. So I did.  He
    really was an interesting and complex man.  The book I read is
    "Disney's World" by Leonard Mosley. According to this author, Walt was
    an incredible genius, artist, entrepeneur, charmer, but was also
    puritanical, chauvinistic, (but a man of his time) egotistical, a
    perfectionist, a workaholic, and a real SOB to work for.  He was
    notorious for underpaying his employees, and thought that the prestige
    of working for him should be enough.  (I don't know if thats still the
    case today.)  And when any of his employees created a character, or had
    any other brilliant creations or contributions,  Walt took full credit
    for them, and would only have his name on everything.
    
    It was an interesting book, I would recommend it to anyone...
    
    Becky