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Lost Boy
08-17-2001, 11:12 PM
I wonder if you all have noticed the following things (that upset me to no end - explantation at end):

Walt's 100th is being celebrated in Flordia Parks, but not at Disneyland.

Part of Walt's Disney Story at Disneyland was taken to Florida for this "Celebration".

Didn't Disneyland Come First. Why is the Grandaddy of all Theme Parks ignoring it's creators' 100th Birthday Celebration?

Why isn't the Studio out here in Burbank. that Walt founded, doing anything special?

Why does Halmark Card Stores have more stuff (and nice stuff at that) for Walt's 100th than the Disney Stores.

Why does that Parade in Florida look like somebody went into the Emporium and happened to see a bunch of snowglobes and had an IDEA!!! Now, not only do they have floats that look just as stupid as the ones for DL's 45th Anniversary, they can actually make real snowglobes of each float and make more money?

Now, I am upset at most of the above. I am not upset that the merchandise at Halmark is nice. I will probably get the Mickey and Minnie Wishing Well Resin statue myself. It is big, looks good, and only runs about $30.00. They are also supposed to have a special CD with some comments by Walt and mostly music (from what I don't know yet as my local store didn't seem to have them or they were sold out. I have another one nearby that am going to check out tomorrow). I am upset that the company that Walt founded out here in California is having all the celebrations if Florida and other places other than here, where it all started. Makes no sense to me.

Anyway, does anybody else feel that those of us on the West Coast, who are fans of the first Theme Park that Uncle Walt built, getting shafted again. :mad:

Ralph Wiggum
08-17-2001, 11:24 PM
While I don't like it, I do understand that WDW is the hub of the Disney Empire...Basically they will make more money with it there!!

Hades
08-18-2001, 12:02 AM
I agree whole heartedly, Lost Boy! When I first started working for Disney, I got to witness the spectacular salute to what would have been Walt's 80th birthday (if memory serves me correctly). It was Skyfest, a million balloon launch.

I thought it was a wonderful way to honor Walt Disney's birthday. So many colorful balloons filled the Orange County sky! It could be seen for miles. Not a big to do about merchandising the event, just a cast member button (I was offered $100 for it that day. I kept it for sentimental reasons.), cast member poster, and t-shirts for the volunteers that filled and held the balloons.

There were so many people that volunteered to help the salute happen. To fill, and hold the balloons under the massive nets until launch took a lot of effort. Most of the volunteers were there from the early morning till three in the afternoon. It was a labor of love that came straight from the heart. The fact that it made the Guiennis (sp) book of world records that year for the largest balloon release in history was just an added honor to Walt's memory.

Now we are doing bumpkiss! Just the Disneyana Convention. That is it. What were they thinking? Disneyland is Walt's legacy to the world! This is where he made his mark. His hands actually touched the very heart of his park. Yet the celebration is going to be in WDW only????

Why is this? Did the current company of Eisner and lackeys run out of ideas from creating that less than Disney park DCA? Or have they just run out of money to put a celebration together. It's not cheap to have to come up with so many quick fixes to bolster sagging attendance figures at DCA. Honestly, I don't know. I'm also sure that they won't tell us why either.

:mad:

Morrigoon
08-18-2001, 04:08 AM
It's a shame, but how come no one's proposed a meet that day, to celebrate it in our own way? Disney's loss if they don't get the merchandise benefits of the gathering.

Jenlan2001
08-18-2001, 01:33 PM
My son and I will be at D the week of Walt's birthday, and I was wondering if we could expect big crowds. Is ANYTHING planned?

I was appalled at the current issue of Disney Magazine, which listed nothing about Disneyland at all. I am so tired of reading about WDW in every issue.

Napsto
08-18-2001, 01:58 PM
they should do a passholder event, and close the park early, and only operate the rides that walt lived with, and helped design, that would be a cool night.

DisneylandKid
08-18-2001, 02:05 PM
Originally posted by Napsto
they should do a passholder event, and close the park early, and only operate the rides that walt lived with, and helped design, that would be a cool night.

That's a cool idea. I doubt Disney would ever do it though. For one, the only high "popular*" attractions Walt worked on were Pirates, Matterhorn, and [the former] Autopia.

*When I say popular I am judging by attractions that have Fastpass. (I know Matterhorn doesn't, but deal with me). I know that some of the other attractions that he worked on were popular, as well. I just cannot see Disney having the park "open" without opering Big Thunder, Splash, Space, Indy, Roger, Haunted**, Star Tours, etc.

**Did Walt work on Haunted? I know he passed away before it opened.

Gandalf
08-18-2001, 07:40 PM
Skyfest, a million balloon launch for Walt Disney's 80th birthday must have really been something to experience. There are so many ways that Disneyland could honor Mr. Disney's 100th Birthday. I wonder how many DL guests that enter the Park everyday even know that it will soon be Walt Disney's 100th Birthday? I wish they would alternate with the b/w cartoons showing at the Main Street Cinema and show some vintage footage of Walt Disney in and around DL. That at least would be a start. If the Country Bear Jamboree had stayed open they could have somehow had them sing a birthday song or two also.

Lani
08-18-2001, 10:39 PM
Alex and I will be heading out to Marceline, Missouri next month for their huge 100th birthday shebang the whole town (all 2600 of its residents) is putting together.

As it turns out, we'll also be in WDW *ON* Walt's b'day this December. :)

Lost Boy
08-19-2001, 08:35 PM
I just picked up the lastest edition of the Disney Magazine and it has several articles on Disneyland. One on the Haunted Mansion Makeover and a couple of other articles as well. I too think that they spend too much space on WDW, but it is there biggest resort, so I guess it rates more space. There is also an article on Disney Seas (I never thought Eisner would let them do it) with lots of artwork but no pictures, but it is a good article.

Cadaverous Pallor
08-20-2001, 09:37 AM
originally posted by DisneylandKid
**Did Walt work on Haunted? I know he passed away before it opened.
The Mansion's exterior was built years before they did anything with it. Walt was busy with Pirates at the time and the Mansion was put on the back burner. Walt actually passed away just before Pirates opened, too, which was really sad since it was his pride and joy.

The Mansion was next on the agenda and the Imagineers finished it without Walt. Walt did work on it (like everything at Disneyland) but not as much as he did on Pirates.

Doombuggies.com has wonderful resources on everything Mansion. Here's more history for you:

http://www.jeffbaham.com/doombuggies/history.htm

Sorry this is off topic, but you asked! :)