Funny Business

It is widely known among Disney fans that the businesses advertised on the second story windows of Main Street, U.S.A. are all tributes to key individuals from Disney Parks history. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, however, those upper windows provide the Imagineers with an opportunity for a little humor while fleshing out the story of "the Hollywood that never was."

A great example is the window above. Found on Sunset Boulevard over the Villains in Vogue shop, one finds the headquarters for the International Brotherhood of Second Assistant Directors, or I.B.S.A.D. Pronounce those initials (I Be Sad) and this fictional organization becomes a comment on a movie making role that gets little respect... the person who assists the person who assists the Director.

In the same block on Sunset is also the Muscle Beach Bodyguard Service:

And just around the corner, Max's Classic Directing Academy, claiming to teach "The Latest Movie Techniques." This window is actually an homage to the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. In it, Erich von Stroheim plays Max von Meyerling, a once-great Director who now spends his days as a butler catering to once-great actress Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). The Academy's slogan, "Are You Ready for Your Close-Up?" paraphrases one of the great lines from the film.

Across the street and above Sunset Club Couture is Director's Best Friend, Inc., providing trained stunt dogs for motion pictures:

And finally, up the street a ways at the corner of Hollywood and Vine (and above the Hollywood & Vine Cafeteria of the Stars) is the office of Detective Eddie Valiant, the character portrayed by Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Fans of the film will remember the scene where Roger burst through the window shade of movie producer R.K. Maroon's office. Well, it looks like the silly rabbit must have made a similarly hasty exit from Valiant's place here at Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Extinct Hollywood

Over the past 20 years, many attractions have come and gone at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Here's a mostly (I think) complete list of what has been:

Pacific Electric Pictures Screen Test - The current L.A. Cinema Storage shop on Hollywood Boulevard once housed this attraction/merchandise location in which Guests were pulled off the street and invited to "audition" before the cameras. They could then purchase a video cassette of their performance as a souvenir.

Sights & Sounds - Now part of Keystone Clothiers, this was another attraction/merchandise setup where Guests could record their very own music videos.

Discover the Stories Behind the Magic - These interactive kiosks were located in a small room beneath the giant Sorcerer's Hat during the year-long 100 Years of Magic celebration. The kiosks provided a look at some of the milestones in Walt Disney's entertainment career. Similar kiosks covering different aspects of Walt Disney's life and work were located in the other three parks at Walt Disney World.

SuperStar Television - The American Idol Experience now occupies the theater originally home to this attraction, where Guests were inserted into scenes from classic television shows. Later, this same location was home to Disney's DOUG Live! and Get Happy with ABC, a short-lived "attraction" which was really just a promotion for ABC's upcoming fall season.

Monster Sound Show - This attraction, located in the theater which now hosts Sounds Dangerous Starring Drew Carey, gave Guests the opportunity to step onto a Foley Stage and produce sound effects for a short film featuring Martin Short and Chevy Chase. Prior to Sounds Dangerous, the Sound Studio also hosted One Saturday Morning in which Guests applied sound effects to a segment of the 101 Dalmatians animated series.

Bear in the Big Blue House - Stage 5 in the Animation Courtyard was first converted from a restaurant (the old Soundstage Restaurant) to a theater for this live show based on the TV series. After a couple years, the show became Playhouse Disney - LIVE on Stage!, but still included Bear and his pals. The show was similar in structure, but actually quite different from the Playhouse Disney - LIVE show that plays today.

Here Come the Muppets - In 1989, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid theater was the spot where previews of coming attractions were screened at the end of the Backstage Studio Tour. By the next year, another theater had been built for that purpose (currently part of One Man's Dream), and this location hosted a live show with Jim Henson's Muppets. Highlights included Lily Tomlin as a Walt Disney World telephone operator and Animal crashing through the theater wall with a monorail.

Muppets on Location: The Days of Swine and Roses - This live Muppet show replaced Here Come the Muppets, but in a different location (roughly where Luigi's Casa della Tires and Premiere Theater are today). Kermit played the director, riding high on a camera boom, and Miss Piggy made a grand entrance in a pink convertible.

The Magic of Disney Animation - While an attraction with this title exists today, it is completely different from what was there from 1989-1996. The original attraction started with an exhibit gallery and the film "Back to Neverland" with Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite. Guests then toured the various departments of the Animation Studio, watching actual production take place. A couple of Roger Rabbit shorts were made here, as were segments of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. As the Studio expanded, they were able to produce entire films on their own, including Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, and Brother Bear. In 2004, the decision was made to close the Florida Animation Studio and consolidate production efforts at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. The area of this attraction which now houses the Character greetings and interactive stations used to be part of the working floor of the Studio.

Backstage Studio Tour - The original tour started in what is now called the Animation Courtyard and lasted nearly two hours, incorporating the Shuttle ride and Walking Tour of the Production Center. Please see my earlier post for more details on this attraction. As the attraction was split in two, the walking portion morphed into a couple different iterations. First was Inside the Magic: Special Effects and Production Tour. This started where today's Studio Backlot Tour begins, but then went through the Special Effects areas, Soundstages, and Post-Production facilities. In 1996, Backstage Pass to 101 Dalmatians made its debut. This attraction started under the marquee in front of Soundstage 1 and heavily promoted the new Glen Close live-action film. This version also replaced the Bette Midler short film "The Lottery" on Stage 4 (now home to Journey Into Narnia) with more clips, sets, and props from 101 Dalmatians. A couple years later, portions of Backstage Pass were updated to feature items from Home Improvement.

Let's Make a Deal - From the beginning, Studios Guests were invited to be part of the live audience for shows taping on the Soundstages. With NBC's early-90s remake of the classic game show Let's Make a Deal, the set was also used for an attraction version of the show on days when no tapings were scheduled. Guests in the pre-show were selected to be contestants, then taken backstage to get dressed in outlandish costumes so they could play for real prizes.

Disney Channel TV Tryouts - Another short-lived attraction, TV Tryouts occupied Soundstage 3 and gave Guests the opportunity to strut their stuff for a live studio audience. Clips of Guests performing in the attraction were then aired on Disney Channel in an attempt to promote the park, although I don't believe anyone was ever discovered this way. Most interesting was the pre-show, a video which told the fictional story of how Mickey Mouse got his start in show business. In the video, Gary Marshall played the director, and there were cameos by Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Roy E. Disney (portraying his uncle Walt). This video was later shown for a short time in the Main Street Cinema at the Magic Kingdom under the title "Mickey's Debut."

Who Wants to be a Millionaire - Play It! - In 2001, Soundstages 2 and 3 became home to the theme park version of the hit TV game show. This time, the set was built purely as an attraction (unlike Deal), but was occasionally used by the production crew when they decided to take Regis (and later Meredith) on the road. Guests played for points, pins, and prizes... up to a top prize of a trip to New York City (later changed to a Disney Cruise). Special editions of Millionaire were also created for the Star Wars, Super Soap, and ESPN Weekend events.

The Making Of... - At various times, portions of the buildings stretching from Soundstage 4 to the One Man's Dream theater were all used for promotional attractions designed to give Guests a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production of the latest Disney films. The first was The Making of The Lion King in 1994, which was nothing more than Guests entering the back doors of the theater (near the Animation Courtyard restrooms) to watch a Disney Channel-produced special about the film. Later versions got more sophisticated for The Making of... Pocahontas, Toy Story, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Evita, and Armageddon. The most spectacular was probably The Making of The Haunted Mansion, which reproduced the interior set from that Eddie Murphy film on Soundstage 4. Stage 4 was next used for Journey Into Narnia: Creating the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, essentially a super-elaborate Making Of that included a live appearance by Jadis, the White Witch. Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian occupies this space today.

Theater of the Stars - The theater, now on Sunset Boulevard, was originally located on Hollywood Blvd. in the area where the Tips & Information Board is today. While there, the theater played host to several shows including "Hollywood! Hollywood!", "Dick Tracy in Diamond Double Cross," "Hollywood's Pretty Woman," and the Star Conversation series. During the Grand Opening week of the Studios, LIVE with Regis and Kathy Lee broadcast from this stage.

Backlot Entertainment - Once the New York Street sets were opened to pedestrian traffic in August 1989, efforts were made to put something out there for Guests to experience. Among the attempts were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a brief show and Character greeting), Al's Toy Barn (Character greeting, where Luigi's is today), Ace Ventura Pet Detective (show and autograph session), Toon Park (photo ops with Characters, a trolley, and the Dip Mobile from Who Framed Roger Rabbit), and Goosebumps Horrorland Funhouse (show and walk-through attraction).

Rocketeer Gallery - The space that is now home to the Toy Story Pizza Planet Arcade was originally intended to be a Muppet restaurant. When that didn't work out, the location opened as a make-shift exhibit space with props and costumes from Disney's 1991 summer release, The Rocketeer. The next year, the gallery was rechristened Studio Showcase, and the mix of props was expanded to feature items from Honey I Blew Up the Kid, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and other films. Studio Showcase was a precursor to the AFI Showcase being added to the end of the Studios Backlot Tour. Once AFI was opened, this space became the Studio Arcade for a short time before finally becoming associated with the Toy Story films.

The Loony Bin - While officially listed as a shop, this spot included loads of fun photo ops from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as well as a collection of boxes which produced silly sound effects when opened.

The Backlot Theater - Today's Premiere Theater started out as a temporary outdoor venue, built to house "Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage" during the construction of Sunset Blvd. The theater was enhanced with shade trees for its next production, "The Spirit of Pocahontas," and finally received a roof for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame - A Musical Spectacular."

Importers/Exporters of the Stars

The tramp steamer permanently moored in Echo Lake at Disney's Hollywood Studios is known as Min & Bill's Dockside Diner. On the surface, it's a convenient place to grab a bite from their galley of good eats, but it's also much more.

For one, the location is a tribute to a classic MGM film from 1930, Min & Bill, starring Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler. Dressler won an Oscar for her portrayal of Min Divot, a waterfront innkeeper who takes an abandoned little girl into her care. Beery earned his Oscar the following year for his work in The Champ. The image on the marquee above the entrance is a caricature of the actors.

Aside from the movie tribute in the title, Dockside Diner is also a great example of California Crazy architecture. Themed buildings like these became popular in the 1930s. The wacky designs served to capture the attention of consumers and sometimes provided a visual clue of what product or service was offered inside. Other examples of California Crazy at Disney's Hollywood Studios include The Darkroom photography shop on Hollywood Boulevard and Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction on the opposite shore of Echo Lake.

Enhancing the dockside theme of the restaurant are these crates stacked nearby. Look closely, and you'll notice even more fun details. Each crate is a reference to a classic movie from the American Film Institute's Top 100 list.

First up is #1 on the list, Citizen Kane (1941):

Here's AFI's #2, Casablanca (1942):

Gone with the Wind (1939) appears at #4 on the list:

While It's a Wonderful Life (1946) resides in spot #11:

Finally, a nod to a film which was not included in the original Top 100, but can be found at #11 on AFI's list of the Top 100 comedies in American cinema... The Producers (1968):

I should mention that these are the crates as they appeared in April 2009, when the above photos were taken. Over the years, the crates by the Dockside Diner have been at various times either blank or labeled somewhat differently (previously references have included The Wizard of Oz and Lawrence of Arabia). Being natural wood exposed to the Florida elements, the crates occasionally weather and need to be replaced, giving the writers at Walt Disney Imagineering another opportunity to work their clever brand of magic.

Humble Beginnings

Today, the Walt Disney Company is a multi-billion dollar international entertainment conglomerate, but things began much more simply. Dave Smith, the Disney Archivist, places the official start of the Company at October 16, 1923, the day Walt Disney signed a contract with Margaret Winkler for the distribution of his Alice Comedies. With contract in hand, Walt and Roy moved the newly-formed Disney Bros. Studio out of their uncle Robert's garage and into its first true home at 4651 Kingswell in Hollywood.

The location was modest, to say the least. It was a spare room in the back of the Holly-Vermont Realty office, which Walt rented for $10 a month. It wasn't long before a little money started to come in, and the Disney brothers moved next door to their own store front at 4649 Kingswell. Two years later, in January 1926, they expanded onto a lot at 2719 Hyperion Avenue, then finally moved to the campus in Burbank, custom-built in 1940 with the profits from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Burbank Studio remains the headquarters for the Walt Disney Company to this day.

But at the Florida Studio - Disney's Hollywood Studios - there is a small tribute to those humble beginnings. On the Echo Lake side of the Keystone Clothiers building is a door, tucked just to the side of Peevy's Polar Pipeline. The door carries a logo for none other than Holly-Vermont Realty, and in the window above... an "Office Space For Rent" sign.

Marty Who?

Opening day at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park was certainly a star-studded affair. Everywhere you turned, there were familiar faces. Bob Hope. George Burns. Audrey Hepburn. Annette Funicello. Kevin Costner. Molly Ringwald. Dick Van Dyke. Mary Tyler Moore. I was thrilled to be a Guest in the park on that day. It was an incredibly memorable experience, but the highlight for me was getting to meet someone whom no one else recognized.

We were walking by the Hollywood & Vine Cafeteria of the Stars late in the day, when we spotted an interview taking place on the grass of a nearby planter. My companions that day took one look, then shrugged and kept walking. I was star struck. The individual being interviewed was none other than Marty Sklar.

I probably don't have to elaborate for most of you reading this blog, but for the uninitiated, Marty Sklar is currently the Imagineering Ambassador to the World. Marty started his Disney career while still a student at UCLA, working on the Disneyland News for a month when the park opened. After graduating in 1956, Marty joined Disneyland's public relations department full time. He went on to become a writer at WED Enterprises and wrote many of Walt Disney's television show introductions. As recently as three years ago, Marty was WDI's top creative leader.

On that grand opening day at the Studios, Marty Sklar was no doubt very busy shuffling from one interview appointment to another, but when he was stopped by a wide-eyed 19-year-old with a passion for Disney, he couldn't have been nicer. What Marty gave me that day was more than an autograph. It was inspiration. I got my first job with Disney one month later and within my first decade had the opportunity to write for Walt Disney Imagineering myself. The next handwritten note I would receive from Marty would be comments on a piece I had written. That was an amazing day. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it.

I learned this weekend that Marty has announced he is officially retiring from the Company July 17 of this year. While his Ambassador role hasn't had him as closely involved with things as he once was, it was nice to know he was still around, wandering the halls. It will be an historic moment when he steps away after 53 consecutive years. He will definitely be missed, but his legacy lives on in the parks and attractions he helped create and the generation of Disney Imagineers and Cast he helped inspire.

The piece of paper I handed Marty that day is starting to yellow with age after twenty years, but it still holds a place of honor in a frame on my desk. I read it every day: "Shawn - Fill many blank pieces of paper with great ideas! Good luck! Marty Sklar"

Thanks for everything, Marty. And when you finally get around to writing that book, I'll be first in line to buy a copy!

Star Today

At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Great Movie Ride takes place inside a replica of the entrance to Graumann's Chinese Theater. While the exterior of the building is a faithful imitation of that Hollywood Boulevard landmark, the celebrity handprints in the courtyard are not duplicates. Each handprint and signature was produced by that celebrity in a personal appearance at the Florida theme park, either to promote their latest project or as part of a program once known as "Star Today."

The idea behind "Star Today" was that Studios Guests would be guaranteed to run into a celebrity during their visit, adding to the glamour and allure of the Hollywood experience. Every day, a celebrity was scheduled to make appearances in the park. Typically, these would include a Star Motorcade down Hollywood Boulevard, a Handprint Ceremony in front of the Chinese Theater, and a Star Conversation at the Theater of the Stars where Guests could actually ask questions of their favorite celebrity. Throughout the day, the stars would also make surprise appearances at the start of Studios attractions like Superstar Television or the Monster Sound Show.

In order to fill the program, stars were often booked for several days in a row, although some came for just the one day. The very first "Star Today" on May 1, 1989, was none other than original Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. Here she is at her Handprint Ceremony on that day, with Mickey Mouse, Roger Rabbit (one of Disney's biggest new stars at the time), and Studios Host Don Lampkin (who these days can be seen at Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show).

In August 1989, Jim Henson made a special appearance to announce his pending partnership with the Walt Disney Company. He and Kermit left their imprints in the courtyard, one of the few that was actually done in place (most were cast in a separate tray, then placed into the courtyard later). By the way, the Kermit handprints are those of the actual Muppet, not the Character you see riding with Jim Henson in his Celebrity Motorcade below.

During the main run of the "Star Today" program, the celebrity Guests who came to "join the Disney family of stars" ran the gamut from old to young, movies to music, A-list to D-list. Some of the biggest stars appeared as part of the opening ceremonies for the park, leaving their mark but not necessarily participating in the full program. Among these were Hollywood legends George Burns and Bob Hope (who helped cut the filmstrip ribbon dedicating the Studios):

The lovely Audrey Hepburn took part in advance press previews for the park, explaining why the date on her handprint is earlier than May 1. Actually, there are several handprints in the courtyard dating back to 1988. They were captured from celebrities visiting or working at the Studio during its year of operation prior to the opening of the theme park. Some even wrote Happy Birthday wishes to Mickey Mouse, who was celebrating his 60th that year.

Some other notable handprints from stars of the day:

Maureen O'Sullivan, who portrayed Jane in the Tarzan films and makes an appearance inside the Great Movie Ride.

Daryl Hannah, who played Madison the mermaid in Splash (1984), the first film released through Disney's Touchstone label.

Hulk Hogan, who at the time was starring in a syndicated television series from the producers of Baywatch, called Thunder in Paradise. The series was shot entirely at Disney-MGM Studios and locations around Walt Disney World.

Here's Danny DeVito, who came with his entire family. Nearby are imprints of R2-D2 and C-3PO made to commemorate the soft opening of the Star Tours attraction, and George Lucas, who made his appearance in August of 89 for the dedication of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (from opening day, Guests had been invited to watch rehearsals at the Indy stage, but the full show wasn't ready until more than three months later).

Another one-timer: Harrison Ford. Ford has actually visited Walt Disney World several times since, but prefers to enjoy the parks privately with his family. As the top tourism destination in the world, Walt Disney World hosts many celebrity Guests throughout the year, most of whom choose to avoid the limelight and just blend in. To help them get around as easily as possible (and to avoid potential disruption to normal operations), Disney typically provides VIP Guides to help escort stars during their stay.

Sylvester Stallone was at the Studio for work in late 1990, filming the Touchstone Pictures comedy Oscar. Interiors for the movie were shot on Stages 2 and 3 (now home to Toy Story Midway Mania!). Guests on the Backstage Studio Tour could glimpse the sets from the tour catwalk and sometimes even see production taking place. Whenever Stallone was on the stage, however, the curtains were drawn to eliminate the distraction of peeping tourists.

Of course, mixed among the real celebrity handprints in the courtyard are a few which were fabricated for show value or pure promotion: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz (once on display inside the Chinese Theater). Toward the left side of the courtyard can be found the boots and "blast marks" of The Rocketeer. As part of the summer promotion of that Disney adventure film, the Rocketeer himself flew by jet pack, out and above the theater courtyard during each evening's presentation of Sorcery in the Sky fireworks.

Of course, there are many more celebrity handprints featured in the courtyard. There are probably even more celebrities who participated in "Star Today" whose handprints never made it there, either because they were damaged in some way or simply deemed "not big enough." A few additional handprints can be found at the entrance of Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard. The participation of still others is commemorated in the series of portrait postcards on display inside the lobby of Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano.

The "Star Today" program was officially discontinued in the late 1990s, as it became more costly and difficult to gain the participation of recognizable celebrities. That wasn't the end of star appearances at the Studios, however. Today, celebrity Guests still pop up on occasion for publicity shots, special events, or just to hang out on vacation. So the next time you're at Disney's Hollywood Studios, keep your eyes peeled. You might just see a star today!

The Hollywood That Was

It's hard to believe, but just one week from today, we'll be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Disney's Hollywood Studios. In honor of the occasion, I'll have a series of posts for you about the Grand Opening of the park, its history, and many of the storytelling details found throughout. But let's begin at the beginning...

The idea for a tour of the Disney Studios actually originated with Walt Disney and predates Disneyland. As early as the 1930s, Walt was receiving letters from fans wanting a peek behind-the-scenes at the place where Mickey Mouse and Snow White were born. Walt maintained that the actual day-to-day activities of production would be boring to the average outsider, but he ultimately couldn't resist the demands of the public. With the 1941 release of The Reluctant Dragon, Walt gave the people what they wanted... sort of. The film follows comedian Robert Benchley as he stumbles through all the various Studio departments on his way to a meeting with the Big Cheese.

Although The Reluctant Dragon was, in essence, a filmed tour of Disney's new Burbank Studio, people still couldn't visit, so Walt started dreaming up ideas for something that could be open to the public. His initial plans for a Mickey Mouse Park on Riverside Drive, across the street from the Studio lot, eventually grew into Disneyland. Meanwhile, Walt Disney continued to give his audience the occasional peek behind the curtain via the Disneyland and Wonderful World of Color anthology series on TV.

Many years later, when Disney's Imagineers were tasked with developing potential expansion ideas for EPCOT Center, one of the concepts which took hold was for an Entertainment Pavilion, to be located between The Land and Journey Into Imagination (concept art below ©Disney). Guests would have passed through a theater marquee facade to experience several attractions, including a trip through great movie moments, a show placing Guests into scenes from classic TV shows, and an interactive exhibit showcasing Disney animation.

When Michael Eisner and Frank Wells joined the Company in 1984, one of their primary goals was to increase the Studio's output of movie and television production. On an early visit to Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, they were presented with the Entertainment Pavilion concept. The Imagineers were asked to expand upon the initial idea to create what would become the third theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida: a working film and TV studio and Studio Tour attraction.

For the attraction side of things, Disney wanted to present an homage to the Golden Age of movies, fleshing out the idea by striking a licensing deal with classic movie studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer. The Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park would bring together the classic glitz and glamour of old Hollywood with a look at a modern production facility, where Guests could see actual movies, TV shows, and Disney animated shorts created right before their eyes.

The working studio started operations in Summer 1988, with the production of the Touchstone Pictures comedy Ernest Saves Christmas. The theme park made its debut the following year, on May 1, 1989. At opening, the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park was intended to be a half-day experience. In fact, there were only five attractions: The Backstage Studio Tour, The Magic of Disney Animation, The Great Movie Ride, Superstar Television (current home of The American Idol Experience), and Monster Sound Show (now Sounds Dangerous - Starring Drew Carey).

Everything in purple on the map above was part of The Backstage Studio Tour. The tour began at the Shuttle load station (what is now the entrance to the Disney Animation attraction). In addition to areas still included on the Studios Backlot Tour, the Backstage Studio Tour Shuttles also visited the Greens Department, Residential Street, and New York Street. Along the way, Guests were treated to views of exterior sets from Golden Girls and Empty Nest (and later Honey I Blew Up the Kid, George of the Jungle, The Rocketeer, and Dick Tracy), and encounters with Herbie the Love Bug and the Dip-Mobile from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. At the conclusion of the Shuttle experience, Guests could take a break at the Studio Catering Company, then continue with Part II of the tour, a guided walk through the Special Effects Warehouse and Shooting Stage, Soundstages, and post-production facilities. Videos featuring Warren Beatty, the cast of The Cosby Show, George Lucas, Mel Gibson, and Pee-Wee Herman attempted to explain how everything was done, and a short film produced at Disney-MGM Studios (The Lottery, starring Bette Midler) showed how it all came together. The final stop on this two-hour tour was the Walt Disney Theater (now home to Voyage of the Little Mermaid), where previews of coming attractions were introduced by a humorous interaction between Michael Eisner (wearing a Mickey Mouse watch) and Mickey Mouse (wearing a Michael Eisner watch).

The Studios park was an immediate hit with Walt Disney World Guests, and work began on ways to expand the park and its offerings. Over the past 20 years, the Studios has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, it brings to life experiences from movies, TV, animation, live theater and music. The name Disney's Hollywood Studios, adopted officially in January 2008, reflects this growth and the park's mission to represent all aspects of Hollywood, both classic and modern.

Happy b'Earth Day!

It's April 22. Earth Day. This is a day when we pause to think about our home planet and what we can do to help make a difference to protect wildlife and wild places. Of course, like so many sentiments, it would be wonderful if we could all think this way every day.

The Walt Disney Company is committed to making a difference every day. Some of the ways you can contribute to Disney's efforts:

Disneynature EARTH - This new "True-Life Adventure" opens in theaters today. Disney has committed to planting a tree in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest for every person who buys a ticket to see the film in its opening week.

Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund - Established on Earth Day 1995, the Fund provides annual awards to U.S. nonprofit conservation organizations. To date, the DWCF has supported more than 750 projects with over $12 million in funding. Disney pays for all administrative costs associated with the Fund, so that every dollar donated by Disney Guests goes directly to the work being done around the world. Make a contribution any time you make a purchase at Disney's Animal Kingdom or The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot.

Recycle - Recycling containers for cans and bottles can be found throughout Disney's theme parks. The Custodial teams in the parks sort through the trash to try and recover as much recyclable material as possible, but you can help by placing recyclables in the right containers to begin with.

To learn more about Disney's efforts around conservation and Environmentality, please visit the Company's Corporate Responsibility site at: http://corporate.disney.go.com/responsibility/environment.html

The City of Tomorrowland

Welcome to the city of Tomorrowland, a community of the future where everyday living is made better through science, invention, and intergalactic influence. Inhabited by robots, aliens, and a few humans, this amazing metropolis is so worlds-renowned, it was selected as the universal headquarters for the League of Planets.

The citizens of Tomorrowland are always happy to welcome visitors, and here along the Avenue of the Planets, you'll find a "Welcome" sign not unlike those found at the entrances to communities right here on Earth. There's the ubiquitous Chamber of Commerce plaque:

But instead of the Lions or Kiwanis, the City of Tomorrowland proudly displays the shields of a number of other beneficent organizations:

Space... Out

Space Mountain is considered by many the quintessential Disney thrill ride. Originally conceived in the 1960s as an expansion to Disneyland called "Space Port," early renderings clearly show that Space Mountain was to be Tomorrowland's answer to the Matterhorn. In this painting by Imagineer John Hench (©Disney), one can even spot points on the mountain at which the rockets would have zoomed around the exterior, just as the bobsleds do on Fantasyland's Swiss peak.

Technology wasn't quite ready to handle Space Mountain, however, so the 1967 redo of Tomorrowland at Disneyland moved forward without it. A few years later, in Florida, the Magic Kingdom opened its doors with a barely-there Tomorrowland and no thrill attractions whatsoever. The Imagineers of the day didn't think Florida's retiree population would be interested in such things. They couldn't have been more wrong - about who would end up coming to the park... or about what they would be looking for once they got there. The Space Mountain project was quickly turned on, but for the East Coast with RCA as a sponsor to help Disney hammer out the technological requirements.

The grand opening of Space Mountain at Walt Disney World (above photo ©Disney) was held January 15, 1975. Since that time, Space Mountain attractions have been added to all the Disneyland parks around the world - Disneyland (1977), Tokyo Disneyland (1983), Disneyland Paris (1995), Hong Kong Disneyland (2005). In recent years, each Mountain has been upgraded with the latest technology and special effects. Each one, that is, except the original. Now, it's Florida's turn.

Tonight at midnight, Space Mountain closes for a 7-month-long refurbishment to add some "new magic" and bring the attraction into the 21st century. I had the opportunity to visit the Magic Kingdom today, for my last chance to experience Space Mountain "classic." While many of the details of just what will be enhanced remain under wraps, I tried to capture images of those elements which seem likely candidates for improvement, replacement, or removal.

This star map and arrival/departure board date back to the Federal Express sponsorship of the attraction in the 90s, a time when the interior queue space featured television monitors broadcasting non-stop to waiting Guests. The monitors are long gone, but other remnants of the FedEx days linger.

Next are the Star Corridor and "holographic" windows (neither of which photograph well). Also in this area are a series of images of galaxies, nebulae, and other outer space phenomena.

Once in the main interior queue, the ceiling opens up to reveal a star field above and the occasional glow-in-the-dark rocket or giant meteor projection floating by. By the way, contrary to popular urban legend, those meteors are not images of chocolate chip cookies. They may not be the most realistic by today's standards, but an Imagineering artist once worked really hard to make them look as meteor-like as possible.

Here comes our rocket. The individual seats with lap bars showed up in the 1990s. Before that, the rockets had bench seats (like those on the Matterhorn) and seat belts. The newer configuration proved safer and more efficient.

Space Mountain at Walt Disney World is unique in that it is the only one to feature two tracks. Alpha and Omega are essentially mirrors of one another. When Space Mountain was finally added to Disneyland, there wasn't room for more than one track. The capacity issue was resolved by building rockets which seat Guests two across, side by side. It's this configuration which was duplicated around the world.

"Space Shuttle, this is Flight Safety. Keep your hands on the handrail or inside the vehicle, and remain seated while in motion. Prepare for launch."

Where's Michael Giacchino when you need him?!

Space-walking astronauts working on the CMB-2000 as its docked at the space station... and the rest is too dark to photograph. Besides, who takes pictures on a roller coaster ride? Honestly! (This one is actually from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, which also closes tomorrow, reopening in August)

Finally, we make it to the exit corridor. It's another plug for FedEx which has been slightly modified to avoid directly mentioning the company, since they no longer sponsor the attraction. The basic theme seems to be that one day rocket travel will be obsolete, because we're already simply beaming cargo across the galaxy. Beaming people can't be far behind...

In the future, everyone will be on TV...

So there you have it, the final day for Space Mountain classic - the 1975 original. Now, it's makeover time. If the enhancements made at Disneyland are any indication of what to expect, I can't wait! See you November 22, old friend...