Mission: Hidden Disney

Mission: Space at Epcot is a thrilling attraction with lots to see and discover. Apart from the obvious story details and astronaut training information, it also features quite a bit of Hidden Disney.

At the center of the Mission: Space Cargo Bay shop is this statue of Mickey Mouse. Look up at the sky above him, and you'll notice a familiar silhouette formed by the nebula:

Hidden Mickey shapes also show up in this bank of control boxes along one wall of the shop:

This mural behind the register presents us with an un-hidden Mickey, along with his pals, rendered in a comic book style (note the X-2 Space Shuttle from the attraction):

But it's below the mural, on the front of the register counter, where you'll find this - a graphic representation of the symbol for the former Horizons pavilion which once stood on this spot.

The Horizons logo can also be seen in the Mission: Space queue, placed at the center of the large, rotating gravity wheel.

There's something else to look for while you're waiting for your training session. When you're in the corridor alongside Mission Control, watch the small monitors on the workstation behind the glass. You may spot footage of an albatross coming in for a rough landing. It's a clip once used for comic effect during the pre-show of the Mission to Mars attraction in the Magic Kingdom (1975-1993).

The Sound of (Mexican) Music

The live entertainment offerings throughout the Walt Disney World Resort have changed constantly over the years, always offering Guests something new to discover and enjoy during their day in a Disney Park. While many performers have come and gone, a few have managed to stand the test of time.

Mariachi Cobre was formed in Tucson, Arizona, in 1971 by founding member Randy Carrillo. Randy and his brother brought their traditional 12-piece Mexican Mariachi band to Florida in 1982 to perform for the opening of Epcot, and they've been there ever since.

Mariachi is a form of Mexican folk music which originated in Jalisco, in Western Mexico. The Mariachi Cobre features three musicians on guitar, two on trumpet and seven on violin.

The next time you're passing the Mexico pavilion in World Showcase or visiting the Plaza de los Amigos inside, be sure to take time to stop and enjoy one of Epcot's original cultural treasures, Mariachi Cobre.

Credit Where Credit's Due

The Jungle Cruise attractions in the Disney Parks transport Guests down exotic rivers of the world on a wacky, wild adventure. Many details go into the telling of the Jungle Cruise story, but perhaps none is as important as the landscape. Over the years, Imagineers have taken a California orange grove, Florida swamp and Asian landfill and converted them into lush, tropical environments.

Most of these efforts were conducted or directed by Disney Legend and Imagineering Master Landscape Architect Bill Evans. A tribute to him stands outside the entrance of the Jungle Cruise in the Magic Kingdom:

This ficus nitida (also known as a Chinese Banyan tree) sits crated on the Jungle Cruise dock, ready for transport. The crate bears the label, "Evans Exotic Plant Exporters, Ltd."

Bill's family nursery business in L.A. was popular among the Hollywood elite, due to the wide variety of exotic plants he was able to import and propagate. In the early '50s, when Walt Disney was creating his backyard railroad, he hired the Evans nursery to do the landscape design. A year later, Walt asked Bill to come work on Disneyland.

Bill stayed with Imagineering, ultimately working on every Disney Park through Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998.

Today, few may know his name (my son, Evan, thinks the crate refers to him), but many enjoy and appreciate the legacy Bill Evans left behind.

Photo Time Machine: Aladdin's Royal Caravan

Here's another great image from the past, chock full of little observations. Be sure to click on it to see the picture full size (photo ©Disney).

Aladdin's Royal Caravan, the first full-scale parade to be featured at Disney's Hollywood Studios, debuted the same time as the Aladdin animated film, in 1992. The procession entertained Studios Guests for nearly three years before making way for the Toy Story Parade. In this shot, we see one of the main units of the parade making its way down Hollywood Boulevard. Look closely, though, and you'll see even more.

The most obvious thing missing from this picture is the now-iconic Sorcerer's Hat at the center of the park (there was just an oval-shaped planter at this time). Added in 2001 as part of the 100 Years of Magic celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's birth, the Sorcerer's Hat was meant to represent all the magic of show business brought to life in the park. The original icons of the Chinese Theater and Earffel Tower had specific connections to movies, but as the Studio moved into its second decade, the park had come to encompass much more.

Look down on the left side of the Aladdin's Royal Caravan image, and you'll spot a white diamond shape. This was an original directional graphic for the park. When the Studios opened in 1989, there were only five attractions, so finding your way around wasn't so difficult. That all changed over the course of the next five years, as the park grew into every available nook and cranny. To help Guests navigate, a new wayfinding package was installed that's still in place today.

Finally, back to the parade... You may notice the swordsmen leading the procession have goatees. This wasn't a lapse in the Disney Look guidelines. They were fake pieces applied to each of the performers to create the proper look for the show.

The giant Genie inflatable was re-purposed in 1996 as the central figure on the Aladdin float for the Remember the Magic parade in the Magic Kingdom, part of the Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary celebration.

And if you look very closely behind the Genie, you might make out one of the golden camels that are now a part of the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction in Adventureland. They started their career here at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars Weekends 2010 kicks off today at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's an event I've enjoyed attending since its inception in 1997. Over the years, the event has grown and changed, offering a little something different each time. Celebrity talk shows once hosted in the Superstar Television Theater (now home to the American Idol Experience) are now presented in the Premiere Theater on the Backlot, and during the years when "Who Wants to be a Millionaire - Play It!" was at the Studios, special Star Wars Weekends editions of the game were held.

One of the consistent elements of the event each year is a daily motorcade of Star Wars characters and celebrity guests. Prior to 2008, the Landspeeder vehicle from the Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade was used in the motorcade to chauffeur Jedi Mickey through the park (the car, along with the rest of that parade, was shipped to Paris and redressed as a transport for the stars of Ratatouille).

A multitude of characters from the Star Wars universe have also been featured during Star Wars Weekends each year. While many of the characters have remained the same, some of the Guests have certainly changed. These were my boys at their very first Star Wars Weekends event back in 2006. Since they're twins, we thought it would be appropriate to pay a visit to the Star Wars twins, Luke and Leia. My wife made their T-shirts from her own designs: "I (heart) Princess Leia" and "A Little Short for a Stormtrooper."

Exclusive Star Wars Weekends merchandise is also a big deal every year. In the past, a store (alternately known as Wicket's Warehouse or Jabba's Hutt) was set up inside Soundstage 1. One year, a unique photo opportunity was also established inside the stage, where Guests could have a photo taken with a full-scale X-Wing Fighter. (Note: This year's store, Boba's Bounty, is being housed inside the AFI Showcase Shop.)

One of the most popular merchandise items has been "Big Fig" sculptures of Disney characters dressed as characters from Star Wars. Several years ago, the characters appearing in the park during the event started wearing costumes inspired by the "Big Figs." For one year only, even Hasbro's Darth Tater (Mr. Potato Head in his Sith Lord garb) met Guests at the front of the park. Unfortunately, I never grabbed a photo of that one.

In fact, new characters have been added to the roster of Star Wars Weekends appearances every year, especially as new fan favorites emerged from the prequel trilogy (Aurra Sing, below, from Episode I) and the "Clone Wars" animated series (Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex).

This year sees the addition of three new characters to the lineup: R2-MK (a droid with Mickey coloring and Mouse Ears), Commander Cody (from "Clone Wars") and Asajj Ventress (Count Duku's assassin in "Clone Wars").

Also new in recent years is the concept of a Celebrity Host who takes part in every weekend of the event, as opposed to just making a brief three-day appearance. The first of these was Warwick Davis, who originally portrayed Wicket the Ewok. This year, Ashley Eckstein co-hosts Star Wars Weekends with Jeremy Bulloch. It's a match that bridges 30 years of Star Wars. Bulloch made his debut in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), creating the iconic character of Boba Fett, while Eckstein helps bring Ahsoka Tano to life for the newest generation of Star Wars fans with the "Clone Wars" animated series.

Star Wars Weekends 2010 continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June 13. For more information, please visit the official event site at disneyworld.com.

Do You See What I See?

Often when I'm flipping back through my collection of Disney Parks photos from the past, I'll skip right over images like this one of New York Street at Disney's Hollywood Studios, circa 1991 (photo ©Disney). Occasionally, something will catch my eye that I didn't expect.

This shot of Manhattan in forced perspective would look much the same if taken today, save for some of the questionable fashion choices. There's one key difference, though. In this scene are a New York public transit bus and telephone company utility truck. They're full-size props which once populated the Backlot, adding an extra element of realism. Over the years, they've all been removed for one reason or another.

A few vehicular props can still be found around the Studios, like this tow truck outside Oscar's Super Service on Hollywood Boulevard, but even these disappear during peak attendance periods to allow for a more comfortable Guest experience in the park.

To catch these classic vehicles, plan to visit during slower periods (I enjoy early December, late January and early May myself). And don't forget to look closely at those old pictures. You might just discover a forgotten detail from one of the Disney Parks.

Hunky Tuna Tostada!

The majority of the storytelling details I've shared on the blog have been visual in nature, but occasionally the Imagineers slip in some audio treats for Guests willing to take their time and linger.

At the conclusion of The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management, a worse-for-wear Iago is perched above the "AutoMagic" exit doors, his humorous commentary continuing even as the audience files out of the theater. Hang back after everyone else has left, and you'll hear what may be one of the funniest lines of the show:

"I'm tired! I think I'll head over to the Hall of Presidents and take a nap."

Apologies to fans of the Hall of Presidents (granted, the present version of that show is quite a bit more engaging than the version which preceded it), but the line fits Iago's character perfectly and is a great bit of self-deprecation on the part of the Imagineers.

Another wonderful example of a subtle audio detail can be heard at the Haunted Mansion. When the attraction was refreshed a few years ago, one of the enhancements included a completely new sound system and auditory experience for the Stretching Room scene. In the updated version of the show, walls creak, wind howls through the halls and the voice of our Ghost Host seems to float around the room.

Once a way out of the Stretching Room is revealed, most Guests are happy to beat a path to the Doom Buggies to continue their tour. Wait around for a bit, though, and you'll hear something more. A raspy, ethereal voice whispers a haunting, "Get out." It's decidedly creepy and gives me goosebumps just writing it.

So just as it pays to sometimes sit through the credits of a movie like Iron Man (or Iron Man 2) for an extra treat of a scene, Disney's park attractions offer their own bits of added fun from time to time.

Stitch's Great Arrival

Earlier on the blog, we explored the construction sites of some of our favorite Disney Parks attractions. Often just as interesting are the construction walls, used to hide the work being done and tease the upcoming additions to the park.

In 2004, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter closed at the Magic Kingdom, to make way for Stitch's Great Escape. Anyone visiting Tomorrowland during that time was treated to an intriguing blue wall covered in a star field. Newspaper clippings posted on the wall offered clues to the story being prepped inside.

I especially enjoy the details, especially the newspaper mastheads. There's the Galactic Gazette, Tri-Planet Tribune and Planet Turo Times (Turo is the home planet of Jumba, Pleakley and Co. from the 2002 film Lilo & Stitch). It's difficult to see in this picture, but even things like the date of publication and organizational slogans helped reinforce the story.

On November 16, 2004, the walls came down, and new recruits were invited for the first time into Tomorrowland's Prisoner Teleportation Center to contend with the arrival of a Level 3 captive. To anyone else there that day, it was clear things had not gone according to plan. Someone... or some thing... had TP'ed and spray-painted the castle.

Displaying some of the same irreverence used in marketing the Lilo & Stitch film, Stitch's arrival in the Magic Kingdom was heralded in a uniquely "626" way. Of course, the Fairy Godmother had Cinderella's Castle back to normal by the next morning, but Stitch could still be found weeks later, hitching rides on the Walt Disney World monorail.

A Grand Canyon-scape

Disney's Contemporary Resort is meant to be thoroughly ultra-modern in design, from its dramatic A-frame structure to the sleek monorails whisking through its atrium. Even the room decor and furnishings have been updated over the years to keep the Contemporary looking, well... contemporary.

There's one aspect of the resort, however, that hasn't changed at all since it debuted in 1971 - the ninety-foot-high tile mural that graces the Grand Canyon Concourse. The warm earth tones of the mural were intended to balance the cold grey concrete, glass and steel used for the majority of the building, and it continues to serve that purpose well today.

The mural was designed by Imagineering artist Mary Blair, best known for her work on Disney films from The Three Caballeros to Peter Pan, as well as her masterpiece efforts on "It's a Small World." The Small World influence is easy to see in the bold colors, geometric shapes and styling of the Native American children depicted here.

Look up near the top of the mural, and you may just spot the infamous 5-legged goat. Several stories exist as to why one of the mountain goats has five legs. The most popular seems to be that this was Blair's way of saying that nature is perfect, but any man-made interpretation of nature is inherently imperfect. Sounds good to me. Of course, since Mary left us in 1978, we can't ask her, so we may never truly know.

Going Places

For the time being, we wave goodbye to Main Street, U.S.A., but not before taking a look at some of the modes of transportation folks use to travel through or depart from this small town. "The Walt Disney World Railroad, now departing for a grand circle tour around the Magic Kingdom. Boooooaaaarrrrrd!"

For a trip straight up Main Street to the Castle, you can choose from a number of motorized options. Jitneys like the replica 1915 model pictured here (there's also a yellow one) have been touring these streets since the Magic Kingdom welcomed its first Guests.

The double-decker Omnibuses operated here from 1971 to '82, when they were pressed into service around World Showcase lagoon at Epcot. By the late '90s, the Epcot buses were retired, and one of them returned to Main Street where it can still be enjoyed today. While the buses were away, three 1903-style horseless carriages (red, yellow and blue) joined the motorized fleet. Of course, with all the activity on Main Street these days, one can be hard pressed to find the vehicles running, but the familiar "aaa-OOH-gah" of the horn lets the casual pedestrian know when they're around.

As for the old-fashioned Horse-Drawn Trolleys, it's the "clippity-clop" of hooves and "clang-clang-clang" of the bell that lets you know they're coming. At certain times in the morning, you might even hear the joyous voices of some of the town citizens as they sing and dance their way "right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A."

Yep, when it comes to Main Street, many folks are just passing through. There are others though, who are more than happy to stay a while and soak in some of the atmosphere this town has to offer.

Conservatory of Flowers

The Crystal Palace at the end of Main Street was inspired by the mid-19th century tradition of grandiose greenhouses. Victorian England was a "golden age" of greenhouse design. It was a time when there was intense interest in exotic, tropical parts of the world. Flowers, trees and other specimens from around the globe were often put on public display in huge glass conservatories. One of the most impressive was located at Kew Gardens, England, with a large glass dome and two 100-foot wings.

Kew Gardens was the model for the Conservatory of Flowers, built in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in 1879. The Conservatory of Flowers is the oldest public conservatory in the Western Hemisphere, and it was the primary building upon which the design of the Crystal Palace was based.

Step inside the Crystal Palace, and you're immediately struck by the soaring atrium and bright, sunny wings. Throughout, one can find real plant specimens, along with artwork depicting 19th-century greenhouse designs and an assortment of beautiful flora.

There's even a nod to topiary art, both traditional and with a Disney flair.

Of course, the flora that attracts the attention of most Guests at the Crystal Palace is of the edible variety available from the buffet. And the fauna? Well... Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore fill that bill.

Savor the Details

Storytelling in Disney Parks can take on a number of forms. Sometimes, it's a completely linear story as seen in attractions like Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage or Peter Pan's Flight. In other instances, such as we've seen with Main Street locales such as Le Chapeau and the Confectionery, it's more of an elaborate backstory used to influence the design.

And sometimes there isn't a completely fleshed-out story at all, just a setting that works with other facilities in the area to tell the story of a period. This is the case with the Main Street Bakery. From the door pull at the front to the interior design and props, everything works together to create a rich environment in which many Magic Kingdom Guests start their day.