Everything POP

Everything POP is the name of the shopping and dining venue at Disney's Pop Century Resort, and while there's certainly quite a lot to browse and enjoy there, I find myself spending even more time perusing the nostalgia-filled display which runs through the heart of Classic Hall. To assemble this timeline of treasures, the Imagineering team on the Pop Century project tapped into every resource available, from eBay and swap meets to pawn shops and their own closets. The result is a collection of articles that together tell the pop culture story of our lives through the latter half of the last century. There are more pictures here than in probably any other article on the blog, simply because there's so much to see, so be sure to click on each one to see everything larger and in more detail!

The tour follows a timeline along the ceiling, from the '50s to the '90s, with real items from those eras many of us remember, some of us may have forgotten and others may have only heard of. The 1950s gave us roller skates, poodle skirts and saddle shoes, along with rabbit ears and TV Guide. I especially enjoy the inclusion of a speaker pole and speakers from a drive-in movie theater. I may not have been around in the '50s, but I certainly recall going to the drive-in as a kid. In fact, I saw my first Disney animated feature, Robin Hood, at the drive-in... six times!

Another shadowbox from the '50s is a roundup of popular toys and games, with everything from Lionel Trains and a Hula Hoop to Pick Up Stix and Cootie. They even have a copy of Boys' Life magazine and Name That Tune, "The Best Game on Record!" Next, we come to the first of several Disney references along the wall. Appropriate, of course, since Disney has played such a strong role in our popular culture for the past 80+ years. For this decade, it's "Mickey Mouse Club," Cinderella and Disneyland, not to mention the classic Disney school bus lunch box!

Moving on to the groovy '60s, we see peace signs, paisley and wild prints, along with nods to musical legends like The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Mamas and The Papas. One whole case is dedicated to the July 20, 1969, moon landing, with an original newspaper page from that day. We then see how the fascination with space played out in other facets of 1960s popular culture, from space toys to "My Favorite Martian."

Look, too, for Mary Poppins, James Bond, Planet of the Apes, Creature from the Black Lagoon and another appearance by Disneyland, this time in the form of the Monorail Game. Travel destinations, no doubt reached in the good ol' Family Truckster, are another subject for the '60s, with a shadowbox tapping into memories of Route 66, National Parks and the Seattle World's Fair of 1962.

Next up is the 1970s. Not to date myself, but now we're in my era. I may not have worn the platform shoes or had a lava lamp in my room, but I rode a Big Wheel just like that one on the wall, pretending the hills in my neighborhood were roller coasters, and I have that Mickey Mouse phone. It's sitting right next to me on my desk as I write this!

Of course, for Disney the milestone event of the decade was the opening of the Walt Disney World in October 1971. One large display includes everything from magazine and newspaper articles about the opening to original souvenirs, guide books, tickets and a resort matchbook collection.

The '70s wouldn't have been the '70s without the music of KISS, Barry Manilow, Chicago, The Village People or Donna Summer and disco... all played on gloriously clunky 8-track tapes. Check out the eclectic musical tastes represented by the 8-tracks on display: Rod Stewart, John Denver, WAR, Burt Bacharach, Sonny & Cher, Englebert Humperdink and Captain & Tennille. "Muskrat Love" anyone?

Moving to the '80s, we graduate to cassette tapes and CDs... and a VHS copy of ET: The Extra Terrestrial. There was also a big health kick in the '80s, represented by Jane Fonda, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jazzercise and Deal-A-Meal. High cut aerobics wear and leg warmers were all the fashion rage, as apparently were wide belts and hair crimping (gag me with a spoon!). I will admit, though, to owning at least one Swatch watch back in the day... with Swatch Guard!

I also once owned the game of Simon, Trivial Pursuit, a Rubik's Cube and a couple of those Star Wars PEZ dispensers, and my wife still has a couple of her old Cabbage Patch Kids and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.

My brother and I were lucky enough one Christmas morning to get an Atari 2600, just like this one at Pop Century. We had a blast with Asteroids, Space Invaders and other games we thought were so incredibly awesome (which today look incredibly lame). Sadly, the level of gaming on the Atari 2600 represented the limit of my hand-eye coordination and the end of my video game days. We own a couple of consoles now, but the Wii is mostly for my boys (they love Epic Mickey and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean) and the PS3 is my Blu-ray player (the best Blu-ray player there is, by the way).

While video games may have lost me, I must say I've done a better job keeping up with computer technology. The Apple IIc on display in the '80s section is just like the ones we had at my high school, and today I'm still proud to say, "I'm a Mac!" There's lots of other old tech in this case, too. Anyone remember those old floppy disks? How about the disc camera, scientific calculators, Fax machines or Max Headroom?

The '90s portion of the timeline continues the technology story with the introduction of laptops, cellular phones and the Internet. There's also a nod to the explosive resurgence of Disney animation during the 1990s, led by the success of films like Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story.

Also big in the '90s: Spice Girls, Britney Spears, New Kids on the Block, Phil Collins and Prince (formerly known as that weird symbol, formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince). There are displays acknowledging the increase in environmental awareness and recycling, as well as one dedicated to the rise of extreme sports like roller blading, snowboarding and BMX.

A '90s TV display features a universal remote and nods to hits like "The Simpsons," "X Files" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The decade was also big for toy trends. Look for Power Rangers, Furby, TY Beanie Babies, Game Boy, Tamagotchi and Pokemon. There are even Disney references here, from the obvious (Pocahontas) to the more obscure (Dick Tracy and Encino Man).

What moments from your past are stirred up by the timeline of treasures at Disney's Pop Century Resort? What's your favorite piece in the collection? What do you wish were there that's not? Share your thoughts in the comments, and (as they say) let the memories begin!

Remember When...

Disney's Pop Century Resort opened in December 2003 and quickly became the most popular Value Resort at Walt Disney World. The appeal is easy to see, as the resort evokes memories both fond and funny of many of the cultural touchstones of the second half of the 20th century (The first half of the century, 1900s-1940s, was originally envisioned as an expansion of Pop Century Resort, but that concept has been abandoned in favor of Disney's Art of Animation Resort, opening in 2012).

Inside the resort's main building, Classic Hall, the wall behind Reception is dressed with a series of beautifully framed photographs, depicting the people and popular culture of each decade. During Pop Century's development, the call went out to Disney cast members to share their personal photos from over the years. The resulting collection includes several of those images.

From the 1950s are pictures of a drive-in movie theater, Hula-Hoops, baseball, James Dean and poodle skirts. Step a bit further down, and you'll see the '60s represented by such moments as Woodstock the arrival of the Beatles.

Disney moments show up here as well. In 1976, the United States Bicentennial was celebrated at Walt Disney World with America on Parade, a spectacular procession of elaborate floats and oversized "People of America" performers.

From the 1980s, there's Jazzercise, a boom box, the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia and a great shot of Mickey and a little girl riding the monorail toward Disney's Contemporary Resort, while photos from the '90s highlight the ways technology became integrated with our lives. People are seen using laptops, cellular phones and portable music and gaming devices, all of which look incredibly clunky compared to what we have today. The '90s wall also includes a great shot of people standing at the funnel of a Disney ship. Disney Cruise Line launched in 1998.

The Discovery Arcade

Running along the opposite side of Main Street and connecting to Discoveryland is the Discovery Arcade. While the thematic transition to Frontierland in the Liberty Arcade is handled through the telling of the story of the Statue of Liberty, the Discovery Arcade carries on Main Street's themes of progress and invention with fantastic visions of things to come.

Here, the arcade is a bit more dimly lit, with richer woods and darker colors. Rather than Lady Liberty, the colonnades feature an image of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, a symbol of the combination of science and art prominent not only during the Renaissance but throughout Main Street and Discoveryland as well.

The spirit of invention is evident in the exhibits in the Discovery Arcade, comprised predominantly of original patent models from the 19th century. Such models were once required by the United States Patent Office. By the early-1900s, with space at a premium and storage costs soaring, Congress opted to sell the models, many of which ended up in the private collection of American designer and inventor Cliff Petersen. Several dozen gems from that collection are on display here at Disneyland Paris.

Among the models is one for the Wheel designed by George Washington Gale Ferris for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (the World's Fair on which Walt Disney's father, Elias, served as a contractor).

The inventive nature of the people of Main Street creates a general sense of optimism about the future. Visions of that potential future are also on display in the Discovery Arcade, in the form of a series of large illustrations depicting what major American cities might look like in the far off years of 1996, 1999 or even the year 2000 (click the images to see them larger)!

Created in the style of French illustrator Albert Robida, known for his trilogy of futuristic novels, the posters imagine a world filled with golden towers, mechanical wonders and streamlined dirigibles. One such airship is also displayed in model form. It's the Hyperion, seen in the 1974 Disney film The Island at the Top of the World and brought to full-scale fruition in neighboring Discoveryland.

The Liberty Arcade

Perhaps one of the most unique elements of Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Paris is the pair of arcades, or passageways, which run along the back side of the shops, parallel to Main Street itself. Designed as a way to maintain crowd flow during parades and offer guests a respite from the frequent Parisian rains, the arcades manage to serve as attractions unto themselves and provide beautiful transitions to neighboring lands.

Along the west side of Main Street, connecting to Frontierland, is the Liberty Arcade, telling the story of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States. The colonnades along the Liberty Arcade are adorned with medallions of copper stars and the face of Lady Liberty, as well as handsome gas lamps crowned with American eagles.

Throughout the arcade, a series of photographs and exhibits tells the story of the statue, sculpted by Frédéric Bartholdi on a metal armature designed by Gustave Eiffel. The statue was commissioned in the 1870s, the completed head placed on display at the 1878 Paris World's Fair and the final piece dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886.

Beyond the creation and dedication of the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Arcade also tells the tale of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island with the dream of a new life in the new world. This part of the exhibit includes several original items from the period.

Just off Flower Street at the center of Main Street is the Liberty Court, an alternate entrance to the Liberty Arcade. Here, beautiful stained glass windows and doors feature images of Lady Liberty and her famous torch of freedom.

Step inside at this point, and you'll discover an intricate tile floor, depicting New York Harbor, along with the entrance to the Liberty Tableau, a brief multimedia presentation designed to make you feel as though you're present at the statue's 1886 inaugural ceremony.

The ballyhoo murals flanking the theater entrance, prompting visitors to "See Liberty's Torch" and "Relive the Grand Spectacle," were designed in the style of those created for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1876. That expo, the first World's Fair held in the United States, featured a display of the arm and torch of the then-unfinished Statue of Liberty.

Who Lives and Works on Main St.?

The tradition of Main Street windows goes all the way back to Disneyland in the 1950s. Walt and his designers crafted what appeared to be ads for second-story businesses above the Main St. shops, all as a way to pay tribute to those individuals who helped build the park and make it a success. That tradition continues today in all the Disney Parks around the world.

In Paris, you can find nods to everyone from Disney family members to the leaders and Imagineers who played roles in the park's 1992 opening. The windows in the offices of the Main St. Gazette (above) feature the names of Disney Legend Marty Sklar (who began his career creating the Disneyland News in 1955 and went on to lead Walt Disney Imagineering), Tony Baxter (the chief Imagineer on the Disneyland Paris project), as well as the names of individuals who directed the original marketing and publicity campaigns for the park.

There's also a window nearby for the Main St. Marching Band, honoring "Conductors" Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, the top executives at Disney who brought the resort to France. The window says they've been "Leading the Parade Since 1884," a reference to the year (1984) in which Michael and Frank joined the company.

Michael Eisner and Frank Wells had a very successful working relationship, one similar in many ways to the founders of the company. They're honored many places, but specifically on the window for Two Brothers, Inc. Roy O. Disney and Walt E. Disney are listed as Founders and Partners, Dreamers & Doers.

Some windows pay tribute to hobbies, pastimes and other elements from Walt Disney's life, like this shingle for the business office of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Carolwood Pacific was the miniature railroad Walt had built in his backyard.

It's not just Walt and his hobbies, though. Roy E. Disney, Walt's nephew, was a key executive in the company at the time of the Disneyland Paris opening. He was also an avid sailor, so it's appropriate that he's listed as Captain of Pyewacket Cruise Lines. Pyewacket is the name Roy used for a series of sailing boats he owned and raced over the years (the Disney-produced film Morning Light tells the story of one such race, the Transpac).

Main Street at Disneyland Paris is unique in that some of the windows, ads and businesses are also used to refer to characters or stories from Disney films and TV shows. Harrington's Fine China & Porcelains shop is named for Polly Harrington, played by Jane Wyman in the 1960 Disney film, Pollyanna. The movie is set in the same time period as Main St., U.S.A. In the story, Aunt Polly is the wealthiest woman in town, so it's fitting that the interior of the Harrington's shop is one of the most ornate on the street.

A window above the Market House Delicatessen promotes Digby's Messenger Service, a reference to Digby Popham, the character played by Michael J. Pollard in Summer Magic (1963). In the movie, Digby dreamed of leaving Beulah, Maine, and moving to the big city. Looks like he may have gotten his wish.

Right next door is Evans and Markham Advertising. This refers to the 1950s "Mickey Mouse Club" serials, "The Adventures of Spin and Marty." The main characters' names were Spin Evans and Marty Markham. (On a personal note: My son Evan got his name from Spin Evans, too. His twin brother, Riley, was named for Dexter Riley, Kurt Russell's character in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. Yes, my wife and I are BIG Disney fans!)

One last window I'd like to share with you is that of M. Jones Electronics. I particularly love it, because it not only refers to a classic Disney film, but also carries forward the story of Main Street, U.S.A., and its theme of progress. M. Jones, of course, comes from The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, a 1964 comedy which starred Tommy Kirk as a "scrambled egghead" of an inventor (A sequel, The Monkey's Uncle, came out in 1965). Here, he's offering Edison Talking Machines, bringing the latest in early-20th century technology to the citizens of Main St.