Tuesday, February 27, 2018

RARE EPCOT Center WorldKey Information System Documentary (1984)

By Keith Mahne




This rare documentary from 1984 tells us all about EPCOT Center's WorldKey Information System which was one of the new and most user friendly technologies developed for the one-of-a-kind Disney theme park. In conjunction with the Bell System (later renamed AT&T), guests could walk into a large but friendly space and find several kiosks enabling them to make reservations for restaurants at the Walt Disney World property. Under the shadows of Spaceship Earth, this could be done by touching the screen and following the prompts. Should that fail or should a guest need specialized assistance, a Guest Services host would appear and provide further help. Join us today as we watch the rare 1984 documentary on EPCOT Center's WorldKey Information System...

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Good Morning America Special (1996)

By Keith Mahne




Celebrate Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary all over again with this Good Morning America Special from 1996. It's filled with a ton of behind the scenes footage, Imagineering interviews, views of the Parks and Resorts in the 90s, a Michael Eisner interview, and several shots of that pink Cinderella Castle many fans would like to forget. Join us today as we travel back to Walt Disney World on October 1, 1996 and “Remember the Magic”...

Monday, February 19, 2018

Marty Sklar on Walt Disney and EPCOT

By Keith Mahne




The late, great Marty Sklar stood as a dedicated torchbearer of Walt Disney’s philosophy since first joining the Company a month before Disneyland opened in 1955. Anyone remotely interested in the history and developments of Disney's Imagineering will thoroughly enjoy this 2004 interview Marty gave on his personal reflections on a number of interesting topics, such as Walt, Tomorrowland, and Epcot. Additionally, the interview includes a number of wonderful archive film clips of Walt, the 1964 New York World's Fair, Imagineers in action, and the Disney parks. This one you won't want to miss...

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Ray Bradbury's Heartfelt Memories of Walt Disney

By Keith Mahne




Ray Bradbury, who met and became friends with Walt Disney in the 1960s, shared a lot in common with Walt, including a strong interest in progress and in the future. Both men also made contributions to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, with Bradbury writing an 18-minute script recounting the history of America for the U.S. pavilion, and Walt Disney creating “it’s a small world,” “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln,” Ford’s Magic Skyway, and Progressland attractions. Years later, when The Walt Disney Company pulled together plans to build Epcot, Bradbury was hired to help develop the storyline and script for an attraction that focused on the history of communication. This attraction later became Spaceship Earth. In a 2004 interview for the Walt Disney Treasures DVD titled Walt Disney's Tomorrowland, Bradbury discusses a variety of topics, including how he met Walt, his friendship with him and Walt's fascination with the future and space. Also included throughout the interview are several video segments of vintage Disneyland footage that you will love. Join us today as we watch Ray Bradbury share his heartfelt memories of Walt...

Friday, February 16, 2018

Walt Disney's Final Days

By Keith Mahne




Although Walt Disney's health was deteriorating rapidly in the final months of 1966, he continued to drive himself right up to the very end. Walt had so many wonderful things planned at this point in his life but his main focus was the Florida Project and especially his City of EPCOT. As you are about to see, Roy O. Disney, Walt's brother, described him staring at his Saint Joseph Hospital room ceiling and pointing out his plans for his futuristic community of tomorrow as though a detailed map had been drawn there. This wasn't the only thing that took place during Walt's last days. In this heartfelt clip featuring his closest friends, family, collaborators, and experts, we'll get a firsthand account of the final days of Walt Disney...

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

An Evening at Walt Disney World (1970s)

By Keith Mahne




Everyone needs to escape from the real world and revisit the past from time to time. What better place to escape to than an evening at Walt Disney World in the 1970s? Thanks to the old souvenir film you are about to see, we will do just that. Join us today as we visit Walt Disney World by starlight in the early days of the "Vacation Kingdom of the World"...