By EPCOT Explorer

40 years ago, Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland finally opened it’s long awaited and much needed expansion that added highly valued and exemplary attractions to the Magic Kingdom’s roster. Adding Space Mountain, the Carousel of Progress, the Star Jets, and a few months later, the WEDWay PeopleMover, Tomorrowland was elevated from being a paltry afterthought, to a showplace for space age optimism, ideas, and fantastic aesthetics. Continue after the page break as we take a look back to Tommorrowland of 1975...

By Daisy Sparks

January usually brings in a flurry of closures and walls around buildings to signify refurbishment time. This year, there are some popular attraction and area closures in order to get ready for Disneyland's 60th birthday. There is even an entire land, Critter Country, that is completely inaccessible until April 2nd. It looks like there has been more thought into how these huge refurbishment walls should look. There are huge printed canvas tarps placed over some of the attraction facades so it looks like a giant photo of the building. The walls are more decorative to blend in with the area and include special posters featuring information about the refurbishment itself. Let's take a look at all these preparations taking place at Disneyland in this week's A Walk in the Park article...

By Keith Mahne

Have a look at this beautiful Oscar charm bracelet that Walt had made for Lilly in the early 1960s. Made of 18K gold, the bracelet is fashioned with 20 miniature statuettes, each of which is engraved with the name of the work for which it was awarded. Originally, Walt envisioned having a necklace made with these charms given to him by the Academy; but when Lilly said she’d prefer a bracelet, the tiny statuettes were put into a different design.  After the bracelet was constructed, Lilly wore it often and with great pride. Continue after the page break for more on this wonderful piece of history and another commemorating Snow White...

By Keith Mahne

This week's Motion Mondays article features the construction of Disneyland's Main Street, USA. Footage is from Kodak Presents Disneyland ‘59. Continue after the page break and have a look...

By Ryan Reed

As most of you know, the Sorcerer Mickey Hat has been in the news over the last few months.  As it turns out, Disney has decided to dismantle the magical icon in what seems to be related to the rumored changes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  As I’ve said before when talking about other changes in Walt Disney World, we should appreciate it evolving right before our very eyes.  I feel the removal of a park icon is bigger than an attraction (sorry Maelstrom) because it means much more to each and every guest that sets foot in a park.  You can avoid an attraction; you can’t avoid a park icon.  So for this post I just want to share some of my opinions on why this upsets some folks and what direction Disney may be going next. Continue after the page break for more...