#13 Looking Back: 1991 Magic Kingdom Guide Book

It is always fun to look back at what once was in Disney's history. Today we are looking back at the Magic Kingdom Guide Book from 1991.

Nearly 30 years ago, the Magic Kingdom was entirely different. And as a matter of fact, so was the entire Walt Disney Company. It was being run by Michael Eisner and they were on the edge of beginning the 'Disney Renaissance.' Walt Disney World had just opened their 3rd gate in 1989 (Disney-MGM Studios) and were in the process of developing a 4th gate involving animals. From 1988-1991, Eisner pushed the company to open 8 new hotels including the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (1988), Caribbean Beach Resort (1988), Swan (1989), Dolphin (1990), Yacht Club Resort (1990), Beach Club Resort (1990), Port Orleans Resort (1991) and Old Key West Resort (1991). These were the first new hotels being opened at Disney World since 1973.

The cover of the Magic Kingdom Guide Book from 1991 gives you a guiding light to where the park and company were at this time. The cover included the ever popular Scrooge McDuck from DuckTales and Chip and Dale from the Rescue Rangers.

The map of the park is something to behold. It includes Mickey's Starland, the Skyway from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland, a ferry to Discovery Island and Fort Wildness, and the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction.

On Main Street USA, there are some attractions, shops and restaurants of yesteryear that are no longer with us.

• The Penny Arcade, House of Magic, Harmony Barber Shop and Main Street Book Store are now shops along Main Street, U.S.A. where guest can purchase their favorite Disney merchandise.
• The Main Street Market House is now where you can purchase a coffee, tea or frappuccino from Starbucks.
• Sun Bank is now the Main Street Chamber of Commerce.
• The Disneyana Collectibles has been transformed into the Town Square Theater where you meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

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• "Tropical Serenade" has been renamed Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.
• Aloha Isle and Sunshine Tree Terrace have switched spots.
• El Pirata Y el Perico is now the Tortuga Tavern.

Over in Frontierland, Splash Mountain was in the process of being built.

• Frontierland Shootin' Arcade is now a the Frontier Trading Post.
• "The Diamond Horseshoe Jamboree" has been re-purposed as a seasonal restaurant called the Diamond Horseshoe.
• The Pecos Bill Cafe expanded into the Mile Long Bar. It is now named the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe.
• The Mike Fink Keelboats no longer cruise the Rivers of America. The Liberty Square Riverboat only operates from Liberty Square.

Over the years, Fantasyland had undergone numerous changes and expansions.

• The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Adventures, Fantasy Faire and the Skyway have all been replaced. 
• Mickey's PhillarMagic is the new 3-D show in the theater that housed "Magic Journey's."
• King Stefan's Banquet Hall is still where you can dine with Cinderella and the Disney Princesses but it has been renamed Cinderella's Royal Table.

As with Fantasyland, the Imagineers have transformed Tomorrowland over the year.

• Mission to Mars, "American Journeys", Dreamflight, StarJets, Skyway and the Tomorrowland Theatre were all replaced with updated attractions featuring Disney characters.

Mickey's Starland, formerly Mickey's Toyland and Mickey's Toontown Fair, was part of the New Fantasyland expansion and renamed Storybook Circus.

• Mickey's House and Meet Mickey are now Pete's Silly Sideshow and Big Top Souvenirs.
• Grandma Duck's Farm is now part of an area that includes Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station and The Barnstormer.

At the end of the Magic Kingdom Guide Book were other experiences and adventures in Walt Disney World, as well as what was coming next.

• At the time, the Shades of Green resort was The Disney Inn.
• Between Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios, the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort just opened, joining the Walt Disney World Swan.
• Before transforming into Disney Springs, you could shop and eat at the Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island.
• Two classics around the Magic Kingdom resort area that are now closed were River Country and Discovery Island.

TRIVIA

Q: What was the original name of Mickey's Starland?

https://d23.com/this-day/mickeys-starland-opens-in-the-magic-kingdom/

A: Mickey's Birthdayland

Breaking News: Bob Iger Regains Control of The Disney Company

Bob Iger told the board at The Walt Disney Company he was ready to exit the role of Chief Executive Office in December 2019. He worked with the board to name his successor, Bob Chapek the former Disney Parks chairman. During the late afternoon on February 25th, the news broke that Mr. Iger was stepping down as CEO of the company and Bob Chapek would be his replacement as chief executive. This sent shock waves throughout Hollywood, the stock market and the world.

Bob Iger (left) and Bob Chapek (right) in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/bob-chapek-disney-ceo-analysis-bob-iger-1203515957/

At the same time, the world was experiencing a virus that was quickly spreading across the globe. The COVID-19 virus, quickly became a global pandemic and Disney parks, hotels and cruises closed to guests and workers to help mitigate the spread of the virus with social distancing practices. To help with costs, the company joined countless businesses in the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries and began to furlough workers.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bob Iger regained control of the Disney Company according to The New York Times.

After a few weeks of letting Mr. Chapek take charge, Mr. Iger smoothly reasserted control, BlueJeans video call by BlueJeans video call...The new nominal chief executive is referred to, almost kindergarten style, as "Bob C," while Mr. Iger is still just "Bob." And his title is "executive chairman" - emphasis on the first word.

Before stepping down as CEO, Bob Iger spent 15-years growing the Walt Disney Company as chief executive into one of the top entertainment and media companies in the world through innovation, expansion and acquisition. He acquired Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox, oversaw the opening of Shanghai Disneyland, grew Disney Parks and Resorts with expansion of new lands, attractions and resorts, and added more cruise ships. In November 2019, the most ambitious and innovative project was finally launched: Disney+. 

As a result of the company's focus on entertaining through on-screen performance and in-person experiences at their parks, resorts and cruises, Disney was the perfect target for the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Disney owns ESPN which is now broadcasting replays of major sporting events and athletes playing video games, since every professional and collegiate sports league has suspended play. 

However, the streaming service that Bob Iger pushed, Disney+, now has over 50 million subscribers. This is about twice as many as were reported on their Q1 earnings on February 4th. To understand how big of a jump this is, Netflix only added 8.8 million subscribers during Q4. And after launching in 2007, Netflix did not surpass 50 million subscribers until 2014.

To continue driving their subscription base up while the parks are closed, "Frozen 2" was added to the streaming service early and the recently released Disney-Pixar movie "Onward" became available to all members. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Bob Iger has been quoted as saying new health measures and additional safety screenings will be added to the parks. 

Mr. Iger is now intensely focused on remaking a company that will emerge, he belives, deeply changed by the crisis...[He], meanwhile, is trying to figure out what the company will look like after the crisis. One central challenge is to establish best practices for the company and the industry on how to bring people back to the parks and ride while avoiding the virus's spread - using measures like taking visitors' temperatures.

Even though we do not know the exact date, we know that the pandemic will end. We all look forward to that day when guests can once again enter through the gates and enjoy a Disney park again. It is something we all need - a place to escape and leave all of the world's problems behind. For that one day or for just a couple hours, we will have feelings of happiness and joy as we experience pirates signing, elephants flying and journey into a galaxy far, far away. And at the end of the day, knowing that Bob Iger is the man leading the company through these challenging times cannot be more satisfying.

As Mickey Mouse would say: See ya real soon!

Sources:

• Ben Smith. "Bob Iger Thought He was Leaving on Top. Now, He's Fighting for Disney's Life." (The New York Times, April 2020).
• Travis Clark. "Former Disney CEO Bob Iger has informally reasserted control during the coronavirus, The New York Times reports." (Business Insider, April 2020).
• Tom Corless. "Bob Iger Takes CEO Responsibilities Back from Chapek, Disney Company Downsizing Expected Once Dust Settles from Pandemic According to New York Times." (WDWNT, April 2020).
• Todd Haselton. "Disney share jump as Disney+ subscriptions pass 50 million." (CNBC, April 2020).

#12 Meet Winnie the Pooh in Christopher Robin's Room

Earlier this fall, the Winnie the Pooh Meet and Greet location returned to the United Kingdom pavilion in EPCOT's World Showcase following the closure of the Character Spot in Future World. With EPCOT being reimagined, multiple new character meet and greets were opened throughout World Showcase.

Christopher Robin's room is the new location to meet everyone's favorite willy-nilly, silly old bear. This room is in the back right corner of the United Kingdom pavilion, in the same building as the Toy Soldier shop. Outside of the entrance to Christopher Robin's room is a mailbox that is marked with: "Est. 1926." This mailbox was not placed there on accident by the Disney Imagineers. It references the year the first Winnie the Pooh stories were written and published.

Rumor had it that over the last couple years, depending on the day and circumstances, guests could see Christopher Robin's room if they simply asked a cast member at the right time. This request was not always granted but it something every Disney fan tried to do when they were at EPCOT. Last summer, when talking to a lifeguard at Port Orleans French Quarter, they said that they asked on two separate occasions to see Christopher Robin's room and we unable too.

This is the perfect location to meet Pooh. He looks at home back in Christopher Robin's room and we hope that he never leaves here. And if you use your imagination hard enough, you can see all of Pooh's friends playing in the Hundred Acre Woods right outside the window.

"This could be the room of any small boy, but it just happens to belong to a boy named Christopher Robin. Like most small boys, Christopher Robin has toy animals to play with and they all live together in a wonderful world of make-believe. But his best friend is a bear called Winnie the Pooh or Pooh for short. Now Pooh had some very unusual adventures and they all happened right here in the Hundred-Acre Wood." - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

TRIVIA

Q: Who was the original author of the Winnie the Pooh stories?

https://news.artnet.com/market/winnie-pooh-drawing-auction-record-1315886

A: A.A. Milne

Images of Christopher Robin's Room - September 2019

#11 "The Not So Scary Mickey's Boo to You Halloween Parade...It's Really Not So Scary"

The Magic Kingdom hosts a Halloween party for the entire family each year. The event celebrates the spooky Halloween season and encourages everyone to dress up in costumes. One favorite of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is the "not so scary," fun parade that occurs twice during the party. This centerpiece of the Halloween party, is one of the best parades that Disney hosts throughout the year at any of their parks. 

Be sure to arrive early to the parade, as the Headless Horseman from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad will make an appearance and open the parade. When the lights are dimmed and the music begins, everyone lining the streets is welcomed to the parade:

"Ladies and gentlemen, bats and ghouls, 

Mickey, Minnie, and all their friends have come together at the spookiest time of year

to say boo to you,

as they proudly present the Not So Scary Mickey's Boo to You Halloween Parade."

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/entertainment/magic-kingdom/mickeys-boo-to-you-halloween-parade/

The parade features floats and brings together characters dressed up in Halloween costumes from each of the lands in the Magic Kingdom. The costumed characters include:

• Mickey and Minnie Mouse (Main Street, U.S.A) 
• Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto
• Winnie the Pooh and friends
• The Hitchhiking Ghosts, bride and grave diggers from the Haunted Mansion (Liberty Square)
• Peter Pan and Captain Hook, and the Pirates of the Caribbean (Adventureland)
• Clarabelle Cow and the Country Bears (Frontierland)
• The Disney Villains over Fantasyland

This year, the parade added floats for Tomorrowland with The Incredibles, Buzz Lightyear and Wreck-It Ralph.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com

The parade is meant for the entire family and is very enjoyable. As the music says: "Boo to you and you. It's not so very scary. It's really not so scary." The only part of this parade that may be scary is the Headless Horseman. The younger kids could be a little scared by the Headless Horseman coming down the street without, well, a head on his shoulders.

This is a must-do during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. If you are attending the party, you should not miss this parade - even if you have seen it multiple times. As you leave the parade, you will see children and adults singing "Boo to You" for the rest of the night and on their way back to their hotels. It is a very catchy, fun song that will stick with you. 

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com

If you happen to miss the first parade because you are meeting characters, trick or treating throughout the park or you are on an attraction, do not worry because you will have one more chance to see it. The second parade during the event tends to be less crowded and have better viewing options down Main Street, USA and through Frontierland and Liberty Square.

The next time you are in Disney World in August, September or October, take the time to attend Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. It is completely worth it for the whole family. And when you do attend, look at the parade schedule so you know when to line up to view the No So Scary Mickey's Boo to You Halloween Parade. Remember, the parade is really not so scary. 

"Boo to you and you and you and you.
Happy Halloween!"

TRIVIA

Q: What year did The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad premiere?

https://d23.com/haunting-imagery-from-the-legend-of-sleepy-hollow/

A: 1949

#10 Looking Back: HalloWishes

Celebrating Halloween at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom is unlike any other event. This after-hours, specially ticketed party on select nights in late August through Halloween is a fan favorite. The party includes some of your favorite Disney characters in Halloween costumes, special music and lighting effects, trick-or-treating, access to the rides, and Halloween themed shows, parades and dance parties. The Halloween party would not be complete, however, without a nighttime firework show.

Debuting in 2005, HalloWishes lit up the sky over the Magic Kingdom until 2018. This firework show, hosted by the Haunted Mansion's Ghost Host and the 999 haunted haunts, brought together some of the most memorable Disney villain songs for a spooktacular celebration. 

The show started with 'This is Halloween' from The Nightmare Before Christmas, followed by "scary-oke." The Ghost Host and the 999 haunted haunts dug up these "scary-oke" songs and invited everyone to join along. Some of the villainous tunes included:

• Poor Unfortunate Souls (from The Little Mermaid)
• Cruella de Vil (from One Hundred and One Dalmatians)
• Never Smile at a Crocodile (from Peter Pan)
• The Skeleton Dance (from Silly Symphonies)
• Trust in Me (from The Jungle Book)
• Heffalumps and Woozles (from Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day)
• Pink Elephants on Parade (from Dumbo)
• Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf (from The Three Little Pigs)
• Be Prepared (from The Lion King)
• Court of Miracles (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
• Arabian Nights (from Aladdin)
• Oogie Boogie's Song (from The Nightmare Before Christmas)
• Hellfire (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

During the show, some of Disney's most notable villains stopped by to join in the celebration. The sea witch, Ursula, had a spell to put everyone in the Halloween mood, Jafar treated everyone to sorcery in the sky, Oogie Boogie kicked it up a notch and no Halloween party is complete without the dark queen, Maleficent, to show everyone how spirited the celebration can be. 

The ghostly gathering ended with a "scream-along," which is their favorite Halloween tradition according to the Ghost Host. 'This is Halloween' kicked off the "scream-along" and the magic began. Perimeter fireworks light up all of the Magic Kingdom, spanning from one end of the park to the other. It was an amazing sight to see and was impressive every time you saw it. 

From the beach at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

No matter where you were in the park, you would see the perimeter fireworks surrounding the Magic Kingdom. They could also be seen from the beaches at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or from Disney's Contemporary Resort. Many guest staying at these resorts would wait outside for HalloWishes to begin. 

From Disney's Contemporary Resort

The lighting effects on the castle, music and fireworks in the sky were perfectly aligned to this spooky celebration. It was the one night where villains were celebrated in the Magic Kingdom. The show was one of the best and probably one of Disney's top nighttime shows. 

HalloWishes had it's final show in October of 2018 but will never be forgotten. It was a one-of-a-kind show at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Just as HalloWishes ended, so will this post: "Everybody scream! Happy, Happy Halloween!"

TRIVIA

Q: What year was the animated short The Skeleton Dance released as part of the Silly Symphony series?

https://d23.com/this-day/the-skeleton-dance-premieres/

A: 1929

#9 "A long time ago in galaxy far, far away..." - Review of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

The day finally came when you could enter into your own Star Wars story and explore the remote outpost on the Outer Rim of the galaxy. At the end of August, visitors were welcomed into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This immersive land transports guest from Disney's Hollywood Studios to the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu.

While walking by Star Tours and Muppet Vision 3D in Grand Avenue of Hollywood Studios, you see a large towering concrete wall. As you continue walking up to this wall and through it's tunnel, you are slowly removed from the hot, humid weather of Florida and transplanted into the Black Spire Outpost on the other side of the wall. Once you enter Galaxy's Edge, the rest of the park has been removed from your view. All that can be seen from anywhere in this outpost is the Star Wars land you have immersed yourself into.

Throughout the land there are life-sized ships to see and experience firsthand. These ships will make various sounds, making them feel real. If you take your time looking at these ships throughout Galaxy's Edge, you may see a member of the Resistance sneaking around and trying not to be caught by the First Order. These members of the Resistance will try to fit in with the crowd to lay low and not draw attention from the First Order. There are even instances where you will see Chewbacca or Rey walking throughout the land.

As you make your way past all of the ships, you will enter the Black Spire Outpost. This outpost on the planet of Batuu has shops, interactions with the characters living on this galactic planet, and places to eat and drink. They did a wonderful job creating this area and making guests feel like they are entering a small outpost with characters actually living on this planet. Take your time walking through the outpost to take in the full immersion of the land. Go into the shops, have the food and drinks, and talk with the characters. The more time you put into experiencing this land, the more you will feel like you are living out your own Star Wars story.

The Black Spire Outpost also includes Oga's Cantina, Savi's Workshop where you can build your own lightsaber and the Droid Workshop where you create a droid. While we did not have time to visit Oga's Cantina due to timing, you can hear the music being played inside. It made you feel like you were walking by the Cantina from Star Wars. From what has been said about Oga's Cantina, there are galactic drink and food options specific to Star Wars and the whole experience is immersive. The characters interact with the guests and one another, and members of the First Order will sometimes come through.

If you do not have a reservation for Oga's Cantina, you can still taste the blue or green milk from Star Wars. Right past the cantina is the Milk Stand where you can purchase the legendary blue or green milk that Luke Skywalker has himself. You have the option to get this with or without alcohol, so they are great for the entire family to share.

After making your way through the Black Spire Outpost and enjoying your blue milk, you have finally made it. It is time to set your eyes on the Millennium Falcon! It is truly amazing - the Millennium Falcon is right in front of you. Being able to see the size of the ship with the mountains surrounding it, is everything a Star Wars fan has dreamed of experiencing. When you walk around the ship, every angle is a visual masterpiece created by Disney's Imagineers.

The queue line for the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run provides you with more close up views of the ship. In the line, you will see unique views of the back and top of the ship. Everything in the queue, from the crates to galactic parts being worked on to the Millennium Falcon, makes the time waiting go by extremely fast. As you approach the end of the line, you enter a room where Hondo Ohnaka tells you what is in store next.

It is time to step on board the Millennium Falcon. You are able to walk around the ship while you wait for your turn to complete your mission. When it is your group's turn, everyone will be given a one of three functions: pilot, gunner or engineer. Each of these jobs has a different function to complete while on the ride.

The Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run was a fun, interactive experience as a whole. The queue was spectacular and boarding the ship was breathtaking. However, the ride itself left more to be desired. While it was a lot of fun, the buttons for the gunners and engineers are on the side of the Millennium Falcon. For first time riders, you are constantly looking back and forth between the buttons and what is happening in front of you. It took a little away from the experience. There is a lot of potential that can come from this ride with updates to the scenes and various endings. At this point in time, I may prefer to go on Star Tours because they have multiple ride sequences, that make every ride different. I am not taking anything away from Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, as it is a great ride, but my expectations going into it were just a little to high.

After completing the ride and experiencing all there is to do in Galaxy's Edge, you can exit the land through it's other entrance into Toy Story Land. But before you go, make sure you walk by the entrance for the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride. At this time the queue has been created and the area looks massive. From everything that has been rumored and said, this is going to be the ride of rides. When this ride opens to the public on December 5th, Disney will have changed the bar for amusement parks rides in not only their parks, but every other park as well.

Disney

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is being touted as the most immersive ride every created. Disney will typically open a land and market that land on all of there park materials. While they are doing this for Galaxy's Edge, they are at the same time promoting Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, building up anticipation for it's opening. This is an unprecedented approach and is building up excitement for every Star Wars fan out there.

Go experience the galactic outpost on Batuu. Take your time walking around the Black Spire Outpost, take in all the sights, sounds and characters. Visit Oga's Cantina and the Millennium Falcon and take a ride on Smuggler's Run. Enjoy the land and immerse yourself in your own Star Wars story. And buckle up because the Rise of the Resistance ride is coming and it will forever change the landscape of rides of Disney Parks.

Trivia

Q: When did Star Tours first open in Disney's Hollywood Studios, formerly Disney-MGM Studios?

A: December 15, 1989

#8 Looking Back: World of Disney Store

The largest Disney store in the world can be found at the Walt Disney World Resort at Disney Springs. In 1996, the company opened the World of Disney store in the then Disney Village Marketplace, later becoming Downtown Disney. This is where guests could find the largest selection of Disney merchandise. 

After Downtown Disney transformed into Disney Springs in 2015, it was only a matter of time until the World of Disney store underwent an overhaul.

In 2018, the World of Disney closed for expansion and reimagining. The store officially unveiled it's complete transformation in October 2018. According to Disney, the reimagined store "makes shopping easier and more fun - with a dash of pixie dust."

While the new World of Disney store has everything a Disney fan could ever want, the old store had a special feel to it. You knew that in the center of the store you would always find Cinderella's castle with large television screens showing company clips surrounded by merchandise for that year's theme and celebration.

The store also had characters on the ceilings and pictures above the shelves. It wasn't anything special but it had a Disney feel to it. Unfortunately, the store now just feels like you are walking through a giant Disney warehouse. While it does fit into the concept and design of Disney Springs, the building just doesn't have the same character it once did.

Trivia:

Q: The World of Disney store is currently located in Disney Springs. This area has held multiple names over the years. When this area opened in 1975, what was it's original name?

A: Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village


"World of Disney Reopens in Grand Style at Disney Springs", https://wdwnews.com/releases/world-of-disney-reopens-in-grand-style-at-disney-springs/