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Did you know the early concept for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room included a restaurant? This concept art by Imagineer John Hench, who was tasked with designing the attraction, illustrates his vision for the restaurant. In his book, Designing Disney, Hench explains:
“I visualized the show, the decor, and the dining area simultaneously. My proposed room was cross shaped, with four wings and a central open space. I located the service center for the tables in the central area, allowing unobstructed viewing of the show from the tables in the wings.” Ultimately, the dining element was removed because, as Hench states, “management decided that including food service would limit the necessary audience capacity too much.” The Magic Fountain was designed to hold dishes and supplies. The cabinets installed at the base are still there and in use today, most likely holding cleaning and repair items. The story of the battle between these two has been around for a long time. One the face of beauty; the other the face of evil. Anyone who knows me, knows that Sleeping Beauty's castle is my favorite castle. Walt specifically had a part in overseeing it's creation. Where it all began!!
It is a common myth that the Disney family coat of arms hangs above the archway to the castle. The Disney family coat of arms is composed of three fleur de lis whereas the coat of arms on the castle is three lions passant in pale. The origins and meaning of the coat of arms on Sleeping Beauty Castle is unknown at this time. It is known that the coat of arms was not originally on the castle but was placed there sometime between June 1965 and July 1965. On July 17, 2008, Disney announced that the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough would reopen in the style of the original Earle dioramas, enhanced with new technology not available in 1957. The walkthrough reopened on November 27, 2008 at 5:00 PM, drawing long lines going as far back as the Hub. Unlike previous incarnations, visitors who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle can still experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the Castle's ground floor. This room is lavishly themed, and presents the closed-captioned CGI walkthrough recreation on a high-definition TV. Sleeping Beauty's Castle is my favorite castle. Its the original and the backdrop of my childhood memories. This is one of my absolute favorite photos of Walt, as he walks through the castle into Fantasyland early one morning 1964.
Thank you uncle Walt! Can you believe someone - a very lucky someone - found this at Goodwill?? Walt Disney is considered by many to be the greatest animation producer of all time. He got his start in animation at the Kansas City Slide Company where he met many of his future animation colleagues. He started three animation studios in Kansas City, including the Laugh-O-Gram Film Studio where he and his staff advanced their animation skills. In late summer of 1923, Walt moved to Hollywood where he and his brother Roy started the Disney Brother’s Studio, which later became the Walt Disney Studios. Walt Disney founded his first professional film studio at a building designed by noted Kansas City architect, Nelle Peters, in May of 1922. He incorporated his new company with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office. He called it “Laugh-O-gram Films”.
The business operated on the second floor of the new building at 1127 East 31st Street just a block east of Troost and a couple of blocks west of the Paseo. At one point, Walt employed 11 people and occupied five rooms on the west end of the second floor of the building. |
My Story
Growing up in Los Angeles in the 70s/80s we visited Disneyland on a regular basis and often after school, before "Annual Passes". Visit our sister blog LADL for MORE Disney in the links below:
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