Sunday, December 30, 2018

Music from Disney's Aulani Resort Now Streaming

By Keith Mahne



One of the best things about being at a Disney Resort is the unique area music playing around the property. Much like the beautifully themed architecture Disney Imagineers use to create their resorts, the area music heard throughout plays an important role in transporting guests to truly magical places. One of the best area music loops can be found at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai‘i. Join us today and take a listen for yourself...

Monday, December 3, 2018

A Look Back at the Disney Parks Christmas Parade

By Keith Mahne



For almost 40 years now, the Disney Parks Christmas Parade has provided the perfect holiday musical and dance extravaganza—a celebration of the season that Walt Disney called "that Disney time of year." Join us today as we take a look back at the magic of a Disney Christmas parade...

Saturday, November 24, 2018

12 Disney Park and Resort Christmas Music Loops We Love

By Keith Mahne




It's Christmas time once again here on Disney Avenue and that can only mean one thing — Disney Park and Resort Christmas music loops are playing! Join us today as we take a listen to 12 of our favorite Christmas music loops from the Disney Parks and Resorts that is sure to get you into the holiday spirit...

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Listen to Disney Tunes in Steelband Style

By Keith Mahne




We love listening to Disney music here on Disney Avenue and if you feel the same way then you are going to love what we have in store for you today. We just added a new album to the Disney Avenue Music Player called Disney Tunes in Steelband Style by the Trinidad and Tobago Showboat Orchestra. It's a collection of your favorite Disney songs played on steeldrum. Join us today and take a listen...

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Working With Walt Disney (Video)

By Keith Mahne




Walt Disney spent his life creating entertainment for children the world over. But some lucky kids actually got to work along side him at his Burbank studio and in Working With Walt Disney they share special memories of a man most of us only knew from afar....

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

World Showcase Was Going To Be Built Next To Disney's Polynesian Resort

By Keith Mahne




Did you know that World Showcase in Epcot was originally going to be built next to the Polynesian Resort and the Ticket and Transportation Center? It's true! Let's take a look back at the origin of Epcot's World Showcase in today's new article...

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Kodak Presents Disneyland '59 (Video)

By Keith Mahne




For years, the Walt Disney Company believed that they had lost the full video recording of Kodak presents Disneyland ’59 — the TV show that celebrated the grand opening of the Matterhorn, Monorail and Submarine Voyage.  Thanks to this kinescope recording of the live, 90 minute television special, we can travel back to Disneyland of the 50's and join Walt Disney as he shows the world the brand new attractions he built for the happiest place on earth. Join us today for Kodak Presents Disneyland '59...

Friday, September 21, 2018

My Dad Walt Disney (Video)

By Keith Mahne




In 2006, a few years prior to the opening of the Walt Disney Family Museum, Diane Disney sat down with American film critic and historian Leonard Maltin for an interview that appeared in the bonus features of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD Your Host Walt Disney. Join us today for a warm and intimate look back at Diane's heartfelt memories of her dad, Walt Disney...

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Disneyland USA at Radio City Music Hall (Video)

By Keith Mahne




Disneyland USA at Radio City Music Hall is a six-minute short filmed in CinemaScope for Radio City Music Hall in 1962. The short was created as a pre-show for the documentary Disneyland, U.S.A. As you are about to see, Walt Disney is on the film interacting with Mickey Mouse, a costumed performer on the stage of the nation's largest indoor theatre. Join us today as we watch the 1962 short Disneyland USA at Radio City Music Hall featuring the one and only Walt Disney...

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Imagineering the Cinderella Castle Suite (Video)

By Keith Mahne




Who hasn't wanted to spend the night inside of Cinderella Castle? Join us today as we let the Imagineers take us on a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Cinderella Castle Suite in today's new article...

Saturday, September 8, 2018

A Complete Edition About Walt Disney World (1969)

By Keith Mahne




A Complete Edition About Walt Disney World “The Vacation Kingdom of the World” is probably one of the best Florida Project booklets ever made. Released in 1969, it offers an extensive look at how Walt Disney Productions thought Walt Disney World would look once complete. Although a ton of details did become a part of the final version, several of the concepts and ideas featured throughout eventually died somewhere between the release of this booklet and the opening of WDW. Let's take a look for ourselves at what Roy O. Disney and the Disney Company had in mind for "The Vacation Kingdom of the World" back in 1969 in today's new article...

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Listen to Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Music Loop

By Keith Mahne



Disney's Coronado Springs Resort allows you to relive the romance of Spanish Colonial Mexico while finding your mythical city of gold in a Southwestern-themed haven—from brightly colored casitas to rustic ranchos. Part of the theming used to really set the mood is, of course, the sound of the Latin style, classical guitar area music heard throughout the resort. Join us today as we take a listen to Disney's Coronado Springs Resort music loop in today's new article...

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Listen to Disney's Contemporary Resort Music Loop

By Keith Mahne



A stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort offers guests the ability to retreat to an original ultra-modern Disney Resort hotel where you can discover award-winning dining, spectacular views and dazzling pools. Whether you’re staying in the iconic A-frame Contemporary tower or the nearby Garden Wing, you can walk to Magic Kingdom main gate or catch the Resort Monorail as it breezes through the tower. Another thing that you might have noticed during a visit to the Contemporary Resort is the area music heard in the Lobby. Sit back and relax as we take a listen to Disney's Contemporary Resort music loop in today's new article...

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Listen to Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Music Loop

By Keith Mahne



A visit to Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts allows you to bask in casual elegance while enjoying that unique New England charm. Along with their beautiful architecture, Disney really sets the mood with the classical, acoustic guitar music loop heard throughout the property. Whether you are looking to take a musical trip back to these resorts or just want the perfect music to kick back and relax to, come and enjoy Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort area music in today's new article...

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Disney Builds the Clean, Green World of Tomorrow (1971)

By Keith Mahne



In 1971, shortly before Walt Disney World was about to open its gates to the world, Popular Mechanics, the classic magazine of popular science and technology, gave readers a behind-the-scenes look at the ingenious systems Disney built into the Florida Project. Join us today as we examine that very 1971 Popular Mechanics article and learn more about Disney's monorail, utilidor, trash removal system, modular construction, central energy plant and more to get a really wonderful look at the tools that keep the magic churning...

Friday, June 8, 2018

The Creation of EPCOT Center's World of Motion (Video)

By Keith Mahne




Before there was Test Track, there use to be a wonderful attraction presented by General Motors that invited you to travel the open road - to discover that when it comes to transportation, it's always fun to be free! That wondrous dark ride was called World of Motion. It was a road trip through the evolution of transportation. The attraction opened in October 1982 with the rest of EPCOT Center and closed in January 1996 to make way for Test Track. In this promotional video from General Motors from the early 1980s titled "General Motors Presents: The Reality of Dreams" we'll take a firsthand look at the creation of one of EPCOT Center's original attractions, World of Motion...

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Disneyland Magical Audio Tour - Chapter 7: New Orleans Square

By Chris Lyndon


It's time to continue our series of articles here on Disney Avenue celebrating the magical sounds of Disneyland. Join us today for our seventh stop on this nostalgic audio tour of Disneyland's yesteryear as we enter the "Paris of the American Frontier," New Orleans Square...

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Backstage Disney: The American Adventure (Video)

By Keith Mahne




Join the Imagineers on a behind the scenes look at what it took to bring to life the largest animatronic show of all time, The American Adventure. Let's peek behind the curtain as we watch this 1987 Disney Channel special hosted by Lloyd Bridges called Backstage Disney: The American Adventure and take an inside look at the creation of this classic EPCOT Center attraction...

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Designing Disneyland the Marc Davis Way

By Keith Mahne




Marc Davis, one of Walt Disney’s “nine old men,” was involved creatively in most facets of the Disney story during his amazing 43 year career with the Studio. A recipient of the Disney Legend Award, he began in animation on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, continued in animated films into the early ’60s, and was a Directing Animator on most of the classic cartoon features we have all grown to love. In 1961, Walt Disney asked Marc to join his Imagineering team to lend his considerable designing experience to the expansion of a still youthful Disneyland. The "E" Ticket magazine had the privilege of spending a fascinating afternoon with both Marc and his wife Alice Davis (who is an accomplished Disney veteran in her own right) back in 1989. Let's take a look at that incredible interview where Marc shared his many personal memories and details from the golden era of Disney...

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"...

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World (1977)

By Keith Mahne




Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World is a television show that originally aired on the Disney Channel on November 20, 1977. The kids from the new Mickey Mouse Club head for Florida to do a show. They set up camp at Fort Wilderness, and visit the new River Country. Because of several misadventures, their chaperone has a difficult time keeping them all friends. Cheesy songs and acting aside, this 1977 television special offers us a wonderful trip back to an early Walt Disney World in its original glory...

Saturday, January 20, 2018

The Making of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (1994 TV Special)

By Keith Mahne




The Making of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a 1994 TV Special celebrating the opening of Walt Disney World's new Tower of Terror attraction. Kirk Cameron is our guide through the making of this Imagineering marvel. With interviews by then-CEO Michael Eisner, the late Marty Sklar, and other Imagineers responsible for this classic Disney attraction, we'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how it was created, designed and built. Join us today and travel back to Disney-MGM Studios circa 1994—but watch your step because this video takes you directly to...the Twilight Zone...

Friday, January 19, 2018

Watching a Disneyland Parade in the 1960s

By Keith Mahne




If you ever felt like you just wanted to board a time machine and visit Disneyland in its early years when Walt Disney was still leading a parade down Main Street then you are going to love today's new article. Join us as we watch some vintage home video footage of Disneyland in the 1960s...

Monday, January 15, 2018

Disneyland Magical Audio Tour - Chapter 6: Adventureland

By Chris Lyndon




It's time to continue our series of articles here on Disney Avenue celebrating the magical sounds of Disneyland. Join us today for our sixth stop on this nostalgic audio tour of Disneyland's yesteryear as we enter the exotic and mysterious regions of the world in Walt Disney's Adventureland...

Friday, January 5, 2018

12 Priceless Moments from the Walt Disney Archives Audio Collections

By Keith Mahne




You are about to hear some priceless moments from the Walt Disney Archives Audio Collection which will create the ultimate auditory stroll down memory lane. Join us today and hear things like Walt Disney speaking on a visit to his boyhood home, classic Donald Duck radio commercials from the 1950s, and rarely heard sound tracks from the openings of the Disney Parks' most popular attractions...

Monday, January 1, 2018

Historic 1967 Disneyland Audio Recording of Roy O. Disney

By Keith Mahne




You are about to hear an extremely rare and historic Disneyland audio recording — the only known master recording known to exist of the tribute dinner for Col. Vesey Walker, Disneyland's original band leader, from 1967. This historic audio features nearly 48 minutes of tributes and honors for this one-of-a-kind "Disney Legend" including from Roy O. Disney, with possibly his most extended remarks ever recorded on the significance of Disneyland. Join us today and hear this remarkable, 1967 Disneyland audio recording for yourself...