Thursday, December 31, 2015

Experience New Year's Eve at Disneyland in 1967

By Keith Mahne




If I offered you the opportunity to experience New Year's Eve at Disneyland back in 1967 would you take it? Wouldn't that be amazing?! Can you imagine the sounds in the air? The music? The excitement? Well friends, this New Year's Eve we are going to do just that! I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year. So friends, your ticket to the event awaits you in today's new article as we travel back to New Year's Eve night at Disneyland back in 1967....

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

A Look Back at the Grand Opening of Disney-MGM Studios

By Keith Mahne



May 1, 1989 was the debut of the Disney-MGM Theme Park. Located south of EPCOT, it was Disney's 5th theme park in the world and the third park on WDW property. Although it rained on opening day, the park was packed. It was the largest opening day press event in Disney World history, in fact. The park was so crowded that officials had to close its parking lot at only 9:15 a.m. - just about an hour after opening! An HOUR! Incredible! Join us today as we take a look back at the opening of Disney-MGM Studios...

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Vintage Disney Recruiting Brochures You Have To See

By Keith Mahne




I hear being a Disney cast member back in the day was not just a job but a career. Walt knew how to take care of his employees. He knew if he took care of them they would take care of his Park and his guests. Pretty smart guy, but you already knew that. In the late 1970s, this tradition was still being utilized by the Walt Disney Company and their tactics for recruiting new cast members to continue Walt's legacy was pretty amazing...at least to look at. In today's new article, we have a couple of remarkable, and beautiful, late 1970s Disney recruiting brochures that you have got to see...

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Remembering Epcot's Lights of Winter Holiday Display

By Keith Mahne




How many of you remember Epcot's jaw-dropping Lights of Winter Christmas display? You know, the one that debuted for Christmas of 1994 and was retired in January of 2009. For years, Epcot celebrated the spirit of the holidays with the Lights of Winter Christmas light show, an archway of lights synchronized to holiday orchestral music. Its loss continues to be lamented by those who were lucky enough to experience this Walt Disney World holiday tradition firsthand. Join us as we remember Epcot's Lights of Winter and watch the complete show before it closed in today's article...

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Disneyland Christmas Food Highlights

By Keith Mahne




What's better than Christmas at Disneyland? Food, of course! Not just any food, I'm talking about Disneyland Christmas food. Today, we are about to embark on a one hour Food Network special that explores the amazing holiday destination that is Disneyland -- the fun, the experience, the added holiday excitement and charm, all wrapped up in the park's holiday themed meals and treats. This special will not only get you in the Disney Christmas spirit, it will have you wanting to eat your computer screen. Join us as we explore some scrumptious Disneyland Christmas treats and how they're made in today's new article...

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

A Magical Interview with a Disneyland Cast Member

By Brittany Bell




I have another special treat for the readers of Disney Avenue. Many of you may recall the interview I did last week with a former Walt Disney World cast member which was a HUGE hit here on the site. Today we will keep that momentum going because we have a current Disneyland cast member joining us to share his magical stories of working at the happiest place on earth. In this second interview I conducted, I was lucky enough to talk with Disneyland employee Robert Pierce. Robert is currently a Day Custodial Lead for Disneyland Park after completing the Disneyland College Program in August 2014 to January 2015. Let's hear more about Robert’s duties in the parks, his experience in the college program, and his own personal take on how the spirit of Walt Disney lives on each and every day inside Disneyland…

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Christmas at Epcot: The Candlelight Processional

By Kat Tretina




Each year, Epcot hosts one of Walt Disney World’s most popular events: the Candlelight Processional. This event features a celebrity narrator telling the story of the birth of Jesus, accompanied by a full orchestra and choir. Inside the American Garden Theater, which is in the very center of World Showcase, this is an intimate and beautiful holiday spectacle and a wonderful Christmas tradition for Disney fans the world over. Don't worry if you can't make it this year, here and now on Disney Avenue, we are going to visit this stunning Disney classic and capture a little piece of its magic in today's new article...

Sunday, December 13, 2015

The Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney World (1992)

By Keith Mahne




We are about to get in the spirit of the season the 90s way with The Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney World, a 1992 direct-to-video special that was only available in the Disney Parks. We'll join Santa as he celebrates Christmas with Mickey Mouse and his pals at Walt Disney World. Come and revisit the Vacation Kingdom of the World during Christmas in the early 1990s in today's new article...

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Disney Avenue Podcast - Show #18 - History of the Osborne Family Lights with Jim Korkis





It's the most wonderful time of year here on the Disney Avenue Podcast and boy, what an amazing show we have in store for you. As many of you know, Christmas and Disney go hand in hand. I’ve yet to experience a Christmas display or Spectacle anywhere on earth that can top Disney. The beautiful lights and decorations along Main Street, the beauty of Cinderella Castle decked out in millions of lights and, of course, that little light show over in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the truly breathtaking Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. As many of you may have heard by now, this year, 2015, will be the last year that Disney will be showcasing this 20-year-old holiday tradition. And so, with the Holiday Season now upon us and with the closing of the Osborne Lights, I thought, what can we do here on the Disney Avenue Podcast to really capture that Disney Christmas spirit, what can we do to entertain our listeners and bring them more of our signature interviews, history and stories from big names in the Disney stratosphere? And then it hit me! Why not continue a Disney Avenue Podcast Christmas Tradition by inviting the top Disney historian and author on the planet earth to come on the show and tell us all about the history of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and other gone but not forgotten Walt Disney World Christmas classics. So friends, it is with Christmas cheer and everything holly and jolly, to welcome back for a third time to the Disney Avenue Podcast, the one and only, Jim Korkis. Continue after the page break and let the Christmas memories begin…

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Christmas Time at Disney California Adventure

By Daisy Sparks




The Holiday Season and the Disneyland Resort go together like coal and bad kids. It's the time of year for giving and for taking strolls around Disney Parks like Disney California Adventure which is what we are going to do in today's new article by Daisy Sparks. DCA is absolutely gorgeous this time of year and so, if you'd like to take a peek inside the Park and see all the beautiful Christmas decorations, join us in today's new article and see Christmas at Disney California Adventure...

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Cast Member Gets Down at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

By Keith Mahne




What would the Disney Parks be without their cast members? I mean no cast members, no magic, right? Well, I have something to share with you that I think you're really going to enjoy! It happened at a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in 2006. A cast member dressed as Gideon Cat from Pinocchio decided they were going to "let it all hang out" and really get down. I have no doubt this will put a smile on your face and is just another example of cast members going above and beyond to create the magic. Continue after the page break and have a look for yourself...

Monday, December 7, 2015

A Walk in the Park: WDW Edition - Exploring the Art of Animation Resort

By Genevieve Roberts




If there is one resort most guests will say they absolutely love its definitely Disney's Art of Animation Resort. The reason is simple, it's because of the fact it's new, colorful, and has those great family suites. Everyone loves their family suites, am I right? For this edition of A Walk in the Park, let's step out of the Parks and explore one of Disney's most cherished, family resorts, Art of Animation...

Saturday, December 5, 2015

An Interview With A Former Walt Disney World Cast Member

By Brittany Bell




I was recently lucky enough to sit down and talk with former Walt Disney World Cast Member, Dan Burgess. Dan completed the Disney College Program in 2006, working primarily in the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland. It really is amazing to get a firsthand account at what it's like working for the Mouse. We all know that Disney's Cast Members are the ones that continue Walt's legacy and bring the magic to guests each and every day. Let's hear Dan’s personal account of his time at Walt Disney World in today's new article…

Friday, December 4, 2015

The Buildings of Main Street Poster Now Available

By Keith Mahne




Friends, I have something REALLY cool to tell you about! Artist and friend of Disney Avenue, Chris Buchholz just released another spectacular Disney poster that will, once again, allow us to bring the magic of Disney to our own homes. With Christmas soon approaching, I can't think of a better Christmas gift to any Disney fan in your family. Join me after the page break and I'll fill you in on this amazing, new poster...

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Holiday Time at Disneyland (1962)

By Keith Mahne




We have a wonderful little film for you today that is sure to cause those warm, nostalgic, Christmas memories to come flooding in. It's an episode of the beloved Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color that originally aired back on December 23, 1962 on NBC. Grab some popcorn and a nice cup of hot chocolate and join us today as we watch the wonderful film Holiday Time at Disneyland starring the man himself, Walt Disney...