Attraction History - Offstage WDW

Former Magic Kingdom Attractions

offstagewdw — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:06:23 +0000

The post Former Magic Kingdom Attractions first appeared on Offstage WDW.

Haunted Mansion Lore: Madame Leota

offstagewdw — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:24:08 +0000

Madame Leota is arguably one of the most popular ghostly presences in the Haunted Mansion. There are two variations of her story; one innocent and one sinister, both intertwined with Disney lore.

Theory One

There has been no official background story about Madame Leota from Disney; so one must use the clues left by Imagineering to piece together her story.

Madame Leota- Located inside Memento Mori

Memento Mori is said to be the location of Madame Leota’s home when she was alive. Inside many of her personal effects are on display. She was close to the Gracey family, earning her a room in the mansion and a burial in their family plot.

Photo Credit: Studio 2719 Jason & Amanda Oswalt

In Disneyland, she does not have her own store; however, she does have a caravan wagon where she worked as a Psychic Medium.

It is safe to say Madame Leota dabbled as a clairvoyant/fortune teller and was loved by the Gracey family. We never learn how she passed or how her spirit ended up in a crystal ball; although we can make some pretty good guesses about the latter.

Theory Two

Now we get to the good stuff! According to Ghost Gallery. unofficial lore from Cast Members who worked inside the Haunted Mansion, Madame Leota’s story is far more sinister. Get ready for this doozy of a story…

Source: Disney©

Leota was born in the swamps of Louisiana to a nomadic woman and a voodoo priest. She was schooled in the arts of the occult and was taught to manipulate others without any regard. She was reportedly bitter and could easily fly into a rage; however, it was when she was calm and calculating that she was the most frightening.

She eventually made her way to New Orleans, where she earned some coin reading palms and holding seances. Even though she would sometimes use effects for show purposes, Leota was the real deal. It was in New Orleans she met George Gracey Jr. and saw the opportunity of a lifetime. Gracey was young and trying to figure out his new life as a Master of his family manor.

Gracey was spellbound by Leota and her abilities. She moved into the mansion with Gracey and his wife, Lilian. Frequently calling on his personal clairvoyant made it easy for Leota to manipulate him to her will and they inevitably became romantically involved. Soon after, well 9 months after, Leota gave birth to a daughter, Little Leota, named after her mother. Lilian and Leota despised each other; and both plotted to get rid of one another. Lilian just wanted Leota fired but Leota wanted Lilian dead.

One evening, Leota hypnotized Lilian into performing an old tightrope act for the family. During the show, Leota summoned an alligator to attack Lilian, killing her.

Look familiar? Master Gracey’s first wife Lilian O’Malley Gracey.

At the urging of Madame Leota, Master Gracey remarried shortly after the death of Lilian (he picked up his new 16 year old wife at her parent’s funeral ). Emily Cavanaugh was young, beautiful, and wealthy. After their wedding, Gracey and his young bride were playing hide-and-seek. Still in her wedding dress, Emily ran up to the attic and hid in a large, stuffy chest. Leota seized the chance to take her out by locking Emily inside the chest, where she suffocated.

Meanwhile, Little Leota ran amuck around the mansion pranking everyone and helping her mother with seances. She grew up within the mansion and reportedly made her father, Master Gracey, very uneasy. As she should have because “Little” Leota murdered some people of her own. Click here for that crazy story.

Many years later, Madame Leota attempted to open up a portal to the spirit world. Master Gracey put his foot down, which lead to a huge argument. It was then that he learned Leota had murdered his wives (how did he not see that?!) and attempted to leave. Leota used her powers to control the servants, cutting off all exits and funneling him up to the attic. Infuriated, she attempted to imprison him inside her crystal ball. In despair, Gracey hung himself, the spell went awry, and Leota accidentally trapped herself in her crystal ball. If that ain’t karma, I don’t know what is.

The Ghost Host’s Way Out- ©Disney

With limited powers, Madame Leota found a final resting place within the mansion where she continues to call to the spirits.

There you have it! Perhaps elements from both theories can build her backstory. Regardless, Madame Leota is an intriguing force to be reckoned with!

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Haunted Mansion Lore: Portraits Edition

offstagewdw — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 19:29:35 +0000

Welcome Foolish Mortals to the Haunted Mansion Lore- Portraits Edition.

Mass Image Compressor Compressed this image. https://sourceforge.net/projects/icompress/ with Quality:80

“Our tour begins here in this gallery. Here, where you see paintings of some of our guests as they appeared in their corruptible, mortal state.”

The Stretching Room

When we enter the room, the portraits look ordinary until the room and paintings begin to stretch!

Lore provided is according to The Ghost Gallery, Cast Members who have created unofficial backstories for ghosts in the Mansion. Let us begin with the most important portrait…

Mary Gracey

September 30, 1859 to Unknown

This nice? old lady is Mary Gilbert Gracey the mother of Master George Gracey Jr. (owner of the mansion).

Nicknamed The Black Widow, Mary was manipulated into a loveless marriage with George Gracey. She became rightfully salty after her husband left her to raise their son solo. Eventually, George Sr came home and told his wife that he had an affair. In anger she murdered him with a hatchet to the head, stating it was a “crime of passion.” She was let off for her crime, took her inheritance and fled the country leaving her son, George Gracey Jr, the master of the mansion.

Lillian Gracey

August 3, 1896 to June 14, 1937

This lovely lady is Lillian O’Malley Gracey. She is the first wife of Master George Gracey Jr.. At the age of 15, Lillian ran away from her wealthy family to be with her circus performer boyfriend. After he died in a freak accident with a lion, Lillian joined the same circus as a tightrope walker.

Lillian eventually left the circus to marry Master Gracey but the apple didn’t fall far from the tree and George Jr cheated on his wife with his clairvoyant Madame Leota! (p.s. I want my own clairvoyant) Madame Leota became fed up with Lillian, convinced her to do a tightrope act for the family and then summoned an alligator to kill her. Furiously crosses ‘want my own clairvoyant’ off my list.

Edward Gracey

November 9, 1877 to May 1, 1937

This pompous looking fellow is Ambassador Edward Gracey, Master Gracey’s paternal Uncle. Edward never married and entered the diplomatic corps after college.

He was working in Burma as an ambassador when insurgents burst into the embassy.

The Dynamite Gentleman died after he caught the insurgents lighting the dynamite barrel. “But where are his pants?” you ask? Edward was in the middle of ironing them before his big speech when he found the insurgents.

Quicksand Men

unknown to November 1, 1942

The top man with the bowler hat was Master Gracey’s liveryman (stable attendant) & illegitimate half-brother. Remember that affair George Sr had?!

The middle man was Asa Gilbert, the mansion’s handyman and half-brother of Master Gracey’s mother, The Black Widow.

Eddie Foster, the unfortunate man on the bottom was the mansion’s gardener and illegitimated son of Master Gracey’s uncle, Edward Gracey. Ambassador Gracey never married but that didn’t stop him from getting around.

All three men were reportedly in love with Mistress Lillian Gracey and devastated by her traumatic death, via alligator. They were tricked into the mansion’s quicksand pit by Little Leota (Madame Leota’s daughter) after her failed attempts to seduce ALL THREE OF THEM (presumably not at the same time). Quite the love triangle…

Source: dystopika on reddit

In all my times inside the Haunted Mansion, I never knew the portrait’s backstory or how they were all connected to one another!

I hope you enjoyed this detailed look at the stretching room’s portraits. Stay tuned next week for Haunted Mansion Lore: The Madame Leota Edition.

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The Dread Family Mystery- The Murders Unveiled

offstagewdw — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:57:38 +0000

The family located at the start of the mansion’s cemetery has a sinister secret…they all murdered each other for Uncle Jacob’s money! Under each bust is the person’s name and how they died. Imagineers have given guests all the information that they need to solve the ghastly murders.

Busts & Clues

Read the clues to see if you can unveil the order that each person died:

Bertie: “Avid hunter and expert shot, in the end that’s what he got.”

Aunt Florence McGriffin Dread: “Never did a dishonorable deed, yet found face down in canary seed.”

Uncle Jacob Dread: “Greed was the poison he had swallowed. He went first, the others followed. His killer’s face he surely knew. Now try to discover who killed who.”

Wellington and Forsythia Dread: “Departed life while in their beds, with identical bumps on their heads.”

Cousin Maude: “Our sleeping beauty, who never awoke the night her dreams went up in smoke.”

Extra Clues

A sack of Canary Seeds can be found back between the twins.

Source: DisneyWiki

Cousin Maude appears to use matches as hairpins.

Source: DisneyWiki

Answer

Do you think you figured out the order of the deaths? Read on to find out…

Uncle Jacob was clearly the first to go. He was greedy and his crazy family wanted his fortune. He was poisoned by….

Bertie Dread, Jacob’s brother, was super crafty and used venom from his pet snake to poison Uncle Jacob. Once he inherited the fortune Bertie was shot by….

Aunt Florence ironically killed the avid hunter & expert shot with a pistol. I guess killing a murderer isn’t considered dishonorable? Happy to have her husband Jacob’s money, she met her end when she suffocated in canary seed by…

Wellington & Forsythia Dread. These two lovely children put a sack of canary seed over their aunts head and suffocated her…how they did it is speculation on my part. The canary seed between their busts is evidence against their awful deed. The twins were then killed in their sleep with a mallet by…

Cousin Maude. Wow, talk about cold hearted. So how did Cousin Maude pass? You know what they say about karma…Cousin Maude met a horrendous end as she burned to death in her sleep from the matches in her hair.

It is unknown what became of the family fortune. Perhaps it burned with Cousin Maude. I would not be surprised if she slept with the money beneath her mattress or as an unconventional blanket. Some people like to swim in money while Mad Maude liked to sleep in it!

Easter Egg

Check out the Dread Family Easter Egg within the mansion. In the very last scene with the Hitchhiking Ghost, there is a portrait of Cousin Maude surrounded by flames!

Source: DisneyWiki

How did you do? Did you solve the mystery?! I hope you had as much fun as I did trying to figure it out. Next time you visit the Haunted Mansion, make sure to stop and take a closer look at the deranged Dread Family!

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Haunted Mansion Lore- The Ghost Host

offstagewdw — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 19:29:22 +0000

“When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls. Whenever candlelights flicker, where the air is deathly still – that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight!”

Photo Credit: Judd Helms WDW Magazine

Welcome Foolish Mortals to The Haunted Mansion Lore- Ghost Host Edition. Just who exactly is the deep, disembodied voice that takes you through the Mansion?

Our host is a ghost host. We never see him nor learn his name. Contrary to popular belief he is NOT Master Gracey, the owner of the Mansion, and whose portrait is seen when entering the stretching room.

Master Gracey

“Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination – hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors… which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out! Of course, there’s always my way.”

The Ghost Host’s Way Out- ©Disney

Our ominous host alludes that it is him that is hanging above, not Master Gracey.

So who exactly is this guy? He just so happens to be one of the 999 happy haunts, who is a part of the Sinister Eleven, the more famous and vocal ghosts who have their portraits hanging in the portrait corridor.

The Ghost Host’s (otherwise known as “Hatchet Man”) portrait is seen with the Sinister Eleven and in the Corridor of Doors. According to Imagineer Jason Surrell, the piano player’s shadow we see is in fact belongs to the Ghost Host.

With clues about his identity sprinkled throughout the ride, he continues his narration during various parts of the mansion. The first to greet guests, he is also the last to send them off:

“Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!”

The Disneyland and Walt Disney World Ghost Host is voiced by the famed Paul Frees. Disney Fans will recognize him as Ludwig Vin Drake, the narrator of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (Disneyland), the Auctioneer in Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland) among many other uncredited roles. He is famously known as Boris from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and the Burgermeister for Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town.

He also has his own grave stone dedicated to him in the Haunted Mansion graveyard!

The Ghost Host also appears as the narrator of the HalloWishes firework show during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. (not voiced by Frees)

Out of Disneyland, Magic Kingdom WDW, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris; Hong Kong’s Mystic Manor does not have a Ghost Host! It is also unlike its other counterparts in a huge way. In respect of Chinese Culture, it is a lighthearted family ride that does not contain references to ghosts/spirits or the after life.

©Disney

For the longest time I had the misconception that the Ghost Host and Master Gracey were one and the same. What facts above surprised you the most? Share your thoughts below! We are dying to hear from you! MUHAHA

Stay tuned for next week. We will continue our Haunted Mansion Lore with the Stretching Room Portrait Edition.

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Magic Kingdom by the Numbers: a Statistical Semicentennial Listicle

offstagewdw — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 22:53:27 +0000

In celebration of Magic Kingdom’s 50th Birthday, let’s take a look at 50 fascinating facts that make up the iconic park:

million fireworks used annually

resorts available on opening day

mountains to conquer

Dapper Dans

“it’s a small world” sung in languages- English, Japanese, Swedish, Italian and Spanish

lands

levels on Buzz’s Space Ranger Spin

Source- Pinterest

songs in Mickey’s Philharmagic- Mickey Mouse March, Be Our Guest, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Part of Your World, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, Un Poco Loco, You Can Fly, and A Whole New World

acres of Utilidors beneath the park

minutes to relax on the Tomorrow Transit Authority PeopleMover

attractions you could ride on opening day, with the purchase of a $5.75 ticket book

Source: Disney Collector Archives

rockets flying on the Astro Orbiter

lanterns, one for each original colony, hanging from the Liberty Tree Branches

Source: Mike Billick WDW Magazine

ft park elevation, making it “two” levels

boats that tour the Jungle Cruise- Amazon Annie, Bomokandi Bertha, Congo Connie, Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Nile Nellie, Orinoco Ida, Rutshuru Ruby, Sankuru Sadie, Senegal Sal, Ucyali Lolly, Volta Val, Wamba Wamba, and Zambesi Zelda

Disney Main Street Popcorn Company flavors- not including the seasonal ones!

collection points for AVAC trash system- trash travels through the system at 60 mph to the large garbage collection area behind Splash Mountain

teacups spinning around

(October 1, 1971) opening day attractions: Cinderella’s Golden Carousel, Country Bear Jamboree, Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Frontierland Shooting Gallery, Grand Prix Raceway, The Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion, it’s a small world, Jungle Cruise, Mad Tea Party, Mickey Mouse Revue, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Skyway, Snow White’s Scary Adventure, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tropical Serenade, and the Walt Disney World Railroad.

Haunted Mansion Tombstones

minute Carousel of Progress show… perfect for a power nap

former attractions- Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Mickey Mouse Revue, Magic Journeys, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Pooh’s Playful Spot, Skyway, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, If You Had Wings, Mission to Mars, Delta Dreamflight, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, The Timekeeper, Stitch’s Great Escape!, Donald’s Boat, Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook, Mickey’s Country House, and Minnie’s House.

Source: Disney Wiki Fandom

Country Bear Jamboree Audio-Animatronics

karat gold weaved into the Cinderella Castle Suit’s mosaic floor

Source: DVC Shop

$ – Cost of a first haircut package at the Harmony Barber Shop

acres added to the park after the New Fantasyland expansion & refurbishment

different sized towers found on Cinderella Castle

mph- the max speed of Space Mountain

parades over the years

Guests are never further than feet from a trash can- each trash can is themed to the land and has a line of merchandising, like the phone case below

Space Mountain’s two tracks measure at 96 feet for the Alpha Track and 86 feet for the Omega track, making it longer than Thunder Mountain at 2671 feet and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 2000 feet

flying elephants

Club – a highly exclusive club that has an annual fee of $15,000 and a one-time joining fee of $33,000

mph- The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train max speed-each “cart” can sway side to side

feet- max depth of Bay Lake, while the max depth of the Seven Seas Lagoon is only 14 feet

dining experiences

shopping experiences

tons- the weight of The Liberty Tree

The Stitch Audio-Animatronic was inches tall and had 48 functions, including walking

feet in length- each Electrical Water Pageant float

current attractions

The manmade “tree” of Swiss Family Treehouse is 90 ft tall, 60 ft wide and has fabricated roots that extend feet into the ground

WDW sits at 27,520 acres or square miles, with the Magic Kingdom taking up 107 acres or .16 square miles

On opening day in 1971, it cost a guest $29 to $ to stay at the Contemporary or Polynesian resort

The Hall of Presidents has audio-animatronics- there are not 46 because Grover Cleveland served 2 non-consecutive terms

Prince Charming’s Regal Carrousel is number out of 89 created by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917

President Lincoln’s animatronic has different functions

Located at Peter Pan’s Flight, Captain Hook’s pirate ship is feet long

Looking to the future- Splash Mountain will be revamped for Disney’s th animated film, The Princess and the Frog

magical years!

The post Magic Kingdom by the Numbers: a Statistical Semicentennial Listicle first appeared on Offstage WDW.

Jungle Cruise – Behind the Attraction

offstagewdw — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 13:14:22 +0000

Lions, tigers, and puns… oh my! The Jungle Cruise has become synonymous with the hilarious Skippers who helm the attraction, but few know that the iconic dad jokes featured in the ride did not make an appearance until 6 years into the attractions run. The Jungle Cruise was originally serious and informative, more akin to Walt’s True-Life Adventure documentaries.

Disney Studios made 13 True-LifeAdventures in which 8 won Academy Awards!

When conceptualizing Disneyland, Walt wanted an attraction that could take guests on a tour through the waterways of the world. He envisioned tropical jungles with exotic plants and animals.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

The main problem? Southern California was practically a desert with 12-14 inches of rainfall. So Walt brought in two key individuals to make the attraction happen; Harper Goff, designer for the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Bill Evans, the architect who helped Walt landscape his backyard locomotive. Both men would draw inspiration for the attraction from the recent film, The African Queen, as well as other African & South Pacific aesthetics.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

The Jungle Cruise will be the first attraction to break ground during the construction of Disneyland, so that the plants and trees could have an extra growing season.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

Majority of the land that Disney bought held matured orange groves. Since the attraction would need dense foliage, a team went through and marked the trees they wanted to keep with a red marker. Unfortunately, the bulldoze operator was color blind and just about bull dozed them all! The trees they were able to save, were planted upside down because they looked “exotic.”

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

Once the area was cleared, Harper Goff, Disneyland’s first “Imagineer”, traced the outline of the river with a stick. He then walked 10 to 15 feet across to do the other side!

Meanwhile, Bill Evans was having a hard time finding trees and shrubs to create the dense jungle appearance. He literally drove around Anaheim and went door to door, buying the most exotic looking foliage that he could find. Coincidentally, during the construction of Disneyland, Interstate-5 was being built. Bill would salvage trees from the side of the road that were torn down to make way for the interstate.

One tree in particular became famous among Imagineers- when Walt was purchasing land for Disneyland, he bought 10 acres of orange grove property from the Dominguez Family. The couple stated that one of the established palm trees on the property was a gift given to them on their wedding day. Walt promise to preserve the palm; and he did! The “Dominguez Palm” was placed inside the Jungle Cruise (was moved a few times during refurbishments) and has flourished. It currently stands tall and beautiful in Adventureland.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

The grandson of the couple who lived on that property, Ron Dominquez, began working at Disneyland four days before it’s grand opening. Ron stated that his home use to stand where the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean is today. The 20-year was a ticket taker but would soon work his way to supervisor of Main Street, U.S.A., then supervisor of Frontierland, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland (not at the same time). Ron would eventually be appointed director of operations and in 1990, Executive Vice President of West Coast operations. He was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2000. Nicknamed “Mr. Disneyland” he served 39 years with the Walt Disney Company and was given his own window on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

As construction went on, Walt decided that although he wanted real animals to highlight the attraction, he knew they wouldn’t be as exciting as they would most likely sleep all day. Imagineers created mechanical animals and Walt brought in the special effects team from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to complete the final look. The technology was primitive but they were pioneering the animatronics as they worked. The animals were powered by oiled hydraulics and needed to be strategically placed to hide any mechanical parts that were exposed.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

All animatronics located in the water and the boats ran on a track.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

The river is dyed a murky green to hide the track system. The famous Schweitzer Falls aka home to the “backside of water” joke, is the mixing station for the dye.

July 17, 1955 was opening day for the Disneyland park. In addition to the 28,000 people to enter the gates, 90 million viewers would watch from the comfort of their own home. This was an impressive number considering at that point there was a population in the US of 170 million people! All who attended or watched the ceremonies were entralled with the Jungle Cuise. It was dubbed “A True Life Adventure.”

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

Walt had his own apartment in Disneyland, allowing him to spend the night whenever he pleased. The apartment located above the fire station on Main Street, U.S.A., was located next to the waterways of the Jungle Cruise. One night, the animal noises were not turned off, keeping Walt up all night!

Walt LOVED to ride the Jungle Cruise. On his first ride since the park opening, the Skipper was so nervous he put the ride on full throttle, making the 7.5 minute trip only 4 minutes long. After complaining, management put in alarms to ensure Skippers had the script timed with specific points. Today, Skippers use landmarks as their cues.

Staying true to Disney’s True-Life Adventure days, the original script was dry and educational (sprinkled with a few unfunny jokes). Several years into the park’s opening, rumor has it Walt overheard a mother say she would skip riding the Jungle Cruise because she had ridden it before. Disheartened by this, Walt consulted with animator and gag man, Marc Davis. Marc told Walt that ultimately the ride was not funny, so Walt tasked him with refurbishing the ride. Marc went in and rewrote the storyline, adding wit and new scenes with animals. Since technology had improved since the ride opened, Imagineers were able to do more with the animatronics, adding humor into the animals actions and movements. Marc also rewrote the Skipper’s script- he is the man responsible for the Dad Joke/Puns that the attraction is famous for.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

Since Marc left his mark on the ride, Skippers have continued to add to the jokes Now the attraction script is like a menu- for each area, a Skipper can choose the jokes they want to tell, adding their own special flair.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

The Jungle Cruise family has grown, adding four more locations; Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland & Hong Kong Disneyland, and a movie. Despite the growth & adaptations, one thing is certain; the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland will forever be known as the original Disney attraction- filled with mystery, adventure, enchantment, and thanks to Marc Davis… puns.

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The Bears of Country Bear Jamboree

offstagewdw — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 20:13:50 +0000

In honor of Al “Big Al” Bertino’s birthday today, we thought it would be fun to take a look at an iconic but often overlooked attraction, The Country Bear Jamboree.

The Magic Kingdom show consists of 23 Audio-Animatronics.

The Magic Kingdom attraction debuted before the Disneyland version, making it the first time that an attraction from both parks originated in Florida.

You can spot claw marks on the floor of Grizzly Hall from excited animal guests waiting to see the show!

Meet the Stars

Henry is the host of the show. He not only acts as MC, but he also plays the guitar and sings. His signature look is his hat, which sometimes has a friend on top named Sammy.

Wendell is a little bear with a massive overbite and teeth too big for his mouth and plays the mandolin. He is quite fashion forward with his bowler hat and bandana.

Liver Lips McGrowl has lips like no other! An Elvis Presley impersonator, Liver Lips has an unkempt appearance and plays guitar.

Ernest plays the fiddle and is sometimes referred to as “The Dude”. He rocks a bowler derby hat and fancies it up with a neck tie.

Gomer is the strong and silent type. Not a singer, he can be found playing his signature piano with a honeycomb on top.

Trixie is my spirit bear. She is in tune with her emotions, throws on a tutu when she wants to feel fancy, and is a lover of wine.

Terrence aka Shaker, one of the tallest bears, sports a hat & farmers tan while strumming the guitar. It is unknow why he is called Shaker, but I can honestly say my curiosity is peaked!

Miss Teddi Barra is the singing beauty who comes down on a swing through the ceiling. She is living her best life as center of attention with her pink parasol & boa.

The Sun Bonnet Trio consists of triplets Bubbles (left), Bunny (center), and Beulah (right). They are adorable in their matching outfits and bonnets.

The Five Bear Rug Band:

Zeke is the proclaimed leader not only for his cool shades or because he can multi-task playing the banjo and dishpan, but for the fact he is the only one who can read sheet music.

Zeb plays the fiddle with a crooked hickory bow…and well, you know the rest. Fun Fact- the small bear cub at the bottom of the stage, is named Little Oscar and is the son of Zeb.

Ted arguably has the easiest job in the band, blowing on a corn jug. He does a great job despite the hat hanging over his eyes.

Fred, one of the largest bears, plays the smallest instrument, a harmonica.

Lil’ Tennessee plays an instrument of his own invention called a “Thang”, it sounds just like a guitar, but its only got one string!! Fun fact- in the Magic Kingdom attraction, his bandana is red while at Disneyland, it is blue.

Big Al the biggest bear of the Jamboree croons away with his guitar and don’t care attitude. Fun Fact- he is a self-portrait of Imagineer Al Bertino, who was instrumental (haha) in the creation of the show.

Melvin the moose, Buff the buffalo, and Max the stag offer some quick jokes before the show starts. By the way, I am 99% sure that Melvin was once a pet of Mickey Mouse. Read about it here!

All in all, the bears sing thirteen songs during their 16 minute show! Hopefully this classic will continue to delight the guests of Magic Kingdom for many more years to come. Do you have a favorite bear? Share in the comment section below!

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The Tomorrowland Transit Authority: PeopleMover

offstagewdw — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:00:25 +0000

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority: PeopleMover opened at WDW Magic Kingdom, this day 46 years ago! In celebration, here are some facts about the iconic attraction:

It is modeled after the Disneyland version which opened July 2, 1967.

[See image gallery at offstagewdw.com]

Each train is made up of 5 vehicles and weighs 4,100 lbs

The trains move using linear-induction motors: a environmental friendly system that uses magnetic fields to propel the vehicles forward on a steel rail track

The trains move at a max speed of 6.84 mph

The track is .86 of a mile long

The attraction time is approximately 10 minutes long

There are 850 speakers placed along the track, narrating the tour around the land

While on the PeopleMover, guests can catch a quick glance of the Epcot model- it is a small fraction of the original 6,900 sq ft size! Click here to read more about Walt’s E.P.C.O.T vision.

There is an Easter Egg in the attraction- a nod to an opening day Flight to the Moon (formally located at Stitch’s Great Escape!) Before entering Space Mountain listen closely for an announcement paging “Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Contact Mr. Johnson in the control tower to confirm your flight to the moon.”

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The Paintbrush Scavenger Hunt

offstagewdw — Thu, 20 May 2021 14:51:16 +0000

Tom Sawyer Island is often overlooked by many, which is a shame because it is the perfect place to relax and let the kids go bananas without worrying about the crowds. There are lovely walking paths, a fort & cave to explore, and an awesome barrel bridge. I literally will run back and forth on it and I am in my late thirties

Back in the day, Cast Members would hide several of “Tom’s” paint brushes around the island for guests to find. Once found and turned in, the guest and their family would receive a bonus FASTPass for Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain!

They ended the scavenger hunt back in 2013, most likely due to the switch to FastPass+. Then as quickly as it went away, it unexpectedly returned in January of 2020, with some adjustments. Cast Members would still hide a paint brush but instead of a FastPass, the lucky guest would receive an adorable certificate.

Photo Credit: Shannon McKenzie Weems in “I’m So Disney”

Since Covid, Tom Sawyer Island has had limited activities, and the scavenger hunt has yet to return. Hopefully, as things turn back to “normal”, guests will soon be able to hunt for the paintbrushes again. You just never know when, so make sure next time you are there to keep an eye out!

The post The Paintbrush Scavenger Hunt first appeared on Offstage WDW.

Attraction History - Offstage WDW

Former Magic Kingdom Attractions

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

The Enchanted Tiki Room- Under New Management!

Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook

Country Bear Vacation Hoedown

Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes

Mike Fink Keel Boats

The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History

Mickey Mouse Revue

Magic Journeys

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Skyway

The Legend of the Lion King

Pooh’s Playful Spot

Snow White’s Scary Adventures

If You Had Wings

Mission to Mars

Delta Dreamflight

ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

The Timekeeper

Stitch’s Great Escape!

Mickey’s Toontown Fair

Voting Time!!

Haunted Mansion Lore: Madame Leota

Theory One

Theory Two

Haunted Mansion Lore: Portraits Edition

The Stretching Room

Mary Gracey

Lillian Gracey

Edward Gracey

Quicksand Men

The Dread Family Mystery- The Murders Unveiled

Busts & Clues

Extra Clues

Answer

Easter Egg

Haunted Mansion Lore- The Ghost Host

Magic Kingdom by the Numbers: a Statistical Semicentennial Listicle

Jungle Cruise – Behind the Attraction

The Bears of Country Bear Jamboree

Meet the Stars

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority: PeopleMover

The Paintbrush Scavenger Hunt