Dick Tracy movie tribute in Backlot Tour warehouse

Just a few moments after you enter the warehouse on the Backlot Tram Tour, look to your right to find a display case on the wall. 

First, ogle with me the park map displayed here, which shows the park back when it was called Disney-MGM Studios... a true remnant lying around in plain sight.

Then, let your eyes travel upward to a poster above the display case.

Who is district attorney (John) Fletcher? It turns out this is a character in the Disney movie Dick Tracy (1990) - and the photo here shows the same actor/character, so it's the sort of "all in" tribute Disney does best!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, even in the world of Disney park tributes

When you're a Hidden History hunter, practically every anomaly gets you to question whether there's an inside connection. After all, there are no accidental "71s" in the Magic Kingdom, and all those random numbers you see on pipes usually look like some variation of birth dates and years. Photos of kids have to come from somewhere - is it a stretch to think maybe the Imagineers used pics of their own kids?

When you get to an attraction rich with inside jokes like Carousel of Progress - lots of Hidden Mickeys (sorcerer hat, abstract painting, nutcracker, sorcerer plates) and at least one Imagineer call out (to Herb Ryman, whose name can be seen through the window in the 1920s scene) - you're on high alert.

You know especially that the bulletin board and dry erase board in the finale scene are full of insider things.

On the dry erase board, you've got a reference to 1401, the address on Flower Street in Glendale where Imagineering is based.

There's the famous post-in note saying "Marty called -- wants changes" in reference to then-head of Imagineering Marty Sklar.

So when you take your zoom lens and locate a business card on the same corkboard, the tendency is to think you've hit upon another reference and homage. Take this business card from just below the Marty reference:

Perhaps your first thought, like mine was, is that Roger Everett must be an Imagineer associated with the project, who found a way to make himself timeless! But it doesn't appear to be. I couldn't find evidence of Roger Everett having worked at Imagineering (this is not conclusive, btw), so I turned to an open Google search.

What I found online is that "Roger Everett" is the name of someone who actually does carpentry work in the Orlando area. In other words, probably there is no Imagineering connection, but this could be a tribute of sorts. One assumes Mr. Everett assisted in the 1990s refurbishment of the attraction, and got to include his calling card as a kind of... er, calling card... in the finished experience.

So it's not a smoking gun connection to an Imagineer. That makes this a red herring search in a way, but as the title of the post says, sometimes a cigar really is just a cigar.


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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Tribute on Space Mountain to movie Armageddon

Somewhat-new video screens at the exit upramp to Space Mountain (in Orlando) show astronauts in posed scenes with some fake quotes. The names attributed to those quotes - Commander Dan Truman and Grace Stamper, are characters from the Disney movie Armageddon (1998)--played by Billy Bob Thornton and Liv Tyler, respectively. 

Click any image for a larger version:

These screens are likely part of the personalization effects that will come from MagicBands in the near future.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Matterhorn tribute in Expedition Everest (explained)

There's a somewhat-new (added in 2013) series of videoscreens at the very end of the queue for Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This will presumably become part of MyMagic+ and give personalized shout-outs to visitors, courtesy of MagicBands.

One screen shows a fanciful yeti product. But look closer. There are two references here to Disneyland's yeti attraction, the Matterhorn, which opened decades before Expedition Everest.

First, the fake quote by Klaus Wesselhoft is a clear reference to a character in the movie Third Man on the Mountain (1959), played by Lee Patterson. That movie was about the real Matterhorn, but in filming it, Walt realized he wanted his own Matterhorn at Disneyland, so that was built concurrently.

Then, examine the tin of yeti meats and you'll see yet another representation of the mythical creature. That alone is no surprise; the whole conceit of the queue is that we don't know exactly what he looks like, so there are lots of different images. But THIS image looks a lot like the Abominable Snowman from Disneyland's Matterhorn (added years after Walt died), which would make it a second tribute on the same poster!

Yeti tinned meats.

Disneyland's Harold; photo copyright Disney.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Bill Justice character mural from Exposition Hall lives on (sort of)

Did you ever visit Exposition Hall on Main Street to see that giant mural of seemingly every major Disney (movie) character? It disappeared with the refurb of the area into meet-and-greets for Mickey Mouse (and for a time, princesses).

Here is a composite shot of the mural, stitched together (imperfectly) from individual shots since I didn't have a way to make panoramas in 2005 (click for larger version):

And here are the individual shots. Click any for a larger version.

Lest you think this mural is gone and forgotten, you only need to look around in the Meet Mickey queue. You'll come across this postal room just before seeing Mickey:

And one of those postal slots is for B. Justice - short for Bill Justice, the longtime Disney artist who MADE that mural that lived only steps from this spot.

And inside Bill's slot, rolled up? It's the same mural, only now in smaller paper format! It's a unique tribute and one of my favorites.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Do you think this is a Lasseter tribute on a DHS billboard?

Imagineers often bury tributes to each other in plain sight. In that spirit I wondered if the man in the Hawaiian shirt in the DHS billboard (at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd) was a representation of John Lasseter:

For reference, here's a photo I found online of John Lasseter taken in 2013:

John is famous for wearing Hawaiian shirts, and since the figure in the billboard is the ONLY one so dressed, it stuck out to me.

That said, Lasseter wears glasses, which aren't present here. Still, there was enough resemblance for me to wonder anyway. What is your vote?

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Hidden History discovery at Town Square Mickey Mouse meet

The final room you enter in the queue for Backstage Magic with Mickey Mouse - the meet and greet in the Town Square Theater - is a mail room.

There are slots for Mickey, Minnie, and things like props, costuming, etc. All very in keeping with the theming of this as the "offices" space for Magician Mickey Mouse.

But there is *one* mail slot different from the others. Take a closer look?

B. Justice is surely short for Bill Justice, an animator from way back when (starting with Fantasia, up to Peter Pan) who moved on to become an engineer at WDI, programming the animatronics for Pirates, Mansion, and others.

There are no other names here in the mail room, so it's just Bill getting the call out!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Secrets of FL DVC kiosk: Hidden Mickey, Hidden History, DCL

I've previously given a tour of the Fantasyland DVC kiosk in WDW Clicks #5, but I like to include photos-in-HTML sometimes as well. Accordingly, here are the secrets/tributes from this new location:

The location looks well-blended from a distance, but pay close attention to the weathervane up top.

It's a giant squid, and it's here to honor 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the submarine ride which used to occupy this space in Fantasyland.

The sign for the new location looks nicely stylized, but it's also a three-dimensional Hidden Mickey.

The mural on the back wall is nicely detailed, and it includes drawings of the Magic, Wonder, Fantasy, and Dream - the Disney Cruise Line (DCL) ships - but here drawn as sailing ships.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

New inside jokes (tributes) added to Sunset Blvd

A few weeks ago I noticed a new detail added recently to Sunset Blvd, in the form of repainted / rethemed suitcases next to a Route66 sign. The previous look to these suitcases was all touristy-flowers and stamps as if to indicate passage through many countries, but now they look more period authentic (1930s on Sunset Blvd!) and there are names on them.

There are no accidental names in Disney theme parks - everything means something! Look closer. Do you recognize the names?

Turns out they are characters from the 1997 made-for-TV movie Tower of Terror. Fitting, since the 1994 ride which started it all is just up the street from here.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Magic Kingdom President has a tribute in New Fantasyland (pics)

New Fantasyland, with the exception of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, is basically fully open now, as of Friday. I'll have reports on each of the main buildings, shops, attractions, and restaurants... but I'm going to start with the Hidden History tribute that's new in the land (this is fitting, since I wrote the book on such homages!) Note: there's also a tribute to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea sub ride that once occupied this land, in the form of a Nautilus sub shape in the queue for Under the Sea.

It's in the Bonjour Village Gifts shop--a portrait on the back wall that is easily identified as a painting of the current Magic Kingdom president, Phil Holmes.

Phil was an opening-day Cast Member, so he has been there for 41 years. At Disney, you are feasted and given trinkets when you hit 5-year milestones, so Phil's last big milestone was 40. Fittingly, the painted Phil sports a ring with a 40 on it. And high up on the shelf sits a bronze Donald figurette, which is the giveaway trinket for the 40th Anniversary Service Award.

There are other items on the desk that remind of his tenure at the Magic Kingdom: peanuts for the new Storybook Circus, an apple for the closed Snow White dark ride, a lamp for the Aladdin spinner ride, and a Magic Kingdom park map, complete with a land labeled "Mickey's Toontown" (not Mickey's Toontown Fair--though it does look like the Magic Kingdom rather than Disneyland, so this one is hard to reason why).

Over Phil's shoulder is the Haunted Mansion wallpaper pattern--appropriate, since he worked on the Mansion on the park's first operating day in 1971.

There is some precedent for honoring a park president with a tribute; Jack Lindquist was honored with a fake pumpkin in his likeness when he retired as Disneyland's first president.

Say hi to Phil on your visit to New Fantasyland!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

2010 WDW Earbook now available on Kindle

I've been publishing an annual, unofficial "Walt Disney World 'Earbook" since 2010. The 2011 edition was made available for both print and Kindle, but the 2010 version never had Kindle until recently. I've fixed that a little while ago (it costs $4.99 on Kindle) but forgot to announce it here.

Walt Disney World Earbook 2010 This book captures all the new attractions in pictures, and offers brief retrospectives for the closures. Many special events are also captured here--all through the eyes of one frequent visitor. A time line of events throughout the year puts the changes into perspective, and an index makes finding info easy. Purchase Print Version from Amazon Kindle Edition

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I suppose that, while I'm on the subject, I might as well use this opportunity to list, explain, and link to the other books I've written. Thanks to those of you who have bought one of more over the years. I try not to do too many "commercials" like this post!

Top Tips for Visiting Disneyland Paris Visiting Disneyland Paris might seem like a daunting task for many Americans, especially if they do not speak French. It's easier than you think, however, to make your way from the airport to your hotel, and to navigate around the parks. All you need are a few "top tips"! This e-book provides the essentials. Anyone familiar with Disneyland or Walt Disney World won't need detailed information about rides, but they might want to know which attractions to prioritize or which to skip, and this book provides the answers. It's intentionally not an exhaustive resource. By design, it narrows down the advice to just the principles, concepts, and wisdom you'll need to make your own on-the-spot adjustments. By providing only the "top tips," the book lets you make informed decisions about where to go and when, but also keeps the elements of surprise and discovery intact on your vacation.  Kindle Edition

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Walt Disney World Earbook 2011 Re-live the special events, additions, removals, and alterations with this yearbook-style volume designed to show, using hundreds of pictures, how rapidly the portrait of life at Walt Disney World changes. A timeline provides a comprehensive overview, and an index at the back will make finding information even years from now a breeze.  Purchase Print Version from Amazon Kindle Edition

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Walt Disney World Hidden History The book pays special attention to the inside jokes and hidden references to Walt Disney World’s past. Think of it as a guided tour through all four parks, pointing out all the artifacts and remnants from former attractions. You'll be astounded how many references remain! Purchase Print Version from Amazon Kindle Edition

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Jason's Disneyland Almanac With Park hours for 19,484 of the 20,257 days covered here, plus weather for each day, Disneyland attendance from July 17, 1955 through December 31, 1966, openings, closings, debuts, endings, events, and famous visitors, Jason’s Disneyland Almanac provides detail on every day in Disneyland’s history through the end of 2010. For most visitors, this compilation will capture the basics of Disneyland on their first visit: the Park hours and the weather. Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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Christmas in Walt Disney World Take a photo journey with us that includes extinct guest favorites such as the Country Bear Christmas Special, an overnight visit to the Cinderella Castle Suite from Christmas week 2007, and a look around the Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts as you may see the decorations now. Kevin is the uncredited third author of this book.  Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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Your Day at the Magic Kingdom This children's book, in full color and hardcover, lets readers (or listeners in bed!) decide what ride to go on next, and thus are prompted which page to turn to. It's an interactive book, creating a customized experience for each young reader. 76 pages. Purchase Hardcover from Amazon

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Mouse Trap Re-live fifteen years as a front-line cast member in Anaheim's Disneyland, in restaurants and in the Entertainment department, even taking a side trip into a fully empty Disneyland on the middle of the day during the September 11, 2001 events that closed major venues. Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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Tokyo Disney Made Easy The only guidebook in English for visiting the Tokyo Disney parks. More than just a guide to the attractions and shows, this volume sets out to make the trip effortless and painless for non-speakers of Japanese. Make travel to this country a snap! Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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101 Things You Never Knew About Disneyland The book pays special attention to the inside jokes and hidden references to Disneyland’s past. Think of it as a guided tour through Disneyland, pointing out all the artifacts and remnants from former attractions. You'll be astounded how many references remain! Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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Magic Quizdom The only trivia book dedicated just to Disneyland. Even better than the multiple-choice questions are extended paragraph-length answers, so that each answer reads like a miniature exploration of a major element of Disneyland's past, present, and thematic landscape. Purchase Print Version from Amazon

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.