July 9, 2025
A Birthday Without A Photo
July 6, 2025
Goodbye Rivers of America and a Large Piece of Magic Kingdom History
Back then, there was no Big Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain on the other side, just wilderness to explore while riding the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, the rafts, or the Mike Fink Keel Boats. It was a beautiful simpler time. Imagineering had created a wonderful, totally atmospheric piece of Americana. But nothing lasts forever.
The Disney Parks blog reported these changes last year in August to a shocked crowd at D23:
"The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, with the help of Tow Mater via video call, announced that a new area inspired by the Pixar Animation Studios film “Cars” will be coming to a reimagined section of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. “The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a race car from the big city,” Josh told the crowd."
The crowd was silent, then some booed, and then it was on to the next announcement.
Today is the last day to experience a very important piece of Magic Kingdom history. What a sad, sad day it is.
(Photographer unknown.)
July 4, 2025
Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!" So reads Psalm 33:12 in the Bible. As you watch the Hall of Presidents, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln or the American Adventure at the Disney parks, listen with an open mind and heart. You'll hear the story of how God was so involved in the creation of our nation. Do we still believe that? I do.
No, we're not perfect- but you cannot take away our heritage. Many try, but it's evil to remove what God has done and his role in our story. I'll be very curious to see what stories historian Ken Burns uncovers with the new documentary on PBS, The American Revolution.
Personally, as we celebrate 4th of July, our Independence Day, we should stop and ask ourselves if we are truly living a free and vicarious life. God's Word shows us the truth once again: "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17) How we gain this real freedom is through turning our lives over to Jesus, holding nothing back- holding absolutely nothing back- and letting him transform us into what He intends for us to be. It may be painful at times, but pleasing God begins to be the priority of those He calls his children. His Spirit is always present when we submit to God and His ways. Every day is a new opportunity and a choice. What will you choose?
July 1, 2025
Carpenters Rock Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe
June 30, 2025
Rome from the Air
June 25, 2025
Disneyland Attraction Posters: The Main Street U.S.A. Collection

Soon, we will be adding a poster for Walt Disney – A Magical Life. Those of you newer to the blog might find this article interesting. It was an interview with Disney historian Didier Ghez and a surprise guest, Eddie Sotto, who revealed that an Audio Animatronic of Walt Disney was first discussed by Imagineering decades ago. Yes, decades. You can read this article here.
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As Walt Disney and his team were planning Disneyland, they instinctively knew this was going to be a different type of park. How could they communicate to the public what they would see in it? Of course, television played a huge role in sharing the vision and the details.
With a plan for the park to be defined by the railroad tracks, it was only natural that the Main Street U.S.A. train station would be at the park's entrance. It would have two tunnels in which to pull guests from the front of the turnstiles into Main Street, one on the left and one on the right. Inside these tunnels, the Imagineering team proudly created posters advertising the attractions.
Over the years, the attractions would also be found in front of the park along the fences and over park benches as guests found seating alongside the main entrance. It's only fitting that we begin this look at the attraction posters by starting with the ones first encountered by the earliest guests- the ones for Main Street U.S.A.






Arguably the greatest attraction found on Main Street U.S.A., Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was quickly recognized as a masterpiece of engineering, artistic accomplishment, and exquisite storytelling. The poster above advertised the attraction at its opening.

The posters for attractions found on Main Street, U.S.A. are quite an impressive lot! There's more to come as we explore the other lands of Disneyland- and eventually Disney parks all over the world.Next time, we'll take a look at those posters for attractions in Adventureland. The exotic attractions form a very beautiful basis for another set are great artistic interpretations. Stay tuned for the next segment in this series- and stay tuned for additional posters to be added!
June 23, 2025
Next Generation Photographer Makes A Splash
June 22, 2025
My Favorite Disney Park Photos: A Peaceful Morning at the Grand Floridian
(Photograph copyright Mark Taft)
June 20, 2025
Oh Boy!
June 19, 2025
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
June 18, 2025
Club Disney? Yes, It WAS Built- and the Unbuilt DisneyQuest
Back when the Westcot theme park (look here) was to be added to California- in the 1990s - before the suits decided the park was to be replaced buy the MUCH more financially safer and very inexpensive Disney's California Adventure, a West Coast version of the indoor gaming playground was all set up to happen. We've all heard the story before and we'll hear it again- plans change, budgets are reallocated, and priorities shift. It happened here.
This project is not to be confused with Club Disney, the young family focused indoor entertainment center for those with kids 10 and under. One opened in Lone Tree, Colorado, just a few miles from our home. When we visited, it was a combination indoor play area and Chuck E. Cheese and Dave and Busters... enjoyable, charming, expensive, and not worth more than two hours of your time. But it was "Disney", so for this family far from both California and Florida, it was a nice little diversion.
This new venture was long before Disney's Celebrity Sports Center from the 1960s that lasted until the early 1990s in Denver. (Yes, I had been inside exactly once. It was little more than a run down bowling alley by then. Not even sure who owned it.)
For now, both these are a piece of history. Will the ideas be resurrected again? Probably not, but you never know what could happen as the company and the U.S. economy changes over and over and over again.
(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
June 13, 2025
Thank you, Brian Wilson
June 11, 2025
A Better Monsters Inc. Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios needs an actual dark ride for the youngest of guests who will not able be to ride the family coaster. The park has a current total of zero old school Disneyland styled classic dark rides. These are the kind of smaller attractions that are classic Disney and round out a park filled with E Tickets and stage shows. Will the suits ever really get their popularity? They bring charm and warmth to any park, something the Studios is sorely lacking.
This expansion also needs a character filled, friendly monster stage show to go with the meet and greets. Imagineering and the Disney park fans have made these an inevitable part of any Disney themed land.
Lastly, this new land needs a great spot to sit down and eat for folks who cannot get into or choose not to splurge on the sure to be quite overpriced Harryhausen's Japanese restaurant. The slightly Muppets themed PizzeRizzo is a prime location for something great and with a menu price befitting the family friendly budget.
With the stunning success of Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, the bar for this time of land has been set very high. Will it be matched or exceeded at Walt Disney World? It better! With Epic Universe being SO good and nipping at Disney's heels, the war continues.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Thanks to Blog Mickey for the image.)
June 10, 2025
The Hidden Monster in Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
June 7, 2025
The Sparkle of Disneyland's Tomorrowland 1967
Walt's park seemed better than ever under the guidance of those first generation Imagineers. And, boy, they were on a roll! It's a Small World was first, then Pirates of the Caribbean in the Spring of '67 and the Haunted Mansion a couple of years later. Let's not forget Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln coming hot off the World's Fair.
Things would slow down for awhile, but as this photograph from the late and great Vintage Disneyland Tickets shows, the future was also moving at Disneyland- unless you look at Tomorrowland. That revision in 1998 was a dud- Rocket Rods aside-, and it was the last time that area of the park had even the slightest bit of cohesion. Will the Imagineering team bring a great new person of the future for the park's 75th Anniversary? Your guess is as good as mine!
(Photograph copyright Vintage Disneyland Tickets.)
June 5, 2025
Disney's Most Disjointed Fantasyland Has Beautiful Concept Art
The mix of attractions inhabit a bizarre land that includes Tim Burton's strange version of an Alice in Wonderland maze alongside a very weird Voyage to the Crystal Grotto, the charming Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and other oddities. But then again, Dumbo Flying Elephants and the requisite Carousel reside in front of the castle here, another misstep.
Regardless, Mr. Gilleon has created two works of art in the grandest of Disney Imagineering traditions. Given the source material, that is worth something.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
June 3, 2025
Still My Little Boy
June 1, 2025
Rome - Eternally Yours
May 30, 2025
Imagineer Eddie Sotto Reveals Disneyland Paris' Splash Mountain
May 26, 2025
A Piece of Good Advice
May 22, 2025
Epic Universe Opens!
May 16, 2025
Carpenters Revisited: A Fresh Look at Music, Music, Music
May 14, 2025
Back to Disney California Adventure
Summertime means a visit to a Disney park, usually Disneyland. As a Californian now in Colorado, it takes more effort, but it is worth a day at the world's beloved original kingdom of Walt. Disney California Adventure may have its charms, but after my last visit there in 2028, I'm just not that motivated to go back since my last visit in 2018. Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout was fun, but I'm in no rush to see Avengers Campus in its current state or even San Fransokyo, although I love Big Hero 6. It's going to take Coco to get me back. I'm a sucker for boat rides! But it has better be good!
(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)
May 9, 2025
Notable and Quotable: Chuck Swindoll
In Mark 12, we run across several types of Jewish religious leaders, all taking their turns at trying to trap Jesus into saying something that they can use against Him: Pharisees in Mark 12:13-17, Sadducees in Mark 12:18-27, and one of the teachers of religious law in Mark 12:28-34. Of course, they all fail. Each of these types of religious leaders had its own specific types of rules, regulations, and ways of living. The problem is, these religious types didn’t vanish. Many of these people are sitting in the pews of churches today.
Are you a modern-day Pharisee—religious, legalistic, judgmental, opinionated, and harsh with those who don’t keep your rules? I have a good friend who is an elder in his church. He says, “My problem is that I’m a recovering Pharisee.” There’s an honest man. But maybe you’re not even “recovering.” Maybe you don’t even realize your pharisaic tendencies at all. The fact is that you may still be lost. You’ve got all these things you’re keeping, all this stuff you’re proud of, all these people you’re judging. You don’t miss a meeting, and you don’t miss a chance to refer to your righteousness (or at least hint about it), talk about how often you pray, explain why you pray, and on and on and on. You can be full of religion but still lost. When we come to Jesus, we drop all that garbage, and we realize that there’s nothing in our hands we can bring—there’s only a cross we can cling to.
Maybe you’re a modern-day Sadducee. See if this description fits: You look like you’re interested in religion, but you’re really interested in politics. You’re impressed with the teachings of Jesus, but you’re humanistic. You’re somewhat religious, but you’re more sophisticated. You may be wealthy. Maybe you’ve grown up in a church, but you’re not really all that sure about the devil and the demons and all that life-after-death stuff. You’re far more concerned about your position, your wealth, your possessions. If you’re a Sadducee, you’re also lost.
Of all these types, the people I’m most concerned about are the modern-day “teachers of religious law,” the modern-day scribes. You may have studied theology. You may have heard about grace or even taught about grace. Folks might think you’re a faithful follower. You’re sensible. You’re intelligent. You’re not far from the Kingdom, but you’re not there yet either. Make sure that you don’t let your study of the details of theology replace your need to submit to the Lord Jesus by faith. Those who fall into this category, like modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees, are lost.
I fear for you if you are anywhere on this list, because none of us know what a day will bring forth (see Prov. 27:1). Today is the day, my friends, to find Jesus. Quit fighting Him. Quit thinking you’ve got plenty of time. Quit thinking you’re bulletproof.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29). Find your peace in your relationship with Him. He’s the only One who can forgive you—and He will. He’s the only One who can provide goodness and mercy all the rest of the days of your life—and He will. But you must come to Him. Come.