My Disney Blog

Downtown Disney Gets Ready for a Big Change

DisneyApprentice here again to share with you the new look for multiple shops in Downtown Disney. I had a hunch that Disney would try to rejuvenate the entire resort before the re-opening of California Adventure, well it seems that I was right

Disney has now announced two new overhauls for some of Downtown Disney's tenants. The Lego store will be remodeled to having bigger Lego statues grace the front of the store.

The store will feature a statue from Sleeping Beauty, Toy Story, and Beauty and the Beast. The store will also feature   a brand-new interactive outdoor play area, all-new play areas inside the store, and of course, new large-scale LEGO models located both inside and outside the re-imagined LEGO Store.

Continue reading about Downtown Disney developements. 

 

California Adventure Attraction Posters Finally Released

DisneyApprentice here again to share with you the great new attraction posters for California Adventure. Normally I wouldn’t write about Merchandise coming soon to the parks, but today a special announcement was made. California Adventure attraction posters were finally announced for Luigi’s Flying Tires, Radiator Springs Racers, and the Red Car.

The attraction poster designs will be available on tees, art on demand from the parks, deluxe prints and metal signs. I don’t usually buy Disneyland shirts because you can’t really wear them anywhere except for the parks, but these I might make an exception for. Read more about these posters.

 

Lemonade Mouth, China Anne McClain and My Kids!

What a weekend for my kids! Their mom's bf won an all expense paid trip to Chicago to see the Disney parade on Michigan Avenue. They were able to visit the Radio Disney studios, meet A.N.T. Farm's China Anne McClain and her two awesome sisters, AND be ON the float WITH Lemonade Mouth in the Magnificent Mile Lighting Ceremony parade down Michigan Avenue! Included in this blog post are some pics of my kids with Lemonade Mouth, China Anne McClain, Radio Disney Chicago and Mickey and Minnie! They wish to thank Lemonade Mouth and China for being so nice to them and they had the time of their lives! What's even more special is that we have seen Lemonade Mouth MANY times, we listen to the CD when driving to their grandparents, and we truly LOVE watching A.N.T. Farm and think China is the best. They also wish to thank the staff of the Best Western River North in Chicago for all they did to make their weekend special. One funny story was that I tweeted a thank you to the staff of the @BestWestern River North, and my family happened to be in the lobby at the time. They heard the manager say that they got a tweet from @DisneyDean and they yelled "That's my dad!". We had a good chuckle out of it. I wasn't there but it was fun to see the kids having such a great time.

The kids with China Anne McClain and the McClain Sisters:


My daughter is at the front of the float. She's the tall one.


My daughter is the one in the middle. They danced while Lemonade Mouth sang "Determinate":

My amazing daughter on the Best Western float - getting ready for the big event:


My daughter getting ready to ham it up! :)


Lemonade Mouth getting ready to roll!


AWESOME picture of Lemonade Mouth with my daughter:


INCREDIBLE picture of Lemonade Mouth with my son:


Radio Disney Office! Woot!


OK, so I'm drooling and WAY jealous by now!


Inside the Radio Disney studio in Chicago:


And let's close this incredibly long blog post with a really awesome photo :)


Oh, and if you'd like to watch a video of the Lemonade Mouth performance, with my son in the grey truck, and my daughter on the platform in front of Lemonade Mouth, here it is!



Thanks again to Lemonade Mouth, China Anne McClain, the McClain Sisters, Radio Disney and of course, the Best Western River North and Best Western of Illinois. Wish I could have been there, but so glad the kids had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

--- DisneyDean

Chasing My Next Disney Dream

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I last posted, so I thought I would check in and see how everyone is. It has definitely been a TOUGH winter, but Spring and Summer are on the way, and the days are getting longer and brighter. A big thanks to all of my Disney friends that have been here to support me. Walt Disney would have been proud of the entire Disney community, and the HUGE family of Disney fans.

So, I've been trying to determine what I would truly love to do in and for the Disney community. I have thought long and hard about this, and I do know that I don't want to do anything for money. The Disney community has given me so much, and I truly want to see if I can come up with some nice additions to the online community that are just for fun and not for the money. I have come up with not one, but TWO websites that I would like to create. The websites that I would like to create are:

DisneyDean.com: I have been tossing this around ever since I started on twitter. I created the persona of DisneyDean long before twitter, as a fun way to sign my blog posts. A good friend of mine heard of my desire to create a fun, online community for Disney fans and offered to do the branding for the site. SO, I DO have the completed branding for the site (it would blow you away if you could see it!), but put it on hold when my wife left earlier this year. Now I would like to take up this project once again. I really, really DO want to do this. The next thing we have to do is find a graphic artist that specializes in web illustrations, especially retro design. It is my promise that if we can get this site off the ground, I would try to make it the most useful web community alive. If I could tell you the ideas for the site, I know you would instantly fall in love with it. So, this is what I need next:

1) Branding is COMPLETED
2) Need to find a very good graphic artist that specializes in web illustration
3) Then, we need to find a very good programmer that can code the site
4) Possible LONG TERM advertisers that could buy into the site to pay for the above

While I would like to have this a not-for-profit site, in order to get #2 and #3 completed and the site up and running, I would consider taking on long term advertisers to underwrite the site. The site will not have standard ads - instead - the advertiser's would be drawn into the graphic illustration in a way that would make it part of the community. Pretty cool if you ask me!

What we would need is someone that could send me examples of their work. We would then choose from the samples and hopefully find someone that can help us with #2 and #3 above. We want this to be professionally designed and programmed to the best of our ability to find someone.

DisneyFitness.com: This is another passion of mine. Boy, when you look around on the web, you see ALL KINDS of fitness programs tailored to many different passions. I don't particularly care for exercise programs, but I thought WHAT IF those exercise programs were combined with my main passion - DISNEY! I checked with a few folks that I know at Disney and they said "go for it". The people I know at Disney fell in love with the idea and thought it would definitely fill a niche. Here are my thoughts for DisneyFitness.com. First of all, I have registered the site, and secured twitter.com/DisneyFitness. I was going to use DisneyLoser.com and twitter.com/DisneyLoser but some folks told me they were offended by the sound of the site name. SO, DisneyFitness.com it is!

I would LOVE to have a site where people come to for support, information and to chat with others about fitness. I thought it would be SO awesome if I could work with a fitness expert to come up with a formal plan as well! Can you imagine how cool that would be? We've all heard about P90X, but how about having a Disney fitness plan that people could use as a starting point. We could have "Tigger Jumping Jacks" or "Pinochio Push Ups". :) SO, this is what I need to get this started:

1) Branding Ideas
2) Fitness Expert that can help to develop a plan
3) Someone that can help me develop a website - a professionally-designed website - not from an amateur designer
4) Potential LONG TERM advertisers that could buy into the concept and help to pay for the above.

Anyway, that's about it. I don't know when the above sites will be launched. I do know that it is possible, and because I am dreaming it - it can happen! I want to make Walt Disney proud. If people can find a happy, safe community to share with others, I would be happy. Also, if people could lose a bit of weight by combining exercise with Disney - what could be better than that?

Thanks for listening and reading all of this everyone!

--- Disney Dean

Hooray for Disney friends

Wow, I can't believe I haven't blogged since January 4, 2011. If you read that post, you saw that it was just a couple days after my wife of 16 years moved out. She left the house to the kids and me, and she has still been actively involved in the kids lives. It's definitely not what I pictured for my life at this point, but after trying so hard to hold on for a long time, I came to accept it. I guess the main thing is that we all have our health, and we are still friends. The kids have been great - still straight A students and they get a LOT of love and attention.

I really feel bad that I have not been keeping up on my Disney blogging, but as kind of a single dad (with help), I'm finding that I haven't had as much time due to work, housework, meal planning and with the kids and their needs. My friends have been simply amazing. I can't tell you how many emails, twitter direct messages, text messages, phone calls and FaceTime chats I've had with you all. It has really helped me to get through this rough time. It was kind of crazy, because it was around the time of my wife leaving that I met my best friend, Dewaun. He and his fiance have helped me through this life change so much and I know we will be best friends for life. My kids adore them and it totally proves that it takes a village to raise a child.

I am so proud of the friends I have met through this blog, and through twitter. You all mean the world to me and I'm so happy that you are all in my life. You make me smile and laugh each day I'm hanging around on twitter, and you have shown me so much love. I apologize for not being as good at replying to tweets and messages as I had been, but I promise I will get better. So, I just wanted to say HOORAY for my Disney friends. You are much more than "Disney" friends, you are life friends. :)

I have literally fallen off the Weight Watcher's wagon through all of this, gaining much of the weight I had lost back. If you have any advice to get back on board, I would love to hear it. I've tried everything and just can't seem to get back in the groove and start losing weight again.

--- Disney Dean

A new beginning

Wow, 2010 was quite a year. There were so many wonderful memories and great moments in 2010, but I can honestly say I was so happy to see it end. The end of 2010 brought a close to my marriage of 16 years, and it was pretty much one of the worst times of my life. My wife, er, soon to be ex-wife is moving out this week, leaving the house to the kids and me. She will continue to be a big part of our lives, but she felt she needed to move on. It reminds me of the old saying "If you love something, set it free", after trying so hard to hold on for many years. The kids and I will be fine, and they are doing great. I can honestly say that my online Disney friends have made this so much easier to go through. I love you all so much, and you truly are more than friends - you have become part of my family. I can't tell you how many emails, text messages, twitter direct messages and twitter replies I received checking on me daily. You all gave me constant encouragement that everything would be OK, and that you all loved me and cared for me. I just wanted to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I have had the pleasure of meeting a BUNCH of you at the Epic October celebration at Walt Disney World in early October, and I can't wait to meet more of you. I know we've all heard people say "oh, well, they can't be real friends because they're online". Well, I beg to differ. The friends I have made are the same kind of people that would bring food over after a funeral, be there to hug you when you are feeling down, and who would just stop by to say hi and to see you. It's been such a huge part of my life for the last couple years, and my feelings for my new friends/family grow stronger each day. I've always prided myself on answering every email, replying to every tweet or direct message, but somehow during the last 6 months, I've failed to live up to that on some bad days. Even though I sometimes didn't get to reply, or was horribly negligent in doing blog posts, my friends would not give up on me. Pretty awesome if you ask me. :) 

So, I look forward to 2011 being a year of new beginnings. Because our house is the "Sunny D" house, where all the neighbor kids like to hang out, we've decided to make our family room into a pre-teen/teen hang out. It's going to be awesome and the kids and his friends are helping to plan it. It's a place they can feel comfortable, have plenty of room to grow and where I know where they are! :) It's a great new focus and it's going to be awesome. Some of the ideas so far include a popcorn stand, foosball table, movie and video game posters, bringing the xBox 360 and Kinect down, and comfortable seating and lots of room to chill. Of course, I'll have to find a way to sneak in a few Disney items without them knowing it! Well, they DO love Epic Mickey! :)

Anyway, thank you...to all of you for being there for me! I hope I can be there for you when you need me as well. I think the world of you and hope to meet more of you this year. I hope your 2011 is absolutely fantastic!

--- DisneyDean  

Epic October 2010

A few days ago, I casually brought up that there was going to be a huge Disney fan meet at the end of September in Walt Disney World to my wife. I had thought about going about a BILLION times, but didn't think it would be possible while saving up for our trip to Disneyland in February. Well, I no more than got the words out of my mouth, and she said "You HAVE to go!". I about fell over! I thought there would be no way to get the time off from work at this late stage, but that worked out great. Then, I figured flights would probably be crazy expensive. Nope. So, everything fell into place. Not only that, a dear friend of mine (@WDCCDuckman on twitter) offered to let me stay in extra space that they had at Old Key West. See how amazing Disney friends are? I couldn't have attended with peace of mind if all of this hadn't fallen into place!

The Disney online community is vast and growing by the day. Word is quickly getting out that twitter is a GREAT place to find Disney friends. I have come to think of so many of my friends on twitter as my extended family. We are there to support each other in hard times, cheer them on during the good times, and just bring a smile at entirely random times. It never fails to cheer me up, when I go on twitter to talk to my friends. If you haven't tried it yet - you really should. If you need help getting started, please let me know! Just email me (mickeysites@gmail.com), post a comment below, or find me on twitter at @DisneyDean. I try to reply to every single tweet that is directed my way and I would LOVE to help you find some amazing new friends.

Anyway, before I got off on that random subject...SO, I am going to Walt Disney World in TWO weeks! I will be there September 30th, through October 4th, and will be attending as many of the festivities on Amanda Tinney's website posting as I can. I plan on partying til I drop! I'm even signed up for the 5K race that weekend, which is something I never imagined doing.  

My friend at the Walt Disney Company in California is even trying to arrange a visit to network with us social media folks.

I can't wait to hug all the friends that I have made over the past few years, either through my blog, twitter, facebook or any other place. 

There's still time to get into some of the festivities! Hope to see you there! 

--- DisneyDean (@DisneyDean on twitter) 

Hoping to Make Walt Disney Proud

It's hard to believe I am nearing the 500 post mark, especially as I have been such a BAD boy with blog updates of late. I'm such a cyclical blogger, and it drives me CRAZY! I wish I was more creative, but sometimes I just get writers block and can't seem to know how to start a paragraph. When I'm on a roll, it comes out faster than I can type, but when I'm not, I'm not.

It still amazes me that blogging led me to become a Twitter addict, and blogging and tweeting has helped me to make so many amazing friends with similar interests. I absolutely ADORE the Disney online community, and wish I could give every single person I've met a great big hug. Maybe someday, but until then, a virtual hug will have to do. :) 

So, why am I writing this post, and how does it involve the amazing Walt Disney?? A few months back, I sought out to create my dream. I've had several sites over the years, even selling a couple of them, but this would be my total dream hobby site. The problem with the travel sites was that they eventually grew into being more of a small business than a hobby. Trying to make advertisers pay up was not my strong suit, and I found out I am a HORRIBLE businessman! I became friends with nearly all the companies that were advertising on my sites, and I just couldn't charge them! How could I charge a friend? Anyway, you see where my dilemma grew. I work full time, and I want to have fun with a site when I come home. I truly found out that I didn't want a small business anymore - I want a hobby - and that is how my love of Disney led me to start this blog and take on the "DisneyDean" surname. :)

My new dream is to create a site that is very complex, yet very simple. A site that doesn't compete with ANY other Disney site out there, and one that only allows friendly talk. Well, maybe we'll have a grumbling corner (maybe Grumpy will lead that area). It will truly be a happy place, where you can go to be happy - a natural extension of the love we all feel on twitter. No crabby people will be allowed, but if they DO come to the site, we hope to be able to turn the frown into a smile. We have some pretty fantastic ideas, but we would like to know more about what you would like in a site. What hasn't been done on a Disney site, that you would like to see done. What has been driving you CRAZY that you can't do on a Disney site, but want to be able to do? In addition, what drives you CRAZY about a site that you like, and would love to avoid? What would make you come back to a site day after day after day as well?

After telling a few people about my dream, two of my friends on Twitter ACTUALLY said they would like to see this come true. One owns a design firm, and the other is a social media guru. We would still need to find programmers and an illustrator, but that will come in time. We will put out requests for help once we get past the design stage. 

Anyway, that is why I say I want to make Walt Disney proud. I want to create a site that is truly about people - people creating friendships, children and parents strengthening bonds, and absolute strangers saying hello to each other. This is what I think has been cultivated on twitter, and this is what I would like to expand upon as a natural extension with DisneyDean.com. Remember, the site is not about me - I probably won't even have an 'about me' section on there. I just want it to be a tie-in to what we've done on Twitter, and through the blog. If I can help to do that, it will truly be a dream come true. If the site ever takes on sponsorship to help pay for hosting, etc, NO COMPANY will ever run the site, and you will be able to share deals from whatever site you find. Plain and simple! If you are a Disney travel agent, you can feel comfortable to share your deals and tell people about yourself - ya just don't want to be annoying about it! LOL

Walt, I hope you like what you see when it is finished. It will definitely be because of you! 
 

Check out this great site for DisneyWorld holidays

--- DisneyDean

 

What are the odds? My Disney Dream Job Coincidence!

SO, I went out with a friend to a great new restaurant and brewpub in my city of Duluth, MN last night. It is in a restored "iron works" facility, and it has been renovated beyond belief! It's just incredible. So we are talking away, when a person sits down next to us. He was a very kind person - we'll call him Andy (for Toy Story), and I would say he was in his 50s. Well, at some point, he mentions that he used to live in Orlando. I, of course, got all excited, and mentioned that I was a Disney fanatic, and that I just can't get enough of Disney. Andy said "I used to work for Disney - I was with them for about 15 years, and it was the best experience of my life." He mentioned that he would still be with them today, but that he had to leave because it was a rough time in his life. He even mentioned that he went through Disney's chef program, and is now a chef.

This is where the REAL coincidence comes in! He said "ya know - of ALL the jobs I've ever had in my life - my favorite was selling popcorn outside Cinderella Castle". Now, ANYONE who knows me has probably heard me say a hundred times that my dream job was selling popcorn outside Cinderella Castle! I asked him which popcorn stand he was at - and he said the one to the right, just after you come off Main Street U.S.A. ANOTHER coincidence!

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and I'm still trying to figure out why I met the popcorn guy that had my dream job! Isn't that cool? I just think the odds are pretty incredible. I know a lot of people must have worked in that spot over the years, but finding a random person at a brewpub in Duluth, MN has got to be pretty amazing odds!

--- DisneyDean :)  

Photo from Flickr user awl11 - check it out! Great pics!

Disney Fan Interview with MarkKeren

I am so excited to announce another great interview on MyDisneyBlog.com! This idea was suggested by Nicholas Tedesco, also known as @DisneyandBeyond on twitter. I thought it was such a great idea, that I asked him if it would be OK to use it on MyDisneyBlog. 

This is the second in a running series of interviews I am doing with random Disney fans. The second person to offer to answer the questions was Mark Wojtowicz Jr (known on twitter as @MarkKeren). Thanks so much for offering to answer the questions, Mark and for your patience as I took a temporary break from blogging :)

1) What is the first Disney animated film that you vividly remember seeing as a child? (submitted by @markymarc70) 

I loved Lady & the Tramp, the Fox and the Hound as well as other Disney animated films in the early to mid-eighties. However, the first Disney movie I remember being blown away by was the Little Mermaid. I must have been 13 or 14 at the time and my cousin had brought the VHS tape over.  As soon as the movie ended I rewound it and watched it again.  I'm sure the advent of the VHS contributed to making this memory so vivid in my mind but I couldn't get enough of that movie. I've lost count how many times I've seen it but it is still one of my favorites.  

2) What is the number one thing that makes you "The True Disney Fan" (submitted by @mayzic, as well as @WDWJill)

What a tough question. I would have to say that it is my affection for the concept of Disney and Walt's vision as a whole. It is so much more than the movies, merchandise, and parks. A business model not only predicated on the idea of profit but to create an experience unlike any other. An experience you can feel when you watch the movies, visit the parks and interact with the cast members. A simple goal to bring happiness at all cost.     

3) How deep into Disney do you think you are compared to how people around you think you're into it? (submitted by @BMSLOU)

I think they are the same. I would imagine people who don't know me well are more surprised to find I'm as big a Disney fan as I am.

4) What attraction/event, etc defines "Disney" to you? (submitted by @yourcuppycake)

The monorail ride to the Magic Kingdom. The feeling you get in your stomach as you pass through the Contemporary.  The excitement you feel when you see Space Mountain in the distance.  The flutter you get in your heart when you arrive at the station, walk down the ramp and up to the train station and finally walking through the gates and onto Main St USA. I could spend hours walking up and down that street, wandering through the shops and just soaking in everything.  And nothing is like the feeling you get when you look down Main Street and see the castle for the first time that day. The whole experience is breathtaking and all you have done is arrived.    

5) What draws you back to Walt Disney World or Disneyland time after time? (submitted by @bonnieg88)

The quality of what they do.  The parks always look new and clean. They have created some of the most memorable  movies and animated characters of all time. Not to mention, they have somehow managed to bottle childhood wonderment. It doesn't matter how old you are, you can completely lose yourself in your imagination, like you did when you were a kid.  It is truly magical.    

6) What are your impressions of Disney Cast Member's? (submitted by @afterthemouse)

They are fantastic! So dedicated to playing their roles and making the entire experience so great.  When my wife and I retire, we hope to join them to make someone else's experience memorable.

7) What made you fall in love with Disney, and when did this happen? (submitted by @marcmantoo, as well as @tiffiniholland)

I was always a fan of the cartoons as a kid. The classics with Mickey, Donald & Goofy as well as just about every animated feature Disney has released.  But I fell in love the first time I went to Walt Disney World.  I was a junior in high school, 1993 and I went with my family.  Everything about the experience was surreal, dreamlike.  I had always wanted to go there since I knew it existed and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. The intricate theming, dedicated cast members and commitment to excellance solidified my life long love with Disney.

8) How do you save money for Disney trips? (submitted by @Disneyfotoblog)

It hasn't really been a problem. We are pretty fiscally responsible and also get some help with our Chase Disney Rewards Card. My wife and I also don't have kids. I understand they can be rather expensive.

9) What is your Disney "happy thought"? (submitted by @Disneyfotoblog)

Main Street USA. I love it. I can walk up and down it all day, wandering in all the shops, people watching from the benches at the train station.  I remember the first time we went to Disney, they had a theater that played the six original Mickey cartoons in black and white. I remembered when we were leaving, it was the last thing I had to visit before we left.  When I was in the theater, I felt my heartbreaking at the idea of having to leave. I promised that I would be back one day.  I don't know if I was promising Mickey, Walt or myself but Disney has been a part of many landmark events in my life.   

10) What would be your "Perfect" Disney vacation? (submitted by @Disneyfotoblog)

A tour with Walt would be a dream come true.  If we are talking about something that could actually happen, a tour with an imagineer, preferably the old timers...or stay in the castle.   

11) Name something you've never done at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, but it seems like everyone else has. (Submitted by @rickgregg)

Honestly, I can't think of anything.  I've even done things that people didn't know you could do like Segway around the world showcase and behind the scenes tours. I highly recommend both.   

12) When you take a mental trip to a Disney park, where do you imagine yourself? (submitted by @deefordisney)

The Magic Kingdom, either on the monorail ride to get there, on Main Street USA or walking through the castle to get to Fantasyland.

13) What is your NUMBER ONE "must do" at Walt Disney World or Disneyland? (submitted by @dwsandy)

For me, it is to walk through the castle into Fantasyland. It is my favorite of all the themed lands at the Magic Kingdom.  I find the experience very similar to the monorail ride up to the park.  It's just Magical.

14) What is your favorite Disney song? (submitted by @tiffiniholland)

Wow, I don't think I could narrow it down to one song. How about movies. It would have to be either Aladdin or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Aladdin's songs are so fun and a Whole New World really puts into words what it feels like to fall in love. Hunchback's theme and strong vocal choir gives me chills every time I hear it. The songs really compliment the film and enhance the story telling.  I look forward to when Disney gets back to the musicals like the Little Mermaid.

15) What attraction, movie, or song sums up your love of Disney? Why? (submitted by @MagicNeverEnds)

I would have to go back to the monorail ride up to the Magic Kingdom. It is so dramatic and awe inspiring. You travel from the parking lot, over a lake, through a cool looking hotel building up to the Magic Kingdom. It was so well thought out. I love it.

16) What is it about your favorite Disney Park that makes it so magical to you? (submitted by @MagicalMousecap)

I feel like I keep repeating myself but it is the details. The heavy theming is so interesting to me. I think it enhances the entire experience. No one else puts that much effort into an attraction.

17) What is your favorite attraction, and why? What is your least favorite attraction, and why? (submitted by @imacdan)

Just about anything with audio animatronics. They absolutely capture my imagination and they keep getting better.  Any Fantasyland dark ride, the Carousel of Progress, the Hall of Presidents, I enjoy them all. 

18) What is your favorite World Showcase Country? (submitted by @DisneyandBeyond)

I don't think I have one. I have countries I don't have a interest in but not a favorite. I like Japan and China for the food, England for the beer, America for the show and Mexico for the atmosphere.

19) Most Underrated Disney Parks moments? (submitted by @DisneyandBeyond)

The only thing I can think of is the Monorail. I love that thing. I could ride it all over the place. I think it adds so much to the ambiance of the experience.  Maybe the trams. Those guys are great. Who expects to be entertained while getting to and from your car.

20) Most Underrated Disney Movie? Character? (submitted by @DisneyandBeyond)

I'd have to say Hunchback of Notre Dame and Quasimoto.  I'm a huge fan of the music and the stories theme "don't judge a book by it's cover".      

21) Favorite Disney TV Show? (submitted by @DisneyandBeyond)

The Wonderful World of Disney.  It was the gateway drug that lead to my Disney addiction.  My favorites were when Walt would take you behind the scenes. I am always fascinated to seeing how things work and Walt was always careful to not spoil the magic of it all by not giving away too much. I really miss him.  

Thanks again to Mark for the great interview! I look forward to seeing many more interviews over the coming months. 

--- DisneyDean (@DisneyDean on twitter)