Songs Live On

Just this week, the Disney community have been mourning the loss of someone who put the music into many of our hearts: Robert B. Sherman, who died on Monday 5th March at the age of 86.

How he and his brother touched many of our lives with their music and songs will have been written about all over the Disney interwebs, but there is a very beautiful article written by Empire Magazine here.

Thank you for the music, Robert.

Monday Memories: Starting the Journey to a Dream

Today's Monday Memory is one very specific to me and my dream to work in Walt Disney World. The first item I am going to share with you all is the 'decision card' that I received after I had had my interview with the recruitment consultants for the Walt Disney Company.

For those of you unsure of the process, when I applied in July 2003, there was a round of interviews in November in Glasgow, Scotland (where I live). I previously had a telephone interview, which I passed, then there was an information session and a private interview. At the Interview Day we handed in a card, which would be returned to us with either 'Under Consideration' or 'We Are Sorry'. This was the card I received in the post:
And a short while later, the week before Christmas 2003, I found out I had been accepted and would start my role as a Cast Member in September 2004!

And this next piece of memorabilia is what I received when I started working as a Cast Member.

We wore this throughout our week or-so of training, attached to the bottom of our nametag, to help show that we were new Cast Members! And I will treasure this forever. This meant I was making my dream come true.

Monday Memories...Photopass

As I am currently enjoying myself in Walt Disney World (I know, way to rub-it-in!), one of the things I have really liked and utilised is the Disney PhotoPass.

When visiting the World the past couple of trips - including this one - we have done the pre-purchase Disney PhotoPass CD. This way you can get a CD of PhotoPass shots (all yours, ALL copyright too!) for $99.95 instead of the usual price. And another great benefit is if you purchase it in advance, International Shipping is free!



This way all our memories are easily kept and reviewed any time I want to see them...and it also means that I have photos of all our group, and not with me missing out (as I am usually the photo taker!).

What Do You Celebrate?

Since I started DF'82, I have been very lucky to meet and/or become friends with some fantastic people throughout the Disney Community. And as I get to know these people and their love for all things Disney, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to some of these people too!

From time to time, here at DF'82, we will get to know these Disney Fans a little bit better. I don't know about you, but I love to hear why people love the Disney parks!

Our first interviewee this week is the lovely Ryan from the Main Street Gazette. I have no doubt that you'll have visited his blog, as it is one of the most informative (and regular!) of all the blogs out there. Welcome to DF'82, Ryan!

How did you become a Disney fan?
I was born in central Florida and my first trip to Walt Disney World was when I was two months old, with that kind of a start, is it any wonder that I ended up having this passion for Disney? My father was the driving force behind my love for the theme parks, while my mom was the enthusiast for Disney animated features. So, in the end, Disney has always been a family affair, and I am my parents’ child.

What is your favourite Disney Theme Park? (This can be in any of the Resorts worldwide)
Having only ventured into the parks found in the United States my knowledge of parks worldwide is limited, although there are plenty of fantastic parks that I will find my way to in the coming years. Of the parks I have visited, I must stick with the first Florida park. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, for sheer intrigue and voluminous storytelling, is making up ground, but the Magic Kingdom has so many memories, so many stories, and so many wonderful attractions, that it is still the first place I think of when I think of a Disney park.

Which is your favourite attraction - past or present - and why?
Hands down, I love Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the Magic Kingdom more than any other attraction. It may not have the best queue or the easiest storyline to grasp from the attraction alone, but for visuals, both of and from the ride, and thrills there are no words more exciting than, “Hang on to them hats and glasses!”

Is there one show or parade, which you feels best embodies the spirit of Disney?
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth may be my favorite spectacular at Walt Disney World, but I cannot help but wipe a tear from my eye whenever I watch Wishes! It is the quintessential Disney experience. With fireworks, the characters who tug on your heartstrings, and just a bit of the fear a proper villain can bring, it is truly a magical experience.

What is your Disney "guilty pleasure"? (for example, here at DF'82 we love floors!)
I must admit, I have taken my share of photographs of floors, walkways, benches, and lampposts, but my favorite guilty pleasure is the restrooms. From the signs on the doors to the lighting fixtures, tile patterns, and other furnishings, the restrooms of Walt Disney World are a never ending supply of entertainment.

How do you bring your love of Disney into your daily life?
Aside from the Main Street Gazette, I tend to read books on Disney history and design, listen to Disney podcasts and theme park audio, especially ambient loops when I am writing, and try to wear a shirt with some type of Disney design once in a while.

Monday Memories: Disneyland's 50th

To coincide with my trip to Disneyland, California, I couldn't help but think back to my last trip in 2006. This was the year in which Disney Parks were celebrating 50 years since Walt's first park opened, in 1955.

To commemorate this special occasion, Disneyland had placed special '50's throughout the park - and, funnily enough, there were 50 of them! My friend, Disney Dave, and I made it our personal challenge to find all 50 - and we did!

So for today's memory, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite finds of the 50s found by Fee (that's a lot of 'f's).

Monday Memories - More Books!

I adore books! It's probably why I read so many blogs, and why I love to do research on all things Disney. So, you can imagine my surprise when I popped into my local library this weekend and came across these two books:

I am really looking forward to reading them - although, unfortunately, they are not small enough to put in my suitcase! The only downside is that I won't be able to keep them for myself...but in the meantime, I will cherish them and enjoy them until I can own these works.

Monday Memories... Magic Kingdom Club

While my father, the King, was doing some cleaning out, we came across some 'blasts from the Disney past' - his membership to the Magic Kingdom Club and the Disney Club. I had forgotten completely about these, but I guess it was like a D23 for the 90's.

Yesterland.com has a fantastic article detailing the origins of the Magic Kingdom Club - you can visit it here (it really is very interesting!).

The King also found this baggage tag he received as a member of the Club! I wonder if we will find any more of these kind of memories... Of course, I will share any I find with yourselves! As someone has yet to become a member of D23 (international postage and packaging is the downside), these membership cards bring back some fond memories!

We were also a member of The Disney Club - which I presume came along after the Magic Kingdom Club - another benefits programme. I found a press-release from the time the Walt Disney Company introduced this club:

Members will be connected to the latest Disney offers, savings and benefits through an exclusive member Web site at www.disneyclub.com, as well as a toll-free member services center. The offers will constantly be updated based on the latest new products from throughout Disney.

The member services center will be staffed with specially trained personnel who understand members' needs in order to provide more relevant offers and services to them. Members also will be notified of special Club offers through monthly mailings.

I can't seem to find out how long this club lasted for, but it probably wasn't very long!

Monday Memories: Creating New Ones!

In approximately 7 and a half weeks, the Royal Family will be taking a trip to Disneyland in California, to prepare for some right-Royal-races!

And to prepare myself I got a couple of books solely on Disneyland. I haven't visited the Resort since 2006 and I imagine a lot will have changed!

Are there any other books I should get, or any tips you can give us to make the most of our trip? I am especially looking forward to reading the Disney's California Adventure Detective book! I just hope that we can still explore most of the Second Gate...

Monday Memories...

I don't like to turn this blog too personal, but today's memory is from only 5 years ago...back when I was a young Princess and ready to start my first proper job, working for the Mouse at Epcot, Walt Disney World.

Little did I know this is what I would look like on a daily basis:
After the 12 months finished, I didn't want to see that costume again - although we were one of the lucky participants in World Showcase with our costume (i.e. in the middle of summer, we didn't have to wear any wool!), it was still a sight to see. Although I didn't want to remember it, I also didn't want to forget it!

So what did I do? Well, I 'borrowed' something to always think about my days at the United Kingdom Pavilion...and that cumber-band which still gives me nightmares to this day!

Monday Memories... 3D

Before I start with today's Monday Memory, I feel I must emphasise that I do not condone taking anything from Walt Disney World that you shouldn't take. That being said, over my year working and playing in the Parks, I gathered a collection of, well, um, glasses.

Yes, my aim was to obtain a pair of 3D glasses from every Disney attraction. Without causing offense, I also gathered some from Universal Studios (which are also included in the picture - sorry!). I have some very happy memories of all of these glasses. Whoever I was with, it was tradition to take a picture of us in our 3D glasses! No matter how often you wear them, it's still a funny picture, right?

So I thought that I would share this little 'memory' with you all. And I must say that this may be the last post you ever hear from me, once I am locked up in Mouse Jail...

Monday Memories - Collectables

I love to collect things - when I was younger, I started collecting badges (or buttons, as they are known in the Americas) from various places I visited. These developed into pins, and eventually, Disney Pin Trading. I also loved to collect keyrings, pencils, postcards, photographs - and on every trip to a Disney park in America, a soft toy of some kind.

I also went through a phase of collecting pressed pennies, as these were much more common at American tourist sites.

So imagine our joy, when we found something similar - although a little more expensive, but even more collectible - at the Disneyland Paris parks. There you can collect coins/medals. You can buy them in some shops, but you can mainly obtain them from medal dispensing machines scattered throughout the Resort. I think this is part of the fun - trying to find the other medals in your collection. I know I spent a fun morning rushing around (our last morning, actually!) trying to make sure I had covered every part of the park where a machine would be!

They are priced at 2 Euros each, and are created by Monnaie de Paris. They are solid coins - I'm not sure what they are made of - and are slightly bigger than a 2 euro coin (or a dollar coin) and thicker. Apart from depicting various sites/lands of the Disneyland Paris parks, each coin has a year on the back. This is probably the biggest draw - you definitely have a small, souvenir from the year you visited the Disneyland Paris resort!

Monday Memories - Ticket Books

Today's piece of memorabilia is something quite new I have - a nice gift from Tokyo Disneyland. As part of their 25th anniversary, you can buy replicas of the Ticket Books that Tokyo Disneyland used to have.
Most of you will know that the original Disney park, Disneyland, started out using Ticket Books. You would buy a Ticket Book, and each ride admittance would correspond to a different lettered ticket. Of course, it's where 'E-Ticket' attractions originate - they were the best of the best, so to speak.

Tokyo Disneyland was the last of the Theme Parks to abandon the Ticket Book - I think it was 1996/1997 that they last had the ticket books.

Monday Memorabilia...What Time Is It?

Following on from our recent Japanese travels, I thought I would share with you this beautiful piece of memorabilia that I have all the way from Tokyo Disneyland.

This calendar was available only for Cast Members in the Tokyo Disneyland Resort, and is a beautiful, glossy bigger-than-A4 souvenir. Let's have a look at some of the pictures from this month-by-month reminder of the park in Tokyo.

Monday Memories... More Pirates!

I'm in a Pirate-kinda mood at the moment - and wanted to show you one of my favourite pieces of memorabilia. Whilst not specifically related to the Disney Theme Parks, it was purchased during my year working out in Florida as an ICP.

It was the first thing I saved up for - and actually got a little help from my dad! - and it took pride of place in my little bedroom. It's a signed Pirates of the Caribbean movie poster - signed by Keira Knightley, Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom. And it is one of my most prized possessions!

I had it shipped home at the end of my program, and it is the one thing that will always remind me of my great year working at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Monday Memories - Celebrate!

The Royal Household has been going through some changes recently, which has meant going through old cupboards and boxes. So I have been finding lots of exciting things for the Monday Memories column!

But this week I wanted to share with you something fun that we found last week when in the kitchen: some Disney candles!

These originally came from my grandparents house, so I am not sure how old they are (nowhere on the box does it say) but I would imagine the early-to-mid eighties. While I don't think they are an official Disney product (although they do have copyright Walt Disney Productions), they are still something quite fun to look at.

Thank goodness Minnie doesn't really look like that, though!

Monday Memories - On a Mission

Let's go back in time - way back, again, to this Princess's first trip to the magical Walt Disney World. I thought I would share some more snaps from the Royal Archives. Remember a few weeks ago I showed you my prized autograph book? Well, the following photos show me on a mission... A mission to get a very elusive Villain's autograph! (click to enlarge!)

Here you can see me looking a little annoyed. Why annoyed? Well, I need to get some autographs for my book!

I'm getting impatient - we're getting closer, and we don't have time to be taking photographs, parents!

"Okay, fine, Mickey, if you must sign my autograph book you can! Although are you sure you don't want my autograph instead?"

"Honestly, first you make me wear these rediculous shorts and now you make me pose for more photographs?!"

Here, I manage to get an autograph - but it's not the one I need! Is that him, out of the corner of my eye?

Yes! I did it! I got Captain Hook's autograph! It's terribly difficult tracking down that villain, but I did it! Now, I just hope he doesn't throw my book in the water in a rage...

Memorabilia Monday - Photo Memories

It's another Memorabilia Monday - and today I'm going to share with you something else from my 1990 trip to Walt Disney World. A lovely, modern photo album - a great place to store all those memories from your holiday. It's made of a plastic-type material, which is also good to wipe off any marks from the front of the cover.

With the logo from Walt Disney World in the late 80s/early 90s on the front of it, it really is a collector's piece nowadays! And also has some of my very early modelling work in it - such as this beautiful pose:

Memorabilia Monday - Signatures Of The Stars

For the first Memorabilia Monday of 2009, I thought we could go back - way back! Well, way back for me - to my first ever trip to Walt Disney World, back in 1990 when I was only 8 years old. I have been going through some old souvenirs and photographs from this trip, so expect to see some of them over the course of the next few months.

And today we're going to start with something that became a staple of many young - and old! - children's trips to Disney Parks: The Autograph Book.

Mine was bought in the EPCOT Centre and features some of my favourite characters' autographs. Can you recognise them - and can you see any characters that have updated their autographs since your last visit?

Memorabilia Monday - EuroDisney

After my weekend away, and all the excitement of Halloween, Memorabilia Monday returns! At least until the run up to Christmas and the Holiday Season.

Today's piece of memorabilia that I have for you all is one I recently acquired on eBay - and is a piece of EuroDisney memorabilia. As you may, or may not, know, Disneyland Paris was originally called EuroDisney. With a re-branding to help attract more tourists, the Resort was renamed Disneyland Paris - the holding company still remains as EuroDisney, however.

Anyway, this piece I managed to obtain is a lovely little Opening Day Issue Stamp. It's not very much, but I like it because it's very hard to get any memorabilia to do with EuroDisney anymore! I'm not very much into stamps, so if there are any of you who know more about this stamp, please comment and let us all know.

Memorabilia Monday - EPCOT Centre

A couple of Mondays ago I shared with you some more of my number plate collection - and on this week's Memorabilia Monday I'd like to do the same! Hopefully you're not too bored of this...

Anyway, this time I'd like to share with you some of my EPCOT plates that I've collected through the years. Can any of you guess when they are from? It's easy to tell that the top one is from my first visit to WDW - but the rest? Even I'm having difficulty.

Oh and the 2000 one? We didn't visit Florida in 2000 so I'm guessing I got that from 2001!