Cinderella Castle Balloon

Walt Disney Dances The Night Away at Disneyland

In this 1958 photo, Walt is having so much fun dancing at Carnation Plaza Gardens.

Mickey in Vintage Guest Room at Disney's Contemporary Resort in 1972

This photo was taken in 1972 in one of the resort rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World Resort.

Minnie in a vintage guest room at Disney’s Polynesian Resort in 1985

A Haunted Mansion is Built [Vintage Picture]

Here is a look at The Haunted Mansion while it was still under construction on February 24, 1971.

Mickey’s Super-Stretch LiMOUSEine

---

“Make it a stretch; in fact make it a super stretch.” You may not know but Rock 'n' Roller Coaster's limo wasn’t the first super-stretch limo to hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Mickey Mouse also had a limo of his own? Take a look at this beauty.

That’s a 40-foot LiMOUSEine that Mickey Mouse rode while on a 37-city tour promoting the opening of the Disney-MGM Studios in 1989.

LiMOUSEine’s features: Four cellular phones, a radio remote DJ booth, two Sony TVs with VCRs, and four sunroofs. But, the crown gem has to be that hood ornament: a 24-karat gold-plated Tinker Bell and a lot of pixie dust!

The LiMOUSEine was also equipped with a Sony RDSS Wayfarer Mobile Communication System, which allowed Minnie to pinpoint Mickey’s whereabouts on a personal computer back at home.

And just in time for the Walt Disney World Resort 25th Anniversary, the LiMOUSEine got a paint job.

* All pictures by Disney

Walt Disney at Café Orleans and Plaza Inn [1966]

Walt Disney at Café Orleans and Plaza Inn [1966]

Shortly after New Orleans Square opened in 1966, Walt posed for this photo with Cast Members at the Creole Café. Later renamed Café Orleans, you can still find delicious desserts, and of course, espresso there.

Nowadays, you can go to Café Orleans to see the very same espresso machine pictured with Walt after all these years.

These little connections to Walt Disney are always a special treat to discover at Disneyland park. Do you have a favorite place or item in the parks that especially reminds you of Walt?

And we have one more picture! This one was taken at the Plaza Inn, in 1966, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather share a cup of coffee with.

Fantasyland Forever

---

Gene Duncan (photographer) had the privilege of experiencing the magic and beauty of Walt Disney World Resort for 36 years, usually with camera in hand. Granted, he has also had extraordinary access to areas not usually visited by Disney guests.

Five years ago, He spent an afternoon at the Walt Disney World Horticulture compound, commonly referred to as the “tree farm”, wandering through the topiary construction area. Millions of guests have admired the finished pieces inside our parks, but few have seen them before or after their days “onstage”. I love “getting lost” there when I can …

This image is one of a series noting the ultimate whimsy in truly inanimate objects. The original transparency was made using a Fuji 680 medium format camera, and then converted to black and white.

Picture posted at the official Disney Parks blog on September 30th, 2009 by Gene Duncan, Photographer, Walt Disney World Resort

The King of Disneyland

This photo shows Walt Disney standing on the Mark Twain in Disneyland park in July 1955, just days before the park officially opened to the public.

DHS - Opening Team - Cast Member

Picture from my great Disney friend: http://twitter.com/AskDisneyGuide

Figment Figure with Vintage Epcot Sign

Dockside Diner at Hollywood Studios