General DisNerd stuff, about life, the company and such. For posts that don’t fall into a more specific category.
Although it’s been said many times, many ways…
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or any other holiday… May this season be joyous and happy for each and everyone of my fellow DisNerds. I thank you for your continued support, and wish each and every one of you a very happy holiday!
See you in 2015!!!
It’s been over a year since Disney started their #DisneySide social media campaign, and with the “Haunt Your Disney Side” contest recently announced, it looks as though it will be continuing for a while.
And that’s just fine with me.
If you’re unsure as to what “Disney Side” means, exactly, it’s defined by Disney as follows: “It’s the side you simply can’t wait to share. It’s the side of you that laughs more, screams more, and just plain lives life to the fullest. It’s the side of you that comes out to play the moment you and your family step through the gates of a Disney theme park.” I think as fans of Disney, many of us can relate to that statement and agree we definitely DO have a Disney Side. At the same time, I think there’s even more to it than that.
To me, a Disney Side isn’t JUST about the parks. It’s about Disney, and how different aspects of it are brought out through our personalities in daily life. It’s that side of us that causes us to find “hidden Mickeys” in the clouds. It’s the part that has to burst out singing, “To defeat… the Huns!” anytime someone says, “Let’s get down to business.” It’s that lump in your throat any time you hear the familiar strains of “When You Wish Upon a Star.” It’s the fact that while Disney may not rule our lives, it’s such a part that if it was no longer there, we’d feel as though something was missing.
So when this campaign first launched, I knew it was something I could definitely get into. Little did I know how into it I’d be getting.
Shortly after it was announced, Disney also launched a “Show Your Disney Side” Vine contest, challenging fans to show their Disney Side through a roughly six second video. Although I had heard of Vine, it was not an app I was familiar with using. This was soon to change. Over the course of about two weeks, the DisNerd family started brainstorming, scripting, and executing ideas for the sake of showing off our Disney Side selves.
Our ideas ranged from simple….
… to paying tribute to favorite films…
…or theme park attractions….
…. and just outright punny.
After multiple videos, we realized how much fun we were having showing off our Disney Sides. It brought out creativity, playfulness, and family togetherness, creating memories that will last a lifetime. However, we had an idea for one more Vine. One that pretty much encapsulated how we felt about taking trips to Disneyland. With that in mind, we scripted out our idea, with input from all three of us, coming up with the following:
It’s a little hard to explain why, but when we finished with this Vine, we just looked at each other and said, “This is it. This is the one. If we have a chance of winning in the contest, it’s this one.” And with that, our Vine entries were done. Sure enough, over a week later, I was contacted that “Dreaming of Disney” had indeed won the daily contest! And while that was a grand accomplishment, the bigger one was this creative flow that had come from it all – one that had inspired us to have fun and bond over something we truly loved.
If we felt our Disney Side had shown before, it definitely seems to be showing even more now! We have done more Vine videos for fun, we have encouraged ourselves to try new things (such as a Run Disney event next year), and just embrace our love for the company started by Walt even more than we already did!
Another way we show our Disney Side? Disney Bounding – Dapperly, of course!
So thank you, Disney. Thank you for introducing the #DisneySide campaign. For inspiring us and countless others to be able to share our individual Disney Sides with a like minded group! What about you, fellow DisNerds? Have you participated in any official #DisneySide promotions? Or, how do you show your Disney Side elsewhere? I’d love to hear!
Greetings all – long time no talk!
Today, I thought I’d tackle perhaps the nearest and dearest subject that I can when it comes to this site and yours truly: Why I write, and why sometimes it seems there are huge gaps when I don’t.
So why do I write?
Well, the answer to that is quite simple, honestly. I love to write. It’s something I love to do. When I sit down at a keyboard, or with pen and paper in hand (which, I’ll be honest, doesn’t happen frequently), the words start flowing. It frees the soul – it’s a true passion of mine. If I could get paid to write for a living I would in a heartbeat. In fact, I have a few things I’m working on (non-Disney related) to work toward that goal someday. But I digress….
Why do I write about Disney?
First and foremost, it’s because I love Disney. With such a vast richness that the company and its history have to offer, along with my experiences with them, I feel there is so much to be said. Not that Disney is the only thing in life I feel is worth writing about – nor the only thing I love. Nonetheless, it is a powerful subject that touches so many.
Which brings me to the second reason….
Because Disney reaches so many, we have common bonds. We have fond memories of the past and often savor the hope and challenge of the future. We also have areas of disagreement as well. Many out there like to point out flaws they see within the company: in the parks, films, leadership. Now, I’m not saying that criticisms are bad. In fact, they’re quite necessary – if we didn’t have a voice, there would be no individuality, no changes. However, many sites and blogs, when they start with criticisms…. Well, let’s just say the entire area seems to take on a very cynical tone. It soon becomes a place looked at as a “Disney bashing” site, which, may or may not be entirely fair based on the situation.
Nonetheless, seeing so much in the way of criticism sent me on a course of thinking: what if I started writing about the positives? The reasons I love Disney? The magical moments, the theme parks, music, movies… there’s just so much to speak happy thoughts of! Thus, Confessions of a DisNerd was born. In doing so, I have strived to keep a positive and upbeat vibe in everything I post.
It’s not always easy. There are times I don’t agree with decisions the Walt Disney Company has made. I think this is to be expected in every corporation, as well as in any walk of life including familial relations and friendships. If we all agreed 100% of the time, things would just be…well, weird. When it comes to such things, however, I choose to not post or talk about it here. There are plenty of sites and blogs willing to discuss those matters, so why not leave it to them? I prefer to discuss the good instead.
I will admit, when it comes to negative posts on other blogs and sites, things can get downright vitriolic. Even from those who look to defend Disney, many times arguments get reduced to name calling and incredulous statements. Nowhere is this more evident than in social media, where thoughts and arguments get reduced to memes and 140 characters. I’ve allowed myself to get caught up in this whirlwind at times, not by throwing myself into the thick of the fight, but by reading and stewing. There’s a real danger in battling negativity to become negative yourself, and this is not okay. In these times, however, I will ultimately say, I have handled it the wrong way.
I stop writing.
I get so fed up with the arguments over leadership, films, theme parks, etc. that I forget to focus on the things I love instead of the arguments that I see come across my Twitter feed. When this happens, I’m not in much of a writing mood, sad to say. But perhaps I should be. Perhaps I should remember the happy things: the music I grew up on, the tv shows and movies I still love, seeing the world of Disney through my daughter’s eyes instead of those of a grumpy old me.
Why do I tell you all of this? Simply, there are times, especially in the recent past, where I have been lax in posting here, or on the social media outlets I have. While yes, things have been busy outside of the blog (life – what’s up with that?), there’s no reason to not remember the positives. That’s what Confessions is all about, after all!
I would love to say, “Starting today, expect more posts – even a few a week!” But I don’t want to promise what I can’t deliver. I do, however want you, my dear readers who have come with me on this journey thus far to know this: I will try to remember the happiness that Disney brings me, especially in times I am brought down elsewhere. In fansites, in social media, in life outside of the World of Walt, I think this is something we can all do. Focus on what makes us happy.
For me, that’s writing. And I look forward to doing more of it.
“There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware… It’s a small world after all.” – Richard and Robert Sherman
“it’s a small world” at Disneyland
It’s the ride and song people love to mock and say they hate. It’s the valley of the dolls in the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s the attraction people most fear getting stuck on. So much so, in fact, that many refuse to ride it. It’s the song that has at times been used as a punchline in Disney movies itself.
It’s also the first attraction we took our daughter on when she visited Disneyland for the first time. It’s the ride that I find myself wanting to do at least once every day of my trip. It’s a song that has shaped not just my philosophy on why I love to write about Disney, but thoughts on life itself.
Yes, we have our differences. But we all have hopes and fears, excitements and disappointments. And I believe in lifting each other up, encouraging, and helping others to smile within the darkness we feel at times. We’re human, and need to treat each other accordingly. I feel that in reaching out to our fellow human beings, we’re helping ourselves as much as each other. Be positive. Learn to look past our differences to love each other. We may not agree on things, but perhaps…there’s some common ground. The mountains may divide us; the oceans may separate us. But in this day and age especially, the world is getting smaller and smaller in terms of communicating and reaching our fellow human beings. When I think of the song in those terms, when I ride a boat through various countries and see smiling, happy children… I believe the world CAN be better.
There’s a video that I love watching to this day of songwriter Richard Sherman, beginning the song as originally intended – as a ballad. It really drives home the lyrics for me, and many times brings a tear to my eye:
This, to me, is the perfect example of the mastery of the Sherman Brothers’ music in score and lyric. As the story goes, the original concept was for the children of each country to sing their own national anthem. However, on a boat ride, the overlapping songs made for a jumbled, Tower of Babel-esque mess. How beautiful and symbolic for these two to come up with a melody and infusion of lyrics that would carry from room to room regardless of the language in which it was delivered!
A couple years back, upon the passing of Robert Sherman, his son (and co-director of “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story”) wrote the following in memoriam of his father:
“From the time the ride opened, it was a tradition for the Bob Sherman family to always go on “It’s a Small World,” every time we visited Disneyland. Dad would be on the boat, but he never took in the ride. He’d watch the children’s faces. Dad studied their awe and wonder and loved that, by the end of the ride, these kids would know the words and be singing along. He’d always tear up.
Dad told me he wished he could just stand at the end of that ride and shake everyone’s hand as they stepped off the boat. He wanted to thank each person for listening, for taking to heart his deceptively simple message of peace and brotherhood….
….It warms my heart to know Dad’s messages of peace and love, brotherhood, charity and humility, hope — and family — are there forever in his and my Uncle’s songs. And I know that somewhere in the world right this very moment, some child is learning and singing out Dad’s lovely words and Dick’s gorgeous melodies — “It’s a Small World” or one of the Sherman Brothers’ thousand other beloved songs. Simple, sing-able and sincere. And these children will, in turn, pass them onto their own. And my Dad is right there with them, smiling through a tear. As I am now.
Dad and his dear, sweet heart and brilliant mind will live on forever. His ride may be over, but when you sing his words, know that Bob Sherman is smiling down on you — and wishing he could shake your hand. —– Thank you.”
Thanks for your words, Jeff. I have no doubt that he is and lives on, not only in this attraction, but in so many other works as well.
I would be remiss in not mentioning others who helped make “it’s a small world” what it is. Wonderful legends such as Mary Blair, Alice Davis, Harriet Burns, Rolly Crump. Their contributions to costuming, architecture and color design helped turn a boat ride in a show building into a beautiful work of art. And of course, the man who dreamed it up and really believed in the message he put forward, Walt Disney himself. Years from now, people will still be making fun of the song. They may still be debating whether Disney characters should have been added to the attraction, whether the outside facade should be colorful or white. Yet, I truly believe that even more people, young and old alike, will continue to ride and be amazed at the artistry and the message the attraction brings. Perhaps they will be able to forget their worries for 15 minutes as they listen to the lyrics, thinking about how wonderful life could be if we all found common ground. Maybe, for at least a moment, they really will realize that it truly IS a small world after all.
Happy birthday, “it’s a small world!” Thanks to all who made it the amazing attraction and song that it has become on a worldwide scale. Here’s to many more happy cruises!
Looking forward to setting sail again!
THE Bench. Or at least one of them. There were a few around the carousel at Griffith Park. Photo courtesy Mr. Twitchy
According to Walt, it’s important that we all remember one thing: that it was all started by a mouse. But when it comes to Disneyland, I also can’t help but think…. it was all started by a bench.
As has been repeated over the years, I’m sure by now we all know the story. Walt would occasionally take his daughters on a date to Griffith Park for a day together. As the girls would ride the carousel at the park, Walt would sit and watch, eating popcorn and thinking. Thinking about a park where parents could enjoy themselves as much as their children. Where entire families could have fun instead of someone being relegated to a bench. This bench proved to be a catalyst for Disneyland – a theme park that far exceeded those expectations.
Therefore, it was somewhat both fitting and ironic, when asked by a friend where my favorite spot in Disneyland to just “hang” was, that I responded with “a bench.” But not just any bench. While there are many places to take it easy and rest in the park, there’s one location in my opinion that has the others beat.
Simple, unassuming… and the perfect spot. Photo Courtesy of Mr. Twitchy
While not as exciting as an attraction, nor as appetite satisfying as a restaurant, there’s something incredibly amazing to me about sitting on a bench at the base of Main Street Station, looking out at Main Street toward Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. As one sits on one of these benches, especially later at night, one gets a true feeling of how amazing the park can really be.
Imagine sitting on a bench, listening to turn-of-the-century style music, hearing conversations between cast members and guests, seeing guests hurry into stores to make last minute purchases. Observing other guests as they leave the park for the day with children passed out in strollers. These same little ones who started the day with such energy and excitement are now reliving the adventure in their dreams. While sitting it that spot, you get a whiff of the popcorn from the nearby stand in Town Square, beginning to contemplate giving in and getting your own box. Keep a sharp eye out and you may see a feral cat scurry by amidst all the hustle and bustle, causing you wonder how it feels to be a small feline living in a land of over-sized mice.
If you look further down Main Street, you can see, against a backdrop of a European castle, the outline of a man and a mouse smiling at all the happy guests. At that moment, you turn to look to the fire station and see a light on – indicating that the same man’s spirit lives on…
Yes, that bench is the ultimate “just hang” spot for me. And perhaps that’s the ultimate beauty of Walt’s original Magic Kingdom. With so much to enjoy for the whole family, the benches placed throughout the park give us a view to such an amazing panorama of everything that makes it truly magical.
With that being said, now I ask, dear readers and fellow DisNerds – Do you have a favorite spot to just relax and enjoy within Disneyland or any of Disney’s theme parks for that matter? I’d love to hear from you as well!
On a side note – this weekend (Feb 21st-23rd), Confessions will once again be at Disneyland, including participating in Dapper Day festivites! Make sure you’re following on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for updates and pictures from the park!
Note: During the months of November and December, I will be posting something I am thankful for within the spectrum of Disney. With so much negativity in the world, I encourage everyone to be thankful and count their blessings.
One of my favorite promotional photos of Walt Disney.
Though there are so many facets of the man’s life worth celebrating, today, we celebrate the man himself. Happy birthday, Walt.
He was a man of humble beginnings. A boy with a paper route. A kid who sold candy on trains. A teenage ambulance driver for the Red Cross. A young man full of ideals and dreams who knew how to work to make it happen. A man who sacrificed much of what he had in order to fulfill said dreams. A man who left this world a better place because he was in it.
Walt wasn’t perfect – to place him on a shrine as such would be foolish and naive. Not every idea he had worked, many risks he took put him in the red, and according to many of his animators and employees, he had a temper that turned him into a “wounded bear.” Nonetheless, he had a drive and an instinct so rare in the world. More often than not, his instinct proved right. Holding back a couple Mickey Mouse cartoons in order to introduce him to the world in sound? Mickey became an overnight sensation. Making a feature length animated movie based on a fairy tale? “Disney’s Folly” was anything but. A theme park in an orange grove in the middle of nowhere? Yes, that one seemed to turn out just fine.
But as stated above, these things didn’t fall in his lap. He had to fight the naysayers tooth and nail: bankers, animators, business analysts, his own brother… But he always saw it through with hard work, big ideas, clever fixes and involvement. There’s an oft attributed to Walt quote that makes its way through different venues – “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” Though this quote was not actually from Walt Disney, (it actually came from Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald), one can see why it could be from him. Only, had Walt said it, it would probably sound something closer to, “If you dream it, follow through. Work hard to make it happen. Follow those dreams into a reality. You CAN do it.”
To me, the man I remember and admire today is the man who had dreams and followed through. He knew people would come to his movies and his parks if he put in the care needed to make it happen. I think today that is sorely missed. Truth be told, as much as we look for “the next Walt,” there will never be another. However, if we use him as an example, perhaps we can keep the spirit and ideals alive.
Thank you for all you did and started, Walt. Thank you for being that example. Happy Birthday, sir.
Note: During the months of November and December, I will be posting something I am thankful for within the spectrum of Disney. With so much negativity in the world, I encourage everyone to be thankful and count their blessings.
Note #2: I realize Hayden covered this subject quite wonderfully in his article, “So Long, Diane.” I am thankful for his words – I just needed to take the time to write this one out, as I am truly thankful for her legacy, and felt the need to share what she meant to me personally.
Diane Disney Miller, standing in front of one of her greatest contributions to the DIsney legacy: The Walt Disney Family Museum.
Some people touch your life in ways you never truly realize until they’re gone.
Perhaps there was this naivete in the mind of this DisNerd (and many other fans) that you’d be around forever, Diane Disney-Miller. That your voice would be heard by legions of fans worldwide of your father’s legacy. That you would continue to work to preserve the memory of what he built with not just your memories and words, but also driving forward projects such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Walt Disney Family Museum. That you would fight and speak out against the Disney company when something wasn’t right. That you would be the voice of the family for many years to come.
Perhaps it was this fantastic assumption of time standing still that made this news quite a bitter pill to take. However, beyond this, there was the fact of where I heard the news. Much like the day I heard of Robert Sherman’s passing, I was enjoying a family vacation at the Disneyland Resort. Stopping for lunch in Downtown Disney, I checked my phone for anything of interest, only to receive a notification from my friend Hayden on the passing of Diane Disney-Miller. Time really did stand still for a brief instant, and I’m not ashamed to say a few tears welled up in my eyes. I mean, here was this great voice for Disney heritage, and it had been silenced. A void that could never be filled. The one living person who had not a working relationship with Walt, but a life relationship. Someone who inspired Walt to do many of his magnificent “things,” from a theme park in Anaheim to an amazing Disney classic movie called Mary Poppins. This person knew the importance of preserving a legacy and not tarnishing a name. “What would Walt do?” is a dangerous question to be asked, but she was one of the few who could probably answer correctly – at least more than others.
Diane also wrote a wonderful series of articles on her dad for the Saturday Evening Post.
The following morning in DIsneyland, their was a definite air of bittersweet looking out over town square. Amidst Christmas celebrations on the minds of guests, and many oblivious to Diane’s passing, or what she meant to many, the flags stood at half-staff and I was once again reminded of her voice, influence and inspiration. Standing on the platform to the Main Street Station, I glanced to my left, where a light is left on in Walt’s apartment above the fire station, and thought to myself…. She must be having a heck of a carousel ride right now.
Picture taken November 20th, 2013, the morning after Diane’s passing.
Diane, I hope this is true. I hope your dad has left his park bench and your whole family is riding in a row. Thank you so much for all you did to inspire your father as well as preserve his legacy. I will always be thankful.
One can only imagine the energy running through Walt’s head as he sat at on that “dirty” Griffith Park bench, watching his two daughters ride on the nearby carousel. Walt Disney claims this to be where his dream of Disneyland first began.
You wonder what sparked the dream.
Sure, Walt loved trains, and perhaps wanted a place he could showcase that love.
Certainly he thought his films and their stories were great enough to replicate in the third-dimension.
The idea of creating a theme-park had to have intrigued someone with the urban-developing and civil-designing mind that he had.
However, this author best assumes, from the stories I’ve heard told, that Walt Disney’s dream began not for any type of self-aggrandizement, but for his daughters. Watching Diane and Sharon ride around and around on that carousel, he began dreaming of a land, a kingdom where his two daughters could have all the clean, safe, imaginative fun that their hearts could dream up. Such a place was what Disneyland became. I see Disneyland and all other Disney Parks to be more of a “grand playground” for a man’s daughters than anything, a thoughtful gift from father to child, part of why I think those parks are so personally endearing.
Walt Disney shares a story with his two daughters, Sharon and Diane.
Such seems to be the case with all of Walt’s creations. His dreams began at his home. His children had began reading these little story books about a nanny in England that flew around with an umbrella. His children loved them so much, he thought certainly he could bring this “Mary Poppins” character to life for them in a far greater way.
It’s my opinion, and you can hold me to it, but if it wouldn’t have been for Walt’s two daughters, I can’t imagine many of Disney’s greatest moments ever coming to fruition. They certainly wouldn’t have turned out the way they have. There certainly wouldn’t have been the same motives behind it. We have so very much to thank his girls for.
It hurts my heart to report that Diane Disney Miller, the oldest of Walt’s daughters, has passed away due to complications from a fall she had taken earlier, at the age of 79.
Diane Disney Miller, standing in front of one of her greatest contributions to the DIsney legacy: The Walt Disney Family Museum.
I can claim absolutely no close, personal association to Diane, or with anyone in the Disney family. I am merely an admirer of such. However, this news comes as such a hit to the heart to all of us Disney loyal. Diane was the last surviving member of Walt’s immediate family. Truly, she was the sole biological child of Lilian and Walt. As such, she had a way of catching my attention when I saw her on-screen in several various Disney documentaries. The thought was always, “I’m looking at Walt Disney’s daughter; can I see Walt in her?” You always could. That twinkle in Uncle Walt’s eye we’re all so very fond of was present in Diane’s. The simplistic joy she expressed as she relived stories of her growing up as the daughter of Walt immediately identified her as a Disney, her father possessing a similar enthusiasm for story-telling. Diane, thank you for helping to tell your father’s story, for being such “a fierce guardian” (as Bob Iger so aptly put it) of his name and legend. In doing such, thank you for sharing with us your own story, for showing us that the “Disney magic” wasn’t exclusive to one man.
Diane, we’re so very sad to see you go. With all of our hearts, we say “thank you.” My thoughts and prayers extend to the family and friends you’ve left here. I hope your reunion with your dear sister, with your father and mother, was as sweet and joyful as you’d ever have dreamed it to be.
– Hayden Evans
The author recommends reading THIS ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES for a more concise, informative post on Diane’s passing.
Note: During the months of November and December, I will be posting something I am thankful for within the spectrum of Disney. With so much negativity in the world, I encourage everyone to be thankful and count their blessings.
Sometimes the right words from the right person can make all the difference.
If there’s one thing in life I need to be mindful of, it’s dwelling on mistakes. If I were to spend too much time thinking of what I did wrong, I wouldn’t be able to see all that’s before me. I believe this is a lesson many of us still need to learn – I’m learning it daily. Perhaps this is why the following quote means so much to me:
“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney
What an example he set. While we tend to remember the accomplishments, we need to remember that Walt had his share of failure and setbacks. Movies such as Pinocchio and Fantasia, although labeled as classics today, were not considered a success. Disneyland didn’t run smoothly upon opening, and even before it opened, many attractions were scrapped. If he had dwelt on those setbacks, would he have had the time to keep coming up with new ideas? Or, going back to my day one “Thankful For Disney” post, what if he had given up in frustration at losing the Oswald character? To quote an old song, “WHAT? No Mickey Mouse?”
No, Walt was most definitely a forward thinker. I’m thankful for this, not only because of what it meant to the company we all know and love. Even more, it serves as inspiration for me in my life, and keeps me moving forward as well. So thank you, Walt for great words to remember and live by.
Note: During the months of November and December, I will be posting something I am thankful for within the spectrum of Disney. With so much negativity in the world, I encourage everyone to be thankful and count their blessings.
This may not be the most Disney-centered thankful post, but nonetheless, I’m thankful and this needs to be said.
Today marks post number 100 on Confessions of a DisNerd. A year and a half ago I started this journey as an exercise in not just writing, not just writing about Disney, but writing about Disney in a positive manner. Today, I look back at the blog, feeling proud of what I’ve been able to do so far. Yes, there were times I stumbled through a bit of writer’s block. But I also had enough of a love and appreciation of Disney that I knew inspiration would strike again. As I continue this “Thankful For Disney” series, I realize there’s so much more I’ve yet to talk about – this gives me inspiration to keep going!
But what gives me even more inspiration to keep going is you, the readers. While I’m not doing Confessions for popularity or notoriety, it still warms my heart to see your “likes,” your shares, your page views and your comments. Seeing readers react and comment with their own stories and thoughts gives one an awesome feeling of community. Knowing there are people out there that are getting something out of the words I write truly means a lot to this blogger.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading. I hope you’re all still around for post number 200, and beyond. I love sharing these thoughts with all of you – thanks for coming along on the ride!
Confessions Of A DisNerd 