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Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

YOUR PERSONAL DISNEY LIBRARY (8)

By Jim Korkis

• The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies (2003) and
• The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic (2015)

both by Jason Surrell.

The Disney theme parks around the world have attractions that share the same name but have significant differences. Not only are the it’s a small world facades and ride systems completely different at Disneyland and Walt Disney World but they also have subtle little other different touches as well.

For instance, the attraction at Disneyland has a figure honoring Imagineer Mary Blair, the original designer. At Walt Disney World, that figure is replaced with one for Imagineer Joyce Carlson, who supervised the installation of the one in Florida and at the other Disney theme parks.

The Haunted Mansion appears at every Disney theme park worldwide, but in different lands, and that affects not only the exterior show building but also how it relates to its surrounding area. Jason Surrell’s books provide a good deal of information not just about the WDW version but also a similar overview of the other incarnations around the world.

While there is certainly enough material to write a book just about Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion, it probably would not attract as wide an audience as one devoted to all the different versions.

One of the challenges in building a personal Disney library is that a book may be revised and updated and released with a slightly different title. In the process, it is not just new information that is added but older information may be omitted as well.

For instance, the 2003 book version devotes almost a third of its text to the underwhelming 2003 Eddie Murphy film based on the attraction, in order to promote the film. Those pages of material are completely missing from the 2015 version and in its place is information on Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor and new additions completed at both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions.

However, the second book does include much of the same text and illustrations as the first one. I always make sure both versions are in my library but if you can only purchase one, then the most recent edition is usually the recommended choice.

Both books are written by Imagineer Jason Surrell, who was a long time show writer for the Disney Company until he left just a couple of years ago to become a creative director at Universal Creative. Among his many credits were enhancements to the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean attractions at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

As a Disney writer, Surrell’s text is lively and informative, although there are occasional hints that he may have been constrained in some places in telling the whole story because this is an approved Disney narrative.

Not only his direct involvement in the Haunted Mansion, but also his access to proprietary Imagineering material about the history and development of the attraction, brings new stories and illustrations, and also a new perspective to things we all thought we already knew.

Which character other than Madame Leota is referred to by a specific name in the original Imagineering documentation? It is Pickwick, the ghost swinging atop the chandelier in the ballroom and holding a glass. Why is he named Pickwick? The answer is in the book.

For me, one of the delights of the book is the second half where it goes through the attraction section-by-section (with sidebars of differences at the other parks) as a virtual journey through the experience.

Surrell went on to write books about the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and the Disney mountains  and I am sure he had many, many more stories to share.

If you are particularly interested in the original Disneyland version of the Haunted Mansion, I highly recommend The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion (Second Edition 2016) by Jeff Baham, an acknowledged expert on the attraction who includes some facts and insights not in the Surrell books.

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Thanks, Jim! And come back next Friday for more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including his latest, More Secret Stories of Disneyland, and his Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, all published by Theme Park Press.

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 28 TO AUGUST 5, 2018

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on July 2018 at Disney World, see this, and for more on August, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/28-8/5/18

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 8a-10p 7/28, 9a-10p 7/29, 9a-11p 7/30 and 7/31, 8a-11p 8/1, 9a-11p 8/2, 9a-10p 8/3, 8a-10p 8/4 and 9a-10p 8/5

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open from 8a-10.30p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9a-10.30p 7/28, 9a-10p 7/29 through 7/31, 9a-9p 8/1, 9a-10p 8/2 through 8/4, and 9a-9.30p 8/5

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/28-8/5/18

Saturday 7/28 Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Sunday 7/29  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Monday 7/30  Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Tuesday 7/31 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Epcot

Wednesday 8/1 Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom

Thursday 8/2 Morning: Epcot, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Friday 8/3 Morning:  Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: Hollywood Studios

Saturday 8/4 Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Sunday 8/5  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/28-8/5/18

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9.15p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot:  9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 and 10.30p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 10p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9.15 and 10.15p 7/28 through 7/31; 9.15p 8/1; 9.15 and 10.15p 8/2 through 8/4; 9.15p 8/5

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/28-8/5/18

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

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Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

AUNTIE KAU’I AT DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT

By Jim Korkis

Three months ago, I spent over an hour sitting in the lobby of the Polynesian Village Resort. I wasn’t waiting for anything or anyone. I was sitting next to a genuine WDW treasure: Auntie Kau’i Brandt.

As she does many days, she was sitting at a table as guests rushed by, not paying any attention. She was slowly and carefully making a lei as she has done for many years. And she was very generously talking to me with a big smile on her face.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Brandt was sitting on her mother’s roof in a town near Pearl Harbor, eating mangoes off a tree with her brother.

“We saw the planes flying overhead. My mom told me, ‘It’s war. Get off the roof.’ I said, ‘What’s war?’ We didn’t know what war was. But, we learned. It was a tough time.”

Brandt grew up during a time when speaking Hawaiian was forbidden and kahiko-style (traditional) hula was taught only in secret. At the time, hula was considered vulgar because of the swaying hips and so was often used for comedic purposes with performers in cellophane skirts.

In 1971, Kau’i Brandt, better known as “Aunti Kau’i”, moved from Pearl City, Hawaii on the island of Oahu to California for eight months to perform in the Polynesian show at Disneyland’s Tahitian Terrace. She had previously been approached three different times in the 1960s by Disney representatives to relocate to Southern California but each time she refused, fearing that once she left she might never come back.

Shortly after coming to Disneyland, she moved to Florida with her husband Pono to open the Kau’i-Pono Polynesian Revue at the new Disney Polynesian Village Resort.

She was the master of ceremonies for the show and remained as a cultural representative at the resort for decades. Among other things as a cultural representative, she would sit in the lobby as she does today and create the authentic leis from real flowers to give to couples celebrating honeymoons or anniversaries as well as stopping occasionally to give children Hawaiian cookies and to give hula lessons.

She was born during a Hawaiian thunder and lightning storm in 1932 and was named “Kauihealani” which means “thundering voice of heaven”. She uses the shortened version “Kau’i”.

“I studied the dances of Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Hawaii and the Maori dances of New Zealand,” said Kau’i. “My teachers were always from the islands where the dances are still performed and knew the legends and traditions told in each dance. I taught and I learned. Many of my teachers were from the Mormon Church College on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

“When Pono and I learned that the Disney organization was looking for a company of Polynesian artists to perform at Walt Disney World in 1971, we decided to put together a show that would be both authentic and exciting.”

In 1972, the Kau’i – Pono company had twenty-eight young dancers and musicians and more than one hundred dances in their repertory. At that time, the company appeared three times nightly in the Papeete Bay Verandah restaurant and at the evening luaus on the beach.

“Guests ask us if we miss our islands, if we ever get homesick for our flowers, waterfalls, mountains and rolling waves,” smiled Brandt. “I tell them that we bring the islands with us in our songs, in our dances and especially in our spirit of aloha – the gift of the islands to all who enjoy life.”

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Thanks, Jim! There’s more on the Polynesian beginning here, and for more about Auntie Kau’i and other Poly cast members see Steve Seifert’s Tikimanpages.com here.

And come back next Friday for more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including his latest, More Secret Stories of Disneyland, and his Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, all published by Theme Park Press.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

WHAT IS DECEMBER LIKE AT DISNEY WORLD?

Early December, with lower crowds, lower prices, and wonderful Christmas decorations and events, has the best weeks of the year to visit.

Later December has the highest crowds and prices of the year.

Park closings to additional guests are possible in this later December period, as are 8a openings and more morning Extra Magic Hours than other weeks.

December also has a special party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a special evening event–with its own ticket–that has become a family tradition for many, and major New Years Eve celebrations.

Note also that picking the right park to visit each day is critical at this time of the year. See this, and use the comment form below to ask me about your specific dates!
[Read more →]

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JULY 21 TO JULY 29, 2018

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on July 2018 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 8a-10p 7/21, 9a-10p 7/22, 8a-11p 7/23 through 7/25, 9a-10p 7/26 and 7/27, 8a-10p 7/28, and 9a-10p 7/29

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open from 8a-10.30p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p 7/21, 9a-10.30p 7/22 through 7/28, and 9a-10p 7/29

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

Saturday 7/21 Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Sunday 7/22  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Monday 7/23  Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Tuesday 7/24 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Epcot

Wednesday 7/25 Morning:  Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom

Thursday 7/26 Morning: Epcot, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Friday 7/27 Morning:  Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: Hollywood Studios

Saturday 7/28 Morning: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios Evening: none

Sunday 7/29  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9.15p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot:  9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 and 10.30p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 10p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9.15 and 10.15p every night

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 7/21-7/29/18

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest!!

2018 NEW YEAR’S EVE AT DISNEY WORLD

What’s known so far is that New Year’s Eve festivities and fireworks will happen at Disney World on December 31, 2018 at Disney World’s Epcot and Magic Kingdom theme parks, and also at the Magic Kingdom on December 30.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios currently has no special New Years eve events on its calendar, but in past years has done something at midnight as well.

The Animal Kingdom in the past has had no special New Years fireworks events–usually attributed to not troubling the animals. This makes it the best park to visit for those trying to avoid crowds. Everything will be wildly crowded, but the Animal Kingdom will be less so, and Magic Kingdom and EPcot will be overwhelmed.

Based on what’s already in the calendar and the past, the schedule will look like this:

• Epcot will be open until 1a on New Year’s Eve; Disney’s Hollywood Studios likely until at least midnight, and the Magic Kingdom likely until 1a or later
• The Magic Kingdom will have special New Year’s Eve fireworks at 6.30p and  11.50p
• Epcot will have its Illuminations fireworks show at 6.30p and New Years Eve fireworks at 11.40p, plus DJs in various pavilions
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios likely will have fireworks at midnight

Magic Kingdom will have the same fireworks at the same times on 12/30/18. This date will likely be a little less crowded than 12/31.

Note that alcohol is not available at the Magic Kingdom (other than at a few restaurants), but is available at the other three parks

DISNEY WORLD PARK CLOSURES ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

Disney closes parks due to crowding often on New Year’s Eve. “Closes” means closed to additional guests–those in the parks do not have to leave.

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