Cranium Command at Epcot

Cranium Command at Epcot
Inside Cranium Command in the Wonders of Life Pavilion at Epcot

by Scott Wolf

With the release of the new Disney-Pixar film, “Inside Out,” which focuses on the “voices inside your head,” for some of us, it is bringing back memories of a former Epcot attraction with a similar concept, so I thought I’d post a couple of my photos from it.

Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot
Inside the Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Cranium Command was housed inside the Wonders of Life Pavilion at Epcot at Walt Disney World. The pavilion celebrated life and, through entertainment, educated about the human experience. Other attractions within the pavilion included The Making of Me, a short live film starring Martin Short which delicately tells the story of human creation, including hilarious animated segments of the inner body workings of conception, and Body Wars, a flight simulator, like Star Tours, which brought guests on a journey through a human body, rather than outer space, to find and destroy a splinter.

In Cranium Command, guests would enter the brain control room where a young Audio Animatronic boy named Buzzy, helmed the controls. His mission was to keep another young boy out of trouble.

In the photo above, you can see Buzzy within the boy’s head, and through boy’s eyes when he first meets a beautiful girl.
Cranium Command featured an all-star cast with Charles Grodin as Left Brain, Jon Lovitz as Right Brain, George Wendt (Norm from “Cheers”) was the Stomach, Bobcat Goldthwait portrayed the Adrenal Gland, and Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon were the heart’s Right and Left Ventricles (reminiscent of their characters, Hans and Franz, from Saturday Night Live).

Interview: Jack Gladish (His career; Walt Disney; Disneyland and World’s Fair attractions)

Jack Gladish worked as an engineer, responsible for submarines, dinosaurs, railroad locomotives and much more. Attractions include the “Carousel of Progress,” “Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room” and much more.  During his career he headed the plastics and fiberglass shops at the MAPO department of Walt Disney Imagineering.

Jack Gladish works on a caveman for Disney's Magic Skyway attraction for the World's Fair, working Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and a 2014 visit to Walt Disney World
Jack Gladish works on a caveman for Disney’s Magic Skyway attraction for the World’s Fair (left), working Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (middle), and a 2014 visit to Walt Disney World (right)

I just posted my interview with Jack Gladish on my Mouse Clubhouse website.  In this conversation, Jack discusses his career, helping to create attractions such as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln for Disneyland the 1964/’65 New York World’s Fair.  CLICK HERE for the interview

 

Interview: Jeff Hoffman and the Disney Legends Awards

Jeff Hoffman was responsible for the Disney Legends Awards for more than two decades
Jeff Hoffman was responsible for the Disney Legends Awards for more than two decades

I just posted my interview with Jeff Hoffman on my Mouse Clubhouse website.  In this conversation, Jeff, who began his Disney career selling merchandise at a Disneyland shop and ultimately became vice president of Disney Worldwide Outreach, discusses the history of the Disney Legends Awards,  CLICK HERE for the interview and lots of photos of the Disney Legends Award ceremonies.

 

The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992

The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992
The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992 – “Egyptian Daze”

by Scott Wolf

Parades are a longtime tradition of the Disney theme parks, with the first on Disneyland’s opening day. Here’s some photos I took of The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland in 1992.  The lavish parade represented Goofy in various settings including the Italian “Renais-sauce,” “Egyptian Daze” and running for president of the United States. I’d vote for him!

 

The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992
The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992 – Professor Ludwig von Drake kicks off the parade
The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992
The World According to Goofy parade at Disneyland 1992 – “The Renais-sauce”

Interview: Wally Boag (Golden Horseshoe Revue; Tiki Room; Absent-Minded Professor)

Wally Boag at his home
Wally Boag at his home

I just posted my interview with Wally Boag on my Mouse Clubhouse website.  In this conversation, Wally discusses his time from 1955 to 1982 in the Golden Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland, writing the script and voicing a character for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, working as Fred MacMurray’s stunt double in “The Absent-Minded Professor” and more. CLICK HERE for the interview and more photos

 

Wally Boag – Disneyland News

 

Wally Boag, Pat O’Brien and the Disneyland News
Wally Boag, Pat O’Brien and the Disneyland News

by Scott Wolf

That’s Wally Boag, star of Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Revue with Hollywood legend Pat O’Brien. At this newsstand in Disneyland, guests could purchase “The Disneyland News” newspapers, and get their name personalized in the headline! Scott will be posting an interview he did with Wally very soon, and I’ll give you the link as soon as he does!

Disneyland Ambassador Marcia Miner – Snow White tour

Marcia Miner - the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World
Marcia Miner – the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World

by Scott Wolf

Here’s another fun photo of Marcia Miner, when she was the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World. In this image, Marcia is ready to go on tour with seven familiar faces to promote a theatrical re-release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Before home videos, Disney would re-release their animated features in theaters every few years, and Disney entertainers, cast members, such as Marcia, Disney characters, often including Mickey Mouse and others would tour cities to let delighted audiences know about these films and the latest happenings at Disneyland.

If you missed my interview with Marcia, you can LISTEN HERE.

 

 

Interview: Marcia Miner Phillips (1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World)

Interview with Marcia Miner

Marcia hosting an episode of “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” (left);,At the grand opening the “new Tomorrowland” (middle), and with Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie (right)

 

I just posted my interview with Marcia Miner on my Mouse Clubhouse website.  In this conversation, Marcia, the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World, discusses her special year representing Disneyland and Walt Disney Productions.  CLICK HERE for the interview

Hook and Smee at Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island)

by Scott Wolf

Here's Mr. Smee and Captain Hook on Disney's private island Castaway Cay
Here’s Mr. Smee and Captain Hook on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay

I always love to use Disney characters as subjects for my photography, so I couldn’t resist when I saw Captain Hook and Mr. Smee greeting guests on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay! Be sure to contact Shani for more information about the cruises that sail to this magical getaway!