La taniere du Dragon (Dragon's Lair)

La taniere du Dragon, or Dragon's Lair, is an amazing Imagineering feat. Under the beautiful Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant,  or Sleeping Beauty Castle, at Disneyland Paris rests a defeated dragon. Continue after the page break for a closer look...

Making of: Disney-MGM Studios

May 1, 1989 was the day Disney-MGM Studios, now Disney's Hollywood Studios, opened it's gates to the world. It was the first park that the new Disney CEO Michael Eisner had his hand in. It also lead the way of a whole new era for the company known as the Disney Decade. Being that the park's 23rd Anniversary is approaching I think its a good time to see how it was made and learn 20 secrets that I found pretty interesting. Continue after the page break and let's have a look...

Disney Documentary Hour: DISNEYLAND, Secrets, Stories & Magic

Today I want to start a brand new segment here on Disney Avenue called Disney Documentary Hour. This new segment will feature wonderful Disney documentaries for you to enjoy. We will begin with the Walt Disney Treasures documentary DISNEYLAND, Secrets, Stories & Magic which has to be one of the absolute best Disneyland films ever produced or at least in my opinion. 50,000 copies were produced and it is no longer for sale so copies on Amazon and eBay can get expensive. Today we can see it for free, rite here on Disney Avenue; so get comfy, grab some popcorn and a drink and let's have a look...

Making of: Peter Pan's Flight



When Disneyland opened in 1955 Walt Disney made the decision to have Fantasyland as its main themed land. Walt dedicated this land “… to the young and the young at heart” and “to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” He also said “Come with me to King Arthur’s Carousel, to see an elephant fly, to dig for diamonds in the Dwarfs mine, and to ride a pirate ship through the sky…” Guest did ride pirate ships through the sky and still do today in a wonderful ride called Peter Pan’s Flight. Continue after the page break and let's see how Walt’s statement became a reality.

Making of: Disneyland Paris

Today is Disneyland Paris 20th Anniversary and I figured what better time to show you a wonderful video of the beautiful castle and Main Street being constructed then now. I'd also like to talk a little about the resorts lead designer, Imagineer Tony Baxter. Continue after the page break and lets have a look...

Making of: The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion is quite possibly one of the most famous and beloved Disney attractions that exist today. Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion went through several changes during its long creation. Prior to its opening on August 9, 1969, eighteen years had gone by since the original 1951 black-and-white sketch by Disney Legend Harper Goff that featured a scary, dilapidated house placed on a hill top looking down onto Main Street. Walt wanted artist Ken Anderson to fully develop his concept of a Ghost house for his park during the mid-1950s. By late 1957, Anderson had completed a full script and map for what would become, or so he thought, a very scary walk-through that was to be located in the future New Orleans Square. Continue after the page break for the story and some great videos...

Meeting Walt Disney

This is one of my absolute favorite Walt Disney videos... and he is only in it for 14 seconds. The music in the video as well as seeing Walt in his park just pulls at the heart-strings. The video was shot in 1956, just one year after Disneyland opened. Walt's appearance in the film is short and sweet but powerful; at least in my opinion. Continue after the page break and have a look...

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter from Disney Avenue

Disney Avenue would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter from our family to yours!!! Continue after the page break for a short video from the 1992 Disney MGM Easter Parade special. Hope you enjoy!

DreamFinder Travel... The Only Way To Go!!!

I just wanted to inform everyone about the most AMAZING Disney travel company on planet Earth... DreamFinder Travel!!! I recently posted their site link at the top right corner of our blog. Many of you may or may not know that using a fantastic travel company like DreamFinder Travel to plain your next Disney vacation comes at NO extra cost to you. In fact, the extremely friendly people at DreamFinder Travel are huge Disney fans just like ourselves. I'll let Sue Ellen explain the perks of using DreamFinder Travel next time your ready to vacation with the Mouse!! Continue after the page break for more interesting facts about planning your next Disney vacation...

Walt's EPCOT

The name Epcot derives from the acronym EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a Utopian city of the future planned by Walt Disney. In Walt Disney's words: "EPCOT... will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed, but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world for the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise." Continue after the page break and let's see for ourselves what Walt's EPCOT might have been like:

The Legend of the Hat Box Ghost

I'm sure most of you know that the Hatbox Ghost was a character that originally was part of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion but was removed after the attraction's debut. It was located formerly in the rides attic scene, the figure is described as "an elderly ghost in a cloak and top hat, leaning on a cane with a wavering hand and clutching a hatbox in the other." Continue after the page break for some more info and a intriguing video!