And now for part two - thanks to Boing Boing for the heads up!

Here's a mini-doc on the creation of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, the last ride that Walt Disney supervised to completion. Pirates, like the Haunted Mansion, was originally intended as a walk-through museum of old-timey stuff, but the advent of robotic props ("audio-animatronics," whose R&D was funded commissions for the NY World's Fair in 1964) was a breakthrough that changed the way Disney's designers thought about ride possibilities.

Sad news today from Kraig Butrum.

Beverly Butrum, a legendary Disneyland hostess for nearly four decades, has passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside, in Austin, Texas.

Dear all, In early September - :: UPDATE :: On Labor Day my wife and I will be visiting the original Disneyland in California!

If you'll be in the area we'd love to see you - when I have an exact date and time, I'll post it here.

On the same trip we'll try to take in the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, so it looks like it will be a great trip!

Irishman Tom Walsh, 43, the manager of the popular Mainstreet Grill in the small city of DeLand, Florida was shot during a suspected robbery on Saturday night.

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irishman-murdered-in-small-town-Florida...

Just Days before the EuroDisney Cast Member reunion for the resorts 20th anniversary we all had some really sad news - one of our number Tom Walsh had been murdered in Florida.

Suggested Agenda for April 12th – Cast Member Reunion.

Knowing that Everyone has their own agenda, you’ll all be arriving from different places, arriving at different times I suggest the following time table. I think we’ll have a few rendezvous throughout the day where you can meet up with the group as you arrive and two main meetings, one at the beginning and end of the day…

10.00 – RDV – Outside the Wild West Show / Gaumont Cinema in the Disney Village (Festival Disney)

12.00 – RDV – The Band Stand, opposite City Hall. (Magic Kingdom)

Love these - http://www.probablybest.co/2012/02/minimalist-posters-of-pixar-films/

Sadly, as of today I am having to start manualy authorising members to the site - it is due to the large amount of un-Disney spamming that has been going on this last month.

I apologise for any problems this may cause, though I am sure you'll understand my position.

Many thanks.

"After nearly 60 years, Mickey Mouse has decided to let his workers put their razors away. The Walt Disney Co. announced Monday that it would let employees at its two U.S. theme-park resorts — including its more than 60,000 workers at Walt Disney World — grow beards or goatees. The new policy, which takes effect Feb. 3, eliminates a facial-hair ban that has for decades been a source of grumbling among some of the company's male theme-park workers." Origional Report