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POSTED Fri, 07/28/2017 - 17:47 | POSTED BY Kristen Kirk
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Disney Legend Marty Sklar Dies at 83

The death of Legendary Disney Imagineer Martin A. "Marty" Sklar at age 83 has left the Disney community heartbroken. We here at Walt Disney World for Grown-ups mourn with out friends and colleagues as we honor one of the most beloved Imagineers. If you love the Disney Parks, you have been touched in some way by the indomitable spirit and Imagineering of Marty Sklar. He was a mentor to generations of Cast Members and Imagineers, and a icon to Disney fans around the globe.

While the kids don't care too much yet about Walt, Roy, and their hope and dreams, those of us who grew up watching their rise to fame and playing in their theme parks always want to know more about how it happened and how we got from the "Florida Project" to what we have today. The column will be dedicated to history, Disney-style.

Articles

POSTED Fri, 06/17/2011 - 11:00 | POSTED BY Kasey O'Connor
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Profile of an Imagineer: Xavier Atencio

How did a shy animator come to write some of the most recognizable lyrics in all of Disney World? According to Xavier "X" Atencio, "Walt had an uncanny ability of finding talent in these people that we didn't know we had ourselves."

POSTED Wed, 06/08/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Pleasure Island [Looking Back]

What's your take on Pleasure Island? Are you looking forward to the new Hyperion Wharf? Do you miss the closed nightclubs?

POSTED Thu, 06/02/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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River Country Water Park (Looking Back)

We're talking about Disney World's forgotten water park. We all love Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, but did you know about Walt Disney World's first water park? River Country opened on June 20, 1976 and ceased operations on November 2, 2001.

POSTED Thu, 06/02/2011 - 01:55 | POSTED BY Kasey O'Connor
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Profile of an Imagineer: Roger Broggie

Roger Broggie was the first Walt Disney Imagineer. A mechanical genius who embodied the spirit of Disney Imagineering with his ability to blend creative imagination and technical knowledge, Broggie was a close friend of Walt Disney. He helped lay the groundwork for Disneyland and the other Disney parks that followed.

POSTED Tue, 05/17/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress [Looking Back]

Did you know that Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom is the longest-running stage show with the most performances in the history of American Theater? It's also the oldest attraction at Walt Disney World and the only attraction to have a direct tie to Walt himself.

POSTED Mon, 05/09/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Remembering Mr. Toad's Wild Ride [Looking Back]

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was an original opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom in October 1971. A classic Fantasyland dark ride, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was based on the Disney adaptation of "The Wind in the Willows."

POSTED Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Magic Kingdom's The Timekeeper [Looking Back]

Tomorrowland's The Timekeeper was Disney's first attempt to merge a Circle-Vision 360deg movie with Audio-Animatronic characters.

POSTED Tue, 04/19/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Extinct Epcot: Kitchen Kabaret Revue

Continuing our tour through some of EPCOT Center's original, and now extinct, attractions, we now take a look back at Kitchen Kabaret Revue.

POSTED Mon, 04/11/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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Extinct Epcot: World of Motion

We're continuing our look back at Epcot's extinct attractions with the World of Motion, located in Epcot Future World East - home of today's Test Track.

POSTED Wed, 03/30/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY Kristen Heptinstall
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History of Horizons at EPCOT Center

"If we can dream it, we can do it." That's the mantra of the classic Horizons attraction at the EPCOT Center of the 1980s and 1990s.