Walt Disney World 2000 Vacation Planner Guide VHS

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Sherman is going to set the Wayback Machine to the year 2000 so that we can revisit the beginning of the Millennium where everyone was waiting for their computers to crash with the Y2K bug but Disney was more optimistic about the future and had planned a big celebration at Walt Disney World.

And we are going to learn all about it by means of this Walt Disney World 2000 Vacation Planner Guide VHS:

All you had to do to enjoy the vacation of a lifetime was enjoy the enclosed video, read the brochure, and then call the convenient toll-free phone number. Don’t forget your credit card!

I collect these obsolete VHSs primarily for the informational booklets. The videos are interesting as snapshots of the Parks, frozen in time, but usually tend to be a bit heavy on the Disney Pitch! Please enjoy the pages below for the skinny on all the doings at Walt Disney World in the year 2000:

You likely noticed that some of the Parks still had their old names and River Country was still in operation. What I didn’t realize was that the FastPass program started in 2000 for this promotion:

My first visit to WDW as a married man was in 2006 and I remember going to the kiosks outside certain attractions to get little pieces of paper with a time stamped on them. Sometimes you wouldn’t need them when you arrived as the regular line wasn’t long anyway and so you got to keep them as a souvenir. Things just aren’t the same without them!

I always love getting these booklets because of the maps. You can track the changes from one map to the next. Notice the little ‘2000’ atop Spaceship Earth!

Walt Disney World is so much more than just the Theme Parks. Below is a Calendar of Events for 1999-2000 featuring all of the things to do and when:

I wonder if the American Express Card is still the official card of WDW? They even had a Travel Desk! I think VISA and MasterCard have taken over in most wallets these days.

One of the biggest changes during this promotion was the addition of a big wand and the number ‘2000’ atop Spaceship Earth in EPCOT. And of course, copious amounts of merchandise! Please check out my WDW 2000 Collector’s Plate by clicking the link, and read a little about this controversial blemish upon the dimpled surface of the Golf Ball.

For more vintage VHS Planning Guide fun, check out the 100 Years of Magic video set from 2001.

Posted in Advertising, Anniversaries, Attractions, Ephemera, Events, Promotions, Special Events, Theme Parks, Travel, Vacation Planning, Videos, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Polyester Necktie

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Disney fans go crazy for a sharp dressed man, but only if he’s wearing something Disney-themed! So I took no chances in this post and wore my new-to-me 101 Dalmatians Polyester Necktie:

Dress casual usually works for me! I’m not sure why these little doggies have red ears, but it does make a nice contrast to the deep blue of the fabric:

Fratello comes from the Latin and means ‘brother’ or ‘sibling’, or ‘brother’ in the sense of a religious organization. The name as a company doesn’t seem to have an Internet presence anymore beyond Selling Sites offering vintage ties for sale. There are several 101 Dalmatian ties pictured on the Net but not this one specifically. I have no way of dating it.

The Silk Trading Company Ltd. seems to be a textile business supplying fabrics to designers and manufacturers. From that it seems Fratello crafted this necktie.

It’s interesting (to me, at least) that this tie is attributed to the Silk Trading Company Ltd. but is actually made out of 100% Polyester! Too funny. It was manufactured in Korea.

For more Disney-themed Character Neckties, check out the link. Seriously. There’s a lot of them!

Posted in Animation, Characters, Clothing, Fashion, Merchandise | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Walt Disney’s Three Adventures of Davy Crockett LP

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Normally I wouldn’t buy an LP record that is this damaged. Both the cover sleeve and the actual vinyl are about as a bad as they could be without being unrecognizable. But I’m a sucker for vintage Disney!

Walt Disney’s Three Adventures of Davy Crockett LP is too cool to pass up, in any condition:

Fess Parker was the perfect Davy Crockett (and later, Daniel Boone) and certainly one of Disney’s most iconic stars! This LP features both narrated stories and music from the hit, but short, television series that sparked a worldwide need for furry hats with tails.

Usually I would include an audio clip from such an LP. However, this example sounds like the entire thing was recorded from within a crackling campfire! If we could hear well, we’d learn of Davy the Indian Fighter, of his time in Congress, and at the Alamo. Actually, this LP looks worse than Davy would have looked after that battle!

The cover and the back of the sleeve both have wonderful photographic images from the series, depicting the most famous moments. Sometimes these LPs are worth the money just for the artwork!

If you would like to see more vinyl versions of Davy Crockett, check out my 45 Golden Record and my Happy Times Western Record, both with audio clips.

Posted in Characters, Education, History, Movies, Music, Records, Soundtracks, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disney nuiMOs Walt Disney World 50 Logo Track Suit

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Our son, Goober Jr., is a bear. Yes, he’s adopted. But we couldn’t love him more if he were real, sentient, and actually able to interact with us! He goes with us everywhere in the family mini van and loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World.

So when we bought him this Disney nuiMos Walt Disney World 50 Logo Track Suit, he couldn’t wait to put it on and show it off to everyone:

But before we get to the Big Reveal, let’s check out the card that this set of clothing came on:

Front
Back

Disney nuiMOs are cute, stylish plush models from Japan that have now gone global. Many Disney characters have received the nuiMos treatment and more and more clothing accessories are being added at a rapid pace!

I haven’t been a fan of this latest merchandising push by Disney. The characters are basic but I do like some of the clothing sets. So when I saw this yellow retro WDW track suit, I knew it was time to buy in. And I had just the little guy to justify the purchase:

Bear Naked
Put some Pants on!
Stylin’

Made in China and distributed by shopDisney.

Every parent’s crazy for a sharp-dressed bear:

Just like dressing any child, it was a bit of a struggle to get Goober Jr. into his track suit. But it was made easier by the Velcro opening in the back of the shirt. The pants were a different matter! Junior has a big bear butt and it was a challenge to squeeze it into the elastic waistline.

This may come as a complete shock to you, but my wife and I don’t have any real children.

Posted in Anniversaries, Clothing, Disney Store, Dolls, Fashion, Merchandise, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Retail: Mickey Mouse ‘Hidden Mickey’ Sketchbook Mug

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Dis-LEE

It’s not hard to find cool Disney merchandise. The challenge is not to buy everything you see! Like this Mickey Mouse ‘Hidden Mickey’ Sketchbook Mug:

The sketchbook line of merchandise has been around for years. It was mainly used on ceramic items like this mug featuring a variety of the main Disney characters. The idea was to wrap the item in model sketches that would have been used to help animators keep characters consistent.

This mug is fun and unique because it has a cool Hidden Mickey lid perfect for keeping the heat inside with your favorite caffeinated beverage.

Yup. Made in China.

The only drawback with this mug is that you can’t pop it into the microwave to reheat your tea or coffee and have to hand wash it only. This may be two too many reasons not to own it!

Posted in Animation, Ceramics, Characters, Food, Kitchen, Merchandise, Mugs, Retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Photo Spot: Canadian Geese Lining Up at the Bank

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Sometimes you just have to be at the right place at the right time, or Photo Spot, to get an interesting shot.

And so it was that I found these two Canadian Geese Lining Up at the Bank:

Observing Social Distancing

How did this photograph come about?

TRUE STORY: I was working as a Cleaner during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This classified me as an ‘essential worker’ and so I still had to show up for duty! One of my jobs was at a bank. For some reason, these two Canadian Geese had decided to make this same bank their home.

Did you know that Canadian Geese are extremely territorial and mean? They attacked me every time I tried to get inside the building! But I don’t hold a grudge. They were very tasty.

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Retail: Disney Plastic Tumbler Collection

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Dis-LEE

It’s time for more Retail Therapy with a few sets of Disney plastic tumblers. A collection, if you will! But are they really plastic? The ECO label says they are made from Bamboo fiber, are biodegradable, and yes, eco-friendly.

But are they desirable for the Disney collector?

Mickey and Friends pop up on a lot of merchandise. They are the go-to characters for a quick and easy sale.

But other characters still make their pitch for your adoration and dollars. Such as:

Stitch says these tumblers are dishwasher safe on the top rack but not good for microwave use. At only $14.99 CAN for a set of four, they are a pretty good deal.

There were two designs available featuring Winnie the Pooh. It was a bother deciding which one was the best!

I chose to pass on these tumblers, but would they have tempted you?

Posted in Characters, Food, Kitchen, Mugs, Retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Photo Spot: Reflections of the Disney Sea… Gulls

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Dis-LEE

I love photographing reflections, flares, and shadows! They make such interesting subjects. They lend an otherworldly quality to any composition.

I have a small figurine of the three seagulls that sit outside The Seas With Nemo and Friends attraction at Walt Disney World. It sits atop the microwave in my kitchen just to the right of a big window. When the sun shines in at just the right angle, this is what I see:

It saves on the expense of painting a mural on the wall! Now you know how this post has to end, don’t you? Yup: “They’re Mine! Mine! Mine!”

Posted in Animation, Attractions, Characters, Photo Spot, Photography, Pixar, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TY Monsters Inc. SULLEY Beany Plush

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Dis-LEE

Pixar’s 4th movie came out in 2001 to great success. Mike and Sulley quickly took their place in the pantheon of Buddy Movies and the rest, as they say, is plush. People say that, right? Maybe it’s just monsters.

One thing we learned from this franchise is that monsters can be cute. Case in point is this TY Monsters Inc. Sulley Beany Plush:

A face only all of us can love! I saw this in a Charity Shop for just $2.99 CAN and couldn’t resist bringing him home.

Is it me or does he look like a gerbil? A hamster maybe?

I love the little details like the horns on the top of his head with the protrusions along his back and the tiny feet under him.

This beany plush has plastic beads, or pellets, in the butt to keep it upright and in a seated position. It was released in 2015 and was made in China.

A last little detail is the arms that slightly protrude from his sides. You can barely see them, but if you look closely, you can make them out in the center of the picture above.

If you’d like to see a full-sized Sulley dancing on a float, check out my post featuring Pixar’s Block Party Bash.

Posted in Animation, Characters, Collectibles, Movies, Pixar, Plush | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment