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Photo Memories: Remembering Disney's Pirate & Princess Party

Hi everyone!

My photo memory update includes a variety of images from all three versions of the Pirate & Princess Parties! This was a great event that was recently canceled. I attended the original incarnation in the winter of 2007, followed by the summer 2007 version as well as the final (for now) incarnation last winter 2008!

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Pirate Mickey (above) advertising the party outside the Magic Kingdom entrance.

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The Train Station is decorated for the party as we enter via a smoke filled magic carpet!

Continue reading Photo Memories: Remembering Disney's Pirate & Princess Party

Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower, Treehouse Villas and Magic Kingdom – A Closer Look: Construction Photos and Video

Hi everyone!

Denise from site partner Mousesteps is still having site issues, and wanted to share her photos here! She has a new Canon camera with a 20x zoom, which gives some close-up room photos of the Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower. Below are her photos and words:

This is taken from the path between the Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary Resort:

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Towards the top of the Bay Lake Tower, it looks like an observation deck being built:

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Continue reading Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower, Treehouse Villas and Magic Kingdom – A Closer Look: Construction Photos and Video

Photo Memories: Walt Disney World's 15th Anniversary – Epcot Center's Daredevil Circus Spectacular!

Hi everyone!

It all started last week when a good friend of mine asked me the following question: “Jeff, did you ever hear of elephants performing at Epcot Center? A friend of mine told me about it, but I don’t remember anything like that in over 30 years of visiting Walt Disney World and couldn’t imagine it was true”. I instantly knew they were thinking of “Epcot Center’s Daredevil Circus Spectacular“. Keep reading after the photos for a full description of this amazing part of Epcot Center history!

(below) A rare photo of the Fountain Stage being readied for the upcoming show.

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(Below) The entrance topiary featuring the parade of Pachyderms.

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(Below left) A parade of Elephant-like “Martian Mastodons” approach the fountain stage. (below right) A live band plays along as the Elephants and acrobats perform “spine-tingling” acts.

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(Below left) Communicore is transformed into a “Spacearena” as a double-trapeze act is performed. (Below right) The most amazing part of all this to me was the “Space Cycles” riding along wires connected from both Communicores to the center of Spaceship Earth!

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(Below) It was the most incredible thing to see motorcycles driving high in the air on thin-looking wires.  I remember thinking that they actually touched Spaceship Earth (although they probably did not).

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(Below) My last photo showing both “Space Cycles” (with girls hanging below them) speeding high above Future World towards Spaceship Earth!

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Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary Celebration:

Back in the fall of 1996, Walt Disney World was beginning it’s 15th Anniversary Celebration and held a big kickoff press event. The press kit (below left) touted all the special events planned for the upcoming year including: The Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution featuring The Magic Kingdom’s “Star-Spangled Salute” and “All American Parade“, the 15th Anniversary Gift-Giver (where you could win a new Chevrolet on “Birthday Bonanza Weekends“) and more!

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(photo above & text below ©1986 The Walt Disney Company)

I found the most intriguing event the celebration promised to be “Epcot Center’s Daredevil Circus Spectacular“. To fully understand why it captured my imagination, please read the excerpt from the press release below. It sounded unbelievable to me that this was actually going to happen!

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It is still incredible that this actually happened and I am glad to have found the photos and information to remember this amazing part of Epcot Center history!

Epcot Center Historical DVDs – Available Now:

In keeping with the vintage Epcot Center mood of today’s update, I present my Epcot Center 25th Anniversary Collection to relive these wonderful memories or experience them for the first time!

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Click on any cover for more information

Click HERE for more information or to browse all of my Epcot Center DVDs including the 25th Anniversary series!

As always, if you want to request a future DVD idea, Photo Memory topic or comment on anything, just drop me a line at suggestions@JeffLangeDVD.com.

Epcot’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure Preview – Photos and Video

Hi everyone!

Epcot’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure Preview:

The new Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure has recently soft opened at Epcot and site partner MouseSteps was there! I also participated in the original testing of the Kim Possible Adventure in the fall of 2006 and present the following comparison set of photos. In the test version the sign-in station was in a revamped shop upstairs in Canada. There you watched a video that explained the adventure to follow.

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The new recruitment is now done at Innoventions (East or West), or along the path from Future World to World Showcase.

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The actual adventure in the testing version included two countries, France (below) and the United Kingdom. After completing these missions you were directed to the former Image works in the Imagination pavilion for a final battle with Drakken.

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The new version features seven possible missions taking place around World Showcase, using seven of the pavilions (Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France and United Kingdom).

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The test version’s big payoff was the rare chance to see the inside of the long closed Image Works at the Imagination Pavilion (old friend Dreamfinder below). There are many twists to the new adventures, like the monkey rising from the water (below right, in China).

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For full coverage of this great new Epcot addition featuring many more photos from the all-new adventure plus the original test version from 2006, please visit MouseSteps.com later this weekend!

Epcot’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure – China Mission Video 1SPOILERS:

This is the beginning of one of the two “Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure” China Missions.

To continue your mission please click the following links: Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4! We also have some cool clips from the Germany mission here: Clip 1, Clip 2, and Clip 3.

Latest DVD Release:

magic-kingdom-wishes-cover1Jeff Lange’s Magic Kingdom Wishes DVD

Jeff Lange takes you to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom to experience the best of all the “Wishes” nighttime fireworks spectaculars!

Features: Wishes – A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams, Happy HalloWishes Fireworks, Holiday Wishes – Celebrate The Spirit of the Season plus Bonus: Magic, Music & Mayhem Fireworks!

Running Time: 61 Min

For more information or to purchase this item, please click HERE.

As always, if you want to request a future DVD idea, Photo Memory topic or comment on anything, just drop me a line at suggestions@JeffLangeDVD.com.

Click here to browse the JeffLangeDVD store.

Photo Memories: Vintage Polynesian Village Resort Photos

Hi everyone!

To celebrate JWL Media’s new Polynesian Resort Screensaver CD and Polynesian Resort DVD, I am presenting these vintage images from my personal collection.

Below is a photo of my father (Walter Lange) studying the Polynesian Village Resort information guide. I love the vibrant 70’s room decor with all the green patterned designs! Next is a much younger Jeff posing with my Tiki friends.

The next two photos are from the original lobby. I will always remember the green and blue tile floors and comfortable wraparound chairs. The distinctive aroma that I’d encounter as a child is still the same to this day!

The original Polynesian Resort longhouses did not have colorful painted designs as the current ones do. Below right is the original pool. It featured a water slide which was only accessible by swimming through a waterfall. It was very exciting for me, as it was the first uniquely themed pool with a slide that I had ever encountered. As a child all I wanted to do was swim in this pool and go down the slide for hours and hours!

Swimming was allowed in the Seven Seas Lagoon back then! Below are photos of the marina.

The photo below is of my family and me swimming in the lagoon.

You’ve seen my vintage photos – now enjoy the Polynesian Resort from 2008:

Available Now: The Polynesian Resort – Combo Pack!

We are now offering “Jeff Lange Experiences: The Polynesian Resort” DVD and “JWL Media Productions Presents: The Polynesian Resort” Windows Screensaver/Photo CD together with a special bonus: Disney’s Polynesian Resort Guide Map – Shown above while supplies last!

To purchase “The Polynesian Resort – Combo Pack” – please click this LINK.

As always, if you want to request a future DVD idea, Photo Memory topic or comment on anything, just drop me a line at suggestions@JeffLangeDVD.com.

Click here to browse the JeffLangeDVD store.

A last look at Pleasure Island's Adventurers Club: 1989 – 2008

Hi everyone!

Earlier this month, I made my final trip to the Adventurers Club in it’s current form. Disney announced in June that Pleasure Island would close all of it’s clubs at the end of the evening on September 27th, 2008. That said, I am very excited that I am part of the NFFC group that will be enjoying an evening at this wonderful club in early October!

I am grateful to have enjoyed one last night at the Club before it closes to the public. Both Pleasure Island and the Adventurers Club have changed so much over the years I’ve visited! The best thing about my last AC visit was that it included some of the original actors, which gave it a wonderful feel of previous years!

I’ve been reminiscing lately about the 19 years I’ve enjoyed at the Adventurers Club. There is so much history! What I did miss – but my friend Jim Hill didn’t – was on occasion, Graves (the Adventurers Club butler) would welcome guests back to the club before informing them that in their absence, he was collecting their mail. Graves would then lower a platter for a guest to take an envelope, which the guest would open and read.

I always thought that this was a wonderful, interactive touch! And while remembering this past history of the Club, it reminded me that Jim had once given me an assortment of these sealed envelopes to keep in my personal archives. Today I discovered these letters and finally opened them! I am very happy to be sharing these letters – until now unread by me – with you.

Below is an example of one of these these letters. To view all the letters and more of my vintage Adventurers Club artifacts, please visit partner site Mousesteps.

To listen to Mr. Hill tell the full story of these letters and more about Pleasure Island’s history, please click HERE: (The Magical Definition Podcast – Pleasure Island Episode). Also please visit Jim Hill Media for more backstory on these vintage Adventurers Club artifacts!

NFFC Florida Convention:

This year’s 3rd Annual NFFC Florida Convention may possibly the very last chance Disneyana fans will get to experience the Adventurers Club. The NFFC bids a fond farewell to this one-of-a kind Disney venue with a special event that promises to be a full evening featuring a buffet dinner, one of a kind in-depth tour of the Adventurer’s Club, and some very special entertainment! The NFFC convention takes place at the Regal Sun Resort (formerly the Grosvenor Resort Walt Disney World) in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The dates are October 3rd through October 5th, 2008. See you there!

As always, if you want to request a future DVD idea, Photo Memory topic or comment on anything, just drop me a line at suggestions@JeffLangeDVD.com.

Click here to browse the JeffLangeDVD store.

Main Street Electrical Parade Vintage Photos, Contest Update and DVD Check-off Sheet

Hi everyone!

During production of my recently released Main Street Electrical Parade DVD, I came across some interesting images of long retired floats and parade elements. I am presenting them here for all to enjoy!

Below is the Florida opening unit of the Main Street Electrical Parade, followed by Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland. As a kid, I thought this was a special Christmas bonus as we often traveled to Walt Disney World for the holidays. I remember seeing them one July and realizing they were always part of the parade.

Next we have the “It’s A Small World” section that ran from 1977 – 1991. This was unique as it was the only float that was based on a park attraction.

This next series of photos is very rare. These photos were taken by my father in 1976 (when “America on Parade” was being performed). I don’t recall ever seeing a Pinocchio Monstro float in the Main Street Electrical parade. Look carefully and you will see the large headed America on Parade characters driving the vehicles. Was this a nighttime version of America on Parade?

If anyone has more information about these parade units please email me at Jeff@JeffLangeDVD.com and I will post the information on the site.

Available now:

jwl-media-main-street-electrical-paradeJeff Lange Remembers: The Main Street Electrical Parade!

Jeff Lange takes you on a trip back in time to experience the evolution of Disney’s beloved nighttime classic, “The Main Street Electrical Parade”.

Features: Disneyland: Main Street Electrical Parade (1993), Walt Disney World: Main Street Electrical Parade (1991), California Adventure: Disney’s Electrical Parade (2007) and Walt Disney World: Electrical Water Pageant (1992)

For more information or to purchase this item

Please click HERE.

Click here to browse the JeffLangeDVD store.

Also Available:

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Jeff Lange Remembers: The Hercules Electrical Parade in New York City

Jeff Lange takes you back to June 14th, 1997 to see this one time only extravaganza make it’s way thru Times Square.

All the classic floats are here with the addition of the special Hercules units and fanfare. You have never seen the Parade like this!

Also included:

The Main Street Electrical Parade recorded in 1999 during it’s short return engagement at The Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.

For more information or to purchase this item

Please click HERE.

The Gumball Rally:

MiceChat’s Dustysage is inviting everyone to a huge upcoming event at Disney World:

Disney fans everywhere are invited to attend a fun four park event this October 18th. The MiceChat Gumball Rally is an event which challenges you to ride a set of attractions in all four parks in just one day! The event is designed to see who can make best use of their time and transportation skills to complete the assigned attractions in the least amount of time possible. It promises to be a fun and unique way to visit the parks – all of them! Since the first Gumball Rally at Disneyland nearly 3 years ago, there have been constant requests to “Bring the Rally to Disney World,” and that is just what we are going to do! Whether this is your first visit to WDW or your hundredth, this event was designed for you to have a great time. We hope you’ll all join us. For more information and to sign up, please visit this link on micechat.com Gumball Rally Information.

Contest Winner:

Thank you for another great response to my latest contest with partner site Mousesteps! The winner was Eric Hoffman of Georgia and he will receive a free Disneyland Anniversary DVD of his choice!

DVD Check-off Sheet:

The most frequent request at my NFFC show and sale booth last month was a check-off sheet for my customers to keep track of their JeffLangeDVD.com titles. We now have the check-off sheet available HERE, sorted by release date, park, and series.

As always, if you want to request a future DVD idea, Photo Memory topic or comment on anything, just drop me a line at suggestions@JeffLangeDVD.com.

Click here to browse the JeffLangeDVD store.