About the only constant at Disney theme parks is change. Not only in replacing old attractions with new ones, but also in little touches around the parks and resorts. So following up the original "Remember This?" articles on Disneyland and Walt Disney World, here are some more things from Walt Disney World that you may remember.

Disney-MGM Studios Productions

Yes, that is Ed McMahon posing with Mickey and Minnie at the Disney-MGM Studios. Back in 1992, filming of Star Search was moved to the soundstages of the Disney-MGM Studios, and Ed was there for some publicity photos with the official Disney photographer. Of course, everyone else who was around took a few pictures of Ed as well.

Even before the Studios first opened, all the publicity talked about how much filming would be done there in Florida. The first production filmed at the Studios was Splash 2, a made for television sequel which aired on the Disney Sunday Movie. Ernest Saves Christmas with Jim Varney also filmed several scenes at the Studios, as well as elsewhere around Walt Disney World and the Orlando area. Soon after the Studios opened, production started on the new Mickey Mouse Club for the Disney Channel, and that production lasted several years.

Some of the other productions filmed at the Disney-MGM Studios have included the syndicated Superboy in the early 1990s, HBO's miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, and even such shows as WCW Wrestling and Thunder in Paradise starring Hulk Hogan, for which a new underwater filming tank was constructed. Several feature films have also had scenes filmed at the Studios, including Passenger 57.

Special Parade Floats

Back in the days of the Main Street Electrical Parade, occasionally special floats would be constructed for special occasions. The above float was created for Walt Disney World's 15th anniversary, and it appeared in the parade in 1986 and 1987. Also, there was a special float for the movie Return to Oz in 1985. The music for that float was included in the Main Street Electrical Parade music found on Disneyland's Fantasmic! cd.

The Earful Tower

In 1988, before the Disney-MGM Studios opened, the famous water tower, known as the Earful Tower, appeared next to World Drive, the main road leading into Walt Disney World. The sign next to the road says, "Opening Spring of '89." The main purpose was to promote the new theme park, which was effectively done thanks to this eye-catching structure. How often do you see a water tower with ears? It created an instantly recognizable icon for the new park. Of course, now the even larger Tower of Terror catches your eye just as quickly, towering over the water tower.

The Empress Lilly

Before the construction and opening of Pleasure Island, the Empress Lilly riverboat sat peacefully at the shore of Lake Buena Vista. Named for Walt's wife Lillian, the boat with the restaurant inside was just a short walk from the Disney Village Marketplace. With the creation of Pleasure Island, the Empress Lilly was docked at the shore of the nightclub island. Of course, the riverboat hadn't moved any, since the land where it was docked was turned into the island. What was once the Empress Lilly is now Fulton's Crab House. The paddlewheel on the back is gone, as is the sign saying Empress Lilly, Port of Lake Buena Vista, replaced by a large sign for the crab restaurant.

The Steel Drum Band

One of my favorite entertainment groups was always J.P. and the Silver Stars, the steel drum band that used to play in Adventureland. Although they were there for several years, they no longer play their drums in the Caribbean Plaza. I always enjoyed listening to them while eating a taco salad at El Pirata y El Perico just across the way. They even had a song on the old "Official Album of Disneyland and Walt Disney World," which was released on LP and cassette in the early 1980s.

Pleasure Island Window Display

This window display was at the Suspended Animation store at Pleasure Island after its opening in 1989. The shop sold original animation cels, posters and sericels. This window display was based on a painting by Disney artist Charles Boyer, which was in turn based on the painting Triple Self Portrait by Norman Rockwell. Boyer cleverly inserted Mickey and Walt for Rockwell. A version that had appeared earlier featured Walt looking in the mirror painting Mickey. This display was later replaced with a display based on another of Boyer's borrowings from Rockwell, Barbershop Quartet. And just like with the Disney version of Triple Self Portrait, the painting was available for sale inside the shop in poster or postcard form.

Senegal Date Palm

Behind Spaceship Earth and Earth Station through the 1980s stood a huge Senegal Date Palm. This palm was much larger than the Earth Station building. You can get a feel for the size of the palm in the picture above by comparing it to the woman taking a picture of her family. And yes, although it looks like several trees, that is actually just one tree. Also at the base of the tree was a floral version of the old EPCOT Center logo, which can be seen better in the photo below, a fine example of parterre gardening. What is a parterre garden, you ask? It involves planting flowers or shrubs in geometric patterns, sometimes even creating a picture, such as the Mickey Mouse flower bed at the entrance to the Magic Kingdom.

The EPCOT Center logo was later replaced with the word "Epcot." The tree has been gone since the early 1990s. I believe that this tree was removed because it died, although I am not certain of that. Anyone else remember this?

- Story and Photos by Steve Burns
Posted

Steve is a three-time Disney Store National Trivia finalist and webmaster of BurnsLand, home of Steve's Disney Railroad Adventures.

E-mail Steve at steve@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

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