A Goofy Milestone for Disney Legend Bill Farmer
posted on January 27th, 2012 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Some kids take offense at being called goofy. Bill Farmer took it as professional advice.
Born with the gift of comedic gab, Bill has turned his ability to channel stars both real and imagined into an illustrious show-business career involving a colorful array of animated characters. None are nearer or dearer to his heart than Goofy, the iconic character to whom Bill has lent his voice for decades.
As this week marks the milestone 25th anniversary of Bill’s career going Goofy, I sat down with the Disney Legend for an interview that’ll appear in a special Goofy-tribute issue of Disney Files Magazine scheduled to begin mailing to Disney Vacation Club members next month.
Here are three of my favorite Bill quotes from our visit:
On his skeptical father-in-law finally respecting Bill’s decision to quit his “real job” to focus on a career in comedy: “Well, fast forward a few years [after landing the Goofy gig], as I’m getting him backstage access to Walt Disney World Resort attractions and inviting him to private parties with celebrities, and the tide definitely turned. I’ll never forget going with him to an event at his church in Melbourne, Fla., and having him introduce me to his friends. Here’s exactly what he said: ‘I’d like you to meet my son-in-law, Bill…and his wife, Jennifer.’ I had arrived!”
On being Goofy at home: “One story that’s quintessentially Goofy unfolded when I was outside our house hanging Christmas lights. To set the scene, you had me, a bunch of tangled lights, a ladder and a pair of thorny rose bushes. Perfect setup for a Goofy moment, and you can probably see where this is going. But I didn’t just slip and fall into a rose bush. That would be too easy. I managed to snag my sweatpants on the first rose bush and fall bare-butted into the second. That, my friend, is taking your work home with you.”
On his favorite film project: “Of all the great projects I’ve been fortunate enough to take on in my career, “A Goofy Movie” has been my absolute favorite… The movie wasn’t just about Goofy’s goofiness. It was about a father struggling to connect with a son who wasn’t so little anymore. I remember taking my son, Austin, to an advance screening of the film for Disney executives in Walt’s old screening room on the lot in Burbank. Austin was pretty little at the time, and he seemed to be a bit shaken as we left the theater. I said, ‘What’s wrong, buddy?’ And he answered, ‘When you and Max were about to go over the waterfall, I thought you were going to die.’ So either we’d created a film of such emotional depth that even my own son had suspended disbelief, or my kid just couldn’t tell the difference between Dad and Goofy.”
On behalf of all Disney fans, Disney Vacation Club congratulates Bill on 25 years of the goofiest career in Hollywood.
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Why We Do What We Do at Walt Disney World Resort
posted on January 2nd, 2012 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Not every great gift this holiday season came wrapped in paper and topped with a bow. Some arrived by email, attached to a photo.
That was certainly the case when I opened a recent email sent by a Disney Vacation Club member from Kansas named Mike. A proud and grateful father of three, Mike thanked cast members for the powerful role they played in the life of his son Brandon, born with Cerebral Palsy and confined to a wheelchair. Brandon passed away this year at the age of 16.
“For the past 9 years, my family and I have visited Disney World at least once and sometimes twice a year,” Mike wrote. “Every time we would go to Disney World, something magical would happen. From Mickey pushing his wheelchair … to Pluto dancing with him or Minnie kissing him … I have so many thoughts and stories that I could go on for days … Brandon only lived 16 years, but he had a great life. Thirteen trips to Disney, and he never got tired of it. He kept our family young at heart, and we learned to take nothing for granted.”
Addressing Walt Disney World Resort cast members, Mike wrote, “You should be very proud of the work you do and how you impact more lives than you probably realize. I am crying right now (tears of joy) as I think of all the hard work and dedication you show to everyone. At Disney World, Brandon truly was treated just like everyone else. Well, maybe a little better than most. We are saddened by his passing but grateful to have such warm memories. I have two other children, and our return to Disney is inevitable. We have so many great memories, and Brandon LOVED the Parks. How can we top that? I just wanted to say thank you for giving him dignity, honor and respect. I hope you know the value of your work and how it makes a difference in the lives of many. With much love, I thank you again.”
Brandon’s photo will appear prominently in a Member mosaic on the spring 2012 cover of Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine as a small tribute to an enormously inspiring young man.
Paradise by the Desktop Light: Download Our New Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa Wallpaper
posted on December 19th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Keeping your computer’s default wallpaper is a bit like hanging a picture frame that still displays the fake family it contained at the store. (Helpful hint: if the family’s posing anywhere near a bar code, that’s probably not your family.)
The Disney Parks Blog proudly provides downloadable alternatives to bland backgrounds, and Disney Vacation Club is pleased to present the latest addition to that growing collection of options.
The new wallpaper image from artist Jason “Tiki” Tackett celebrates our community’s new, homelike accommodations on O‘ahu: Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i. Whether you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member who already calls Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa “home” or just a fan whose screen could use a little touch of paradise, we hope you enjoy the eye candy.
Be sure to read the terms of use about using the wallpaper.
And as for that too-pretty-to-be-real family framed on your mantle? At least cover the bar code.
Samantha Brown Returns to Hawai’i with Disney Vacation Club
posted on November 28th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Back in May, I told you that Disney Vacation Club had sent travel-television guru Samantha Brown (and the requisite camera crew) to O‘ahu to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i, as the resort neared the end of construction.
I’m pleased to report that Samantha has since returned to the now-open resort, which features Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, and this time, she left her hard hat at home.
The video below gives you a sneak peek at an all-new online show that’ll showcase the wonders of Aulani through the eyes of a woman who continues to top our list of “coolest jobs on the planet.”
The full episode is scheduled to air online Dec. 7-10 in a convenient, on-demand format. Fans may simply register online here for the date that works best for them and return to the site any time on that date to see the show. Viewers interested in making Aulani part of their families’ vacation traditions will discover helpful information and offers throughout the broadcast.
Oh, and get this. My post back in May lamented the fact that I wasn’t in Hawai‘i for Samantha’s shoot. No such complaints this time, as I did, in fact, see her latest shoot with my own eyes, live on the island! Who knew the Disney Parks Blog wielded such power?
THIS PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL IS A TIMESHARE SOLICITATION AND IS NOT AN OFFER IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE TIMESHARE IS NOT REGISTERED.
Membership requires purchasing a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Not an offer where registration or other legal requirements for timeshare solicitation have not been met. General Product, State, & Country Disclosures. DVC-VE-6-N
It’s Tuesday at Disney Parks – Let’s Talk Trash
posted on August 30th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
It’s Trash Talk Tuesday!
Trash cans and recycling bins at Disney Parks are themed to support the immersive storytelling environments in which they appear. They’re so well themed, in fact, that some guests can identify their location simply by studying a photograph of their design.
Here’s today’s challenge: Where in a Disney park can you find this trash can? The answer will posted here later today on the Disney Parks Blog, as well as on our Disney Vacation Club Facebook page.
Engage in ‘Trash Talk’ at Disney Parks
posted on August 16th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Don’t be alarmed by the headline. We’re simply celebrating an often overlooked Disney Parks art form: trash cans.
Far from generic receptacles for refuse, Disney Parks trash cans and recycling bins are uniquely themed to support the immersive storytelling environments in which they live. They’re so well themed, in fact, that we think astute guests can identify their location simply by inspecting a photograph of their design.
We’ve shot a wide range of (literally) trashy photos at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts to put this theory to the test with a new game we’re calling “Trash Talk.” Our Disney Vacation Club Facebook page is scheduled to engage fans in this game about twice a month on “Trash Talk Tuesdays,” and we’re thrilled to extend the challenge periodically on the Disney Parks Blog.
Here’s today’s challenge. Where in a Disney park can you find this trash can?
Tune in for ‘Disney Storybook Vacations’
posted on August 2nd, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
When I wrote my first Disney Parks Blog post back in May, I told you about a Disney Vacation Club broadcast reaching viewers through the magic of the Internet. As someone who still makes a living through a printed magazine (and who still thinks the Internet is “magic”), promoting a webcast through a blog made me feel fancy, to say the least. I’m going considerably more “old school” today, delivering news about a Disney Vacation Club broadcast reaching homes through actual television sets.
It’s a half-hour show called “Disney Storybook Vacations,” and it follows the travels of real Disney Vacation Club Member families to Disney Parks and beyond. Our featured families were gracious hosts, welcoming our intrepid production crews as they explored everything from the pristine beaches of Maui to the historic streets of London. Along the way, the families’ personal stories reveal the surprising secret to vacationing in ways they never dreamed possible through a vacation-ownership program that, for 20 years now, has proven to work like magic. (You know, like the Internet.)
The show is airing in select markets and time slots through Aug. 14, so be sure to check your local listings to see if these storybook vacations are unfolding on a television near you.
Disney Vacation Club Reveals Bold New Look
posted on June 15th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
Since 1991, the Disney Vacation Club logo has symbolized a unique approach to delivering vacation experiences at Disney Parks and beyond. Sporting a Mickey-eared sun rising above snow-capped mountains flanked by swaying palms and fronted by rolling waves, the logo was designed to change the way families think about vacationing with the mouse.
Now, with Disney’s innovative vacation-ownership program having grown to include more than 500 vacation options across the globe, and with its member community having grown to represent more than 100 countries and every U.S. state, the Disney Vacation Club experience is about more than mountains, beaches and Disney Parks.
It was with that growth in mind that artists recently re-imagined the logo by dramatically widening its perspective, topping the entire globe with those familiar ears. More than just shiny eye candy (though it’s hard to go wrong with shiny), the new logo represents an ongoing commitment to helping families expand their vacation horizons and travel in ways they never dreamed possible.
After all, it’s a small world. (Wait, I think I said that backwards.)
Go Behind the Magic at Aulani with Samantha Brown
posted on May 5th, 2011 by Ryan March, Editor, Disney Vacation Club’s Disney Files Magazine
As if having the coolest job on television wasn’t enough, Samantha Brown just got the coolest work on the web.
Disney Vacation Club recently sent the travel guru with our “Disney Traveler” camera crew to the island of O‘ahu to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i.
The online show, scheduled to air May 17-21, explores this highly anticipated resort and reveals special Disney Vacation Club offers available exclusively through the webcast. And just in case spectacular settings, celebrity star power and sneak peeks at a place that won’t open until August aren’t enough to pique your interest, the producers tell me viewers will get a Disney character lithograph just for watching. To register to see the broadcast, visit www.dvcwebevent.com.
I’d tell you more about the show myself, but I wasn’t invited to the shoot. (Not that I’m bitter.)
