Today, Harrison “Buzz” Price, research economist and one of Walt Disney’s most trusted advisors, was honored posthumously with a window on Main Street, U.S.A., in Disneyland park. In a ceremony hosted by Tom Staggs (Chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) and Michael Colglazier (President, Disneyland Resort), family members, friends and Disney Legends remembered Buzz for the key role he played in Disney history.

“Buzz Price was a true Disney Legend in every sense of the word whose extraordinary contributions left a lasting mark on Walt Disney Company that few can match,” said Tom Staggs. “In addition to helping Walt select the locations for both Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort, Buzz played a significant role in virtually every project that has made Disney Parks an iconic institution.”

In 1953, while with the Stanford Research Institute, Buzz helped find the perfect location for Walt’s new concept in outdoor entertainment, Disneyland Resort. Buzz analyzed potential sites in the Southern California area, ultimately focusing on 160 acres of orange groves in Anaheim. “We hit it right on the nose,” Buzz later recalled, “dead center. That was the perfect place for it.” He also determined that Central Florida was best suited for an “East Coast Disneyland” in 1963. In all, Buzz conducted more than 150 project studies for The Walt Disney Company, including site selection and feasibility for Tokyo Disneyland.

Despite the fact that Buzz was never a Disney employee, he and Walt had a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. In 1966, Walt personally appointed Buzz to care for one of his most prized projects, the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia. Walt’s daughter Diane Disney Miller remembered Buzz as integral to the CalArts project: “Before he entered the hospital,” Diane reminisced, “Dad had placed a stack of notebooks in Buzz’s hands, saying, ‘Here, take care of my school for me!’ Dad knew the hands to place his dream in, that Buzz would see it through … and he did.” More than 30 years after its 1971 opening, Buzz remained a dedicated trustee of CalArts. He said at the time, “I have never thought of leaving the school.”

Buzz received a lifetime achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association in 1994; the award was subsequently re-named “The Buzz Price Thea Award” in his honor. In 2003, Buzz authored his autobiography, Walt’s Revolution! By the Numbers, which tells how Walt and Roy approached strategic planning issues and the impact of their innovation in the attraction field. Buzz was named a Disney Legend in 2003.

Tagged: DL, DLR, Video

Filed: Disney History, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

Sir Anthony Hopkins visited Disneyland park last week while celebrating Easter with his family, and Mickey Mouse stopped by to greet the screen legend at Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Among his upcoming projects is “Thor: The Dark World,” opening November 8, in which he returns as Thor’s father, Odin.

Tagged: DL, DLR

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

As you may know, Annette Funicello was discovered by Walt Disney himself while attending an amateur program at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank when she was just 13 years old. That single meeting led to one of the most enduring associations in show business history.

Earlier today, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger spoke for all of us at Disney when he said, “Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney Legend. She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney’s brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent. Annette was well known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life.”

The Mickey Mouse Club made its television debut on the opening day of Disneyland park, July 17, 1955. During countless appearances in the years that followed, Annette, now a television star, also became a familiar face at Disneyland park. In fact, some of the earliest pictures in our photo archive are of her.

We’ve pulled together some of our favorite photos of Annette through the years and are pleased to share them with you as we remember this very special lady who was so dear to so many.

Where it all began, July 17, 1955, at Disneyland park.

In 1958, Annette welcomed Princess Sophia from Greece.

That same year, this publicity photo for a new record was taken at Disneyland park.

Here is another publicity photo, taken perhaps for “Tall Paul.”

Annette always had time for her fans.

Annette has a “Date Nite” at Disneyland park in November 1959.

Annette channels Peter Pan at Skull Rock in 1961.

This very rare photo of Annette in Town Square at Disneyland park was taken to promote a potential TV special, which was unfortunately never produced.

In 1968, Annette reunited with her fellow Mouseketeers for a special appearance at Disneyland park.

Annette returned with her family in the 1970s.

Annette met two Disney Princesses during her 1993 visit.

The final photo of Annette in our archive was taken in 1996 alongside her longtime co-star, Frankie Avalon, during a special cavalcade on Main Street, U.S.A.

Every photo of this Disney Legend seems to capture her grace, her talent, her warmth and her kindness – all the qualities which make it easy to understand what caught the eye of Walt Disney during that amateur program nearly six decades ago.

Tagged: DL, DLR

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disney History, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

With the sad news of the passing of film critic Roger Ebert last week, I wanted to share some rarely seen photographs from our archives of Roger and his longtime “Siskel & Ebert” partner, the late Gene Siskel, taken at Disneyland park over the years.

This photo of Roger and Mickey Mouse was taken in the summer of 1997 inside Tour Gardens next to Disneyland City Hall.

In this photo, taken in February of 1989, Gene Siskel meets up with Mickey at Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Their long-running television program was one of the first syndicated television shows under Disney’s Buena Vista Television Group (later renamed Disney-ABC Domestic Television). Credited for bringing critical discussions about the movies to the masses, “Siskel & Ebert” debuted in 1986 and ran for nearly 25 years under various names, and always with the iconic “thumbs-up, thumbs down” verdict on every film discussed.

If you’ve ever wondered how they decided to call the show “Siskel & Ebert” and not “Ebert & Siskel,” the one-time rivals-turned-friends said that despite Roger being slightly older and a Pulitzer Prize winner, and despite the fact that “E” comes before “S” in the alphabet, the answer is really quite simple: a coin toss.

As someone who enjoyed reading Roger and Gene through the years and always looked forward to their impassioned discussions of the latest films every week on television, it’s hard to imagine another film critic duo coming along to fill their shoes anytime soon, so, to borrow their phrase from the end of each show, “Until then, the balcony is closed.”

Tagged: DL, DLR

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disney History, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

Your votes have been counted, and it’s time for some of your favorite long-lost Disney friends to step into the spotlight here at Disneyland park for some “Limited Time Magic.” From April 8-14, you will find them at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree in Frontierland. So, who were the winners of our online poll? Drumroll, please …

You will have the chance to visit the following long-lost Disney friends during this “Limited Time Magic” event:

• From “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” – Esmeralda, Clopin and Frollo
• From “Pocahontas” – Pocahontas, John Smith, Meeko and Governor Ratcliffe
• From “Robin Hood” – Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Prince John and Sheriff of Nottingham
• And my favorite “duck duo” – Scrooge McDuck and Ludwig Von Drake

But that’s not all! There will be even more long-lost Disney friends to see, so make plans to visit Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree from April 8-14 to find out who else will be visiting during this special event.

Which long-lost Disney friends are you most excited to see?

Tagged: DL, DLR, Limited Time Magic

Filed: Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

You can’t miss it … Floral Mickey. He greets you in all his colorful splendor as soon as you enter Disneyland park. For many guests, he is often the first photo of their magical day, making it one of the most-photographed locations in Disneyland park. The flowers that make up Mickey’s face vary depending on the season. During the cooler seasons, Violas are often used; during the warmer seasons, the outstanding Disney Horticulture team plants alyssums. These are specifically chosen because they give Mickey that “black and white” look in a photograph or from a distance. I know what you are wondering … How many flowers are used to create Floral Mickey? If you include the scrolls on the side, it’s 7,000 plants total — 4,500 on Mickey alone. Check out the video below to see how Floral Mickey has changed through the years. Enjoy!

Tagged: DL, DLR, Video

Filed: Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

Spring is here and it’s warming up a bit, so we’re on the lookout for the most refreshing Disneyland Resort libations (that don’t involve alcohol). After we got a taste of the creative PB&J soda at Carnation Cafe, we figured that sips have moved far beyond plain sodas.

A stroll through Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park left us nearly floating in delicious drinks. And we admit we have a penchant for drinks that involve ice cream and a straw.

Here are our Top 10 favorites. Do you have one to add to the list?

1. PB&J Soda, Carnation Cafe, Disneyland park – A tall, fizzy concoction that looks like a grape soda but has a delicious backbeat of peanut butter. We didn’t think we’d like it, but one sip and we wanted more. And more.




2. Boysen Apple Freeze, Fantasy Faire, Disneyland park – The newest treat, and we said “Boysen apple,” not “poison apple,” Snow White! Icy and apple-juice sweet with a hint of wild berry and passion fruit foam topping.




3. Dole Whip Float, Tiki Juice Bar, Disneyland park – The classic; it’s a must-have every time we visit. If we’re super thirsty, we start with a tall glass of straight pineapple juice so we can savor the float.
4. Root Beer Float, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, Disneyland park – When it’s parade time, you’ll find us curbside with this treat. And trust us, you won’t find root beer just anywhere.
5. Caramel Macchiato, Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, Disneyland park – When we need a picker-upper, this sweet jolt of caffeine does the trick.




6. Rose Petal Soda, Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, Disney California Adventure park – Completely different, this artisan drink features locally sourced, purified sparkling water flavored with delicate rose essence and garnished with an edible, sugar-glazed organic rose petal. Very chi-chi for sipping.




7. Ramone’s Pear of Dice Soda, Cozy Cone Motel, Disney California Adventure park – Start with Sprite, add a hint of desert pear and Mojito gourmet flavor, lots of ice and stir. Like biting into a juicy pear.
8. Mango Madness, Schmoozies, Disney California Adventure park – This is a meal in a cup: mangoes, peaches, bananas and low-fat yogurt blended with orange, pineapple, guava and passion fruit juices. Sweet and satisfying.




9. Quake Shake, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, Disney California Adventure park – Throw caution (and calories) to the wind when you order this; it’s worth every sip! Our preferred version of this shake involves one full chocolate bar blended with peanut butter and vanilla ice cream. There are six different versions to choose from if peanut butter isn’t your choice!
10. Twisted Cheshire Concoctions, Mad T Party, Disney California Adventure park – There are lots of drink choices at the party, but our preference is the Hatter’s Mandarin Fury, a frozen slurry flavored with mandarin oranges. Sip slowly or it’s brain freeze!

Tagged: DCA, Dining, DL, DLR

Filed: Disney California Adventure Park, Disney Dining, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort