I really like Disney. The corporation fascinates me. As you may or may not know, Walt started the studio in partnership with his brother, after a few failed attempts. He didn't have much. His uncle gave them some cash and so did a doctor their family knew. He was able to use equipment that belonged to his employer in Kansas City to make a short film in which a "real" young girl (Alice) interacted with cartoons, and he used the one print that he was left with after the bankruptcy of his first serious venture to get a contract for more of the same types of short films.

From that, he built the business, taking it to new heights, innovating animation (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), camera techniques (the multiplane camera, for example), storytelling techniques (storyboarding a film before animating a single frame), color animation, and sound animation. Not satisfied with his work in animation, he branched off into live action, into television, and finally into theme parks...he practically invented the theme park. (When I say "theme park", I mean something different from the amusement parks of his era, and even something different from the coaster parks that are all over the country today.)

He was a nostalgist, and a futurist, at the same time. Ray Bradbury, a good friend of Walt Disney, was impressed, saying something like, "Most people talk about the future; Disney makes it happen." Walt had his faults, to be sure, but he was, in my estimation, a genius, and he was a do-er.

Anyway, I read a bunch of blogs about Disney, and started my own blog. It isn't very good, or interesting, yet - I really haven't found a "voice" for it - but I will eventually. Meanwhile, here's some links to very interesting (to me, anyway) blogs about Disney-ania...

Passport to Dreams, a rather scholarly blog about interesting minutae about the parks

Blue Sky Disney, a frequently updated blog where one can find news, reviews, and opinions about all things Disney

EPCOT Central, a blog about the unique EPCOT theme park, and the problems that this blogger perceives there

Disney and more, a very interesting blog with lots of concept art posted about various Disney attractions and the parks, including Disneyland Paris (the blogger has written a book on the building of that park)

Main Street Gazette, another frequently updated blog with interesting tidbits from a fan who goes to the parks a lot and who researches his stuff nicely

Imaginerding, yet another frequently updated blog written by fans who know a lot about Disney and have a lot of connections within the Disney "fan" community

There are tons more, but these are a few of my favorites. In comparison, my own Disney Fan Ramblings blog is sort of directionless and, well...maybe "pathetic" is too strong...but it gives me an outlet I don't really have here.

Have a great weekend. Mine starts tomorrow!!!