WD-FM Museum Musings (September 2021) Shownotes

Join us for the long-awaited, in-person celebration of our newest special exhibition, The Walt Disney Studios and World War II, as Exhibition Curator Kent Ramsey gives an in-depth talk about this lesser known, yet crucial, time period at The Walt Disney Studios and shares the wealth of knowledge he gained through more than 15 years of dedicated research on the war.

Guests are encouraged to visit the special exhibition after the presentation. Please note: Admission to the special exhibition requires a separate reservation booked in advance. Reservations are free for members.

Many adventures seen on the silver screen feature treacherous falls from great heights, choreographed fight scenes, and thrilling chases performed by professional stunt actors. Disney’s Hollywood Studios commemorates the enthralling art of stuntwork in its action-packed theatrical show, Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular! Join us as we take a look at how performers execute daring moves in classic live-action and animated films. Then through 2D hand-drawn animation, animate a character courageously leaping out of a window.

One of the most enchanting objects in The Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction in Adventureland is, indeed, the magic carpet. Journey with us as we explore the ways in which a magical carpet moves and soars across the sky, then, using traditional hand-drawn techniques, animate an ordinary rug flying across the page.

In celebration of the premiere of Muppets Haunted Mansion on Disney+, join Muppet Performers Dave Goelz and Bill Barretta—the hands and voices behind The Great Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn—as they share insight into their experiences working with Jim Henson and the Muppets, discuss their favorite behind-the-scenes moments from this spooky new special, and introduce special surprise guests to share their own favorite Muppet stories.

In the history of The Walt Disney Studios, there once was a five-word phrase that had the potential to strike fear into anyone’s heart, regardless of the recipient’s status or role:

“Walt wants to see you.”

This may have been true of the then-40 year old sound effects virtuoso John James “Jimmy” Macdonald, who was called into Walt’s office while his department was in the middle of production on the oft-delayed, “Mickey and the Beanstalk” segment of a package feature called Fun and Fancy Free (1947).