by Jim Korkis
Just as today, the Disney theme parks sell some “Disney Park Only” small booklets, and that was the intent of this publication. One of my copies of the booklet has a $2.95 Disney price tag on it and this copy was briefly sold only in the Disney Institute gift shop. Since it cost roughly six dollars each to produce this book, it was obviously being sold at a loss to promote WDW architecture.
Every entry was two pages. One page had a big color photograph and a paragraph about the architect, while the facing page had a description of the structure. The entries concentrated on the buildings outside of the theme parks, primarily the WDW resorts.
However, there were also entries for two gas stations on Buena Vista and buildings in Celebration.
Another factor in the “recall” of the book was the publication of the much more expensive book Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture by Beth Dunlop (1996) for which the previously unnamed department head had reviewed and approved the text.
The redacted book was replaced with a pin and a laminated card with the Nine Elements of Disney Design: color, materials, interior architecture, illusion, landscaping, music, signage, general exterior, and attention to detail.
Here’s one Disney architectural secret I learned at the time that I don’t think has appeared in any other article about Walt Disney World architecture: The Crossroads shopping center at Disney World was designed by Hunton, Brady, Pryor, Maso of Orlando, who were also responsible for construction drawings and construction administration for the Isozaki Team Disney building across from Downtown Disney.
That’s the building with the huge sundial cone that some people felt looked like a nuclear power plant.
The four-story, 401,000-square-foot structure covers a space the size of three football fields and includes three toriis, just like the entrance to a Japanese temple, to cleanse the heart, mind, and soul of those who enter.
These toriis all have black mouse ears. Barriers had to be placed in front of the building entrance as people were driving and walking into the shallow reflecting pool, not realizing it was water, because it was so still.
Clyde Brady, a partner with Hunton, Brady, Pryor, Maso, told the Orlando Sentinel that the immediate effect of Disney entertainment architecture was that “we’re seeing people coming to us, looking for theme architecture. Everything’s got to have a theme or a certain character.”
Chao stated that Disney entertainment architecture fell into three design categories: modern, as in Isozaki’s “abstract” Team Disney building; derivative, either of a style or period, as in Stern’s Yacht and Beach Club resorts; and fanciful, as in Graves’ Dolphin and Swan. “Some projects overlap categories,” he reminded reporters.
After the Dolphin dedication, Eisner was asked if he thought his approach to entertainment architecture would result in better architecture outside of Disney property:
The answer is “yes.” It can’t hurt that we’re helping push architecture forward.
Before the Disney Institute opened, Eisner addressed the staff and he said that he felt his two greatest legacies to the Disney company would be culinary (better quality food offerings in a Disney theme park than the standard hot dogs and hamburgers) and architecture (that entertainment architecture could work outside of a theme park).
About the Author
Jim Korkis is an internationally respected Disney historian who has written hundreds of articles and twenty books about all things Disney during the last forty years. He is the author of two other volumes of Secret Stories of Walt Disney World.
Jim grew up in Glendale, California, where he was able to meet and interview Walt’s original team of animators and Imagineers.
In 1995, he relocated to Orlando, Florida, where he worked for Walt Disney World in a variety of capacities including Entertainment, Animation, Disney Institute, Disney University, College and International Programs, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Design Group, and Marketing.
His original research on Disney history has been used often by the Disney company as well as other organizations including the Walt Disney Family Museum.
Several websites currently frequently feature Jim’s articles about Disney history:
MousePlanet.com
AllEars.net
Yesterland.com
CartoonResearch.com
YourFirstVisit.net
In addition, Jim is a frequent guest on multiple podcasts as well as a consultant and keynote speaker to various businesses and groups.
When Jim worked at Walt Disney World, he was considered a leading expert in WDW history and prepared the questions for the various rounds of the annual cast member WDW trivia competition as well as being the host for the final round.
He also wrote the text for the WDW trading cards, gave frequent presentations and tours to cast members and WDW corporate partners, and writes quarterly Disney history columns for the Disney Vacation Club magazine.
Jim is not currently an employee of the Disney company.
To read more stories by Jim Korkis about Disney history, please check out his other books, all available from Theme Park Press.
More Books from Theme Park Press
Theme Park Press publishes dozens of books each year for Disney fans and for general and academic audiences. Here are just a few of our titles. For the complete catalog, including book descriptions and excerpts, please visit:
ThemeParkPress.com
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