Classic Cartoons shown at Disney World

[frizfrelengfan]

Greetings from warm Florida. I visited Walt Disney World last week with the family (school was closed last week in the Northeast). They went home and I'm still here, on business.

One of the "stores" on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom continuously rotates three Disney shorts: "Steamboat Willie," "Flowers and Trees," and "The Band Concert." I had seen "Steamboat Willie" before, but never the other two in their entirety. It made my week to see them.

The mash-up of "William Tell Overture" and "Turkey in the Straw" in "The Band Concert" was so perfect, I thought Carl Stalling did it. This is my first access to a computer in a week, and the first thing I did was look it up in BCDB and IMDb. Looks like Stalling was working for the Iwerks studio in 1935, and there is no music credit for "The Band Concert."

[Mark J]

Do they still show those in the 'theatre' on main street? I haven't been up to Disney in 7 or 8 years even though I live down here (and can get a resident discount), but since the first time I went in 1983 those toons were shown on big screens in the main street theatre, close to the front entrance to the park. One of the highlights of Disney World. Not too far down on Main Street is (or at least always was) the excellent Ice Cream cones, across the street from the ice cream there was always a food place selling the best tasting Coke around, I always suspected they were using one of the old syrup blends.

[frizfrelengfan]

Mark J,

The last time I was here was seven years ago, August 2001, two weeks before history changed. The weather is a lot better now :) .

At the time, they were in the theatre on Main Street, but I only recall seeing "Steamboat Willie." My memory might be fuzzy though. Now they're in a "building next to the theatre" (although in reality it's all one building).

[FleischerFan]

I lived in Orlando for over 25 years (1976-2004) and still reside in Florida.

The "store" on Main Street, U.S.A. is supposed to recreate an old-time movie theater. Actually, once past the outside facade, the interior looks nothing like a real movie theater of the era.

While I have not been in that theater in many years, I can tell you that originally it had multiple screens all showing looped film cassettes of several old black & white Mickey Mouse cartoons (no color) with "Steambost Willie" being the title featured on the theater's outside marque.

As Main Street U.S.A is supposed to recreate the atmosphere of a small town around the turn of the last century, the theatre originally showed those cartoons as "silents" with a general, old-time piano heard on the theater's piped-in music system.

Obviously, the theater is now a bit of a mash-up of several different eras if it's including Technicolor cartoons and sound - as neither of those features were available in theaters in the 1910's. (Of course, Mickey himself didn't come along until the end of the 1920's, so it was never accurate in the entertainment it presented.)

It's funny, I used to visit that theater all the time until the advent of home video Mickeys, first on VHS and then DVD, made my home viewing experience superior to standing (there were no seats inside the Main Street Cinema) watching these film prints.

[ThePeterNetwork]

I know exactly where that theater in the Magic Kingdom is that you referr to, and I know of the storefront where they were shown before.

The "Main Street Cinema" where they used to show the Mickey Mouse cartoons is just another storefront to sell Park merchandise and show off VMK, the Virtual Magic Kingdom online game (don't fall for it!). They now show the cartoons in the Kodak Expo Hall I think they call it. When you enter the Magic Kingdom, look to your right. You should see the building. Enter it, go all the way in past the photo kiosks, and then to the right. That's where they are showing the films.

Believe me when I tell you that alot of folks were up in arms over changing the state of the Main Street Cinema as well as the Penny Arcade (which is now a sports-themed shop)

[Tom Stathes]

The Main Street Theater was a semi-dissapointment for me when I visited WDW at around age 10. I had been wanting to see Steamboat Willie for some time and was absolutely ecstatic when I saw the title displayed on that marque....and I thought it would be an actual theater continuously looping old Disney cartoons. Much to my dissapointment, it was indeed a store. The only solace I could find was seeing PLANE CRAZY which was being looped on the screen.

[J. A. Boschen]

I can remember going to the "theater" during my trips to Disney world. Even though its no where close to a 20's/30's style theater (it had a very odd interior and set up if I recall) I still liked it.

Speaking of which, Disney ought to build a small recreation of a 20's era theater (complete with a blacony, popcor stand/candy counter, tin ceilings, fancy stenciled wood work, etc.) and run their library of vintage cartoons and other Disney short subjects, trailers, newsreel promotions (all Disney related), etc. 24/7. I am an honestly suprised that they don't have something like that already in the magic kingdom.

[Vdubdavid]

Speaking of which, Disney ought to build a small recreation of a 20's era theater (complete with a blacony, popcor stand/candy counter, tin ceilings, fancy stenciled wood work, etc.) and run their library of vintage cartoons and other Disney short subjects, trailers, newsreel promotions (all Disney related), etc. 24/7. I am an honestly suprised that they don't have something like that already in the magic kingdom.

You would think that, but it seems today that the fact Mickey Mouse and the other classic characters first became popular in shorts other than "Steamboat Willie" is practically an afterthought today, lost in the promotion of new characters from TV.

[Mark J]

I know exactly where that theater in the Magic Kingdom is that you referr to, and I know of the storefront where they were shown before.

The "Main Street Cinema" where they used to show the Mickey Mouse cartoons is just another storefront to sell Park merchandise and show off VMK, the Virtual Magic Kingdom online game (don't fall for it!). They now show the cartoons in the Kodak Expo Hall I think they call it. When you enter the Magic Kingdom, look to your right. You should see the building. Enter it, go all the way in past the photo kiosks, and then to the right. That's where they are showing the films.

Believe me when I tell you that alot of folks were up in arms over changing the state of the Main Street Cinema as well as the Penny Arcade (which is now a sports-themed shop)

They got rid of the penny arcade??? The arcade was great! I think it is interesting how the ticket price increases as the amount of stores increases. Soon it will just be a very expensive mall trip.

[FlapperPrower]

When I went there early last month, a Silly Symphony short was playing. I couldn't recall which one though, but it was one of the later ones.

[FleischerFan]

Speaking of which, Disney ought to build a small recreation of a 20's era theater (complete with a blacony, popcor stand/candy counter, tin ceilings, fancy stenciled wood work, etc.) and run their library of vintage cartoons and other Disney short subjects, trailers, newsreel promotions (all Disney related), etc. 24/7. I am an honestly suprised that they don't have something like that already in the magic kingdom. If not in the Magic Kingdom, then how about in the Disney-MGM Studios' theme park?

It could show vintage Disney footage and (because it's all about the merchandise) offer as complete a selection of Disney DVDs as possible in the "lobby."

Tom, if you miss the old Mickeys, why not purchase either or both volumes of "Mickey Mouse in Black & White?"

[AcmeCoyote]

During my visit in January, sports-related cartoons were also being shown in Casey's Corner. I caught bits of "Art of Skiing" and "Touchdown Mickey" as I passed through.

[JPox]

I got to go down and visit Disney World one of these years!

[Jon Cooke]

At one point, some of the on-property Disney hotels had a TV channel that played nothing but a 2-hour loop of classic shorts 24/hrs a day. I remember titles like "Mickey and the Seal", "Lambert the Sheepish Lion", "Legend of Coyote Rock", "The Autograph Hound" and others in the mix. This was a few years ago.

[Matt the Y]

At one point, some of the on-property Disney hotels had a TV channel that played nothing but a 2-hour loop of classic shorts 24/hrs a day. I remember titles like "Mickey and the Seal", "Lambert the Sheepish Lion", "Legend of Coyote Rock", "The Autograph Hound" and others in the mix. This was a few years ago.

You're not along, Jon. I saw that too when I visited Walt Disney World in one of the exact same hotels. It was a bit frustrating that only played so many cartoons. It would have been nicer to get a little more variety thrown into the mix to make the "loop" last longer.

FTW, "Bee on Guard", "The Beach Party", "Lend a Paw", "Little Hiawatha", and "Bill Posters" were among some of the other cartoons shown.

[geekzapoppin]

Main Street, U.S.A. used to actually be a collection of unique stores and such that was meant to recreate (somewhat) the feel of a turn-of-the (last) century main thoroughfare in a midwest town. There used to be a candle store, a homemade candy store, even a tobacconist! The Penny Arcade used to have working kinetoscopes and other penny games that actually cost a penny to use. Back in the early 1990's, the new management team in charge of the parks got rid of almost everything, knocked down walls, and changed the place into what is essentially a mall with each store selling the same crap. It's a darned shame. I was so disappointed when I went there in '97 and discovered what had become of the place. When I went back last year, little had been done to improve the situation. It's all about the Benjamins, folks.

[Bobby Bickert]

The last time I was at Walt Disney World, in the summer of 1983, they were showing cartoons in the building formerly occupied by the Mickey Mouse Revue, which had been shipped off to Tokyo Disneyland. That day the cartoons were "Hawaiian Holiday", "Beezy Bear", and "Tiger Trouble". (It rained a lot that day, so most of my time was spent either there or in the penny arcade.)

I saw "Steamboat Willie" at the Main Street Cinema in January 1978, but that was the only cartoon playing there. I can't remember all of what was playing on the other 5 screens, but I do remember "The Great Train Robbery", a Keystone Kops short, and a compilation of "magic lantern" slides like "Ladies please remove hats".

[Bobby Bickert]

Not too far down on Main Street is (or at least always was) the excellent Ice Cream cones...

When was this? The only ice cream I ever had at Walt Disney World was Borden vanilla, in prepackaged plastic cups.

[Mark J]

When was this? The only ice cream I ever had at Walt Disney World was Borden vanilla, in prepackaged plastic cups.

Every time I went - 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000. I think it was Borden's ice cream, but they scooped it out into cones. The 'store' at the end of the strip on the right, a few down from what was the theatre.