Disney World

Having been to Walt Disney World Florida, 3 times it is one of my favourite places in the world it just takes me back to being a child and the whole of this park and the others are just amazing.  Whilst doing my research of Ub I learnt that he had a hand in creating this world and for that I really wish I could thank him as i'm sure he threw his enthusiasm into creating this place just as much as he put his soul into his drawings and inventions.

I found out that he had a huge hand in creating this place again from the interview his granddaugter Leslie gave to GEO, as she said 'He had a hand in virtually every attraction, creating projection technology, camera technology, 3-Walt Disney works for the park and for the films and tv shows.'

John Kenworthy who was also part of this interview and helped write 'The Man Behind the Mouse' with Leslie said 'Anything that Walt Disney could think of to do tv shows, movies, animation, Ub was involved with.  And when the Disneyland theme park came up it was plain that Ub would be involved with that too.  His contributions were many and varied: he worked on the film backdrop of Abe Lincoln.  He devised the camera for the 360 degree theater. He came up with the talking busts in the Haunted Mansion attraction.'

The first time I went to Disneyland the Haunted Mansion was one of my favourite rides as it felt so real and everything looked so lifelike.  Obviously things will have changed since Ub designed it and it was made but I'd like to think the key elements are still there and they are amazing!

John Kenworthy also goes on in the interview to explain how this was done; 'One day he (Ub) got this crazy idea to take a wig stand and project film of a real face on it.  So he brought in his wife's to the office and tried it.  It looks very realistic...and very frightening! and thats how the singing busts in the Haunted Mansion came about.'

This ride also inspired the 2003 Disney film The Haunted Mansion.

References:
Geo Interview (n.d.) Remembering Ub Iwerks,[online] Available at: http://www.crazycollege.org/IwerksFilmFax.htm [Accessed: Wednesday 18th january 2012].


Walt Disney World (n.d.) Walt Disney World - Magic Kingdom. [image online] Available at: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/ [Accessed: Wednesday 18th January 2012].


Google Search (n.d.) Haunted Mansion. [image online] Available at: http://themeparkcanuck.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Haunted-Mansion-Holiday-PR-.jpeg [Accessed: Wednesday 18th January 2012].