Mickey Heads-Disney Podcast Review 5-26-10
Celebrating the new book Knott’s Preserved, an unbelievable California Adventures By Disney tour and an interview with Kelsey Grammer underscore these 12.5 hours of Disney podcasts. (Download your favorite Disney Podcasts on iTunes.)
The Season Pass Episode #124 Preserved Part 1 Live from Knott’s Berry Farm, our crew has put out an exhaustive series of podcasts on the release of the book Knott’s Preserved with the lead writer Chris Merritt. Bob Gurr stops by and converses with the hosts; talk about a funny guy with an awesome memory! He tells of working for Walt and how he was able to get 10 hours out an 8 hour workday. And interestingly enough, he relates how Disneyland was the best thing to happen to Knott’s Berry Farm. Rolly Crump also shares his part in creating the dark ride Berry Tales utilizing many of his Disney connections. He also relates an amazing back story of designing an attraction for Dick Irvine and how he actually took scrap and made an attraction out of it. And he tells of the learning process of tricks, such as making rooms look bigger than they actually were. Even for a Disney fan, the process of making Knott’s from a charming roadside attraction to a full theme park is intriguing. And it is hilarious, at the same time a little unnerving to hear Walt Disney pumping Mr Knott for information, so he could better his own theme park. And yet, competition from Disneyland made this park more innovative, forcing a plethora of changes over its many years. And many of those openings and closures brought back fond recollections that were shared with us.
Episode #125 Preserved Part 2 Continuing on at Knott’s Berry Farm or as they call it ‘amusement Park geek heaven’, they discuss Halloween Haunts with its history and latest installments. Again it is emphasized how Knott’s and Disney truly fed off each other. Tony Baxter noted he wanted his log flume ride to be different than Knott’s and that motivation gave us the Splash Mountain we enjoy today. The charm and family atmosphere of the employees and guests is also noted as part of the success of Knott’s. And more deep seated memories are evoked of coming there as a child via school field trips, having run-ins with the schoolmarm and enjoying the authentic ghost town. And they also get to see some old press material in pristine form, showing the lasting love for this classic theme park.