New Lincoln Animatronic Lookin' Good

Can't wait to see more of this figure.  The facial movements look pretty good.  According to this YouTube post, "The old Lincoln figure had 6 functions in the face, but this new one includes 10. Lincoln's mouth is now able to form vowels such as "O"."

I remember learning about the "F" lip movement when I first started to work on animatronic heads and always thought that was cool.

While we are on the topic of this historic and iconic AA figure, I'll share one of my personal experiences with ol' Abe.  Back in high school I occasionally worked at the Mad Hatter shop on Main Street.  There was a stock closet to the right of the stage.  For some reason we thought it was funny to put silly hats on the former president and take pictures.  Hilarious, I know.  We'd sit on his lap and stuff.  Aside from goofing around, I'd stand next to the thing in awe.

Sometimes I'd sneak in and sit in the back of the dark theater as Imagineers worked on Mr. Lincoln.  One time I watched them program the figure with an electric piano keyboard.  I felt like I was watching some Disney Channel behind-the-scenes special where they show animatronics without headskins or clothes.

"A Day at Disneyland" 1960s Super 8mm Souvenir Film

Produced by Walt Disney Productions

This has it all... Penny Arcade, People Mover, Submarine Voyage, Skyway, old Fantasyland, Flight to the Moon, Keel Boats, Mules, Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, etc. etc.  Enjoy!

CONCEPT: Carrying the Banner (A Newsies Welcome Show)

Concept by Lilly

Itʼs 8:55am on Main Street USA. The park opens at 9:00. Hundreds of excited guests are streaming through the turnstiles, hustling through the arches and town square, until they meet a rope draped across main street just before from the Emporium, keeping them from the excitement of the park for just five more minutes.

A couple of Newsies have wandered out of the Emporium and other nearby buildings, just getting ready for a day of selling “papes.” Some of them are just tucking their shirt in, one is just drying his face with a towel, others are arranging their newspapers getting ready to sell them.

They have the demeanor you would expect from a Newsie, pushing each other around, cracking jokes, talking about the girl they met last night. They donʼt acknowledge their audience just yet. At about 8:55 one of them sings “Try Bottle Alley or the harbor,” another Newsie adds, “Try Central Park itʼs guaranteed,” and the song continues. There are only three lookalikes in this show from the Disney film. One is Jack “Cowboy” Kelly, and he sings his own lines from the film. Eventually the Newsies bring in the audience and interact with them during the number. In the appropriate place in the song (we cut the part with the nuns), the Delancey brothers, Oscar and Morris, enter. These are the only other two lookalikes from the film. One of the Newsies states “Dear me! What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewers may have backed up during the night,” and the scene continues up until Jack says “That's right. It's an insult. So's this!” Instead of knocking the hat of Morrisʼ head, he steals it and a choreographed fight scene/keep the hat from the Delancey brothers/Jack hiding from the Delancey brothers proceeds as the Newsies continue to sing around this scene up until the end of the song.

As the Newsies finish the musical number the Newsies then explain to the crowd how the rope drop will work. They form a line of Newsies in the front and then walk the guests to each land, mingling and interacting with them as they go. When they get to each land, various cast members take over and lead the guests to the most popular attractions. The Newsies stick around Main Street and sell papes.

The best part is that the papers the Newsies have are actual papers filled with never before seen articles about the Walt Disney Company. Essentially, they are collectors items and the Newsies actually sell them for whatever they can get. The Newsies donʼt advertise the papers for what they are, they just sell like Newsies would sell, but they only place you can get one is from a Newsie.

After the morning set, Jack and maybe the Delancy Brothers will continue to do sets throughout the day on Main Street, continuing to sell papers and to interact with each other and the guests.