Marty Sklar's Main Street "window" ceremony video

Last friday, Marty Sklar received his "window" on Main Street during a ceremony in tribute to his WDI career. You saw images of it and the WDI party in my exclusive report last week-end, but Disneyland just released a video of the DL ceremony, and here it is below.




Photo and video: copyright Disney

D&M Exclusive: Marty Sklar's retirement party at Walt Disney Imagineering - Edited 19/7 with new pictures of the WDI party !

Last thursday, a retirement celebration party happened at Walt Disney Imagineering in honor of legendary WDI Imagineer Marty Sklar.



Marty Sklar was a student at UCLA and editor of its Daily Bruin newspaper in 1955 when he was recruited to create an 1890s-themed newspaper, The Disneyland News, a month before the theme park opened. After graduating, he joined Disneyland full-time in 1956.
In 1961, he moved to WED Enterprises, renamed in 1986 to Walt Disney Imagineering, where he worked on attractions for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Among the attractions he helped to design during this period were The Enchanted Tiki Room and It's a Small World, the latter originally for the World's Fair. For nearly 10 years, he wrote personal materials for Walt Disney for use in publications, television and special films. In 1974 he became vice president of concepts/planning, and guided the creative development of EPCOT Center.

As vice president of creative development, executive vice president and then president of Imagineering for nine years, Sklar supervised the design and construction of Tokyo Disneyland, the Disney-MGM Studios, Disneyland Paris, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's California Adventure, Tokyo DisneySea, the Walt Disney Studios Park and most recently Hong Kong Disneyland. As former Disneyland International chairman Jim Cora later said of him, "He understands the Disney way because he learned it at Walt's knee. He is the keeper of the keys, the conscience, the Jiminy Cricket for the organization".

So, after 54 years at the WDC and 48 at WDI Marty Sklar is leaving Imagineering, and to celebrate the retirement of this legendary imagineer the invitation below was sent last week to WDI imagineers - including former WDI imagineers - to invite them to join the party at WDI Big D Patio.



When they arrived on thursday afternoon, the patio was transformed in "Martyland" as you can see on the pictures below and the one at the top - the man in the vehicle is a Dummy!







...And each of them received this now highly-collectible Martyland button you can see below.



Many talented and wonderful people were there! Among them: Alice Davis, Rolly Crump, Richard Sherman, Mickey Steinberg, Orlando Ferrante and his wife, Walt Peregoy, Julie Svendsen, Tony Baxter, Eric Jacobson, Eddie Sotto, Tom Morris, Bob Weis, Barbara Hastings (Marty's assistant for many years), Dave Smith, Dave Snyder, Nelson Meacham, Frank Armitage and his wife Karen and Nicole Armitage his daughter, Valerie Edwards, Kim Irvine, Craig Russell, Bruce Vaughn, Robert and Lori Coltrin, Stan Dodd, Kathy Mangum, Chris Runco, Greg Wilzbach, Paul Comstock, Dick Cook, Steve Anderson, and many more.

And of course Marty Sklar, on the picture below. The lady on the right of Marty is WDI Imagineer Kim Irvine.



On the next picture, Alice Davis



Here are Imagineers Chris Runco, Bob Gurr and Tony Baxter!



On the next picture, Disney Legend Jack Lindquist



Below, Imagineers Rolly Crump and Chris Crump with Eddie Sotto



On the next picture: Imagineer Tom Morris



Below, Imagineer Eddie Sotto with Legendary animator Walt Peregoy



On the next picture, Richard Sherman, one of the two famous Sherman Brothers. He serenaded Marty Sklar from a piano and played Great big beautiful tomorrow, and other songs "live".



Below, Imagineer Dex Tanksley having a drink with other friends Imagineers in a former Peoplemover vehicle, listening to Richard Sherman playing piano.



As you can see, it seems that everybody had a lot of fun at Marty's party.

Former Imagineer Hani El-Masri now living in Cairo could not attend the party, but Marty Sklar asked Hani to design his "departure card" - as Hani when he was working at WDI was known to design fun cards to celebrate an imagineer retirement from WDI. Hani, that D&M readers knows well thanks to last December articles about his WDI artwork - kindly sent me a picture of the fantastic and very funny card he designed for Marty, and you can see it below.



During the party, a giant print of Hani's artwork was displayed in the patio and all Imagineers could write on the white space all around it kind messages to Marty Sklar.

Marty Sklar, who became a Disney Legend in 2002 at a ceremony inside the Art of Animation building during Paris Walt Disney Studios Grand Opening was also honored this friday, date of Disneyland 54th Anniversary, with his very own window on Main Street at Disneyland, Anaheim.





Here is the video of the Disneyland ceremony for Marty's window.



It's truly a Walt Disney Imagineering legend who retired yesterday and Disney and more wish absolutely all the best to Marty for his new life.

Pictures 2,3,16,17: copyright Disney - WDI

Marty's window at Disneyland Picture: copyright Abominable Snowman from Mice Chat

Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this interview on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

Breaking News : Disney Legendary Imagineer Marty Sklar says goodbye to WDI

It's a true Imagineering legend who announces today in a letter to "All Imagineers" that he will say "goodbye" to Walt Disney Imagineering on July 17 this year.

Disney Legend Marty Sklar began as a Disney cast-member 53 years ago at Disneyland’s public relations department and joined WED Enterprises in 1961 where his Imagineer career began. His career at WDI "grew from Staff Writer to Vice President of Concepts and Planning, and then to President and Vice-Chairman and Principal Creative Executive of Imagineering".

His role in the creative development of EPCOT is well known, but we must not forget his participation in countless attractions and theme park projects, most of them beloved by Disney guests.

I never met Marty, but i almost did twice: the first time was at Tokyo Disney Sea grand opening where i was invited as journalist. I asked for an interview of Marty, but due to his schedule it didn't happen. The second time was at Walt Disney Studios opening during the Disney Legend ceremony. The event was inside the Art of Animation building, and Marty was there to receive his Disney Legend award. Everybody was sitting in the theatre and listening to Michael Eisner ceremony introduction speech, and personally i was sitting right behind Marty! Marty was going to receive his award some minutes later, and obviously it was not the right time for a talk with him.

Disney and more, as you know, is a daily tribute to Imagineering, and it is with sadness that i learned Marty's decision today. When, on July 17, Marty Sklar will become a retired imagineer, it will be the end of an era. Marty Sklar is not only one of the last Disney Imagineer who knew personally Walt Disney, but Walt's inspiration has burned in Marty: "Working with Walt Disney was the greatest "training by fire" anyone could ever experience. Our training was by Walt, who was always there pitching in with new ideas and improving everyone else's input. The fire was that we were constantly breaking new ground to create deadline projects never attempted before in this business. That, I'm proud to say has never stopped in my years at Disney."

I want to add that i will be always grateful to Marty for his great support during the long making of the "Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality" book. Without him, this marvelous book will probably not exist today. Thanks again, Marty!

Photo: copyright Disney

Disney announces D23 , " The Official Community for Disney Fans "

It's the major Disney news of the day - if not of the month: Disney announces today the D23 web site and magazine, "the first official community for Disney fans in the Company's 85-year history. ".

It's hard to believe that it took them 85 years to think about it (!), but that's it, Disney has finally decided to take care of all the Disney fans in the world with a great web site and a classy magazine as well. I can't stop thinking that all the different "non-officials" web sites and magazines like "Tales from the Laughing Place" did "open the road" to Disney D23. That somebody in Burbank finally thought that "may-be-we-should-do-something-for-all-these Disney-fans"...

But, hey, here it is at last, so today should be a zip-a-dee-do-dah day!



Let's have a closer look to all this, beginning by the D23 web site. As Bob Iger will explain to you on the "What is D23" page: "D23 is Named in honor of the year 1923, when Walt left Kansas City, headed for Hollywood and founded what would become the Disney Studios, D23 gives Disney fans VIP access to all things Disney through this brand-new Web site; Disney twenty-three, the club's beautiful quarterly magazine; and, in perhaps the most exciting news of all, the D23 Expo, a Disney fan mega event to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center this fall!
Through D23, fans will go backstage and behind closed doors to get the inside scoop from every part of Disney, while experiencing the nostalgia, adventure and fantasy of Disney as never before."

If you still don't believe that all this is is real, here is Bob iger himself in his official announcement.



The web site has different sections, one of them talks about "the latest news and features" with different "Feature Stories" - and you will be pleased to know that an updated "Great moments with Mr Lincoln" will come back to Disneyland later this year...



Other sections of "News and Features" include:
- Late-breaking news, press releases, and photos of interest to fans from every part of Disney.
- "Twilight Bark" — inspired by the Disney animated feature 101 Dalmatians — offers up the latest tidbits and news "bites" from all around the world of Disney.
- Feature articles and interviews on current Disney topics from theme parks and animation to television and motion pictures, as well as historical retrospectives.
- Official Disney Bloggers — Get regular updates on films in production at Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, current Walt Disney Imagineering projects, and the Walt Disney Archives.



Another section dedicated to "Expos and special events" will inform you on how a D23 member can participate to "a special D23 members-only showing of Up, Pixar's latest animation masterpiece!" and you will learn also everything about the first D23 EXPO! The D23 Expo — to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center from September 10-13, 2009 — will be "The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience," featuring incredible speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, interactive experiences, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and much more. All Disney fans are welcome, but D23 members will receive a discount on Expo admissions and early access to the show daily. D23 will also offers unique members-only special event opportunities throughout the year.

Talking about members, there is a "Membership Certificate and Card": The D23 membership card and suitable-for-framing member certificate — both specially created for D23's Charter Year — feature many of Disney's most beloved characters.
more interesting, the "Surprise Collectible Gift and Member Merchandise": Each member who joins D23 will receive an exclusive collectible gift from the new Walt Disney Archives Collection. This merchandise line was created specifically with D23 members in mind, and each piece is authorized by the Walt Disney Archives. D23 members will have exclusive or early access to a wide assortment of Walt Disney Archives Collection pieces.
The D23 membership will cost you $74.99 a year. It will also allows you to buy special D23 merchandise on the D23 online store as you will see below.



The Disney Archives section is also very interesting and have its own sections:
- "This Day in Disney" — A daily walk down memory lane.
- "What's Old Is News" — Go back in time and enjoy rare, vintage and classic articles, stories, interviews, press materials and other highlights from deep within the Disney Archives.
- "Ask Dave" — Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Dave Smith answers your questions about Disney history.
- "Archives Library" — helpful Disney reference tools including biographies, filmographies, award chronologies, Disney A to Z updates, historical profiles and other archival information.



And then there is the D23 Magazine, the cherry on the top of the cake, a classy quarterly publication: Disney 23 is a hybrid entertainment and lifestyle magazine that is the all-access pass to discovering the magic of Disney's past, present and future. Its name pays homage to 1923, the year The Walt Disney Company was founded.




The premiere issue of Disney 23 includes exclusive features such as:

- Interviews with Tim Burton, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
- Inside look at the new Disney/Pixar animated film Up, featuring interviews with Director Pete Docter and Producer Jonas Rivera, concept and production art, and a look at the new animated short Partly Cloudy.
- A rare look inside Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. Meet the Pixar team and learn the secrets behind the success of their films.
- The doors open for two of the most exclusive, magical suites in the world: the Cinderella Castle Suite at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Dream Suite overlooking New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America at the Disneyland Resort.

Disney twenty-three's regular featured departments will include:

- A Walk with Walt: A look back at the trials and triumphs of the man who made dreams come true and whose imagination started it all.
- D Society: From gala movie premieres and grand openings to candid Disney moments and memories, D Society takes readers backstage and onto the red carpet.
- PHOTOfiles: The legendary Walt Disney Archives Photo Library houses millions of Disney's most cherished photographic memories, and the Archives team shares its Top 100, five in every issue. Let the countdown begin!
- Where in D?: Try to identify where in the world of Disney each issue's mystery photo was taken.
- The Funny Pages: For the first time in decades, enjoy the vintage newspaper comic strips that helped make many of Disney's most popular characters famous.
- Making Magic: Crafts for children of all ages, inspired by Disney's favorite stories and experiences.
- Recipes from Disney's most popular restaurants and eateries, past and present.

Stitch Kingdom posted a review of the first issue, and you can read it HERE.



Finally, Disney created a online D23 shop on the Disney Shopping web site. As i've said you need to be a D23 member to buy those exclusive collectibles. Some are not cheap, but there is nice items like this 12" high sculpture of Walt with his first creation - no, it's not Mickey Mouse but Oswald the rabbit! at $224.95



Let be honest, these D23 web site and magazine are real good news, and even if it took them sometime to create them, we can wish to both site and magazine a warm welcome.......in the community of Disney fans.

All pictures and Video: copyright Disney