Magic Journeys (sorta OT)

[X-S Tech]

I only saw Magic Journey's once, in 91 after it had moved to the MK. At the time you saw "Working for Peanuts" in the Preshow. Is this the only Preshow that Magic Journey's had? Did DIsneyland, or the Epcot location have anything else? I guess Epcot showed a film with Makin' memories in it right?

 

[dtats]

I remember seeing "Magic Journeys" at the Fantasyland Theater back in the late 80's/early 90's, too, with "Working for Peanuts" (I still have the tune to "It's a Lovely Day, Dolores" stuck in my head!)and over in Epcot at this same time, at Journey Into Imagination, "Makin' Memories" was the preshow for "Captain EO," although I don't recall there being any other show prior to "Memories," just the long wait in the queue inside that long hallway.

IMO, "Makin' Memories" was the best preshow I ever saw at JII. I wish someone would release that on video (hint--Extinct Attractions).

 

[diegorivera2]

I concur with 'Working for Peanuts' as the pre-show to 'Magic Journeys' at the Fantasyland Theater (does anyone have photos of the 3-D figures?) but I don't remember it being the lead into 'Captain EO' -- I thought it was the main attraction at the Magic Eye Theater and that 'Makin' Memories' was the pre-show to it.

 

[diegorivera2]

Well, curiosity got the better of me and I did some quick searching. This is from an AllEars.net article in June 2004 (the link is http://allearsnet.com/ae/issue249.htm).

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STEP BACK IN TIME
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Ever wonder what Walt Disney World was like way back when? We rummage around in our archives for this feature, which takes you back in history for a glimpse of Walt Disney World through the ages.

Do you remember the film Magic Journeys? It was a 3-D movie presented by Kodak about the imaginations of children that opened in the Imagination Pavilion in Epcot on October 1, 1982. The sign said, "Follow Figment to Magic Journeys, a 3-D Film Fantasy." Michael Jackson's Captain Eo film forced Magic Journeys to move to the Fantasyland Theatre in the Magic Kingdom on December 15, 1987. It remained there until December 1, 1993.

Magic Journeys pre-show, Working for Peanuts, was a 3-D film starring Donald Duck and Chip and Dale produced in 1953. The pre-show lasted eight minutes, while Magic Journeys was 17 minutes long. Throughout the lobby of the attraction were 3-D pictures of the cast and crew of Working for Peanuts. There was also a countdown clock for those folks who always ask, "When does the next show start?"

Magic Journeys also had a home in Disneyland, where it played from 1984 through 1986, and in Tokyo Disneyland, where it played from 1985 to 1987.

 

[Burnsland]

When it originally opened at Epcot when the park first opened, Magic Journeys was preceeded by the Makin' Memories pre-show, hence its inclusion on the "Offical Album of EPCOT Center".

Working for Peanuts became the pre-show when Magic Journeys moved to the Magic Kingdom. Working for Peanuts wouldn't have gone over in the original EPCOT Center setup, since the classic Disney characters were nowhere to be found in the park, at least until a couple of years after Eisner came around.

 

[Jeff in NY]

Howdy!

I personally remember the Makin' Memories preshow pretty well. You stood in a theater and when the music started (the exact recording on the OA) you saw a slide show montage of Kodak photographs. There had been a photo contest, which I remember hearing about in a Magic Kingdom Club newsletter, and the winning images would appear in the Makin' Memories show. But there were also old black and white pictures too, as well as antique photos. The images pretty much reflected the verses in the song, like rumble seats and twenty cent gasoline. There were great vacations, celebrations, and snapshots of the whole family. There were shots of people squirting each other with hoses while washing cars, and babies with Cheerios all over their heads. There were photo finishes and tigers at bay.

One of the things I remember most about the old original Jouney into Imagination pavilion was that they never let you forget the Kodak sponsorship, even in Magic Journeys, where the "eating, drinking, flash photography" routine included info on Kodak's incredible new 3-D process.

I believe you could purchase film there too. Imagine you couldn't? The Kodak Disk camera was hot then, and they had a display of those too.

 

[DL FLIGHT 295]

The version of "Makin' Memories" that was on the EPCOT OFFICAL ALBUM was substantialy shortened from the real preshow used for MAGIC JOURNEY's........when Disneyland featured MAGIC JOURNEY's at the SPACE PLACE STAGE (at Space Mountain) it did not use a preshow. EDL also featured a
French version of "Makin' Memories" for it's Captain EO preshow.

Johnathan Weidelman.....the blonde haired boy in Makin' Memories (now an oral surgeon) said he was hired for the part because he was able to ride horseback........the filming was done over several years and didn't even have a name at the time other than "3-D PROJECT '77).....He was one of the few actors in the film that was used for the entire film.......(you'll notice the children are actually getting older in the film) and some change actors completely!

Tokyo Disneyand converted it's JAPAN 200 Theater (The Eternal Sea) to showasce MAGIC JOURNEY's in 1985.........but I'm not aware if there was a preshow.

Disneyland considered building a permanent Theater for Magic Journey on Main Street -----Right where the Main Stree Cinema is. A newshow building jutted out towards
Tomorrowland




DL FLIGHT 295
aka
DC-88 SPACELINER