Q : I was wondering what you could tell me about the Court of Angels inside New Orleans Square at Disneyland. Was it built to represent anything in particular? It’s a rare place in the parks as not many people seem to know about it. Was this done on purpose?
Dean, Orem, Utah
A: The Court des Angels, also known earlier as Le Grand Court, with its attractive staircase, balconies, and potted plants, was described by Walt Disney Imagineering in 1966 as a quiet place to get away from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans Square. They noted that the “intimate courtyards were lazy counterpoints to crowded markets.” A plaque was mounted on the wall in the courtyard honoring Sally McWhirter, director of store operations at Disneyland, after her untimely death in 1997. The plaque reads “Musique Des Anges/Music Lessons/Vocal Instructions/Mme. Sally McWhirter/ Instructor.” This was the equivalent of a window on Main Street; Sally had been active in her church choir.
Q : In Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Walt says they did an exhausting research into Lincoln to get things such as his mannerisms. Obviously there’s no film footage of Lincoln anywhere, so where did they get information on what Lincoln’s mannerisms were?
Avi, Irvine, California
A: Disney’s Imagineers spent five months researching Lincoln’s exact measurements and physical appearance. There was intensive study of many photos, paintings, and written descriptions, including passages from Mary Lincoln’s diary.
Q : Thank you for sharing the Disney Archives with us during the D23 tour. I was wondering why Billy Hill and the Hillbillies who do the show in the Disneyland Golden Horseshoe are not included in your Disney A to Z book. And how many shows have they done?
Cindy, Hanford, California
A: I am pleased that you enjoyed visiting the Archives. For space reasons, I have been unable to include all musical groups in Disney A to Z. Billy Hill and the Hillbillies began appearing as atmosphere performers in Critter Country and Frontierland in May 1989. They then moved to the Golden Horseshoe on June 8, 1993, where they proudly noted their 10,000th show in February 2003.
Q : We heard a rumor that when Michael Eisner approached Lillian Disney for her approval on building Disney California Adventure that she said no. Therefore Mr. Eisner had to wait for Ms. Disney to pass away before going ahead with the DCA project. Is this true?
Eric, San Diego, California
A: This is incorrect. Lillian Disney was not entitled to give or deny approval for Disney projects. The company had purchased the rights to the name and likeness of Walt Disney from the family more than a decade before her passing in 1997.
Q : Around 1971 after Walt Disney World opened in Florida, a friend saw a published photo of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. My dad, sister, and I were in the background. The photo was in Magic Kingdom with the castle in the background. My dad is standing to the right in the crowd wearing an orange shirt. Two little girls are with him. One is sort of hanging on the railing. How can I track this photo down and get reprints?
Kim, Shelbyville, Indiana
A: Since there are so many possible places, we would have to know in which publication it appeared.
Q : I previously attended Disneyana Conventions that were held in Orlando, which featured a venue entitled “Mickey’s Attic,” where you could purchase relics of the park. At one of those conventions I purchased a stained glass panel approximately six feet long and 20 inches wide with the enscription, “The New Century Clock Shop.” It was billed as having been used in the park, but I have been searching photos and cannot locate a photo where this sign was displayed.
Joseph, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania
A: The New Century Clock Shop was located on Main Street, U.S.A. at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom from 1971 to 1986. There were similarly named shops at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
Q : Dave, just something I was hoping to clarify: I was reading some of Wally Boag’s writing and it seems that he describes Walt’s Box at Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe as being on the lower level on stage left—so the lower-right box from the audience’s point of view. On Disneyland.com, they say that Walt’s box was upstairs on the right. Which box was actually Walt’s?
Kenny, Vancouver, Washington
A: Since Wally Boag worked for decades in the Golden Horseshoe Revue, I would tend to agree with his recollections, that it was the lower box, stage left.
Q : My distant relative was Robert Jerome Washo, aka Bud Washo. At one time his window on Main Street was mistakenly changed to Robert Wisky. It has since been restored to the proper name at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I have been growing more curious about his involvement with the early formation of the two parks. What information do you have in the Archives about him? I understand he was involved in a lot of the concrete and masonry work, the dinosaurs and animals at Disneyland, and as a buyer agent for much of the land assembled in Florida.
Jason, Gilbert, Arizona
A: Bud Washo (1923-1999) originally served in the staff (manufacture of interior and exterior ornamentation in fiberglass, etc.) and plaster shops at Fox, Columbia, Universal, and Paramount Studios. He joined Disneyland in 1954 as supervisor of the staff/plaster shop, and later moved to Walt Disney World to hold the same position. He was not involved in the purchase of the land in Florida.