With the recent flap over the copycat theme park in China, Disney certainly has its corporate hands full when it comes to trademarks.

Note: This column first appeared here on May 21st, 2007.

Along those lines, I thought that you might find this Cast Member brochure on the subject of interest:

Now, let’s be careful out there.

Note: This first appeared here on July 30, 2010.

Now, where was I?

Some days, there just is not a whole lot to write.

And that is why on occasion, you will not find an update or new column here.

Today could have been like that. Not that there is nothing to share. It is more of at this time of the morning, a story line is a bit elusive. No coffee yet…

Instead, a few random images from out and about. See if you can guess where I was. Some are easy, others a bit harder to guess. Enjoy!

Walt’s Barn, now part of the displays at the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum.

The adventures of Sunday happened to coincide with Father’s Day for 2026.

And starting the day with a connection to Walt Disney seemed just the thing. A short drive to Griffith Park found us at the home of the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum. Seeing how Walt was such a pioneer influence on the miniature railroad hobby, having the barn from his Carolwood Pacific Railroad located here is very appropriate.

While the barn was inspired by Walt’s childhood time in Marceline, Missouri, it was something of a sanctuary at the family home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood. It offered a place where he could tinker on the equipment of the railroad as well as something of a showplace to demonstrate the operations to visitors. Visitors who ran the gamut from other hobbyists to artists including Salvador Dali to actors such as Kirk Douglas. Even family members such as son-in law, Ron Miller were known to have taken a spin at the throttle of the Lilly Belle locomotive for a trip through the Yensid Valley through the backyard.

After Lillian passed away, the home was sold, arrangements were made to preserve the barn. It was carefully disassembled and moved for display at its current location with the support of the Walt Disney Family Foundation, and the creation of the Carolwood Foundation, insuring ongoing care.

Diane Disney Miller, with the caboose of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Today it’s on display with much of the original train from the railroad, including the Lilly Belle steam locomotive, in Gallery Nine at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.

Today the barn houses a great collection of items that tell much of the story of Walt’s railroad story. Another part of that story is also on display here, in the presence of the combination baggage car and coach car from 1955’s Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad. Said to be Walt’s favorite car, it harkened back to a summer job Walt once had selling snacks and souvenirs aboard trains of the Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad combine car, displayed next to Walt’s Barn.

Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad combine 101 in service at the Santa Margarita Ranch for a special reunion event with its coaches in 2011. Photo by Steve Hinkle.

Also a railroad hobbyist at the Disney Studio was animator Ollie Johnston. He not only had a full-sized narrow gauge steam railroad, but also had his own backyard railroad. The restored station from that railroad is displayed next to the combine car.

The restored station of Ollie Johnston’s Flintridge and La Canada.

It turned out to be a wonderful afternoon with plenty of folks we had not seen in a while including all of the Walt’s Barn volunteers as well as Disney Legend Bob Gurr! Not to mention a visit from Toy Story’s Pizza Planet Truck.

With things winding down, we headed off to a late lunch at another classic dining spot with an animation history. Burbank’s Coral Cafe. Sharp-eyed viewers of the documentary film, “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life” will recall this as a regular meeting spot for folks from the industry. A cast of real characters, if you will! Leo and I were joined by good friends Michelle and Noe Valladolid for a hearty meal.

All in all, a great second day of our week long adventures!

The lure of a road trip? You bet!

Several months ago, I received an invitation to join a good friend on an adventure to explore some places and meet some folks, while gathering stories to share along the way. Getting some details squared away, making a few arrangements, and sure! Why not set off and see what lay in store?

Over the years I have been online, I have been extremely fortunate to have shared a wide variety of experiences with some wonderful individuals. One of those is Leo Holzer, who for many years was a professional journalist with a Northern California newspaper, the Vacaville Reporter. Together, we continue to have a shared interest in the Walt Disney Company; including it’s history, impact on popular culture on a worldwide basis, and the many people who to this day, more than 100 years later, still bring a very special brand of magic to life every day around this planet.

Leo Holzer, at the Petersen Automotive Museum in the lobby with an electric SMART Car prototype.

So, when Leo first approached me with the concept of this week of adventures, I knew it was going to be a memorable one. What I did not expect is how fully immersive and unexpected much of it was to have ahead for us in Southern California. Thanks to some wonderful people, this trip would turn into an eye opening one.

Now, many fans of the various pieces of the Walt Disney story are familiar with how Walt boarded the Santa Fe’s California Limited in Kansas City in July of 1923 and headed west to join his brother Roy in Los Angeles. And that has a direct connection to our first experiences on our trip this past week.

Leo and I drove down Interstate 5 from the San Francisco Bay Area. While it is a trip I have made many times either by myself or with other friends for various events, this was our first time doing so together. Along the way, we took the opportunity to discuss some of what lay ahead of us as well as think about some other things we might consider worth investigating.

Arriving into Burbank, we checked into our base camp for the week. The Safari Inn, on West Olive Street. It’s well located, close to the various studios and other points of interest that we would visit. Recently renovated, the rooms offer a variety of accommodations to meet the needs of guests. And it’s classic mid-century modern decor is noteworthy as well.

The classic neon sign identifies the Safari Inn in beautiful downtown Burbank.

After getting settled in to our rooms, we went off in search of dinner somewhere nearby. But not seeing anything that particularly interested us, I recalled that there was a location that was close to a spot of interest that we would visit later on in the week. Which led to the drive from Burbank, past both the Walt Disney and Warner Brothers studio’s, up and over the hills into Los Feliz area for a fine introductory meal at The House of Pies. We both enjoyed a hearty meal but not pie… saving that for later on in the adventure.

It’s always a wonderful day for pie.

So… that’s day 1! More to come.

This first appeared here on The Blue Parrot on November 10, 2010.

That First Train Ride

Finishing off the week, a little more nostalgia. Of the transportation kind.

The art director for this photo shoot sure touched all the right buttons here. Mother and daughter in matching red jackets, not to mention hair styles. The table at the far end of the dining car set with all the classic Union Pacific items including the red carnations, Streamliner silver and china. Even the childrens dining car menu being read by Mom there.

And lunch looks pretty good too! Some great meals (as usual) from the crew in the kitchen. 

My first trip on a long distance passenger train was about 9 years after this view. On the Streamliner City of San Francisco on the Southern Pacific on Labor Day of 1963. From Truckee to Oakland, with my mother and infant sister. And my dining experience wasn’t this ornate, but just as special. The Espee, cost cutting at work, had created the Automated Dining Car or Automat. Save money but cutting out all the waiters and cooks jobs with just a single attendant for the vending machines to make change and operate those radar range ovens.

My 50-50 orange and vanilla ice cream bar tasted pretty special as we made the big sweeping curve coming into the station in downtown Sacramento. And it is something I still recall fondly many trips over the Sierra later.

Remember yours?