Rolly Crump Returns, Making iPod Playlists a Lot Cuter

Odds are good that some of your favorite Disneyland or Walt Disney World details--whether in the form of a talking tiki, the Tomorrowland bandstand rising from the ground, the little animated figures in the popcorn carts or the Haunted Mansion's wallpaper--were designed by Rolly Crump. His autobiographical It's Kind of a Cute Story, published last year, quickly became a must-read for Imagineering fans.

Fortunately for all, Mr. Crump has many more backstage secrets to reveal, and the just-released More Cute Stories serves as a colorful, wonderfully entertaining audio sequel to his book. Whether or not you've read It's Kind of a Cute Story (and you really shouldn't miss it--It's on Kindle), More Cute Stories is a blast; It's like having Rolly Crump sitting across the table from you at the world's most awesome dinner party as he genially recalls forty-five minutes worth of fun and eye-opening Disneyland moments the company never talks about, all in good humor with a great sense of perspective.

Main Street Details: Above the Mad Hatter

Disneyland's Main Street tucks dozens of great details into its signage and shopfronts, and the modest little Mad Hatter shop is a great place to pause and soak in some of the visual fun.

The hat itself, of course, sits front and center. It's unusual to see such a faithful sculpting of a piece of classic animation on Main Street.

Just above the oversized topper, however, sits the real treasure of this particular address...

As many of you know, Disney occasionally honors its major artists and contributors by awarding them their own window on Main Street. This one belongs to X. Atencio, the Imagineer responsible for adding a lot of wit and magic to two of Disney's most beloved attractions, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. In addition to writing the scripts and dialogue for both rides, he wrote the lyrics to the rides' theme songs, "Yo-Ho" and "Grim Grinning Ghosts." He voiced the talking skull guarding the first drop on Pirates, and he can be heard trying to break out of the coffin on Haunted Mansion (as well as advising us to stay in our "Doom Buggies" if the ride stops unexpectedly).

Photo by Lana Whitham