Christmas came a little early to Disney-MGM Studios theme park last month.
And — no — I’m not talking about the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights. But — rather — Disney’s Spectacle of Pins. Which was held back on Saturday, November 18th inside Soundstage One at the studio theme park.
Hundreds of pin traders flocked to MGM that weekend to get in on the holiday-themed fun. Upon entering Soundstage One, these WDW visitors were greeted by this wild collection of Christmas decorations.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Mind you, once you finally got your bearings, you realized that there was actually some rhyme & reason to the set-up inside Soundstage One. One corner had been set aside as a little kid fun zone …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… while the rest of the floor of this production facilty was set up for holiday-themed pin trading. Take — for example — the Christmas Stocking exchange area. Where guests would offer up one of their own pins to trade. Then WDW cast members who were working this area would allow the guest to select one stocking off of a Christmas tree that was covered with stockings. And inside each stocking was a highly collectible Disney pin.
Of course, for those who didn’t care for blind trading, there were the usual pin trading boards. Where guests who were attending the event had two minutes to make two trades off of a board that was covered with hundreds of Disney-themed pins.
Photo by Jeff Lange
There were also trivia contests. Which yours truly won an artists proof pin by answering the following question:
“There’s a street in California where Walt & Roy actually lived next door to one another.
What was the name of that street?”
Well, as it turns out, just a few weeks earlier, I had actually visited this street. I was getting some shots for a new photo series that I’ll be presenting here on JHM in early 2006. Tentatively titled “Walt Disney’s Hollywood,” this multi-part series will feature pictures of all the places where Walt & his family worked and played while they lived out in LA.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Anyway … Getting back to that trivia contest: The correct answer to that question was Lyric Avenue. Walt & Roy lived next door to one another on this street from 1927 – 1933.
As for the rest of Spectacle of Pins … There were also displays of many of the pins that will be offered at the Disney theme parks in the coming year.
Photo by Jeff Lange
I found this one to be particularly interesting Given that it was my first glimpse of what the Yeti in Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s new thrill ride, “Expedition Everest” is supposed to look like.
Photo by Jeff Lange
After a long afternoon of pin trading and being entertained by MGM’s streetmosphere performers, we all exited Soundstage One around 7 p.m. and headed over to the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” theater. Where all of the “Spectacle of Pins” participants were first treated to an on-stage dessert reception …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… Then we were led over to New York Street. Where we were treated to a semi-private presentation of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights.
Photo by Jeff Lange
All in all, WDW’s Spectacle of Pins was a very special way for the 2005 holiday season to get underway. At least for me.
Jeff Lange is the staff photographer / archivist here at JHM. He recently launched his own series of unofficial Disney theme park DVDs. Which now includes “Jeff Lange’s Holiday Treat.” Which offers full coverage of last year’s “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” at WDW’s Magic Kingdom. If you’d like to learn more about this or any other of the entertaining recordings that Mr. Lange has produced, we suggest that you follow this link.
A LAST MINUTE PLEA FOR HOLIDAY HELP! Jeff Lange is headed down to Disney World this coming weekend. Unfortunately, the tickets that he had lined up for this year’s “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” have fallen through. Soooo … If you have any extra tickets to the parties that are being held on December 16th or the 18th, please contact Mr. Lange at jeff.lange@jimhillmedia.com ASAP.