7/27: Untold Story Pt. II

Thanks for a great article!


Timekeeper

Steve what a "Great" story and inspired me to buy both books. The parks have many interesting artifacts that had former lives, some over 100 years or more, that have been reborn in their new environments. Wish we could fire up the 1876 Minneapolis Steam powered Traction Engine at Thunder Mesa in Paris Disneyland. I was lucky enought to drive it down the highway at it's top speed of 4MPH before buying it and shipping it to WDW and on to EDL. Bob Harper had fun driving it also. It has a Great story. I was lucky enough in 1985 when Ward Kimbal got a city permit to Fire up his Nevada after several decades of silence and be his brakeman on top. Hope they name a train after Earl, that would be an Honor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aladdin

He does have a Window at WDW which says:

Yucatan Engine Works
“Highest Grade Steam Power”
Boiler & Engine Specialists
Earl Vilmer, Consultant


Maybe they gave him a window there, since he retired in Florida.

But it would certainly seem appropriate that another window would be dedicated to him in DL, also, since he was the primary person responsible for getting the DLRR set up, and made sure it was running for the 1st decade of DL.

---

I would definitely like to a window dedicated to to Earl at Disneyland in recognition of his many amazing achievements. We shouldn't stop there...I say that he deserves to receuive a disney Legenf award poshumously, and then have it placed inside his window.

It is quite touching his daughter's love and adulation for the man, after all these years. His spirit must be wearing a smile if not from that alone. Great job on both of the Vilmer articles, Steve.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve DeGaetano

You should know that the working title of this piece was "The Most Important Imagineer you've never heard of," and I've very much enjoyed learning about Earl and what he did for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I am glad that I was able to bring his story to light because, as Justin noted, often these folks don't get the recognition they deserve.

His collection of old cast memeber magazines really shed some great light on what it must have been like to work at the Park; obviously it was much, much smaller then, and the sense of "family" really pervaded the place. Walt was seen almost like the "dad."

---

Thanks for writing another excellent chapter on the history of Disneyland and WDW, Steve! A wonderful read, so evocative of the people and times when Disneyland was DISNEYland.

:thumbup: