Remember the Character Mural

[Witches of Morva]

ORWEN: Greetings to all you MiceChatting ducklings out there swimming around in the MiceChat Pond. Us Cauldron girls wanted to know how many of you remember the beautiful mural that used to be available for guests to see outside the now-closed Walt Disney Story? The building is now called Exposition Hall.

ORDDU: This wonderful mural featured most of the animated Disney characters up to the year 1986--the last animated film being represented was The Great Mouse Detective.

ORGOCH: T'was the only dang thing in the park that had somethin' ta do with BLACK CAULDRON, too!

ORWEN: Yes, Taran, Gurgi, Hen Wen and Princess Eilonwy were all there. I guess there wasn't enough room for them to paint us Cauldron girls, too. (Sigh)

ORGOCH: Heck! It'd take a whole side of a BARN ta paint yer big fat behind all over it, sister--

(Sounds of slaps and shrieks followed by groans and moans)

ORDDU: (Ahem!) Anyway, ducklings, the point is that this mural is way too lovely to be hidden away from guests. I believe this section of Exposition Hall is now a cast member break area. It would seem that this isn't really necessary if, at one time, this same section was able to allow guests to view such a magnificent painting on the wall. We sincerely hope that the mural is still there--waiting to be viewed once again--as it richly deserves to be.

[mouseinphilly]

Ah, Yesterland will have a gander at that.

[SpectroMan]

I first saw it in 1996 even though the area was already deserted by that point. I tried peeking in behind curtains and such in 2006, and could not for the life of me find where it is. Is it blocked by walls now?

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

Are you talking about the Gurgi mural... this one......


Whether or not it is visible anymore of which I don't know... it will forever live in the WitDW threads.

[Bill]

Don't worry, it's still there. But umm... kinda outdated. If that area does re-open, chances are the mural will be gone.

[mikeland]

I remember that mural well. I probably have a pictures of me as a young lad in front of it.

[mouseinphilly]

Chances are they might as well update it and enlarge it down the road if it ever reopens.

[Witches of Morva]

ORWEN: Oh, yes, TheDisneyInquisitor, duckling! That IS a picture of the very same mural we were talking about!! Isn't it lovely? Isn't it beauitful? Such a shame they don't let guests look at it anymore. It's like taking the prettiest girl in class and making her stand in a corner at the back of the class all day long. (I should know because that's what used to happen to me in my Hex education classes all the time back in Morva.)

[jane2073]

I remember seeing it on the way to the little theater they have (or used to have) in the Exposition Hall (where they show Steamboat Willy). The last time we were back there was 2003.

[WDW1974]

I was recently back there with a CM pal ... what amazed me, and I had forgotten was that The Walt Disney Story actually had/has TWO full theaters back there. One that was altered with the crap they brought in for 100 Year of Magic and one that sits intact and I guess they use for CM events.

Just more wasted space at the MK.

And I would hope they wouldn't destroy the mural or add to it. It's art. From a specific period. It doesn't need to reflect every Disney animated character from the last 20 years!

[aimster]

I love seeing Tod & Copper on there.

[ecdlanddude]

...and one that sits intact and I guess they use for CM events.

Correct, part of my MK orientation took place in there as well as our "intro to YOAMD" presentation.

[Kuhio]

Part of the art from the mural is used on the front cover of the Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters, which I bought a number of years ago. I'm not sure if it's still available for sale currently -- the most recent movie featured in my version of the book is The Great Mouse Detective.

Thanks for posting this... I knew I'd seen that cover art somewhere before, but couldn't quite place where.

[nathan detroit]

Part of the art from the mural is used on the front cover of the Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters, which I bought a number of years ago. I'm not sure if it's still available for sale currently -- the most recent movie featured in my version of the book is The Great Mouse Detective.

Thanks for posting this... I knew I'd seen that cover art somewhere before, but couldn't quite place where.

I have that edition of that book plus a newer edition that goes up to Aladdin. The cover is different on the newer edition. I don't know if it has been re-issued again since.

It shows how long since I've been to WDW when I say that the last time I saw the mural, it was having Basil the Great Mouse Detective added.

[yoyoflamingo]

I have that edition of that book plus a newer edition that goes up to Aladdin. The cover is different on the newer edition. I don't know if it has been re-issued again since.

It shows how long since I've been to WDW when I say that the last time I saw the mural, it was having Basil the Great Mouse Detective added.

The newest version goes through Hercules. It follows the same cover as Aladdin, that does not use the character mural.