The Wonders of Nature's Wonderland [ PART 3 ]

More incredible additions to Sam Towler's stunning scale model of Disneyland's extinct Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland.

Bear Country before water is added.

New, fake water.

A little beaver for Beaver Valley.

The icing on the cake. A Mike Fink Keel Boat (in-the-making)

Fog! Produced by a fog machine for the purposes of taking this photo. Oh how fun it must have been to ride Mine Train in the fog.

Tastefully-placed LED lighting makes for a gorgeous night shot. 

A great new technique for making waterfalls:

Two years ago we posted a wonderful collection of Sam's behind-the-scenes photos of the model-making process. Sam recently mentioned on his blog that this labor of love has hit the seven year mark. As we've said before, this model with its moving parts is "one of the coolest examples of 'Backyard Imagineering' we've ever seen."

For even more fabrication photos, "like" the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland Model Facebook page and follow Sam's progress.

Related posts:

The Wonders of Nature's Wonderland [ PART 1 ]
The Wonders of Nature's Wonderland [ PART 2 ]
Big Thunder Mountain Model
Mechanizing a Miniature Main Street Electrical Parade
Swiss Family Treehouse Model
EPCOT City Model [Part 1]
 

Auctions of Rare Artifacts

Get out your checkbooks and get ready to bid on these wonderful items. The Profiles in History Animation Auction and Dreier Collection Auction begin very soon!

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA EXHIBIT ATTRACTION POSTER (Above)
$2,000 – $3,000 

Original Disneyland hand-silkscreened color poster for the Tomorrowland 20,000 Leagues Exhibit (not the submarine ride). Measures 36 in. x 54 in. Archivally framed and matted. Unexamined out of frame. 

ACTUAL MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE VEHICLE FROM DISNEYLAND
$20,000 - $30,000 
 

"it's a small world" ANIMATRONIC HEADS
$800 - $3,000 each 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN AND HAUNTED MANSION ANIMATRONIC HEAD SKINS
$2,000 - $3,000 each

11-FOOT 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA NAUTILUS AND SQUID
$60,000 - $80,000 

BERT'S CHIMNEY SWEEP COAT FROM MARY POPPINS
$4,000 - $6,000 
 

MICKEY AND DONALD PEZ BOX WITH 8 PEZ DISPENSERS
$600 - $800 

SNOW WHITE AND DOPEY PEZ BOX WITH PEZ DISPENSERS
$600 - $800

ORIGINAL HARPER GOFF ARTWORK FOR WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
$20,000 - $30,000

Harper Goff was a legendary artist and art director not only for Walt Disney films, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World, he was also an art director on Willy Wonka. Surprised?

LITTLE HIAWATHA COLOR MODEL SHEET AND PRODUCTION CEL
$400 - $1,200 each 

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION CEL AND BACKGROUND FOR SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
$30,000 - $50,000 

MARY BLAIR ORIGINAL CONCEPT ART FOR SONG OF THE SOUTH
$8,000 - $12,000

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION CELS FOR THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR AND THE POINTER
$2,000 - $6,000 each 

Other auction items include: Indiana Jones' hat, Kryptonite, an Everlasting Gobstoper, Ferris Bueller's leather jacket, some of Michael Jackson's clothing, an original Chewbacca head, and so much more.

In no way are we affiliated with these auctions. Nor are we selling or buying any of these great items. We are not that lucky! Let us know if any of you land something from either auction.

Related posts:

Pirate Animatronic Behind-the-Scenes
Little Box of Treasures
The Haunted Mansion Like You've Never Seen It
Animation Studies

EPCOT City Model [Part 1]

We bring you a behind-the-scenes preview of a unique little side project. We show you how this 16” model of Walt’s EPCOT got started.

The fan community excitedly awaits the 30th Anniversary of EPCOT Center this October. Today we go back some 46 years just before Walt Disney’s death when he shared his dream for EPCOT the city. It was to be an extremely efficient city with futuristic modes of transportation. It was to be built in the center of the Walt Disney World property.

Join me in this “making-of” video as I begin creating a scale replica of the city layout Walt presented in 1966:

The model-making process.

Purchase extra fine floral foam and a 16” round piece of wood from the local craft store.

Cut the foam to nicely fit on top of the round wood.

Draw the EPCOT roads in Adobe Illustrator or any vector-based drawing program. Send vector files to someone with a small to medium flat bed laser cutter. Cut design in 1/8” acrylic.

Gently press the delicate acrylic cutout into the surface of the foam.

Remove the acrylic cutout and paint the surface of the foam. Sprinkle fine green static grass flock onto fresh paint.

After paint dries, pour off excess grass and blow out the grooves using a drinking straw.

Prime and paint acrylic cutout.

Use scrap foam as test blocks.

Glue cutout into place. Landscape the rest of the model before adding architecure. Here we see the unfinished city center with pieces loosely placed.

A couple of Peoplemover tracks extend to the residential rings of the city. Monorail tracks will soon be placed.

You might remember the little robot standing in the background. 

The process continues with lots of little trees and bushes, walkways, and ponds. After that, parks, schools, churches, city buildings, and little tiny mid-century ranch-stlye houses!

To be continued.....

Related posts:

A Look at the Progress City Model- Then and Now
Buena Vista Street Model
Mars and Beyond Robot
Mechanizing a Miniature Main Street Electrical Parade
Swiss Family Treehouse Model
EPCOT Construction from the Air