Warehouse 71

THE LEGEND

On the outskirts of the Walt Disney World Resort sits
a massive storage facility known as Warehouse 71.

A cavernous, dusty old place, the warehouse
is home to all manner of Disney antiquity, from retired
animatronics and ride buggies to park props and décor.
When the final curtain has fallen on an attraction at Walt
Disney World every last bit of it is inventoried, crated and
shipped off to Warehouse 71. Off limits to guests and cast
members alike, the warehouse is spoken of only in whispers,
its contents almost mythic in proportion. For it is here that
so much of Walt Disney World’s storied past now resides.

The air is thick and still inside the vast repository,
until one night a crate perched high upon its stack topples
down, crashing to the ground in a cloud of pixie dust.

As the dust settles a cough can be heard. It is that of
Colonel Critchlow Suchbench, former Glee Master and Head
of Security for Pleasure Island’s Adventurer’s Club. After
thirteen years in a crate the colonel is glad to stretch his legs
err, arms, and more than ready for another adventure!
Like a genie fresh out of the bottle, the cantankerous old
explorer sets to cracking open the crates around him. Soon the
aisles are overflowing with a menagerie of artifacts both small
and large from over fifty years of Walt Disney World history.
Tattered renderings for something called the “Western River
Expedition” are draped over an old jalopy with the name “Mr.
Toad” scrawled across the hood, while a weathered sign for
River Country leans precariously against an oversized mustard
bottle stamped “America on Parade : 1976”.

Realizing he mustn’t be the only being
for whom the warehouse has become
home, the colonel sets his sights on
finding others pricked by time’s spindle.
In short order he has uncovered a cast
of familiar faces including Timekeeper,
Dreamfinder and Cranium Command’s
youngest recruit, Buzzy.
Awakened from their slumber,
they are enlisted to help crack open the
remaining crates and free all the relics
of the park’s past. Reclaiming his role as
Glee Master, the colonel declares they
must celebrate their new-found freedom
with a party, if for no better reason than
it’s been thirteen years since he’s had a
drink!

Soon a makeshift cantina is
constructed in the warehouse.
Ride buggies from attractions such as
Horizons, Snow White’s Scary Adventures
and Dreamflight, and gondolas from the
Skyway are turned into dining booths.
Stacked crates stamped “Maelstrom”,
“Top Secret-Florida Project” and “Studio
Backlot Tour” form an ad hoc bar. A
submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under
the Sea is hoisted to the rafters and
turned into a glittering chandelier and
roosting perch for a still charred Iagu,
fresh from his short-lived stint managing
the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Every inch of wall space is covered in old ephemera
and signage: “Seize The Future With X-S”... “Catwalk Bar
Upstairs”... “CommuniCore West Now Open”... “Welcome to
Discovery Island.”

Memorabilia of long retired but never forgotten Disney
delights fill every nook and cranny, from Davy Crockett’s Explorer
Canoes to World of Motion’s mud covered bicyclist and The Great
Movie Ride’s chimney sweeps perched high on the balconies
above. Around every corner is another surprise, from the
antique Penny Arcade Games of Main Street USA to a 72-foot
DNA double helix that once graced the front of Wonders of Life,
from a decommissioned train car turned dessert parlor to the
mustachioed bartender from Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride spinning twodimensional
beers behind the bar.

But what’s a party without some entertainment? Not to worry! The colonel
has put together a show stopping all-star house band featuring original members of Kitchen
Cabaret and Food Rocks. As the supergroup performs their own renditions of classic Disney
tunes, the dining room erupts into a massive play-along-sing-along game of “Name That Tune”
... much to Iago’s dismay I might add!

Between sets the spotlight is turned over to the resident disc jockey, DJ Buz-Z, playing a whimsical mix of chart toppers including hits
such as The Sherman Brother’s “The Best Time of Your Life” and “Makin Memories,” the Main Street Electrical Parade theme, retired scores from The
Land and The Living Seas, and songs from early attractions such as America Sings and World of Motion. If DJ Buz-Z is feeling frisky you might even
catch him sampling a few memorable lines from attractions of yore... “Stu-stu-stu-Stupid Judy... Stupid Energy!”

All the while Dreamfinder mans an old 16mm projector
screening classics from the vault including Bette
Midler’s star turn in The Lottery, Dreamflight’s biplane sequence,
and clips of Body Wars, Captain EO, and dozens more.

Realizing he has put together a real E Ticket
experience, the colonel figures he might just
be able to make a buck or two off this crew
of has-beens. Opening the doors of
Warehouse 71 to the public as a
cantina of sorts, he conjures up a full menu
and an even fuller bar featuring items such
as the Superstar TV Dinner, the Discovery
Island Daiquiri, River Country Fried Fish, the
WEDWay Whiskey Punch, and the triumphant
return of The Land’s Handwich.

Recognizing the need to outfit a rather large wait staff at what
could be a sizable cost, the colonel went digging once more into the crates,
pulling out long retired cast member costumes including polyester CommuniCore
jumpsuits, early Dreamflight uniforms, and the duds of the 1970’s Walt Disney
World Marching Band. To help offset the costs of bringing in the necessary “human
help” the colonel looked to Walt himself for inspiration. Reaching out to deep
pocketed corporations the colonel decides to sell off naming rights to areas in
the warehouse such as the X-S Tech Waiting Lounge and the Compass East Bar.

Acting as Master of Ceremonies, Colonel Critchlow
Suchbench now resides over a rollicking good time as
guests are treated to a kaleidoscope of magic,
memories, and fun.

“If you come in here a stranger, you will
exit as a friend.” - Merriweather Adam Pleasure

THE
EXPERIENCE

Warehouse 71 is the place every diehard Disney fan dreams of, an adventureland of cherished and
near forgotten memories alike. Over the past fifty years guests who first enjoyed Walt Disney World
as children have returned, time and time again, introducing their children and even grandchildren to the magic
and wonder of the Vacation Kingdom of the World. Today generations of visitors are thrilled by the newest
additions to the parks, but also derive immense joy reminiscing about bygone attractions and the experiences
of yesteryear. Warehouse 71 will breathe new life into those old recollections while creating fresh memories at
every turn.

At Warehouse 71 you’ll never know
what to expect as surprises
will be tucked behind every
crate and corner. Upon entering
you’ll be greeted by the butler from
Horizons who will act as your maître
d’ taking your group’s information and
suggesting you enjoy the lounge until
your party is called.
First timers will be delighted by the
awe-inspiring experiential games that
occupy them as they await their table.
In turn, more seasoned guests might
recognize these diversions as the
very same ImageWorks and Sensory
Funhouse attractions they spent hours
mystified by during the early years of
EPCOT Center.

Unwitting diners with be
dazzled as they stroll down the
neon corridor that leads to the
restrooms, while veterans of Walt
Disney World’s fifty year history
gleefully recognize it as a nod to the
Imagination Pavilion’s neon tunnel of
yore. Upon visiting the restroom there
will be a stall door, that when pushed
open, will immediately slam closed
again. As you apologize to the guest
inside, you will hear a familiar voice
exclaim, “No privacy at all around this
place.”

Upon entering the spectacular
showcase of memories that is the main
dining hall, you are seated swiftly inside your
repurposed World of Motion omnimover. You
might be about to take the first bite of your
Minnie Moo Burger when Push the Talking
Trashcan from Tomorrowland will roll up
behind you and ask if he can clear your plate.
Explaining you just got your food he’ll mutter
on about how he’s only looking to hold onto
his new job and that the least you could do
is throw something away. At another table
he might give a lecture on how society’s
love affair with recycling has reduced him to
working in this musty old warehouse after
being the “star” of Tomorrowland for nearly
twenty years.

While everything from the décor to the entertainment will be brimming with nostalgia,
Warehouse 71 will be a spectacle for Disney insiders and newbies
alike. First time visitors to Walt Disney World will marvel at the menagerie of sights
and sounds on display. Part dinner theater, part interactive attraction, Warehouse 71
will be a fantastical trip down memory lane but will stand on its own as an unparalleled
feast for the senses.

While a wholly new experience, Warehouse
71 tips its hat at the zany participatory antics of the
much missed Adventure’s Club and the now beloved
Trader Sam’s. With it’s collection of memorabilia
hung every which way from the rafters above
Warehouse 71 calls to mind the themed decor of
cherished dining experiences such Jock Lindsey’s
Hangar Bar, The Backlot Express, and the Pleasure
Island Comedy Club of yesteryear. Utilizing state
of the art technologies in addition to traditional
animatronics and puppeteering, Warehouse 71
will represent the best Disney has to offer, an allencompassing,
modern experience, which will rival
Be Our Guest at The Magic Kingdom and Animator’s
Palate aboard the Disney Cruise Line.

Warehouse 71 will constantly be updated as beloved
but aging elements disappear from the parks. Just
as Walt Disney claimed, “Disneyland will never be
completed,” the Warehouse will be ever-evolving. As
new theme park experiences replace retiring favorites,
Warehouse 71 will serve as an encore performance
for these cherished bits of Disneyana.
New recruits will be given a place in the colonel’s ever
evolving cabaret show as well. Imagine the induction
ceremony as beloved animatronics leave their longheld
jobs at the parks and join the cast of lovable hasbeens
at the warehouse. Naturally, each character
will have his or her unique take on the experience.
The father from The Carousel of Progress might lament
the loss of purpose in his life, while the mother may
jump for joy at finally getting to stop doing the laundry
after 60 years! Their banter will delight guests who
have held these characters in their hearts for as long
as they can remember.

While restaurants like Chef Mickey’s and Hollywood and
Vine give you the chance to meet and greet beloved and
widely recognizable characters, Warehouse 71 will offer
your best opportunity to get an autograph or a photo with
more elusive characters such as Darkwing Duck,
Quasimodo, Figment, or even the glowing faced Space
Man from Spectromagic!

And what would a Disney Parks experience be
without a souvenir or two? As evidenced by the
demand for vintage Disney merchandise online or
the numerous retailers selling unlicensed “Never
Forget Maelstrom” shirts, guests are clamoring for
a chance to bring home a bit of authentic Disney
history. Warehouse 71 will feature an exclusive
line of retro reproduction items including
EPCOT Center visors, Alien Encounter plush dolls
and vintage styled Donald Duck squeaker hats as
well as less common wares like classic character
backscratchers, Wonder’s of Life fanny packs and
Magic Kingdom ash trays all packed to go in 80’s
style “Together at Disney” souvenir bags. To top
it all off Warehouse 71 will also be the only shop
in all of Walt Disney World to again offer the once
ubiquitous Yellow Mickey Poncho!

Walt Disney himself knew the emotional and visceral
value of nostalgia, and he tapped into it time and time
again in his films, television shows, and most notably in the design
of his parks. However, after all these years, generations of guests
are nostalgic not for the steam trains and main streets of Walt’s
youth, but for the memories of their own youth and those of their
loved ones. For many guests their fondest memories happened
right here at Walt Disney World. As such, one can imagine no
better way to celebrate Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary than
with an experience that lets guests plum their own minds for
recollections of years past, spurred on by relics and reminders of
bygone but beloved attractions. Warehouse 71 will be a treasure
hunt like no other as guests scan the walls, the rafters, and
beyond in search of trinkets and knickknacks that will act as keys
to unlocking cherished memories, while serving as a monumental
catalyst for creating new ones.

“… a place of warmth and nostalgia, of illusion and
color and delight.” – Walt Disney

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!
Warehouse 71 began as a whimsical little idea jotted down on a piece of hotel
stationary, a fanciful distraction when work felt creatively stifling or unfulfilling,
a way of returning to the wellspring of my love for scenic design and narrative
placemaking.
I distinctly remember the first time I rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at
eight years of age. I surely enjoyed the ride but I was thrilled by the experience
of stepping into that world. With each ensuing jaunt through the queue
I become more and more aware of the work that went into creating that sense
of place. I remember examining the distressed wood wrapped in worn leather,
carefully considering the the old crates stamped “Explosives” and contemplating
the rust covered bolts I knew to be not much older than myself. Soon I
was analyzing every land we entered, every street lamp we passed.
On an early trip to Disney-MGM Studios I learned that the artists who created
these worlds were known as Imagineers. I quickly began to spend my time in
the parks and at home concocting my own ride concepts or trying to plus-up
existing attractions. At age nine I decided an animatronic pirate should peer
out from behind a distant wall in the queue for Pirates of the Caribbean, and I’d
cross my fingers it would be there with each subsequent visit.

At age sixteen I was called into my guidance councilor’s office and asked what I
wanted to be when I grew up. Knowing full well I wanted to become an Imagineer,
but fearing that was simply an impossible dream for a kid from a small town
in Massachusetts, I muttered something about wanting to tell visual stories. With
that, I set my sights on film school. Some twenty years later I have found success
production designing commercials for brands such as Volvo, HP, and Apple along
with music videos for the likes of Paul McCartney, Beyonce, and Florence and the
Machine, while working closely with talented filmmakers such as Lance Accord,
Mark Romanek, and Jonas Åkerlund.
In working on this passion project I have found myself once again captivated by the
mystique of the Disney Parks, the triumphs of Imagineering, and the history of The
Walt Disney Company. Warehouse 71 brought back the ardor and excitment of that
eight year old boy and reignited a long held dream to become an Imagineer. What
began as a fanciful notion has blossomed into something much larger. I hope this
is only my first step in attaining that dream, and I sincerly hope you have enjoyed
this journey into my imagination.
Sincerely,
JASON HOUGAARD
413.348.3595 | jasonch@me.com | jasonhougaard.com