FIGMENTS OF MY
IMAGINEERING :
Join Me at the 1989 Cast Member Preview of Typhoon Lagoon
BY BRIAN COLLINS
When Typhoon Lagoon opened on June 1 , 1989 , just across the street from the newly built Pleasure Island , it was an immediate success . No water park in history could come close to the immersive environment that Disney had built .
Attending the Cast Member preview and press event the day before the park opened to guests was certainly a fun experience . Like most Disney VIP events , everything to make it a memorable experience was certainly on hand . I remember calypso bands playing as we entered the park , and there seemed to be food stations everywhere . We were encouraged to take a dive in the Shark Reef , head down the Humunga Kowabunga slide , and , of course , take a swim in the Surf Pool . At approximately 2.5 acres in size with 3 million gallons of water , it remains one of the largest inland wave pools in the world .
The origins of the Surf Pool begin with Disney Legend Dick Nunis , who started his career with the company in 1955 as one of Disneyland ’ s first Cast Members . Dick worked his way up the corporate ladder , and when “ Project X ,” aka Walt Disney World , was announced , Dick was named the first Executive Vice President and was instrumental in the design and development of the resort .
As it turned out , Dick was an avid surfer , and one battle he fought was to install a wave machine at the Polynesian Resort ’ s beach . While that never came to fruition , Dick finally got his wave machine at Typhoon Lagoon years later . One of my favorite memories from the grand opening was watching him hang 10 to the delight of guests and press , all the time with a big smile on his face !
After Typhoon Lagoon ’ s success , Imagineers faced the daunting task of coming up with ideas for another water park . The first brainstorming sessions were held in our offices located on the backlot of Disney-MGM Studios . As I recall , the team was holed up in a conference room , trying to come up with a theme , story , or other miscellaneous ideas from which to build upon .
After a few days , with nothing jumping out at them , one member of the team , who by this time was probably hot , tired , and perhaps a little cranky , blurted out in exasperation , “ We might as well be trying to design a ski resort in Florida !”… And with that , the lightbulb went off , leading to what we know today as everyone ’ s favorite liquified winter paradise , Blizzard Beach . At least that ’ s how the Figments of my Imagineering remember it .
Thanks for joining me on another Disney stroll down memory lane . I sincerely appreciate all the positive feedback and comments you ’ ve been sending . You can also find me at www . WDWithMe . com .
In the ' 90s and early 2000s , Typhoon Lagoon had a mascot . His name was Lagoona Gator . He was a reddish orange color and was a surfing fanatic . There was a time when guests could meet-and-greet with Lagoona Gator and purchase Lagoona Gator pins . Now he is found as a sand sculpture at the front of Typhoon Lagoon .
PHOTO BY BRETT SVENSON
NEXT PAGE : A ticket to the special Cast Member preview of Typhoon Lagoon . PHOTO BY ERNIE CARR