Welcome to those of you joining me from Rolling with the Magic and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail.
When the topic of Disney Legends first came up for this month's Magical Blogorail Blue, I immediately jumped to one that has always stuck with me - Francis Xavier Atencio. X Atencio, as he is most well known, started working at Disney as an animator, where he worked on one of my favorites, Fantasia!
I love how Disney honors the Disney Legends, with little mementos throughout the parks. Take those infamous epitaphs over at the Haunted Mansion - those are based on the Imagineers that helped create the attraction!
X Atencio not only helped with the theming of the Haunted Mansion, but he can even be heard in two separate places - once coming out of the grave "get me out of here" and at the end of the attraction, leading you where to go! Also, his musical skills can also be heard in the attraction, as he co-wrote Grim Grinning Ghosts, the song heard throughout the attraction!
Many of the Imagineers have specially dedicated Windows along Main Street, U.S.A. Francis Xavier Atencio has a Window of Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland!
The Musical Quill
Lyrics and Librettos
by X. Atencio
For more uncovered tombstone, windows, and trivia, check out my section on trivia! And for more Disney Legends, continue on with this month's Magical Blogorail Blue!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is My Pixie Dust Diary.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
2nd Stop ~ Rolling with the Magic - Dorothea Redmond
**3rd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog - X Atencio
4th Stop ~ My Pixie Dust Diary - Lee Cockerell
Final Stop ~ Disney Nouns - Floyd Norman
It's funny, but the thing that sticks out the most in this loop is the longevity of these legends' work. He wrote "yo ho" for an attraction many years ago, and now its not only one of the most well-known songs in Disney fandom, but it also helped inspire one of the most successful series of films in the year 2000...
ReplyDeleteI love how Walt would hire people and then stretch them in areas where they didn't even know they had talents! Lots of "hints" at X throughout the parks to this day. I love that!
ReplyDeleteWell now I have Yo-Ho stuck in my head but that's not a bad thing! I love reading about the history of my favorite attractions and it's always so interesting to ready how each imagineer influenced different projects.
ReplyDeleteLove that, as with many Disney Legends, X was able to make contributions in more than one discipline. Walt certainly had an eye for talent!
ReplyDeleteI love X! I was able to meet him very briefly last year at D23, and listened to his presentation in the Imagineering Legends presentation. He is an incredible talent!
ReplyDeleteHe really deserves to be called a Disney Legend as his work has stood the test of time. While produced a long time ago, both the songs and the attraction are still relevant today. I really enjoyed learning about him!
ReplyDeleteThat's great. What a creative legend. Art. Music. Design. Theming. I love how he had his talents in so many different attractions!
ReplyDeleteThe music he created is so dear to me heart. Love learning a bit about the man behind it.
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