Uploaded May 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Walt Disney Company executives had been promoting the never built Western River Expedition in not only WDW pre-opening and post-opening literature dating back to 1969 but four years later the attraction became the centerpiece of the Walt Disney Story's post-show on Main Street. A section of the Western River Expedition model depicting the scene with the dance hall girls and the cowboy whose horse jumped atop the saloon's porch was displayed in its own private hallway. Near this area, an audio-animatronic owl named Hoot Gibson could be found snoring away on a tree branch. When guests pushed a button the owl would come to life and introduced himself as "the star of a brand new Western show being made for Walt Disney World." He then gave a brief run-down on the process behind audio-animatronic technology. At the conclusion of this, he then would urge guests to come back and visit him "at the Western River Expedition." This was extensive publicity for a attraction still being developed. This is a rare recording of the audio-animatronic owl from the old Walt Disney Story's post-show on Main Street.
Credit goes to omniluxe.net for this rare recording and photos.
For more Disney history, be sure to visit www.disneyavenue.com.
Walt Disney Company executives had been promoting the never built Western River Expedition in not only WDW pre-opening and post-opening literature dating back to 1969 but four years later the attraction became the centerpiece of the Walt Disney Story's post-show on Main Street. A section of the Western River Expedition model depicting the scene with the dance hall girls and the cowboy whose horse jumped atop the saloon's porch was displayed in its own private hallway. Near this area, an audio-animatronic owl named Hoot Gibson could be found snoring away on a tree branch. When guests pushed a button the owl would come to life and introduced himself as "the star of a brand new Western show being made for Walt Disney World." He then gave a brief run-down on the process behind audio-animatronic technology. At the conclusion of this, he then would urge guests to come back and visit him "at the Western River Expedition." This was extensive publicity for a attraction still being developed. This is a rare recording of the audio-animatronic owl from the old Walt Disney Story's post-show on Main Street.
Credit goes to omniluxe.net for this rare recording and photos.
For more Disney history, be sure to visit www.disneyavenue.com.
