Mary Poppins (1964)

Today we have a double feature.  In fact, it is the same double feature that I did on the final day of my 2015 countdown.  The first half of this double feature is the iconic Disney film Mary Poppins.

The Movie:

You are probably familiar with this film, but in case you aren't, here we go.  Based on the books by P. L. Travers, the movie features Julie Andrews in the title role, a nanny who arrives on the "winds from the east" to the Banks household.  There she is brought on to care for the children, Jane and Michael, and the three of them, along with one-man band/street artist/chimney sweep Bert, go on several adventures around London.  However, some of the biggest lessons from Mary Poppins and Bert are for the children's father.

Even after more than half a century, this movie is still a technical and visual masterpiece.  The scenes combing live-action and animation are incredible, and most of the practical effects look great even by today's standards.  With a well-told story and wonderful acting, it's not hard to see why this movie has stood the test of time.

And of course, we can't ignore the music.  Mary Poppins is the magnum opus of the quintessential Disney songwriters, the Sherman Brothers.  Their music gave the film two of its five Oscars, including one for the song "Chim Chim Cher-ee."  The movie also has "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," "Let's Go Fly a Kite," and Walt Disney's personal favorite, "Feed the Birds," among many other great numbers that have become an essential part of our musical culture.

Though it was never one of my favorites as a child, Mary Poppins is definitely an important childhood movie.  However, as I grow older, I enjoy watching it more each time, and it can be appreciated on a whole other level from an adult perspective.

Presence in the Parks:

I mentioned the Sherman Brothers above, and we could take a good amount of time talking about their contributions to Walt Disney World.  However, we'll save that for another time.  Let's stick strictly to Mary Poppins.

Today, Mary Poppins can be found in various character meets around the parks, including on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom and at the UK pavilion in Epcot.  However, up until recently, her biggest presence was at Hollywood Studios.

Great Movie Ride, June 1995

In 1989, Disney-MGM studios opened, and with it on opening day, The Great Movie Ride.  The new park's central "weenie" was a replica of the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater, and housed inside the building was a ride filled with scenes from some of the greatest films throughout history.  These films represented pretty much every major studio, other than Universal.  Disney was represented in the attraction by scenes from two movies, Fantasia and Mary Poppins.

The queue for the ride also had various movie props.  At one time, one of these displayed props was a carousel horse from Mary Poppins.

This ride was always my favorite ride at Hollywood Studios, and unfortunately it closed last summer to make way for a new Mickey Mouse ride.  Along with the ride itself, I will also miss the wonderful montage that played at the end of the ride, both versions.  Luckily, those can be found on YouTube.

The Great Movie Ride, March 2007

The Great Movie Ride, May 2015

The last time I was at Hollywood Studios, there was also a window display commemorating the world premiere showing of Mary Poppins.

May 2015

As for one other presence in Hollywood Studios, Mary Poppins and Bert have been known to pop up on Steamboat Willie during the finale of Fantasmic!

Fantasmic! May 2015

As for the future of Mary Poppins in the parks, there have been rumors of an attraction being added to the UK pavilion in Epcot, including possible a carousel and a mock-up of Cherry Tree Lane.  Only time will tell if these ever come to fruition.

Stay tuned for the second part of today's double-header.