WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING
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In 1997, WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING hired Mark Jonathan Davis as a freelance writer to help develop attraction names, slogans, sign copy, and other themed nomenclature for DISNEY'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE theme park, which opened in 2001 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.
Collaborating with WDI planners, designers, architects, decorators, and show writers, and under the direction of Imagineering legend Tim Delaney, Davis helped invent names for many of the park rides and restaurants, such as Paradise Pier, The Orange Stinger, King Triton's Carousel, Pizza Oom Mow Mow, and Corn Dog Castle ("Visit the entire Corn Dog Kingdom: Corn Dog Caverns, Camp Corn Dog, and Corn Dog Chalet"). Davis also helped conceptualize the branding and design for several park attractions, including the space-ship themed Burger Invasion restaurant, and the S.S. Rustworthy play zone. And, for Paradise Pier, Davis wrote the slogan "Fun In The Sun For Everyone" and the farewell tagline, "Thanks for visiting Paradise Pier...we miss you already!" Davis also named shops and retail stores: Sideshow Shirts, Point Mugu Tattoo, Treasures In Paradise, Dinosaur Jack's Sunglass Shack, and Souvenir 66 ("Next Souvenirs - 30 Miles"). And, he created names and copy for midway games Shore Shot, San Joaquin Volley, Reboundo Beach, and Cowhuenga Pass. Davis also scripted creative elements throughout the park, like billboards, posters, interior signage, merchandise displays, menu text ("Viva Tortilla!"), gag signs, and themed graffiti. For example, in the Cowhuenga Pass ball-toss game, Davis wrote -- and painted! -- farm-themed taglines for the booth, like "Just Moo It," "Steer Clear," and "There's Something About Dairy." Davis also developed themed visual gags for a number of areas, attractions, and retail environments, including Sideshow Shirts ("Sombrero Clearance - 9'0"), Mulholland Madness, Greetings From California, Taste Pilots Grill, Superstar Limo, and Engine-Ears Toys. In the "Hollywood" district, he helped create visual gags and spoof store names like Souvenir Itch, Dial M For Muscle, Phil M. Noir Detective Agency, Leaning Tower Of Records, The Snake Pit, Dr. Nipantuck's Gone With The Chin, and Ben Hair. In addition to writing for the theme park itself, Davis also wrote advertising copy, public relations materials, corporate presentations, and employee reference guides about the Disneyland Resort's parks, hotels, and Downtown Disney shopping district. And, he provided character voices for Disneyland attractions including "It's Tough To Be A Bug" and "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin," and for Disneyworld's "It's Tough To Be A Bug," "Test Track," DisneyQuest," "Winter Summerland" mini-golf course (as the voice of Santa Claus), and "The People Mover." |
Here is a gallery of some of MJD's favorite signs from Disney's California Adventure. (Unfortunately, many of these attractions were removed from the park during renovations from 2006-2015. The Paradise Pier area is now known as Pixar Pier.)
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BURGER INVASION
This road-side hamburger stand was themed to look like a 1950's UFO spaceship. Davis created the name and developed the restaurant's visual design concept, including the junkyard decorations and french fry landing gear. |
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GAMES OF THE MIDWAY
Davis wrote the copy for this Paradise Pier sign, advertising skill games like "Boardwalk Bowl," "Dolphin Derby," and "Reboundo Beach." It's a "Winner Wonderland!" |
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CORN DOG CASTLE
Davis invented the royally ridiculous name for this snackbar, and also imagined a fictional chain of California-themed franchise locations in the "Corn Dog Kingdom": "Corn Dog Caverns," "Corn Dog Chalet," and "Camp Corn Dog." |
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SIDESHOW SHIRTS
Paradise Pier's T-Shirt shop donned the name "Sideshow Shirts," and Davis wrote silly sign copy for the interior of the store, such as "All Of Our Shirts Have 4 Holes In Them," "Take The Shirt Off Our Rack," "Hats The Way I Like It," and "Hat Enough For Ya?" He also named the store's "sideshow freak" characters: the contortionist "Al Astic," the snake charmer "Vipera," the bearded lady "Her Royal Hairness," and "Inky The Tattooed Man" ("See his body of work!"). |
