Jeff Heimbuch lives along the Jersey Shore but his heart lies at Walt Disney World (along with his wallet!). When not visiting the happiest place on Earth, he enjoys making movies. You can see his work at Bamfer Productions.
Because I Stinkin' Love Disney World
Disney Travel Tips from Mouseketrips
Review: A Walk in the Park with Rolly Crump
Disney Dreadful: The Bus Beast
And receive a daily email summary of new stuff on the site.
The folks who know the most about Disney aren't always the Imagineers but rather the 'regular' people who manage the lines, serve the food, clean up the trash. Jeff Heimbuch has interviewed dozens of them. Their fascinating stories present Disney from new perspectives: you'll learn what it's like to work for the Mouse on the front-lines. And, of course, you'll hear from the Imagineers, too. So buckle up! What comes From the Mouth of the Mouse may surprise you...
AUGUST 17 During her nearly 30 year career as an Imagineer, Rolando had her creative fingers in many different pies, and wore many different hats - she shares them all with Jeff Heimbuch, including her memories of the old Disney Village.
AUGUST 10 How many people can say they work in Fantasyland? Not many. How many wish they could? While at Disneyland for a recent "working" vacation, Jeff Heimbuch ran into Cast Member Jennifer, who shares perhaps a bit more than you might expect.
AUGUST 3 Code V! Code V! Trust me, you really don't want to know. But if you read Jeff Heimbuch's interview with Lynn, who worked many years in Disneyland Custodial, you're going to find out, and I just hope you're not eating breakfast when you do.
JULY 27 In his interview with Cast Member Rob, who works at Disneyland's Splash Mountain, Jeff Heimbuch learns that the Disneyland version of the ride gives guests a more thorough soaking. And he asks about the topless pictures, too.
JULY 20 Every mansion needs its hostess, especially if it's a haunted mansion, but if haunted isn't possible, then haughty will do - as in haughty accent, haughty BRITISH accent, such as that spoken by Tabitha, who once LIVED to serve...
JULY 13 One of the oldest rides at Disneyland, the Storybook Land Canal Boats, still holds it charm after all these years, and today Jeff Heimbuch presents a recent interview he did with April, a former Cast Member who piloted the boats way back in 1957.
JULY 6 While everyone races for Space Mountain in the morning, why not laugh at their silly selves and amble over to the Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street, U.S.A. for a little off the top courtesy of the friendliest people in the park.
JUNE 29 You're at Disney World, and you've found the perfect shot! Quick, pose! Wait for those idiots to pass by. What? Lens cap? Hey, I'm not in the picture! Let's ask a complete stranger for help. Or why not just walk up to a PhotoPass photographer...
JUNE 22 To staff the pavilions of the World Showcase, Disney hires young people from abroad as part of its 'International Program'. Who'd want to hear a Bronx accent from a United Kingdom Pavilion Cast Member? Emma worked there once. And never said "yo"...
JUNE 15 Should you pay no attention to that man behind the curtain? Well, of course you should, especially when the man is a mouse, and the curtain is Disney's Keys to the Kingdom tour. Follow Jeff Heimbuch as he follows Cast Member Adam behind the curtain.
JUNE 8 Even if you hate snakes, you probably love the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios. As with everything Disney, the show is highly scripted, and the stuntmen who perform in it professionals. Like Jason, who plays a Nazi.
JUNE 1 Mr. DeMille, Jeff is ready for his close-up, and for all you wonderful people out there in the dark, he presents his greatest picture: a chat with Ryan, one of the Cast Members who make The Great Movie Ride so thrilling, so... Hollywood!
MAY 25 What a surprise for Jeff Heimbuch when he learned that a lady he sees every day at his 'day job' is a former Disney World Cast Member. They're everywhere! He did not let the opportunity slip by, and sat down with Mary for some Pecos Bill tall tales.
MAY 18 Truth be told, I've never seen the show at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Truth be told again, I don't want to see it, and don't ever want to be 'that guy'. But that's me. Jeff Heimbuch does want to be 'that guy'. Cast Member Mike tells him how it's done.
MAY 11 Many famous comedians got their start as Jungle Cruise Skippers. Like Andrew Dice Clay: "what's in the boat, bit.." - well, maybe not, but Skipper John does go up the hill with Jeff Heimbuch to share some pretty funny stories.
MAY 4 I'm feeling sympathetic vibrations today. (From the Haunted Mansion, wise guy!) Jeff Heimbuch bravely speaks in whispers with Disney World Cast Member Constance, once a maid for Master Gracey, then a happy haunt, and now... one of us.
APR 27 If there's such a thing as the 'unsung' Disney Cast Member, it's the folks who clean up. Officially, they're part of Custodial Guest Services, and you see them all the time, but do you know, really, what they do? Jeff Heimbuch digs for answers.
APR 20 Who has the most dangerous job at Disney World? No joke: the stunt people who work at at the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show in Hollywood Studios. This week, Jeff Heimbuch chats with Mike, formerly one of those stunt people.
APR 13 Before Ariel, there was Edie - Edie Carhart, a beautiful girl hired by Walt Disney in the summer of 1966 to portray one of his 'real-life' mermaids and swim, splash, and frolic in the Disneyland lagoon. Edie has great stories. And pictures, too!
APR 6 Valerie shares stories from the early days of the Magic Kingdom, featuring bra-less South American women, a Lincoln lap dance at the Hall of Presidents, mole crickets in the Columbia Harbour House deep fryer, and plenty more. Oh, Mickey, close your eyes!
MAR 30 Steve Alcorn was one of the legion of Epcot Imagineers laboring ceaselessly to make sure the park would purr when the ropes dropped for the first time. They nearly didn't make it! Steve talks with Jeff Heimbuch about those heady but harrowing days.
MAR 23 Have you heard of Jim Dooley? Maybe not. Have you listened to Jim Dooley? No doubt? In addition to writing music for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and The Little Mermaid 2, Jim wrote the score for Epic Mickey. Jeff Heimbuch joins him now for a duet.
MAR 16 Herb Ryman designed a lot of Disney. John Donaldson, Herb's protege, has written a lot about Herb Ryman. Now Jeff Heimbuch speaks with John, just for a little while, about Herb, and about John's new biography of Herb, Warp and Weft.
MAR 9 This week's guest you've met already: he writes a weekly column for Disney Dispatch every Tuesday called The Adventures of Tom Nabbe. Tom has what I like to call a 'hat trick' in the Disney Company: He's a member of Club 55 (which requires a paycheck signed by Walt Disney from the year 1955), he has a window on... MORE
MAR 2 Once we got a 'complaint' letter from a couple who experienced a power outage during their wedding ceremony in the chapel. The wedding was during the daytime, so it wasn't like they had been plunged into darkness - the chapel is full of gorgeous windows - but the bride complained (remember, this is through a... MORE
FEB 23 This week, we talk to author Ridley Pearson about his upcoming show Peter & The Starcatcher. While Ridley is probably best known for his Kingdom Keeper series, he also co-wrote (along with Dave Barry) the Starcatchers series, which act as prequels to the story of Peter Pan. The Starcatcher books chronicle... MORE
FEB 16 Few of you need an introduction to Rolly Crump, a Disney Legend and one of the most influential Imagineers in Disney's history. His impact on the Walt Disney Company has been felt everywhere: from California to Florida, and worldwide, as well. Rolly had a hand in many classic Disney attractions, and he has... MORE
FEB 9 We walked the track and found a little girl covered in blood. She had gotten out of her car when it was stopped to allow us to help a handicapped woman into a car ahead at the loading station. The little girl's mother wasn't paying attention when the girl got out! She cut up her legs and her sides on... MORE
FEB 2 I went to work for them basically out of desperation. At the time I was a single mom and needed a job desperately. I had heard through the grapevine that a place called WED was hiring for some big project they were going to do, not knowing at the time just how huge it would be. I never thought... MORE
JAN 26 But then they got me in the kitchen, which was my absolute favorite. It was fast-paced: you didn't have to worry so much about not slouching or always smiling (which was easy to do when Guests were around most of the time). My favorite positions, by far, were anchor and window. Window was scooping fries... MORE
JAN 19 A guest was crossing Main Street with hot dogs in both hands to eat at the curb during the afternoon parade. Six seagulls attacked her, scratched up her face and stole her dogs, buns and all. She was left with blood on her chin and two mustard-covered napkins. I walked her over to First Aid and got... MORE
JAN 12 In March at Kali River Rapids, we aren't busy because it's kind of cold. We get all the Canadians in shorts calling us Floridians in winter jackets crazy. (The feeling is mutual!) When the ride is quiet, we let the guests just stay on the raft. Our record is 47 times in a row without... MORE