Carolwood's Imagineer Appreciate Day
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Michael Broggie and Bob Gurr
The other Imagineers recalled moments and stories from their time in Imagineering working with Walt and on the attractions. After the Imagineers had spun their tales, Michael Broggie closed the ceremony by thanking everyone for attending. For the remainder of the day, the Imagineers were available to sign autographs and talk with. Many people brought their Imagineering books to have them signed.
For visitors to Walt’s Barn, the event ended at 3 PM when the barn closed for the day. For the CPHS volunteers, a special surprise was waiting-a visit to the house that Fred Joerger designed and lived in for over 30 years. The house is now known as Gregg Nestor’s Villa Fontani, and it has been kept as it was when Fred lived there. Mr. Nestor was a gracious host, conducting tours of the property and answering questions about his unique home. He also provided catered food that fit the spirit of the day-Walt’s Chili, lemon-orangeade and cake.
Visiting the house gives one the rare opportunity to witness the physical expression of a master Imagineer’s personal vision. Fred also enlisted the aid of other Disney artisans and craftsmen to help bring his vision to life. Upon entering the property, the "Imagineering touch" is evident everywhere; the design and attention to detail are fantastic. It’s a great example of where the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" comes from, as it is far easier to show in pictures than to describe in words.
There are also a few pieces of Disneyana for the sharp-eyed visitor to discover. The fish on the entrance posts were used (sans tails) in Mary Poppins, in the scene just before Mary Poppins, Burt and the children enter the chalk painting. Also in the front yard is an urn that came from Walt Disney World’s Jungle Cruise.
With the use of water throughout the house and property, it’s not surprising that Fred was the designer of Disneyland’s waterways. There is a 16,000 gallon pond in the front yard that is currently being restored to its former beauty. In the surrounding willows are the same "fireflies" that lazily buzz about in Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Upon entering the house, there is a floor-to-ceiling waterfall on your immediate left. The coup-de-grace is in the backyard, where a wonderful blending of sculpture, water fountains, mosaic tilework, and forced perspective hedgework combine to create a stunning scene that would be at home in any Disney park. The middle of the cascading pools is actually a 5 ½ foot deep lap pool. At night, specially-designed lighting makes the scene even more magical.
Much of the rest of the backyard is made up of a Japanese-style garden, which features even more water elements. Also impressive is the hand-laid stone work that paves the areas around the greenery. There is also another, much smaller, cascading water display to the left of the main display, hidden by the forced perspective hedge. It too uses forced perspective to make it appear taller than it really is.
The inside of the house is equally unique and beautiful. Most of it is covered with Arizona flagstone and marble. There are five working fireplaces. The original models for the three water fountain sculptures can be found in the living room. The bedroom and bathroom that were open to public viewing feature gorgeous hand-painted frescoes on their ceilings.
The dining room has its own unique and interesting features. There are two hidden storage areas on either side of the fireplace. The one on the left holds a wine rack, and the one on the right is a china cabinet. Above the fireplace is a blank rectangle that seems unremarkable, until you discover that a hidden projector can drop down out of the ceiling and project whatever image you want, allowing the owner to enjoy and display an ever-changing art collection.
Mr. Nestor does make the house available to public viewing under certain circumstances. The house is available for private tours and other events, such as private dinners, business meetings, concerts, recitals and other activities where an extraordinary atmosphere is desired. Gregg Nestor can be contacted at (818) 890-6106, (818) 613-6106 or emailed at [email protected] if you would like further information.
Sources: Disney Company Biographies; LaughingPlace.com’s Disneyland Windows on Main Street; Persistence of Vision #6/#7, "A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow: Walt Disney and World's Fairs;" handouts at the Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean Celebration (Harriet Burns and Sam McKim); Disney press release for 2001 Disney Legends ceremony; 2002 WDAC Convention Press Release (Sam McKim), CPHS website; Gregg Nestor’s Villa Fontani pamphlet.
Additional information was provided by CPHS members Debbie Smith and Kendra Trahan.
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-- Story by Kevin Beltzner
-- Pictures by Dave Mastanic
-- Posted May 9, 2002