Editor's Report
Page 1 of 2

There's a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow

Things have been moving at a fast and furious pace around LaughingPlace.com lately. The opening of Disney's California Adventure (DCA) was a big deal. All the grand opening pictures and videos we put up were very well received and we really appreciate all the positive feedback. But who would've guessed that the weeks following DCA's opening would bring even bigger changes around here?  But that's what's happened. Over the past few weeks and months LaughingPlace.com has added several staff members and columnists. So what better time than now to once again introduce the current staff of LaughingPlace.com (LP) and publicly thank them for all their hard work.

#1

Rebekah Moseley
I greatly appreciate everyone's contributions to LaughingPlace.com. But there is only one person without whom there would be no LaughingPlace.com, and that person is my wonderful wife Rebekah. Rebekah takes care of the daily news headlines and the weekly television highlights. She also writes the monthly "Forever Magical" column. But more importantly, she's my right-hand woman in just about every decision made at LP. And even more important than that, she's a wonderful and beautiful wife, and without her support there's no way this website could happen.

Columnists and Other Writers

I'll start with our newest writers.

Jim Hill
Jim's first column won't hit LP until next month, but the move is official. The former MousePlanet columnist and current Orlando Weekly columnist is coming to LaughingPlace.com. If you've read his stuff, you know the inside view he brings regarding Disney theme parks and feature animation is incredible.

Toon Kirby
One thing we've wanted for a long time here at LP was someone to write Disney film reviews. But it was very important that we got someone who wrote from the point of view of a Disney fan. After all, that's our audience. After seeing Toon Kirby post reviews in the Discussion Boards for some time, I finally asked him to write for the site itself, and he happily obliged. In three weeks his Toon Talk column has provided three timely reviews and we're thrilled to have him.

Michelle Smith
The Fabulous Disney Babe started contributing to LP in the middle of last month and so far the response has been wonderful. The insight she has on what has been and what is to be at the Disney Company has made her an Internet favorite for years. Michelle's precense has also allowed us to offer something completely new for us at LP - Tours of Disneyland. The Fabulous Tour is the first offering with the first tour later this month.1

Barry Allender
Barry's column is the first step in what we hope will be an improvement in LaughingPlace.com's handling of Disney collectibles and merchandise. Barry has many years of experience in collecting and collectible writing and I'm sure you'll find his "Barry'd Treasures" column useful - I know I have.

And the group that joined in the past few months...

Marc Borrelli
When Marc and I casually discussed his writing for LP at Disneyland one evening, I had no idea his column about Tokyo Disneyland, "The Land of the Rising Mickey", would blossom into what is has become - one of the most popular parts of LaughingPlace.com. And the regular pictures of Tokyo DisneySea construction he provides, not to mention the information on its progress, are a bonus. And if that's not enough, he regularly contributes additional nuggets to the Tokyo Disneyland section of our Discussion Boards.

Ken Pellman
I've known Ken for a long time and I've often enjoyed his slightly off-center sense of humor and the slant he brings to things given his educational background and his years of employment on the Disneyland front lines. "Kenversations", his monthly column, covers the whole spectrum of Disney so you never know what you're going to get.

And the ones that have been here for the long haul:

Bob Gurr
So I'm sitting at my computer one day in April and I think to myself "What if we got Bob Gurr to write a column for LP about the early days of Disneyland". I had met Bob at the grand opening of Walt's Barn at Griffith Park and had already interviewed him about the Autopia and Space Mountain. He'd also written a guest column about one of his flying adventures. So anyway, I wrote him and his response began with "A monthly column?.....You want me pinned down to a deadline every thirty days?" My heart sank. Luckily, the email got better as I read more and by the time I got his next email he said "OK Doobie, I'll take a deep breath and commit to this idea for long term." And that he has. Tomorrow we'll present Bob's 11th "Designer Times" column here at LP and we couldn't be prouder of his being here.

John Frost
John Frost's Dispatch From Disneyland has been a favorite at LaughingPlace.com from day one. John also regularly contributes other stories to LP. If Rebekah is my right hand woman, John is right behind her with Dave Mastanich following him - all key parts of LP's success. John is also my best friend and I wish him the very best with the grand new changes in his life recently ;) 

Rick West
At one time this website had three regular columns planned - Dispatch From Disneyland, Forever Magical and the now defunct (and really missed by me) Guest Relations. All were positive, light hearted looks at Disney and fit very well on LP. But I wanted a column with a little more meat to balance things out a bit. Rick West, editor of Theme Park Adventure Magazine and a friend for a couple years knew I was starting LaughingPlace.com and offered to write a monthly column for us. "The West Side of the Kingdom" was exactly what we needed and we've been happy with the results ever since. Rick also provided a special service when Marc Davis passed away last year. His friendship with Marc allowed him to shares some very special stories with our readers and more importantly provided a place for our readers to send their own memories which Rick passed on to Marc's wife Alice.