Jason Chandler
Jason Chandler is a character originally developed for the unbuilt Discovery Bay. His back story linked the new area with the storyline of Big Thunder Mountain. In 1992 an issue of Disney News was published which describes Jason Chandler:
The highly imaginative tale includes the legend of a young inventor, named Jason Chandler, who lived in a town called International Village during the peak gold rush years in the Big Thunder region - circa 1849. According to the chronicles, “…the young inventor devised the drilling machine with the capability of boring into the very heart of Big Thunder Mountain. There, the veins of gold ran so deep, it was rumored they could produce a mother lode that would bring a man enough wealth to last a hundred lifetimes and more.”
But a cave-in occurred on Big Thunder, burying 26 miners alive. They would have drawn their last breath then and there, had it not been for the inventor and his laughable drilling machine. He burrowed down into the Earth’s core, rescuing the miners from certain death. It should have been a moment of joy and celebration, but as the men scrambled to the arms of safety, a massive earthquake shook the ground and a cavernous maw opened up, swallowing the inventor and his machine whole.”
The miners, as well as the citizens of the village, struggled day and night against the mountain, trying to dig the young man from his living tomb. But they never saw him, or another nugget of gold, again. Big Thunder had taken its vengeance not only on the miners but on their wealth as well. The mountain had gone bust, and it became just a matter of time before only ghosts resided there.
Source, Jason Chandler - Disney Wiki
Chandler was later folded into the S.E.A. back story with a re-imagining of the Big Thunder queue line where a letter was introduced between Jason Chandler and Barney (Barnabas T. Bullion).
Dear Barney, Great Caesar’s Ghost, old chap, I haven’t heard from you since our little misadventure in El Dorado! I am indeed sorry to hear of the second disturbance within Big Thunder Mountain, but I did warn you that you were prospecting at your own peril when I sold you the drilling machine. I took the liberty of consulting Madame Zarkov at the Museum of the Weird, and it is her considered opinion that you should abandon the entire operation at once and find a less volatile site. I wish I had better news for you, old boy, but some forces simply are not to be trifled with.
On behalf of your compatriots of SEA, I do hope to see you around the club a bit more often!
Yours in Exploration and Adventure,
Jason Chandler
Founding Member The Society of Explorers and Adventurers
References
The map ‘Legendary Flying Beasts in the Mekong River’, which can be found in the Skipper Canteen, is authored by Jason Chandler and Captain Brieux. It notes that at the time that J Chandler was president of the society.
Jason Chandler is the main character of the Disney Kingdoms comic book “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad”. In this Jason Chandler is a miner who is angry with Big Thunder Mountain Mining Company and has been stealing its shipments.
Gallery
| Membership | Confirmed |
|---|---|
| Paddle | 1882, Elaho River |
| Fez | true |
| Attractions | Big Thunder Mountain |
| Parks | Walt Disney World |