Category: In the Parks

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Disney History In the Parks

Carol’s Main Street slideshow

As some of you know already, I am a *HUGE* fan of Disney history. As a kid I always loved going to Disneyland, of course, but when I started working there as a Cast Member in college, I began to learn that ‘magic’ doesn’t just happen and there is so much that goes into planning and executing ideas. I especially like Disneyland history, but the more I learn about Walt and his legacy, the more I’ve come to respect just how brilliant he was, and I see just how many of the things he worked on were intertwined. Both successes and ‘failures’ would shape his path in life. I think many people really have no idea just what a true visionary he was, and oh how I wish he could have lived longer – if he even had just a few more years, I’m sure that both Walt Disney World and the ski resort industry, believe it or not, would be quite a bit different from what it is today… even better than what we know and love.

One of the things I enjoy doing is attending presentations about Disney history. In 2011, I attended an event in Orlando called “Destination D”, which was put on by Disney D23. It was a celebration of WDW’s 40th anniversary, and I really enjoyed it as it gave me a better understanding and appreciation of the planning that went into developing this massive resort destination. While at the convention, I briefly met a few of the people who gave presentations. One of them, Paul Anderson, is a well-respected Disney historian. He was a consultant on (and appears in) “Walt: The Man Behind the Myth”, my favorite documentary ever. Paul, along with a few other people I’ve gotten to know over the last few years, is like a walking encyclopedia – filled with information which is all so incredibly interesting to me! Paul and his colleague, Todd Pierce, both of whom are college professors, run a blog called DisneyHistoryInstitute.com. They post articles about Disneyland attractions, venues and events that I never knew about. Needless to say, it is one blog I like to follow, though there is so much content in there I’ve barely even scratched the surface.

Recently I threw some Disney questions at Paul, and to make a long story short, I came up with an idea and asked him to send me some images of Main Street from the 1950’s. I put it to some music (some of you may recognize it), added some dialog and sound effects and bam (well, 4 days of work later!) I had created a little slide show/video for them to add to their collection of YouTube videos. Now the audio of Walt came from “The Disneyland Story” which I believe was filmed 10 months prior to Disneyland opening (so ~ Sept 1954). This was one of several episodes that let the public know what Disneyland was going to be like, and one of the things viewers got to see in this episode was a scale model of Main Street. Can you imagine watching this series as a kid? Not having a clue what this Disneyland place was going to be like… but thinking it looked like something special, and different from anything else you’ve seen before. Remember, no internet, not even a VCR – no convenient way to rewind and look back at the photos and film footage. You would need to tune in on Sunday nights and drool over the screen and try to contain your excitement and anticipation. 🙂

Anyway, here is the completed video – please let me know what you think! If it gets enough views and thumbs up, maybe they’ll have me make another one for them sometime.

A Nostalgic Trip Down 1950s Main Street with Walt Disney

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WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Fantasyland (Part Two)

In the concluding section of my two-part article comparing the Fantasyland in Walt Disney World with its namesake in Disneyland Paris, I shall be looking at the Castles, the meet-and-greets and that unforgettable international cruise:a  “it’s a small world”.

 

THE CASTLE

In both WDW and DLP, the Castle stands visible from the majority of Main Street as the parks’ most recognizable weenie. Standing at 167ft in DLP and 190ft in WDW, this structure (often thought to be one of the entrances to Fantasyland, although it is actually IN that land) is the focal point of the night-time show: Disney Dreams in DLP and Celebrate the Magic in WDW.

Whilst WDW’s Castle is named after Cinderella; the Paris equivalent is themed to Sleeping Beauty and is officially known as Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant.  Both feature shops in their interior on the first floor.  On the second floor in Paris is a walk-around area which tells the tale of Sleeping Beauty, whilst the equivalent story in Florida features a restaurant (Cinderella’s Royal Table). Above that is Cinderella’s Castle Suite, which I know very little about, but there is a lot of interesting information, and photos, on the subject at http://www.disneytouristblog.com/cinderella-castle-suite-tour-photos/

Both versions of the Castle feature coats-of-arms, stained-glass windows and (allegedly) a hidden Mickey in their tiles. The one in Paris however also has an animatronic dragon living in its dungeon, sixteen towers (to represent Aurora pricking her finger on her sixteenth birthday) and various water features.

For more about the Paris Castle, see my article of 2012 comparing it to its Californian counterpart: http://mousescrappers.com/wordpress/?p=3681

 

MEET-AND-GREETS

In Florida, Cinderella can regularly be met inside the Castle (specifically in the restaurant on the second floor).  There is an equivalent eatery in Paris (L’Auberge de Cendrillion) which is equally classy, and also a good place for character meet-and-greets.

Although DLP doesn’t have any equivalents to the meet-and-greets in WDW based on Ariel or Merida (nor does it have any version of Pete’s Silly Sideshow) there are still several other locations in DLP’s Fantasyland where one can meet the characters.

One of these places is just in front of the Castle (the Royal Castle Stage) and another is just behind it, in a location where stage shows based on Sleeping Beauty and/or The Sword in The Stone are occasionally performed.

Other locations in DLP’s Fantasyland where you can encounter characters include Meet Mickey (pretty similar to the one in WDW’s Main Street) and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Enchanted Tales in DLP is a lot more simplistic than its WDW counterpart though, with none of the set, props or animatronics; it also features Belle in her “village” dress, rather than her “Princess” costume.

The final place in DLP’s Fantasyland where characters can be met is Princess Pavilion (similar to WDW’s forthcoming Princess Fairytale Hall, although hopefully the latter will be better run and with more to look at).  Whilst Princess Fairytale Hall is to be on the location of the former Snow White ride; Princess Pavilion is on the site of the former post-show to “it’s a small world”.

 

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

The concept of both versions of “it’s a small world” (as well as the lower case lettering and the quotation marks) is remarkably similar in both Paris and California, with identically-faced dolls singing the titular song, which was written by the Sherman Brothers in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Both feature the same recurring motifs and many identical sets and figures –not necessarily in the same order- and both were opening day attractions.

The main differences to the ride itself occur in the Finale room, which in WDW is much busier, features the ditty sung only in English and has drabber lighting.

The following room, known as the “goodbye room” is also stylistically different; in WDW this features the word “goodbye” in various languages adorning flowery designs, whereas in DLP this room features oversized postcards with ethnically different characters bonding on each. This scene makes less sense in WDW though, seeing as this resort’s attraction doesn’t feature a “hello room”.

Generally though I prefer the interior of WDW’s “it’s a small world”, because there is more to look at, and (after one ride) you don’t get the feeling you have seen everything.  Other reasons for it being my preference includes the trenching style meaning one can naughtily splash your friends, less chance of being bumped from the boat behind, better maintenance, better segueing and more interesting lighting effects.

The exterior of DLP’s “it’s a small world” however is much prettier than WDW’s.  In part this is because the load/unload zone is outdoors (and away from any restaurant windows). Both now feature the infamous clock, although DLP’s is the only one of the two which puts on a mini-show every quarter hour and it is visible from further away. The overall look is more aesthetically pleasing, featuring topiaries, real-life ducks, a three-dimensional model of the globe design seen in two-dimensions above the entrance to the first scene of WDW’s ride, and the Railroad tracks.

For more about the Paris “it’s a small world”, see my article of 2012 comparing it to its Californian counterpart: http://mousescrappers.com/wordpress/?p=3860

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In the Parks WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Fantasyland (Part One)

Seeing as the last few articles from yours truly compared the Fantasyland attractions in Disneyland Paris (DLP) to their equivalents in Anaheim, I swear it is nothing more than serendipity which causes this article to be the first of a two-part comparison between the Fantasyland in Paris and its WDW counterpart.

Primarily, for these articles, I prefer comparing attractions (rather than statistics, restaurants, shops, restrooms, history etc.) but there are so few which can be compared to each other.

For example, DLP’s Fantasyland has no equivalent of The Barnstormer, the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station (though it has a Casey Jr. Circus Train), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Journey of the Little Mermaid or Mickey’s PhilharMagic (though arguably Animagique at the Walt Disney Studios Park is in some ways similar).

Likewise, WDW’s Fantasyland has no equivalent of Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, the Snow White ride (any more), Storybook Land Canal Boats or Les Voyages de Pinocchio.

Fantasyland attractions which are comparable are Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight, the teacups and the carousel; all of these attractions were operating on opening day in both Florida and Paris.

 

DUMBO THE FLYING ELEPHANT

In both WDW and DLP, this attraction seats two people per pachyderm with height controllable by the riders. Although I am not a fan of this attraction at all –I can go around in a circle whenever I want without queuing to do so- I would admit both are attractive to look at, with my preference being the one in Florida.

The shape of the two rides are similar with sixteen elephants coming out of a central hub, but the Florida attraction has more details on the hub, such as mother elephants and the story of Dumbo being told in pictorial form around the base. Both versions feature storks, although in Florida these are in three dimensions, but DLP is the only one to feature a central Timothy Q. Mouse.

WDW has two separate Dumbo hubs as well as an interactive queue area (neither of which appear in DLP) and, although both versions have water features, the Florida one is lit up in a more imaginative way at night-time.

 

PETER PAN’S FLIGHT

In both WDW and DLP, Peter Pan’s Flight uses the same overhanging mechanism to transport the rider above scenes from Peter Pan in chronological order. Differences include Nana being in the Nursery for the DLP version (and outside for the WDW one), the timing of the mermaid lagoon and WDW utilizing an omnimover-style load/unloading system.

Several details from the WDW version are missing in France. For example there is no shadow of our heroes reflected onto the moon, the miniature version of the Jolly Roger doesn’t shoot a cannonball when the guest flies overhead, there is no reference to The Lost Boys and there are fewer Indians.

France’s ride however does feature more of a sense of the rider actually flying, such as entering the Nursery from above, rather than from ground level. This makes exiting through the window (and over the city) more believable. The city itself also seems more London-esque.

Also, France’s ride has a nifty lighting effect (representing pixie dust being spread everywhere) when Peter Pan has taken over the Jolly Roger. This effect explains how the brig is now able to fly. In WDW, the same scene exists (without the lighting) thus the galleon’s aviation abilities are not demonstrated apart from in a mural at the end of the ride. This mural does not exist in DLP, nor does it need to.

 

THE TEACUPS

This attraction is officially known as Mad Tea Party in Florida and Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups in Paris.

Both last approximately ninety seconds, feature eighteen cups, start and end with a pre-recorded spiel and are accompanied by an instrumental version of The Unbirthday Song, as composed by Mack David, Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman.

Both have Chinese Lanterns hanging overhead (which make the attractions especially pretty when lit at night) and both officially refer to the giant spinning platform as “the tea tray”. Extending this metaphor, each disc is referred to as a “plate”, and each cup is on its own “saucer”.

Both versions are covered (although the roof in DLP is much more ornate) and feature Dormouse popping his head out of a teapot. However, in WDW, this is in the centre of the ride itself whereas in DLP this is just standing nearby albeit visible from the ride. Incidentally, the operator’s booth for this attraction in DLP is supposed to be a sugar bowl, whereas the equivalent booth in WDW is unthemed.

 

THE CAROUSEL

In Florida, this is called Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, whereas the Paris equivalent is called Le Carrousel de Lancelot.

Both run at speeds of 4.4mph with flexible durations although the horses always end their rotation at the same location (and height) as they started. They also both feature a soundtrack consisting of looped Disney music and horses in a “leaping” position, as opposed to the more traditional funfair style without bent knees.

Differences between the carousels include the manufacturers (the Paris ride had been built specially by Disney whereas the WDW one had been built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917), the story told on the panels (Cinderella in WDW; The Lady of the Lake in DLP), the number of horses operational at any one time (90 in WDW and 86 in DLP) and the colors; white in WDW and various in DLP.

 

OTHER

Both lands also feature a sword-in-the-stone (although neither any longer have the accompanying ceremony), a Cinderella Fountain and a stop for the Railroad.

Oh, yeah, and a massive castle.

In part two of this article, I will be comparing the castles and “it’s a small world” as well as looking at the numerous meet-and-greets which seem to take up most of the Fantasylands.

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Disney History DL vs DLP In the Parks

Anaheim vs. Paris: “it’s a small world”

This week, in my final article to compare the Fantasylands in California and Paris, I shall be looking at “it’s a small world”, the ride which –according to Marty Sklar- has a “song [which] will drive you bananas if you hear it often enough, but from a message standpoint … is a timeless attraction”.

Both versions of the attraction keep the title in lower case and enclosed in quotation marks. For this article however, I shall use the abbreviation of iasw, although I have known several Cast Members use the initials FAD instead, standing for “F-ing Annoying Dolls”.

Both rides last approximately fifteen minutes and feature the titular song as composed by the Sherman Brothers for the “Children of The World” pavilion at the 1964 World Fair. However, the song was re-recorded for the Paris’ park, using choirs from around Europe.

iasw in Paris was an opening day attraction. It has only had one sponsor (France Telecom) which has been funding the ride from park-opening until 2009. Over the years, California’s iasw (which opened in 1966) has had several sponsors, including Bank of America. Mattel and Sylvania. At the World’s Fair, it was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola but promoted UNICEF.

The “America” scene in Paris is much bigger than the equivalent room in California; the scene existed in Paris long before it was added to the one in Anaheim. Paris’s iasw also features a Middle-Eastern section (not appearing in Anaheim) in which the dolls sing in Arabic.

With the exception of Ariel, Paris’ iasw does not feature any of the 29 Disney/Disney*Pixar characters added to the California version in 2009; however, France’s ride does feature Slinky Dog from Toy Story (who doesn’t appear in the Anaheim ride). Both versions feature Hidden Mickeys and Magic Carpet from Aladdin.

Both rides start with a “hello room” and end with a “goodbye room” with the penultimate scene being the “Finale” where representations of dolls from previous scenes wear white and sing together. In the version in California, all dolls sing in English in this section; in Paris this scene also features verses in French and German.

Neither version offers Fastpass (although California’s “it’s a small world holiday” was the world’s first attraction ever to offer this service, back in 1999).

Further differences include: the Great Britain scene in France doesn’t feature the song being performed in a (bad) cockney accent; the French version doesn’t feature a “hidden Mary Blair” halfway up its Eiffel Tower; the French attraction is completely covered so as to help protect it from the elements; the French ride is made up of one big interconnected room, rather than lots of little rooms; the floor is flooded in Paris whereas the water only exists in troughs in Anaheim; the clock face outside the park (with a display every fifteen minutes) in France is shaped like the sun and the moon, whereas in California it is based on the dolls’ faces. (The clock and the identical faces were both designed by the same man: Gregory S. Marinello).

Whereas California’s iasw annually turns into “it’s a small world holiday”, France’s becomes “it’s a small world celebration”.

In terms of similarities, both versions of the ride feature a sun or moon in virtually every scene, both are continually loading mass capacity attractions (with the one in California being the first ever Disney ride which could be described thus), both feature topiaries around the exterior (although France’s version also features fountains), both feature the Disneyland Railroad visibly traveling between the queue area and the show building, and both feature the “please remain seated” spiel at the end of the ride in English, French and Spanish.

 

Portions of this article first appeared in my musings for DLDHistory.com in August 2011, which also featured an interview with Chris Bailey who was the director of the (now-closed) post-show for DLP’s iasw.

 

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Disney History DL vs DLP Gone But Not Forgotten In the Parks Reviews

Anaheim vs. Paris: Casey Jr. Circus Train and Storybook Land Canal Boats

Early plans for the Fantasyland in the Anaheim park included a roller coaster called Rock Candy Mountain, upon which guests were transported on Casey Jr. style trains. There would be a canal surrounding this, which guests could circumnavigate on miniature boats.

It is claimed that this concept was abandoned when Imagineers thought that visitors may be put off by the sickly looking design for the mountain. However, other sources imply that it was for financial reasons that this wasn’t built.

What did appear on opening day was Canal Boats of The World, known to some Cast Members as The Mud Bank Ride. It broke down often, with employees frequently having to pull the boats along by hand. As part of the spiel, Cast Members had to promise that the ride would be improved over time, with replicas of major world cities being added over time.

Although these cities were never added, one feels perhaps this could have been a precursor to It’s a Small World.

On July 31st 1955, Casey Jr. Circus Train opened nearby, giving riders the chance to see the same pieces of mud from a different angle. As Dumbo the Flying Elephant has not opened yet, Casey Jr. was officially the first Dumbo based attraction to open at the park.

Several portions of the passenger cars had once been part of the chariots on the same Dentzel Carousel that had been transformed into King Arthur Carrousel for Opening Day.

On September 16th 1955, Canal Boats of The World was closed for good, to be replaced with Storybook Land Canal Boats, which opened on June 16th 1956.

Very little about either Casey Jr. Circus Train or Storybook Land Canal Boats has been changed since then, although various scenes on the latter have been altered or replaced. For example, the Sultan’s Palace from Aladdin was added in 1994 in the position of Toad Hall. Toad Hall was re-added to the attraction, at a different location, the following year.

1994 was also the year that the equivalents of these two rides were added to Disneyland Paris. To date, neither of these attractions have appeared in any other Disney parks worldwide.

Casey Jr. Le Petit Train du Cirque is very similar in design to its California counterpart. However, truer to Walt’s original intention, this version is billed as a roller coaster, although (due to it never being reliant on gravity) officially it is a power coaster, Disney’s only one to date.

Although both versions have a top speed of approximately 14mph, the Paris one feels faster due to being a shorter ride (two and a half minutes, as opposed to California’s three and a half) and has several rises and falls whereas Anaheim features only one “lift”.

In most ways, the ride experience is identical. Both feature trains of seven cars, a rearrangement of the Frank Churchill/Ned Washington song from the movie and cages which can make the rider feel claustrophobic.

The Paris version does however have a “going backwards” option, a synchronised on-board audio system (the first coaster in the world to feature this) and it goes closer to the Canal attraction. The two attractions are more closely intertwined, and in some instances –such as the Beast’s Castle- shows propping not visible on the boat ride.

Le Pays de Contes de Fées (which translates as The Land of Fairy Tales) is, conceptually at least, very similar to Storybook Land Canal Boats. Both feature miniature models of scenes from Disney movies –although the films in question are not always the same- and travel in a dyed waterway with music playing throughout to set the atmosphere.

Both versions feature boarding by the side of a faux-lighthouse. The Californian one used to be a ticket office, whereas the one in France is used mainly as storage for cleaning utensils.

The France version does not have an on-board guide. Likewise, it does not have dialogue emerging from any of the models nor is it powered by motors.

All the boats in the Anaheim ride are named after Disney characters. This is the case in France too, although the latter uses their French names. There are 20 such boats in France and 13 in the States; although both versions rarely have all in circulation at any one time.

All of the boats in France are named after female characters, whereas in California, there is one named after a male: Flower, the skunk from Bambi.

The Paris equivalent features a Rapunzel scene –maybe the Imagineers were presupposing Tangled- and a tiger-mouth entrance to the “Cave of Wonders” scene but no Monstro.

 

Portions of this article first appeared in my musings for DLDHistory.com in March 2011.