[Summertime] 1962 Disneyland's brand new Jungle River Cruise Expansion

05.10.11 - The password is "Safari," and Summertime visitors to Disneyland will be validating their passports, stepping aboard tropical steamers and sailing off on a brand new tropical adventure that may set jungle exploration back to the days of "Dr. Livingston, I presume."

The Summer 1962 edition of Vacationland took a through-the-binoculars look at the 1962 expansion of Adventureland.

For Disneyland's brand new Jungle River Cruise — part of another $7 million expansion at Walt Disney's Anaheim wonderland — has been designed as a combination "you are there" exploration and fun-filled laugh provoking adventure whose "actors" are elephants, tigers and many more beasts of the jungle.

Starting with a proven success — the true-life jungle cruise has been one of Disneyland's most popular attractions since opening — Walt Disney is adding a jungle-full of animated animals — startlingly life-like — and making the explorer's voyage longer and full of humor.

Top highlight is sure to be the Indian elephants — big ones and "little squirts" — who will frolic, splash and swim in a unique "elephant bathing pool." Their trunks loaded with watery surprises (for unwary animals and explorers), nearly two dozen of the full-size elephants will eventually call Disneyland "home," all brought to life through the marvels of Disneyland animation.

The emphasis in new attractions is on Adventureland, with (1) the "world's largest" Tree House, (2) a "Big Game Safari" shooting gallery, (3) a colorful African motif for portions of the bazaar shops and stores in Adventureland, and (4) the fabulous "Stouffer's in Disneyland" dinner-show restaurants.

The Swiss Family Tree House will tower 70 feet above the jungle. Spreading its branches 80 feet in width, it will include three separate "homes" at different levels — the living room, parents' room and boy's room, all inspired by Walt Disney's motion picture "Swiss Family Robinson."

For the youngsters, "the climb's the thing," but adults are sure to enjoy the "never before" panoramic view over much of Disneyland offered by this "species Disneydendron giganteum" of 150,000 leaves and 50,000 blooms.

Walt Disney's "Enchanted Tiki Room," one of three new restaurants at "Stouffer's in Disneyland" and Disney's first "by reservation only" dining spa, may steal the spotlight from the other new attractions. For Walt Disney is bringing together all the talents of his "imagineers" to create a complete dinner show performed by an exotic collection of birds, flowers and Polynesian Tikis that actually sing, talk and act!

Many new animation techniques, developed exclusively for Disneyland, will "bring to life" the birds, idols and flowers. And, lest you should think it's not possible for inanimate objects to sing and act, just remember that this dinner-show is based upon legends and myths treasured for centuries by the natives of the South Pacific.

Stouffer's, one of America's foremost restaurateurs, will also open European and American Kitchens in its Plaza Pavilion (facing Main Street) and a Tahitian Terrace overlooking Adventureland. The latter will feature nightly dancing and South Seas entertainment.

If you're a marksman, the new "Big Game Safari" is for you. While it's based on a time-tested shooting gallery tradition, this jungle hunt is an authentic Disney creation — a one-of-a-kind rapid-fire adventure where you'll shoot at all kinds of jungle animals and birds, each handcrafted for Disneyland.

So it all adds up to another big "bonus" in entertainment this Summer at Disneyland where the new adventures Walt Disney adds each year are the frosting on a $40 million entertainment "cake!"

From the Summer 1962 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

Walt Disney and the Villains

"Whether we like them or not," said Disney's Director of Studio Publicity Tom Jones in a 1972 interview, "villains are a necessary evil." "For example, most of Walt Disney's animated cartoons are morality plays -- that is, good triumphs over evil. To draw a definite contrast between the two extremes, the hero/heroine is the epitome of all that is good and brave in comparison to the villain/villainess, who personifies all that is unscrupulous, dastardly, and evil. Before the fadeout, the villain gets his/her comeuppance while the hero emerges triumphant."

In the 1956 "Disneyland" television episode "Our Unsung Villains," the Slave in the Magic Mirror boasts, "Take away the villain and what have you got? Everybody's happy. No problems. Nothing to worry about. All in all, a pretty dull story."

From the earliest Mickey Mouse shorts, villains were as prominent as the sympathetic leading characters. Because of Walt's deep roots as a storyteller, he understood the fundamental truth that great triumph can only result from great struggle -- and great heroism from great menace. 

In the Mickey Mouse shorts and Silly Symphonies, there were various broad menaces such as skeletons ("The Haunted House," 1929), a nameless gorilla ("The Gorilla Mystery," 1929), an unnamed spider ("The Spider and the Fly," 1931), and a nonspecific woodland witch ("Babes in the Woods," 1932). Nuanced and fleshed-out villains such as Pete (the burly cat who forever tormented Mickey and Minnie Mouse) and the pig-taunting Big Bad Wolf were far more threatening, although typically buffoonish and played for laughs.

It wasn't until 1934, when development was underway for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," that Disney's animation team turned their focus on characters without a whiff of laughter or the slightest hint of irony -- serious cinematic villains with a threatening presence of true malice. 

The film's initial designs and story took time to evolve beyond the coy cuteness and comical simplicity common within the brief structure of an animated short. As the creative team began seeing the real potential of their animated feature, they realized that the longer format gave them time to unfold a story, pace situations and events, and increase the sophistication of the script and music. This, in turn, enhanced their efforts to animate lifelike humans, credible movement, and personality performance from their cast of characters. 

The stately and elegant Queen was a departure from "cartoon" villains of the era

The core of the story became a more balanced mix of story attitudes and timbre that brought out true "heart" rather than simple situations punctuated by visual and audio "gags." Walt later recalled, "Without that heart, you see, I don't think anything will laugh. In other words, with any laugh, there must be a tear somewhere. I believe in that. The thing with Chaplin is his pathos, you know? That's it. That is humor, I think. I had it in 'Snow White.' I mean, you felt sorry for her. You felt sorry for the dwarfs when she died."

In order to gain that "heart," the little princess' tormentor underwent a significant evolution. A heavy-set, daffy, oblivious, and egotistical comedy queen gave way to a cold and heartless, but elegant, stately, and beautiful monarch modeled after the ageless ice goddess ("She who must be obeyed"), from the 1935 film adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's tale "She."

The Peddler Hag was a terrifying result of an unforgettable transformation

The result was a legendary screen villain -- and one that still ranks high in the pantheon of cinematic evil. An urban legend (that may or may not be true) is that either the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles or New York City's Radio City Music Hall had to replace all of their seat upholstery during their runs of "Snow White." It seems that young children were so frightened by Snow White's nightmarish chase through the forest and the transformation of the wicked Queen that a certain visceral reaction was commonplace.

"I showed 'Snow White' to my own two daughters when they were small," Walt recalled. "And when they came to me later and said they wanted to play witch, I figured it was all right to let other kids see the film." Walt's daughter Diane confessed that she hid her face in her hands when the Queen's scenes played out.

W a l t   p e r f o r m s   t h e   " p o i s o n   a p p l e "   s c e n e   d u r i n g   a   s t o r y   s e s s i o n

In following films, Walt's villains were typically terrifying -- the droll or antic villain was a rarity. In "Pinocchio," the comic business of J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon the Cat barely offset the terror of Monstro the Whale, the shock of the sinister, leering Coachman, or the blazing temper of Stromboli.

The sheer, overwhelming, profane power of Chernabog in "Fantasia" remains an example of villainous excellence in design, staging, and movement. In "Bambi," the constant and underlying threat of Man in the forest is a forceful, sinister presence.

Lady Tremaine's quiet hostility and jealous antagonism in "Cinderella" was a masterpiece of ominous understatement, while the theatrical flair and phenomenal graphic design of Maleficent (in both human and dragon form) has made the "Sleeping Beauty" evil fairy a legendary scoundrel.

Walt was fearless about fear.

In their classic 1993 book "The Disney Villain," Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston wrote, "Our own personal impressions of Walt are that his great ability to observe and his fantastic memory helped furnish a reservoir of ideas for his miraculous imagination. When we would see his face screwed up, eyes half closed, trying to figure out what villainous act would do the most harm, we felt he had experienced much of that from bullies in his own childhood. He certainly met much villainy throughout his life. The greater his success, the more conflict he encountered as others tried to take it away from him." There was a deep understanding of the dark side of life that Walt used to create heroes in his films.

Even in a film as seemingly benign as "Mary Poppins," the villain was omnipresent, but not a person. Although Walt was never a fan of banks or bankers in general, the bank isn't the villain in this story. It's the absence of parents (the father in particular, due to Mr. Banks's work at the bank), that creates an overarching threat to the stability of the Banks' household -- and to the security of the Banks children. 

Walt's friend and "Mary Poppins" star Dick Van Dyke recalled, "Walt once said, 'What I understand about kids [that nobody else understands] is that they think it's delicious to be frightened. Kids love to be scared. They love ghost stories.' And he always put the witch or something in there, to give them that delicious goose bump. He knew." 

By Jeff Kurtti

10 years as a Disney employee, and has written more than twenty books, dozens of magazine articles, and scores of blog columns about Walt Disney, his life, and his work. 

Now, Jeff brings his passion and expertise to Disney Insider through a unique online presence called "The Wonderful World of WALT."

Creating ‘Fantasmic!’ for Disneyland Park

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What had been a tranquil scene during the day was magically transformed at night by the power of Mickey’s imagination, and when the Sailing Ship Columbia fired its cannon and suddenly appeared as Captain Hook’s galleon during the show, it gave me goose bumps. It still does!

Barnette Ricci, Vice President/Show Director of Special Events for the Walt Disney Studios, who 20 years ago was senior show director for Disneyland park, shared some of her memories of creating Fantasmic!

We had no new attraction opening that summer of 1992, so I was asked to create a show that could be marketed as something really special. I always felt that the [Rivers of America] was a truly unique venue, but I wanted to use it in a new way to create something different for our guests.

We researched all kinds of water-related special effects, and we discovered these water screens in France. We found that projecting animation footage on the water looked absolutely spectacular! By layering the dancing water fountains, special lighting, lasers, pyrotechnics and black light, along with live performers on watercraft and this new way to project animation on water, I was convinced all of these elements combined would create a rather exciting show!

It took months of searching through Disney film footage to find the right clips for the storyline and to create the film elements so they would look great on the water. We spent three months of ‘all-nighters’ out there on the river, programming all the effects and meticulously finessing the timing based on the time code of the film. Every burst of water, pyrotechnic, laser and live element had to be exactly timed and rehearsed to be in sync with what happened on the screen and with the fantastic musical score.

The show was originally called ‘Imagination’, as the title song implies, but everyone felt it needed a stronger title, so finally – and fortunately – it was renamed ‘Fantasmic!’

The first time we performed the show for a real audience, I was thrilled watching and hearing their reaction to the show. Words cannot express how proud I am of ‘Fantasmic!’ and how proud and thankful I am of everyone who worked so hard to bring it to life, and who continue to keep it going strong, night after night.

New Orleans Square Officially Opens - One of the Last Times Walt E. Disney was on Film

The footage you are about to see is bittersweet. It shows one of the last times Walt was on film enjoying his park. The day was July 24, 1966 (Walt died later that year). Walt and New Orleans Mayor Victor Schiro officially opened New Orleans Square. It was the first time since opening day in 1955 that a new land had opened. It was also the only area at the park named after a real city. Guests enjoyed shopping, dining and music, and Pirates of the Caribbean opened the following year.

Disneyland Guest Count

The 1 millionth guest to Disneyland in California was on September 8, in the year of 1955. The name was Elsa Marquez.

10 Millionth Guest: Leigh Woolfenden December 31, 1957

25 Millionth Guest: Dr. Glenn C. Franklin April 19, 1961

50 Millionth Guest: Mary Adams August 12, 1965

100 Millionth Guest: Valerie Suldo June 17, 1971

200 Millionth Guest: Gert Schelvis January 8, 1981

250 Millionth Guest: Brook Charles Arthur Burr August 24, 1985

300 Millionth Guest: Claudine Masson September 1, 1989

400 Millionth Guest: Minnie Pepito July 5, 1997

450 Millionth Guest: Mark Ramirez March 15, 2001

“I’m completely stunned and speechless!” said Mark Ramirez of Texas, Disneyland’s 450 millionth guest to pass through the turnstiles and step into Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. “I’m so excited, I’m shaking!” he laughed. “This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to us.” Ramirez was on vacation with his wife, Donna and their three daughters Nina, Ariana, and Alexandria when his milestone entrance granted him a celebration ceremony, a lifetime pass to the Disneyland Resort, a stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and a merchandise gift pack. And the best gift of all was that he became a part of Disneyland history. Ramirez got to officially change the attendance sign on the Disneyland Train Station from 400 million to 450 million.

500 Millionth Guest: Australian Bill Trow January 12, 2004

Walt Disney World hosts its first Disneyana convention, as told by Dave Smith in 1992

Whether it’s early Mickey Mouse watches, original cartoon cels, recent limited edition figurines, or 1955 Disneyland guide­books, Disneyana collectibles have a fascination for Amer­icans young and old. And, with the opening of Disney Parks in Japan and France, and the expansion of The Disney Stores throughout the world, what started as an American hobby has grown to where it is enjoyed worldwide today.

Disney Archivist Dave Smith with the first Disneyland

attraction vehicle ever sold at a Disneyana convention

To provide an event where Disneyana fans could gather together for several days of collecting, guest speakers, good food, special merchandise, and the fun experi­ence of a Disney Theme Park, Walt Disney World Attractions hosted its first Disneyana Convention. Held September 24-27, the Convention Center drew over 750 Disneyana collectors and fans to Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Guests arriving on Thursday morning took care of their hotel check-in and convention registration, then rushed to the Disneyana Collectible Shop where special merchandise featuring the convention logo had been placed on sale. Eager collectors grabbed up ornaments, decals, buttons, T-shirts, spoons, and even stropping bags. The hottest items were a $25 plate—in a limited supply of just 500—and a watch. One watch had been given to each registrant, winch left less than 500 available for sale.

The convention began in earnest Thursday evening with a welcome reception Ice Cream Social. The Fantasia Lobby was decked out with banners flags, park benches, gazebos, and greenery, along with tables loaded with ice cream, pastries, and other delectable taste treats. Disney characters were on hand to greet guests, and as a special added attraction, three of the original Mousketeers—Bobby, Sharon and Sherry—were there to autograph photographs in a Mousketeer Clubhouse in the West Rotunda.

Friday dawned with a buffet breakfast outdoors in front of the Convention Center. Mickey Mouse and Dick Nunis, Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, made a grand entrance in the LiMOUSEine. Other members of Mickey’s gang gathered with some of the Park’s singers and dancers for a couple of musing numbers to lead guests into the Fantasia Ballroom for the opening session.

After the surprise entrance of the Voice of Disney—Jack Wagner—to emcee the events, the morning got off to an exciting start with a kinetic audio-visual presentation covering the history of The Walt Disney Company. The morning speakers were Dick Nunis, reminiscing on his many years with Disney, landscaper Bill Evans sharing experiences in creating the natural scenery in all of the Disney Parks, Max Howard speaking on the expansion of the feature animation division in Florida and showing pre­views of Aladdin, and Esther Ewert of Disney Art Editions, relating the history of Disney animation art in the market­ place. The climax of the morning ses­sion was the introduction of the Al­addin characters in a festive parade complete with a live camel and horses.

For the afternoon, convention-goers had many choices. They could attend a Limited Edition sale and Artist Signing, where a number of very special pieces had been created especially for the convention by the likes of Lladro Goebel, Armani, R. John Wright, Ron I.ee, Laurenz, and others. Nearby was a Disneyana Fair, where Disney signs, artwork, and props—many never before offered for sale—could be purchased.

There was a preview of auction items, and, upstairs, a Disney Business Group Presentation included displays from Disney Art Editions, Disney Stores, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Gallery, Disney Classics Collection, The Disney Channel, Disney Publishing, the Magic Kingdom Club and other divisions of the Disney organization. Finally, down the hall was a Disneyana Trade Show where independent dealers displayed their wares. It was almost more than a collector could han­dle in one day.

The day was capped by a thrilling Disneyana auction, with selected pieces from the Disney vaults bringing record prices. An original Dumbo attraction unit from Disneyland brought $16.000, as did a bronze-cast Mickey Mouse statue. A Carousel horse brought $4,000 and the art for a Little Mermaid plate $8,250.

At Saturday morning’s session, my assistant, Robert Tieman and I had the thrill of being delivered into the banquet with Mickey Mouse it an armored truck, bring­ing 30 Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives for show and-tell. Tony Baxter, from Walt Disney Imagineering, brought insight into Euro Disneyland’s design, and a high­light was a conversation with 98-year-old Joe Fowler, builder of Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

The public was allowed to join conven­tioneers at the various fairs and trade shows on Saturday and then the convention culminated with a deli­cious banquet, followed by comments by Dick Nunis, and Bob Bowman and Bo Boyd of Disney Consumer Products. The Kids of the Kingdom brought the house down with The Best of Disney and each guest received a valuable medallion as a keepsake.

It was an exhausting three days, but those in attendance praised the conven­tion planners. The First Disneyana Convention had been a rousing success. Now, off to Anaheim for the next one in September, 1993.

From Disney News, Winter 1992.

New Orleans Square is Dedicated at Disneyland

July 24, 1966
New Orleans Square is Dedicated at Disneyland

When New Orleans Square opened in Disneyland, it was the first new land built since the opening of the park in 1955. New Orleans Square also has the distinction of being the only land in the magic kingdom to debut with no attractions. There were shops and restaurants, but the land's major attractions, Pirates of the Carribean and Haunted Mansion hadn't materialized yet. New Orleans Square took park Guests back to New Orleans a century ago, and boasted shops such as the One of a Kind shop where Guests could shop for rare antiques, and Mademoiselle Antoinette's Parfumerie welcomed ladies to blend their own exclusive brand of perfume. 1966 Disneyland Ambassador Connie Swanson Lane still remembers this day, forty three years ago, with great fondness, "I had the honor of standing next to Walt for the opening of New Orleans Square. His eyes missed no detail and he spoke of how he would improve on the concept. Accompanying us was the mayor of New Orleans. At lunch, Walt was continually making notes in the Blue Bayou, raise the tree five feet, lighten the sky… What a thrill to touch his shadow."

Virtual Tour of Walt Disney’s Apartment

"To enter the apartment we were taken backstage just alongside the firehouse on Main St.  We walked behind the guest relations building to a stairway that led up to the patio that overlooks Main St.  This used to be a VIP viewing area for the parade, but thanks to a large tree that grew to block the view, it’s no longer used for that."

 - Pete Werner

To read this completely amazing story, visit:

http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/06/24/a-look-inside-walt-disneys-apartment/

Horse, Motor Car Share Main Street, U.S.A.'s Thoroughfare

06.01.11 - WED Enterprises, Walt's planning and designing firm, built the horse drawn streetcars by working from photographs of earlier authentic vehicles.

Streetcar travel of a bygone era is relived on Main Street, U.S.A.

An almost forgotten era of America's history is relived by guests entering Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. The feeling of a typical small thoroughfare of the 1900 era will be experienced by guests strolling down Main Street, U.S.A.

Walt Disney, who was reared in a small mid-western town of Marcelline, Missouri, worked with his staff in building Main Street, U.S.A. so that the uniqueness of this street would he authentic to the smallest detail.

The same demand for detail is designed into the Main Street vehicles. Many types of unique con-veyances are represented on Main Street, U.S.A.

The four horse-drawn streetcars on Main Street are composite reproductions of 19th century streetcars you might have found in such late 1800 cities as Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia or New York.

WED Enterprises, Walt's planning and designing firm, built the horse drawn streetcars by working from photographs of earlier authentic vehicles.

The large horses, which pull the streetcars, are either Percheron, Belgian, Clydesdale, or a cross between Shire and Percheron. These horses each receive a minimum of 30 hours special training before going "on stage." Each works a four-hour day, five-day week, and is given taxi service to and from the stables — it sure beats our work week!!

The horseless carriages on Main Street, U.S.A. are a composite of the design and size of many gas-driven cars of that early period of automobile history.

The three horseless carriages that carry guests entering and exiting the Park run on two-cylinder water pump engines that chug and snort just like the originals. But riot everything is a reproduction. The external parts, such as the horns, lights and wheels, are authentic.

The green and yellow double decker Omnibus is as authentic as any bus you might have found on the main streets of New York, Chicago or Boston at the turn of the century. An old electric English klaxon horn is the only original part used in the building of the two Disneyland Omnibuses. The Studio designers built the Omnibuses or for that matter, all the vehicles, so that guests would have greater comfort, safety, and convenience. The drop frame chassis is from a modern day truck. Having a modern clay engine, the buses also include power steering and power brakes. On your next visit to the Magic Kingdom, leave the hustle and bustle of today's streamlined transportation and travel down Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. The years will roll back until there is only the sound of a casual clop-clop of a horse-drawn streetcar and the chug-chug of the horseless carriages.

From Disney News (Fall 1968).

Autopia Car Built Special for Freeway of Future

06.28.11 - Disney Legend Bob Gurr talks through the nuts and bolts of Disneyland's Autopia.

Hey, Abott-T-T! Christine Costello and Bud Abbott, Jr. give fathers Lou and Bud, Sr. a driving lesson on the Autopia Freeway. The famous comedy pair, recent visitors here, found the Autopia a top attraction as do most Disneyland guests.

For the Highway of the Future the Car of the Future was needed.

Disneyland's "Autopia," the Tomorrowland ride sponsored by the Richfield Oil Company, was planned as the Freeway of 1986. Built to scale so that it would be safe and practical for youngsters to a minimum age, Walt Disney assigned the job of designing a car for the miniature freeway to Bob Gurr, longtime Disney studio design artist and construction specialist.

"The Autopia Car," Bob relates, "was designed and built just about the same way a Detroit model is built.

Full Size Model
"First we made sketches. Naturally there were a lot of ideas about what the car of the future should look like. Then there was a question about materials, and we finally decided to use fiberglass, since it had great advantages in lightweight, strength and pliability for design.

After the sketches became finished drawings, the studio craftsmen made a full size clay "mock up" model. The model was modified a few times until Walt approved the final version. From this mock up the plastic mold was made which allowed the bodies for the cars to be built in quantity.

Glasspar Company of Newport Beach manufactured the bodies for the cars.

The problem of a chassis to carry the fiberglass bodies was then the next problem to be solved. Even on the Freeway of the Future, the designers knew, the cars would be subject to tremendous wear and would have to be extremely sturdy for the use they were to receive.

A two-inch square tubular steel chassis was developed and passed the rigid tests for strength the designers gave it. When aluminum wraparound bumpers were added, the car was ready for the road with only one problem remaining to be solved: the powerplant.

Same Type Engine
Several alternative types were tested until the Gladden engine was tried by Gurr and his co-workers.

The Gladden is a one-cylinder, vertical, aircooled "L" head engine. It is essentially the same engine that powers the conventional passenger car in that it is a 4-cycle, gasoline burning powerplant. Its rated horsepower development is just under ten, and is capable of driving the one fourth ton Autopia Cars at a speed up to 25 m.p.h. without a governer.

As they are actually used on the Autopia, the cars are limited to 11 miles per hour by a mechanical control.

Power from the engine is transmitted to the rear axel by a Gilmer belt feeding to a link chain. One wheel drives the car. Since the engine is mounted in the rear very little power is lost through a long driveshaft.

Safety factors loomed as major considerations in the designer's plans. Since the cars were built to be driven by youngsters with no experience, an extremely simple braking-accelerating arrange-ment was necessary.

Gurr and his fellow craftsmen assured this by attaching both operations to a single pedal. De-pressing the pedal feeds gas to the motor. Release of the pedal operates the braking mechanism so that the car automatically slows to a stop.

Other safety factors offered in the "car of the future" include the so-called "deep-dish" steering wheel and safety belts, both items now offered on several popular makes of American motor cars. An additional safety factor on the Autopia car is the steering wheel itself, made of a firm, yet yielding rubber, so that a sudden contact presents no bodily hazard.

Steering of the Autopia Car is eonvential rack and pinion type with a close sports car-like ratio. Tires are pneumatic.

Since finishing his work on the cars Bob has gone on to many other projects for Walt Disney. But he's reminded constantly of his association with the Autopia by youngsters, who have been to Disneyland and have been inspired by the miniature autos.

"We get calls from kids who are building their own Autopia cars at home. They get stumped on a problem and call us for advice. So far no one's finished one yet, but anyday we expect to see a proud owner at the Studio gates with his own car, built in his back yard with scrap parts."

"We wish them a lot of luck," Bob adds as he goes back to his latest assignment for Walt.

From the February 10, 1956 issue of The Disneyland News.

Tomorrow evening the Main Street Electrical Parade Premieres

NEW PARADE PREMIERES

06.17.09 - Tomorrow evening at 9 p.m., the most ambitious outdoor spectacular since last year's "America On Parade" will premiere in the Magic Kingdom: Our Main Street Electrical Parade!

The Main Street Electrical Parade will be made up of nearly 100 performers and 30 fanciful float units using new techniques of "piping" light through fiber optics and outlining figures with micro-neon "threads" of light to create entirely new visual effects, all interspersed with row after row of twinkling lights.

With the cool evening air shrouding Main Street, the scene will be set for a pageant of enormous proportions, which will combine the latest in Disney "imagineering" to excite your eyes with sights of light in motion, and your ears with an incredible soundtrack.

As Main Street's lights dim, you will be confronted with Mickey Mouse atop the world's largest electrified drum, an eye-blinking hippopotamus, and 33 of our characters outlined in micro-neon light-swirls! The sparkling cavalcade of twinkling lights... over 500,000 strong... along with animation and musical entertainment will take place twice each night in the Magic Kingdom this summer at 9 pm and 11:30 pm.

The Main Street Electrical Parade will be made up of nearly 100 performers and 30 fanciful float units using new techniques of "piping" light through fiber optics and outlining figures with micro-neon "threads" of light to create entirely new visual effects, all interspersed with row after row of twinkling lights.

Winding down Main Street and through the Magic Kingdom in ten divisions, the parade features Alice in Wonderland riding atop one of three giant 15-foot high mushrooms. Huge snails and colorful ladybugs twist and turn along the parade route.

Cinderella rides in her magical pumpkin coach, while her fairy godmother changes the coach's color with a wave of her wand. In a spectacular underwater scene, called the Briny Deep, fiber optics are used to create an underwater set where fish, coral and colorful sea creatures perform a marine ballet followed by Monstro the Whale, spouting a sparkling shower of lights!

The spectacular finale has 33 Disney characters traced in sparkling lights and reflected in a myriad of rotating mirrors, a fitting end to the 30-minute parade.

Other parade units include the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio, whose gown stretches 15-feet to the street below; King Lion's Circus Parade with an elephant rotating merrily in a shower bath; all Seven Dwarfs in fully lighted mining regalia; and "It's A Small World" with child-like figures from many lands.

An electronic Moog Synthesizer produces a unique and lively musical score filled with original and familiar Disney tunes to "theme" each division in the parade. The exciting and unusual Moog music, similar to our popular "Electric Water Pageant" soundtrack, will actually be transmitted from atop Cinderella Castle to individual floats, where the radio signals will be amplified and broadcast from onboard sound systems. The basic musical theme is interwoven with counter-themes to produce a special song for each of the patade's divisions. Because all of the music is broadcast from a single transmitter, all of the tunes are heard in time with one another, and in tune with all the others!

PARADE REMARKABLY COMPLEX
Designed at Disneyland by some 20 artists under the direction, of Bob Jani, Vice President of Entertainment Division, the 30 float units were constructed by a crew of 70 workers who attached each individual light to its assigned spot on the facades.

About 20 craftspeople in our Walt Disney World Wardrobe Department produced the electric powered costumes. And more than 200 cast members are involved in each nightly performance!

A special low-voltage direct current (DC) system using 1,200 batteries transmits energy to more than 500,000 lightbulbs dotted across the 30 floats with 20 silent electric drive units powering them along. Over 12 miles of miniature electric cable is used in our Main Street Electrical Parade.

In addition to fiber optics, the parade also makes use of a new king of multicolored low voltage system of neon tubing, the only one of its kind.

And for those concerned with the energy output of our dazzling parade, the 500,000 parade lights will use approximately the same amount of energy as that which is saved by turning out the lights along the parade route as it passes by. The special electric drive units engineered by Disney technicians for the parade eliminates the need for gasoline powered floats as in conventional parades.

The Wardrobe Department used special safety materials so that lights could be installed along the outlines of performers' costumes. Some of the performers carry their own batteries, while others are designed to plug into the float units they walk along with.

Similar to "America On Parade", the Main Street Electrical Parade will be produced simultaneously at Walt Disney World and Disneyland throughout the summer months.

With some float units reaching almost to the ceiling, the Production Center lately has been the scene of over 200 cast members... both back stage technicians and on stage performers... preparing for tomorrow night's 9 pm premiere.

Although the 30 parade units were constructed in California, each had to be shipped to Florida, unloaded, assembled, tested and declared "ready" to go on stage for tomorrow night's premiere. This enormous task was given to the Entertainment Support Department, which is based at the Production Center complex. Pictured above is a scene typical for the 16 men of Entertainment Support ... they first carefully uncrate a huge wooden container carried from California on the back of a semi-truck rig, and remove the delicate parade parts enclosed. Then a heavy duty crane from the Reedy Creek Drainage Department lifts the main float structure from the trailer bed. While suspended in the air by the crane, an electric drive unit (as seen here being driven by Dewey Rewis, Entertainment Support Supervisor) is carefully positioned beneath the dangling structure and it is gently lowered until contact is made. Long bolts connect them together, electrical connections are made, and the float unit is driven into the Production Center for final readying.

From the June 10, 1977 edition of the Eyes and Ears employee newsletter, published by Walt Disney World.

First Kid to Run Through Sleeping Beauty Castle Now Guards the Resort

posted at the Official Disney Parks Blog on March 16th, 2010 by Heather Hust Rivera, Manager, Social Media, Disneyland Resort

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See that tow-headed little boy in the checkered shirt in the center of the photo, behind the boy in the glasses? That is Robb Fischle, and he was one of the lucky kids to run through Sleeping Beauty Castle for the very first time.

It was July 17, 1955, and it was opening day for Disneyland park.

Fast forward 55 years and you can still see Robb Fischle at the Happiest Place on Earth (and one of his favorite places in the world), but it’s not just a place for him and his family to play. Robb now works at the Resort as a Security Officer (and has been working here since 1972).

We found this video of Robb that we taped during the 50th anniversary celebration. In the interview, Robb talks about how he would spend Sunday nights watching “Disneyland” on television to get the latest construction updates and how he and his family would try and peek at the construction as they drove down Harbor Boulevard. I especially like hearing his memories from opening day.

Take a look back.

1975 - America is Marching Down Main Street

05.12.11 - "America on Parade" premiered last June as a joyful, colorful, wonderful patriotic pageant of the music, people and heritage of America — both past and present.

From the first strains of "Yankee Doodle" to the closing bars of "God Bless America," Disney's "America on Parade" is itself destined to become a part of the Americana it celebrates: something to be seen, remembered and treasured for years to come.

Thousands of Disney guests have already watched and cheered as Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck proudly lead the three-quarter-mile-long procession through the center of each theme park.

The 50 giant-size parade units in the fun-filled musical extravaganza depict a variety of historical and memorable moments in the nation's 200-year past and highlight the contributions and achievements of the country's people. They present a stylized, whimsical and never-to-be-forgotten festival of America as only Disney can present it.

Towering above the throngs of young and old who gaze with delight and amusement are Disney's newest creations, the eight-foot-high, doll-like "People of America" — from Indians to auto drivers, Can-Can dancers to Ben Franklin, a Keystone cop to Uncle Sam — they dance their way through America's history and into the hearts and memories of those who watch one of Disney's most unique and delightful creations.

The parade, which features more than 150 people, is performed at both Disney theme parks daily and 3:00 p.m. During the summer months and some holidays there will be special evening performances of the parade followed by a red, white and blue fireworks display. As an extra attraction, each week the parade will salute one of the 50 states.

The parade's grand finale features high school and college marching bands especially invited to take part in this bicentennial salute.

From the first strains of "Yankee Doodle" to the closing bars of "God Bless America," Disney's "America on Parade" is itself destined to become a part of the Americana it celebrates: something to be seen, remembered and treasured for years to come.

From the Fall/Winter 1975-1976 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

Behind the Screams at the Haunted Mansion

Disney Insider was just dying to scare up some trivia about Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction. So we hopped into a Doom Buggy and unearthed some spooktacular stories that answer visitors' most creepy questions.

Is the Haunted Mansion really haunted?
Aside from the official 999 happy haunts, cast members working on the closing shift have reported hearing strange sounds and seeing mysterious shadows after the attraction has been closed down for the night.

Do you know why the outside of the spooky house is so incredibly well kept?
When Disney Imagineers first pitched the idea to Walt, the sketches showed a house that had fallen into disrepair. Walt felt that the exterior should be kept clean yet mysterious, and said, "We'll take care of the outside, and the ghosts will take care of the inside."

Ever wonder what the names of the three hitchhiking ghosts are?
The little one with the ball and chain is named Gus; the tall, skeletal one is Ezra; and the hunched-over fellow with the top hat is known as Phineas.

Do you know who the woman in the crystal ball is?
That's Madame Leota. She uses her incredible mediumistic abilities to allow guests to see the spirited spooks. If you want to know the nuts and bolts, the face you see is that of a former Disney Imagineer known as Leota Toombs Thomas. The voice is provided by Eleanor Audley, who also voiced the wicked Maleficent ("Sleeping Beauty") and mean Lady Tremaine ("Cinderella").

The organ in the Grand Ballroom looks awfully familiar - where did it come from?
You should recognize it - it's the same one Captain Nemo played aboard the Nautilus in Disney's 1954 film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

You've now got plenty o' trivia for your next visit to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. But beware! You may have such a ghoulishly good time, you'll never want to leave - or the permanent residents may not let you!

From May 2002, Disney Insider

Videopolis - The 100-Day Miracle

05.18.11 - Fondly referred to as "The 100-Day Miracle" by Disneyland Management, Videopolis encapsulated the beat of the 80s and the birth of music videos.

Videopolis offers a high tech teen dance area with a 5,000 square foot dance floor and70 television monitors offering popular music videos.

A blur of brilliant-colored neon. Flashing strobes. Whirling lights. And the pulsing. driving beat of electrifying music that seems to surround you. Towering stacks of MTV-style music video monitors flank the stage, mirroring the excitement of the sound. While high over head, huge "skytracker" follow-spots slice through the night sky. The band is wailing. The crowd is jumping. It's another Saturday night at Videopolis, Disneyland's first teen dance club, the place to be. The kids who dance here call it "radical," "wild" and "the best." Management calls it one of Disneyland's most successful attractions in recent years. But to the designers and engineers who produced it, Videopolis is better known as "The 100-Day Miracle."

"We had our first meeting on February 14, 1985," says Steve Carroll, Manager of Disneyland Show Operations and one of the key conceptual idea men behind the project. "And we scheduled to have it open by June 21, the first day of Disneyland's summer season... which just happened to be exactly 100 days later."

Carroll first put his ideas for a teenage dance spot on the back of a placemat in a Chinese restaurant. "But I typed it up before I submitted the idea," he adds with a grin. That was two years ago. The project was originally titled "Galaxy" and was intended to replace the Space Mountain stage. Instead a 3-D theater was scheduled for the area for the Michael Jackson film, "Captain EO" (tentatively set to open this Fall), and the teen club site was changed to its present location in the meadowby "It's a Small World."

Late 1984 brought a keen interest in making Disneyland a viable place in today's teenage market instead of relying as heavily on tradition as in the past. "Today's teens are caught between being a child and being a young adult, with the pressures in society pushing them to be this young adult. They want a place to go where they can feel comfortable — where they can dress up and be part of their peer group. Videopolis provides that for them. And that was our goal," recalls Dennis Despie, Vice President of Entertainment.

Because of Disneyland's high operating standards, Videopolis has the added advantage of putting parents' minds at ease. "It's a very safe, fun place that lets teens have a good experience without all the problems that may occur in other clubs in the city," Despie adds, himself the father of a I6-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, "My kids come out here as often as they can for those very reasons."

The collaborative effort of the Disneyland Entertainment Department and the "Imagineers" at the Walt Disney Imagineering Division, the Food Division and the Costume Design Department, resulted in a sparkling high-tech video nightspot that dazzles the first-time visitor with its sheer size and complexity.

Videopolis features a versatile 90-foot wide stage, three dance floors (one of which measures 5,000 square feet), and seating to accommodate up to 1,500 people. Two 12' by 16' video screens loom overhead, flanked by 90 television monitors which create a video "wall paper" effect around the floor. The main superstructure and the lively peristyle entrance is made of dramatic black scaffolding, based on the design used in the 1984 Olympic Games venues. Some of the structure actually contains portions of those very same historical venues.

Tucked in amongst the wild profusion of some 300 linear feet of neon graphics are five special effects called "light sticks." At first glance they appear to be simply vertical rows of red lights. But each stick is actually a matrix array of LEDs (light emitting diodes) which project up to 16 different light images such as stars, musical notes, dancers, surfers and palm trees. The trick is, these banks of LEDs blink on and off so fast the observer can only catch the image being projected as his eye tracks across it, not while looking directly at the light stick. The results are quick snatches of lighted pictures that catch guest by surprise as they appear to float independently in space.

Completing the facility is a snack bar called "Yumz" where club-goers can treat themselves to pizza, nachos, churros, popcorn and soft drinks. And a merchandise stand offers Videopolis T-shirts, visors and other accessories for those who want to take home a little of their dancing experience.

The show itself consists of a combination of live bands and music videos frequently hosted by a Disneyland emcee or a "guest" disc jockey from a local radio station. Three live television cameras scan the action on the floor televising dancers and their performances on the various video screens. And matching the mood of the moment, are some 600 lightning instruments on massive moving trusses that can drop as close as 12' above the floor.

"What we're using is concert technology versus disco technology," Steve Carroll explains. "The setting changes throughout the night, and the effect is definitely an environmental experience rather than just a show."

"If you could take an x-ray of the sheer volume of conduit running underneath the concrete all over that area you'd be amazed," says Videopolis Show Designer, John Kavelin, who estimates that number to be in the thousands of feet. "The reason for that is because we had to provide not only for Videopolis' current needs, but the needs of the future. We're not finished yet you know. This was just the first go-round."

Some of the future plans include more neon, more television monitors, and a "video wall" in which electronically enhanced multi-colored images will be created, using black and white cameras and spot-lighted dancers. There are also plans in the works to build a Videopolis railroad station so that the club can operate during Disneyland's winter season even when the rest of the Park is closed.

"Videopolis can never be complete," Steve Carrol explains. "It will never be what it was last year, because we keep coming up with new ideas to match the kid's changing entertainment styles."

From Disney News, Summer 1986

Spring Fling at Disneyland

05.16.11 - Annette Funicello, the Elliott Brothers... During the 1960s, teens flocked to Disneyland to see these bands, and many more, at the Spring Fling.

The grand prize at the 1962 Spring Fling is this 1962 MG Midget courtesy of the British Motor Corp.

Spring Fling at Disneyland has been announced as a special party Saturday night, April 14, to set off the beginning of Spring Vacation with dancing throughout the Park and hundreds of special prizes topped by a brand new MG Midget sport car.

Party time is 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets for the Spring Fling at Disneyland include admission to the Park, admission to any attraction as many times as desired, dancing to four bands in four locations, and a chance to win a wide array of exciting prizes.

For dancing and listening, the Elliott Brothers and their big band will swing at the Plaza Gardens; the Young Men from New Orleans will be at their old stand on the decks of the Mark Twain Riverboat; the Space Men will appear at the Space Bar in Tomorrowland; and the Barry Dane group will play in the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland.

Grand prize is a brand new sport car, the MG Midget, through the courtesy of British Motor Corp., Ltd., world's largest producer of sports cars.

Among the hundreds of other prizes will be trips to San Francisco via Western Airline Fan Jet, Tanner Gray Line Tours, sport clothes, special dinners, and tickets to future special shows at Disneyland.

Advance sale tickets, priced at $4 each, are available April 9 through April 13, at Music City in Hollywood, Lakewood, and downtown; at Desmonds in Pasadena, Crenshaw and Fashion Square; and the Disneyland box office all day and evening April 14, at $4.40 each.

Disneyland's regular daytime schedule on April 14 will terminate at 7 p.m. The Park will then close for one hour and reopen at 8 p.m. for Spring Fling at Disneyland. Tickets to Spring Fling will not be honored until 8 p.m.

From the 1962 First Spring Fling Press Release

1958 - Summertime at Disneyland - The Columbia 1790 sailing ship in Frontierland and Alice in Wonderland for Fantasyland

05.08.11 - The diversified Summer season at Disneyland gets under way in early June, when Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom will unveil two more spectacular new attractions, the Columbia 1790 sailing ship in Frontierland and Alice in Wonderland for Fantasyland.

Then, with bands playing, fireworks cascading a shower of color, and a wide variety of entertainment added to the popular attractions in the Park's five "lands," the Summer season will be underway.

By day, Disneyland is a beehive of activity. The Disneyland Band marches up and down Main Street and presents concerts in shaded Magnolia Park. Another group, the Strawhatters, plays lively Dixieland tunes from the bandstand overlooking the Rivers of America in Frontierland. A Mexican trio, Hawaiian entertainers and the Main Street Saxophone Quartet perform.

But daytime is only half the "show" during the Summer at Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Each evening from June 13 to Sept. 14, Disneyland presents the spectacular "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks display and Date Nite dancing entertainment, both provided free of charge for the enjoyment of nighttime visitors. During this Summer period Disneyland is open every day from 9:00 a.m. until Midnight, and until 1: 00 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights.

"Fantasy in the Sky," multi-colored bursts of fireworks, explodes over Disneyland each evening at 9:00 p.m. in a thrilling aerial show. This shower of color almost turns the mild Southern California evenings into daylight, and may be seen from anywhere in the Park.

Popular bands playing dance music to suit every taste highlight the nightly entertainment under the stars during the Summer months.

Each evening features a different type of musical and dancing entertainment, until 12 Midnight weekdays, and on weekends until 1: 00 a.m. There will be Western square dancing, polka and Rhinelander, and personality and talent nights each weekday evening. Friday and Saturday nights are special highlights, with three Date Nite bands performing.

In presenting these diversified attractions and special shows, with many things for every interest and every age, Disneyland continues to live up to its reputation as a place for people to have family fun together. In the words of Paul Speegle, columnist for the San Francisco Call Bulletin:

"The clear fact of the matter is that the moment you walk inside Disneyland's brightly-painted monument to childhood you check the nagging cares of the world and enter a land where everyone looks at everyone else through the joyful eyes of the young in heart. And don't look now — but the adults are bigger kids than the kids!"

From the Summer 1958 edition of Disneyland Holiday magazine, published by Disneyland.

Concrete Highway in the Sky From the March 1959 edition of the Disneylander employee publication

05.06.11 - Watch closely Disneylanders, for right here in Disneyland, U.S.A., history is being made — a preview of tomorrow's transportation systems.

Soon we will see a Stephens-Adamson "Speedramp" or moving sidewalk, carrying passengers from the ground level to the futuristic 2nd story station of the "concrete highway in the sky" — a beam-way reaching heights of 35 feet and supported by concrete pylons.

Under Walt Disney's personal direction, the architectural and engineering talents of Bill Martin, WED, Disneyland Engineering Dept., Roger Broggie, WDP, and Ernst Schroeder, Ernst Wendt and Eberhard Lemcke, of the Alweg Company, Cologne, West Germany, have been combined to produce the first rapid transit monorail system of its type to operate daily in the United States.

The Disneyland-Alweg system will cover four fifths of a mile of track, with two modern trains running on rubber tires over a concrete beamway.

The bluepints of the beamway and the wheel sections of the new attraction show some of the things most of us will never really see as the construction progresses. For instance, each wheel section has six, yes six, rubber tired wheels — two above and two on each side of the beamway. Because these tires are similar to those used on our automobiles of today, the contact surface has to be extremely smooth, and the precast forms must be of the finest concrete, with a surface tolerance of 1 16th of an inch.

The track will follow a route that crosses over and under itself, over the Autopia Freeways and the Submarine Lake, curving, then straightening, then curving again.

The track, like all other Disneyland trains will have a switch to a siding and maintenance area. This switch is interesting in itself. It will be the only section of track that will not be concrete. It will be an hydraulic powered aluminum beam capable of 12-15 second operation.

The close tolerance of the entire project is evident when you realize that every section of these precast concrete beams when placed end to end over the supporting pylons, will form a continuous length of track totalling 3,830 feet with no more than 3/8ths of an inch separation between any one of the sections.

These 3-car futuristic trains of tomorrow will preview the high-speed inter-urban transportation systems which could well be the answer to the growing problems of metropolitan area traffic congestion.

From the March 1959 edition of the Disneylander employee publication, published by Disneyland.

Get Ready for the Monorails From the Summer 1959 edition of Vacationland magazine

Crossing lakes and circling the Matterhorn, the Monorail provides a "first" in family fun, and a preview of tomorrow.

05.04.11 - Someday in the not-too-distant future, residents of many of America's major cities may be speeding across their metropolis aboard a monorail train. Electrically operated, these futuristic trains are regarded by many authorities as the answer to traffic congestion and speedway traffic tieups.

Summer visitors to Disneyland are previewing tomorrow's transportation — today!

Two streamlined monorail trains, racing across and around the entire new attraction area at the Magic Kingdom, are introducing Americans to the first daily-operated monorail system in the United States.

The Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System is letter-perfect in every detail. Demonstrating and testing every aspect of a monorail system for large cities — from high speeds to complete safety — the system has been described by Walt Disney as "not only an outstanding entertainment attraction, but a practical prototype of tomorrow's interurban transportation."

Two ultra-modern 82-passenger trains are providing Magic Kingdom guests with spectacular views as they race over the Submarine Voyage's coral lagoon, above the many-level Autopia Freeways and the new Motor Boat Cruises, and around Matterhorn Mountain. The trains run atop a concrete "highway in the sky" — a beamway supported by sturdy concrete pylons and reaching heights of up to 35 feet.

Even the access to the Monorail Station is futuristic. A Speedramp, or moving sidewalk, transports visitors from ground level to the loading platform and back down — while they don't even take a step!

Another great "first" in Disneyland entertainment: a preview of life in the future aboard the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System — now operating at Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.

From the Summer 1959 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.

The Matterhorn comes to the Magic Kingdom [1959]

The popular Skyway — the Swiss aerial cable-car trip between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland — passes directly through the Matterhorn Mountain, giving its passengers still other views of the colorful interior.

05.02.11 - Beautifully-hued grottos and caverns inside the Matterhorn are seen from the Skyway, the Swiss aerial cable cars, which now pass through the Mountain.

Thrilling bobsled runs down and through Disneyland's Matterhorn Mountain present a panoramic view of the Magic Kingdom, as well as a close look at the colorful Alpine grottos and caverns inside.

Rising skyward today at Disneyland is one of the most memorable sights in any land: the spectacular "snow-capped" Matterhorn Mountain.

Southern California's newest landmark is an exact replica of the famed peak in the Swiss Alps. Towering 146 feet above the Magic Kingdom, it's twice as high as the neighboring Sleeping Beauty Castle — once the tallest structure in the area.

Sight of the man-made Matterhorn alone will be a "show stopper," its "snowy" peak glistening in the Summer sun. From top to bottom, the Mountain is awesomely impressive, with every nook and cranny, slope and "snowcap" a perfect reproduction of its Alpine reality. But there's much more:
Two thrilling bobsled runs travel first to the near-summit, then circle downward to present a breath-taking panorama of the surrounding countryside. Before reaching the "glacier lake" below, the bobsleds glide through the Mountain itself for a view of Alpine caverns and grottos.

And now, the popular Skyway — the Swiss aerial cable-car trip between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland — passes directly through the Matterhorn Mountain, too, to give its passengers still other views of the colorful interior.

Once again, with the creation of the Matterhorn and other new attractions at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney has continued to fulfill his promise that Disneyland will always be adding new adventures that you and your family may participate in together.

From the Summer 1959 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Disneyland.