[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.

The Pirates of the Caribbean Arrive at Walt Disney World

06.04.11 - Avast there, ye lubbers, for the saltiest adventure ever to shake your sails!

Pirates, pirates everywhere! And guests will find themselves part of the swashbuckling action when they "take to the high seas," in Walt Disney World's newest attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Swaggering, singing, brawling, and bawling "it's a pirate's life for me!!' the rowdiest crew of swashbucklers ever to cheat Davy Jones's locker finally have made a spectacle of themselves at Walt Disney World.

Pirates of the Caribbean, long one of the most popular attractions at Disneyland, opened its doors in Florida for the first time last December. Located in the brand-new Caribbean Plaza in Adventureland, the new show literally plunges adventurers into the 17th-century world of a Spanish seaport besieged by marauding buccaneers.

Setting the mood for the adventure to come, the Caribbean Plaza marketplace invites guests to wander in and out of tiny shops settled under red-tile roofs reminiscent of old Spanish architecture. Once through the portals of the new attraction, guests find themselves in the musty dungeons of "El Castillo" — an old Spanish fortress. As they wander past arsenals en route to the landing dock where their flat-bottomed boats await them, the clank of steel and the occasional cry of a pirate echoes through the passageways.

Flickering lights on the walls of shadowy coves and an ancient ship riding at anchor on a moonlit bay greet seafarers as they prepare to cast off from the dock. The gentle sound of the surf and the lilting cries of seabirds are punctuated by the raucous laughter of unseen pirate crews, undoubtedly burying their ill-gotten loot.

Once underway, guests immediately find themselves in a misty grotto where a ghostly voice warns: "Dead men tell no tales!" And so it seems to be, for everywhere the eye can see rest skeletons in various stages of repose, some skewered through bony ribs with rusty knives of battles past, others collapsed alongside emptied treasure chests. A seagull, nesting on the cranium of his eyeless host, squawks angrily at the passing spectators.

As the boats pass into Hurricane Lagoon, howling winds, rain, and flashes of lightning startle even the most intrepid seafarers. And, as the eye adjusts to the spasmodically illuminated scene, a figure emerges at the wheel of a ship — steering no doubt into eternity, for his bones have lost all earthly thrust.

Suddenly, without warning, passengers plummet into a subterranean grotto and, as they disappear through a narrow cave-like passage, sinister voices warn them to "proceed at your own risk" for "ye may not survive to pass this way again!"

Once done cannot be undone, however. And for better or for worse, visitors who have ventured thus far soon will experience eye-to-eye confrontations with the rowdiest assembly of plundering blackguards since Blackbeard twirled his whiskers in ports of the Spanish Main.

Brought to life through the genius of the Disney-invented Audio-Animatronics® (an electronic system for animating three-dimensional figures), pirates of every description, Spanish grandees and winsome damsels, and a bevy of barnyard and domesticated beasts join together in an incredible re-creation of the sack of a portside town.

Guns thunder and pirates roar as a pirate galleon attacks a Spanish fort. With shells whistling around their heads and fizzles of steam escaping where hot shots hit the water near boats, guests drift through the initial battle for the taking of the town.

"Strike yer colors, ya bloomin' cockroaches!" yells the pirate captain from the afterdeck of his ship. "Aye! Take that you greengo peegs, you!" answers the Spanish defender of the fort.

The battle still rages as guests pass on to the next scene, where the magistrate of the town is being dunked unceremoniously in a well by pirates who want him to tell where the treasure is hidden.

"Do not tell heem, Carlos!" screams his wife from an upstairs window, hastily closing the shutters as pirates let go a shot in her direction.

Other pirates guard bound townsmen, still in their nightclothes, and one boisterous buccaneer pipes away at his flute, keeping time as the mayor bobs up and down in the town-square well. In other parts of the city, the pirates are engaged in commerce of a dubious sort and other sport involving the fairer denizens of the city. One scene depicts a gaily bedecked rogue, blithely auctioning off the none-too-reluctant maidens of the town. In the foreground, a gorgeous redhead advertises her own charms, much to the chagrin of her less-endowed sisters.

"Strike yer colors ya brazen wench, no need to expose yer superstructure!" orders the pirate auctioneer, anxious to unload his less-attractive cargo.

"We wants the redhead! Pipe the redhead aboard!" yell his revelous mates, while goats, chickens, and a donkey add their comments to the occasion.

Laughing, singing, and shooting their guns into the air in sheer exuberance, the roistering pirates chase squealing maidens, harmonize with pigs, and try to tempt hissing cats to join in the fun. As the boats pass through the burning city, the pirates join with a braying donkey and a howling dog to render their rollicking chantey at the top of their lungs.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me!" they bellow, as flames crackle and piles of booty litter the street.

But not all the pirates are so fortunate. As the strain of the pirates' theme song fades with the view of the burning city, guests find themselves in the dungeon area. Here, while charred beams overhead threaten to collapse, a group of jailed brigands attempt to get the keys from a friendly dog, which wags his tail and stands his ground, key ring held firmly in his mouth.

Swiftly, the boats pass through the town's arsenal and into the brightest scene of all. For here, where two Spanish guards sit firmly trussed together, is the enormous treasure of the town. Triumphant pirates sit midst towering heaps of glittering jewels, golden coins, and ropes of milky pearls.

Gleeful and inebriated with success, the plundering pirates scatter the treasure about and fire their weapons into the air. Ricocheting bullets zing off walls, falling dangerously near the passing boats, as a drunken parrot perched on a trunk sings his own version of the pirate song: "Yo ho, yo ho, a parrot's life for me... so, drink up me 'earties, yo ho!"

The pirate's expedition has ended in triumph, and as guests depart the final scene, a peg-legged, one-eyed pirate parrot with a tattoo on his close-clipped chest, warns disembarking adventurers to "keep a lookout for the movin' gangplank! Steady as she goes, lubbers! Ye'll be needin' yer sea legs on that rollin' gangplank!'

Premiered last December as the climax of Walt Disney Productions' 50th Anniversary Year, the Pirates of the Caribbean will remain the high point for visitors to Walt Disney World for years to come.

From Walt Disney World Vacationland Magazine, Spring 1974.

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.

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.

The Building of Model "G" Ford

 04.16.11 - "Mildly rugged. He looks like what he was — a football player."

"Sporty. A little more relaxed than most Presidents."

"He is a pretty-down-to-earth sort of dresser."



Disney sculptors and wardrobe designers looked even more than they listened as Gerald Rudolph Ford took the oath of office last year, becoming the 38th President of the United States.

While the rest of the world anxiously sought the political views of this first unelected American President, Disney craftsmen were critically examining President Ford's physical appearance and his manner of dressing, for soon he would be the 37th "guest of honor" in Walt Disney World's The Hall of Presidents' attraction.

Life-like "Audio-Animatronics"® figures of all the United States' chief executives appear together onstage in "The Hall of Presidents" for a historical roll call. (Although there have been 38 Presidents, including Ford, there are only 37 individuals, since Grover Cleveland served two separate terms in office.)

Before the Liberty Square attraction opened in 1971, the nation's leaders, from Washington to Nixon, were studied in detail by Disney "Imagineers" at WED Enterprises in California. Books, photographs, diaries, television programs, and personal accounts were examined so that the craftsmen could accurately create the life-size Presidential figures.

And by the time Gerald Ford had moved into the White House, the "Imagineers" were already compiling statistics on his size, personality, and wardrobe.

"I looked through all the magazines I could immediately after Ford became President, and one or two of them actually gave me his height and weight. What they didn't give me, was his girth," recalled the WED sculptor who created the Ford bust (and the busts of most of the other Presidents) and supervised the detailing of the figure.

"I had our librarian check with the White House, and the Secretary sent his measurements. He had a 38-inch waist and weighed 204 pounds, and was trying to lose weight. So we proportioned the figure based on that."

"President Ford has a face you cannot describe or caricature very easily," said the sculptor, but he added that Ford's eyes are unusual. "His eyes are a little closer together than average, and he has a rather piercing stare. He looks with intensity, yet his eyes are warm."

President Ford's nose is somewhat wide and roundish. This trait, combined with the fact that the distance from his eyes to the bottom of his nose is shorter than average, makes the area above his upper lip seem larger than usual, the Disney artist noted.

A mold was made from the original Ford bust which the sculptor created so that additional busts could be cast. Since the "Audio-Animatronics"® figures move and speak, the "skin" of the President was cast of a rubber-like material.

The wigmaker used another specially designed bust to fashion the hair for Disney's Ford. Placing each strand by hand, she styled the wig to match the President's blonde hair. Barely noticeable because of their natural lightness, Ford's eyebrows also were duplicated with hairpieces.

But facial expression and characteristics were not all that the "Imagineers" had to consider. As with every other Presidential figure, the wardrobe experts spent hours comparing White House, news, and magazine photographs to see if there was any continuity in the way the President dressed.

"He is very up-to-date — not mod. He wears a good, sensible businessman's suit," the costumers concluded.

"Ford seems to prefer lighter colors, especially blue. And he wears more plaid or striped suits and colored, button-down-collar shirts than we have seen for awhile on a President."

The costume designers agreed that President Ford is a "pretty-down-to-earth sort of dresser," so they chose a medium-blue plaid fabric with tiny white and rust stripes for his wool suit.

The Disney tailor then made a pattern for the size-42 outfit, and sewed a handsome suit that the President, himself, would probably love to wear.

Choosing a tie for President Ford meant more research. "He seems to especially like bold, diagonal-striped or geometric-patterned ties," said one costume designer, "so we decided to use one like the striped tie he wore when he was inaugurated."

In less than four months, the Disney team "built" a President who now stands in a grouping of modern-era Presidents among the 37 historic leaders of our country in Walt Disney World's "The Hall of Presidents."

From the Spring 1975 edition of Vacationland magazine, published by Walt Disney World.