Wednesday at the Well

When Disneyland first opened, there weren’t many photos taken along the pathway to the right side of the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Other than this charming little wooden bridge and the mound of dirt left over from digging out the moat, there wasn’t much to look at. This early shot (with one of the rarely seen Black Swans) is a beauty.



All of that changed by April 1961, when this small little parcel of land near Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street received the addition of the Snow White Wishing Well and fountain. Below is a shot from September 1961:



What a difference in the guest count!



Fall 1961:



In this December 1962, you can see that the bridge stayed the same through the renovation:



Same bridge in July 1978:



…and November 1978:



With this detailed view, you can see the beautiful handcrafted sign next to the Well.



The wood railing and bridge were still in place as of October 1995:



But by May 2006, a less rustic metal fence had taken its place.



From June 2007, you can also see that the color scheme has been punched up in saturation:



This September 2008 image shows that the rustic looking wooden bridge was replaced with what I would call the Home Depot version, complete with hearts.



This March 2012 shot shows how much the landscaping has grown over the years, making this once bare area fairly hidden.



Oh that bridge hurts.



The change is probably more pleasing to the modern day guest, but for old timers like me, I really miss the handcrafted rustic look of the original Park.

See more Disneyland Snow White Wishing Well photos at my main website.