Main Street Model Monday, Part 1

In my collection I have this image of the model that Imagineers created when designing Main Street at Disneyland. So many interesting things to unpack here. Recently on ebay, a seller had listed some alternate shots of this model that also included attraction concept art posted on the walls. The below image was one of those images, which shows Walt’s original intention of having a bandstand in the middle of Town Square.



The below shots from 1957 give a visual of how it all turned out. The design of City Hall and the Fire Department pretty much turned out as originally planned.



As you can see here though, the bandstand was replaced by a flag pole.



In the construction shot below, you can see Walt surveying his kingdom, with the unfinished bandstand in the background at right.



By May 1955, it had been located in its original destination, Town Square.



Still there in this aerial shot. So what happened to it? Apparently Walt realized the structure blocked the view of the Castle at the end of Main Street and decided he needed to open up the visual pathway. The bandstand was relocated to the side of Central Plaza.



The most recent shot I have of this area is from December 2015. The trees do a great job of obstructing the buildings, although I don’t think they are the original ones planted in 1955. Any horticulture experts out there?



See more Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos at my main website.

The Walt Disney Family Museum, Pt. 4

The Disneyland model is one of the most talked about exhibits at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Instead of being a literal model of Disneyland at any one period, it represents the "ideal" Disneyland, featuring some of the most beloved attractions all at once. You are able to see through the top of the Carousel of Progress building and view the attraction itself:



Fantasyland sports the Tournament façades that graced the fronts of the dark rides during Walt's Day; these buildings have also had their roof removed allowing guests to view a representative scene:



The Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship is back in Fantasyland:



and so is Skull Rock—hooray!



The Indian Village is on the banks of Frontierland:



And New Orleans Street has Aunt Jemima's Kitchen, not Riverbelle Terrace:



New Orleans Square has been included, with a nice open view of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The Hitchhiking Ghosts have been placed on the outside of the attraction; their eerie green glow calls attention to them:



A shot down Main Street; I was surprised that the attraction posters were not put out front; however, the color scheme of the Bank and the façade for Bekins match the original style:



Another view of Tomorrowland:



In Frontierland, there's no Big Thunder Mountain, just the classic Nature's Wonderland attraction:



Zooming in, you can see this cutaway of the Rainbow Caverns section:



The PeopleMover is visible in the foreground of this shot of the small world attraction:



Shortly after seeing this, the exhibit wraps up with a few tales about the projects that Walt was working on during his last days. After going through the entire museum and learning so much about the man and his family, it is hard to avoid getting emotional when reading about his passing.



Still, the final panels are both celebratory and uplifting:





Surely by now you are interested in seeing the museum in person; if so, go to the Walt Disney Family Museum website to plan your first visit.

See more Walt Disney Family Museum photos (especially more shots of the Disneyland model) on my WD Family Museum web pages.