Fantasyland Friday: Storybook Land Changes

Storybook Land, like other attractions at Disneyland, has seen a number of changes over the years since it first opened in 1956. One such change included the move of Toad Hall so that Agrabah could be added to the attraction. This 1950s image shows the original location of Toad Hall:



Look at all that movement! Casey Jr. circles Storybook Land while the Canal Boats journey through the water. Two different views of the same attraction; a photographer’s dream!



Flash forward to the addition of the Aladdin tableau where Toad Hall once lived, showing the bustling city of Agrabah. In Storybook Land, you will not see any bustle, as it is purely architecture and landscaping; no people or characters. You have to use your imagination!



Fortunately, Toad Hall was spared and put in another area of the attraction. See the Windmill in the lower portion of the frame? Keep that in your brain for a second.



Ratty’s house was also moved:



In October, the Disney Parks Blog excitedly announced the addition of a “Tangled” tableau to Storybook Land;

One of Disneyland’s original rides has reopened after an extended closure for refurbishment and the addition of a modern movie setting: Rapunzel’s tower from the 2010 film “Tangled.” The Storybook Land Canal Boats reopened on Friday, once again taking guests on a journey past the miniature villages of Disney classics like “Pinocchio,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Cinderella.”

When making a change to Walt’s original Park, Disney Corporation typically tries to justify it by trotting out his famous quote, “Disneyland will never be completed…as long as there is imagination in the world.” If only true imagination was used in some of those changes! Some of the historic info the blog gives about the attraction includes these tidbits:

Walt long had a fascination with miniatures, which he collected for many years. His love of these petite creations was an inspiration for the creation of the attraction that would become the Storybook Land Canal Boats. The attraction reopened as Storybook Land Canal Boats in June 1956, inviting guests to tour a tiny wonderland of fantastical realms. Residences from some favorite stories were painstakingly recreated at 1:12 scale and surrounded by impressive works of horticulture. Today, tours through the peaceful waters are narrated by expert cast member guides who point out landmarks from some favorite Disney stories, like the castle from Cinderella perched high on the hill and the humble workshop where Geppetto carves his wooden masterpieces. Over the years, the attraction has evolved to introduce iconic scenes and sounds from Disney Animation stories such as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Frozen. On the opening day of Disneyland 70 years ago in 1955, Canal Boats of the World debuted as a serene boat ride. The attraction underwent a transformation months later to bring beloved, small-scale fairytales to life along the banks.

What they failed to mention is that in order to make room for “Tangled,” they removed the Windmills from “The Old Mill” (1937). If you want to honor the history of Disney, why would you rip out that significant scene?!? “The Old Mill” was one of the Silly Symphonies animated shorts produced by Walt Disney, and was the first use of his multiplane camera, which was instrumental in the look of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”(1937), released a month later. Below is a shot of said camera on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco:





In 2015, The Old Mill joined the Three Little Pigs as a Silly Symphonies short selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Below are a poster for the short as well as concept art by Gustav Tenggren:



This May 2007 image shows a good overall view of the area where Toad Hall exists, along with Gepetto’s Village and the Three Windmills. Hopefully, you were able to enjoy them before they were removed!



Faded closeups of two of the windmills from 1969:





Was there not enough imagination to figure out how to keep this historically significant scene?
 
See more Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my main website.

Belated Walt Birthday Tribute

Last Thursday, December 5, marked what would have been the 112th birthday of creative genius Walt Disney. Today's belated tribute celebrates that momentous day with a recently acquired assortment of photos featuring Walt himself. The first one from August 1954 shows him with a model train, inside of what I believe to be the machine shop at the Disney Studios in Burbank. It is easy to attempt to interpret Walt's thoughts, especially since he isn't around anymore, but this particular quote on Disneyland is about as clear as it gets:

“I just want it to look like nothing else in the world. And it should be surrounded by a train.”

Face it...the main loved trains. If you do, too, you might enjoy this clip of Walt's backyard train setup. It's a wonderful glimpse of him having a ball and enjoying life:



The Lilly Belle, Walt's beloved miniature train that is featured in the video, can now be seen at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francsicso:



Moving forward to 1961, this onset photo from the film "The Parent Trap" shows Walt with director David Swift and stunning leading lady Maureen O'Hara. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: one for Sound by Robert O. Cook, and the other for Film Editing by Philip W. Anderson.



O'Hara was a knockout as Maggie, the spunky ex-wife of her soon-to-be-remarried ex-hubby, Mitch (Brian Keith). Here they are during a dinner cleverly arranged by their twin daughters (played by Hayley Mills) who would like nothing more than to have their parents reunited. The black eye on Keith's character was courtesy of his feisty ex, who had no interest in being told what to do.



I defy anyone with a pulse to have a dry eye during this little romantic reunion scene from the finale of the film. The chemistry between Keith and O'Hara is supreme.



OK, this is about Walt, not Maureen O'Hara. Pardon me for the interuption.

For the Pepsi-Cola small world exhibit entrance at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, Walt wanted a "wow." He spent $200,000 on 100 ton Wally Crump creation that was 120'/12 stories high and 46' wide at the base. This creative medley of mobiles was called The Tower of the Four Winds and required a 60' deep foundation to keep it from blowing over. Opening Day for the fair was April 22, 1964; the Disney press release for the occasion described the Tower in this way:

"Attached to three primary columns and four slender buttresses will be more than 100 spinning, swiveling, oscillating elements of as many colors and shapes. Propellers of every description and size, a miniature, purely decorative carousel with animals from several countries (a giraffe, camel, reindeer, llama, horse, elephant and donkey), a stylized representation of the sun; figures of birds, flying fish, winged dragon, butterflies, bees and other creatures—all will be in perpetual motion."



Although it was well received and "Meet me at the Tower of the Four Winds" became a catch-phrase for the fair, the Tower was basically dismantled and dumped. I am not sure if the model on display in the Contemporary Hotel at Walt Disney World is the same one from the photo with Walt, but for sentimental reasons, I'd like to think so.



However, zooming in to the descriptive display material, it would appear that this is most likely a modern-day recreation.



Last one for today is a Bob Taylor cartoon this was the most fitting of tributes to Walt when he passed away.



The quote sums it up perfectly:

"Laughter and Happiness for children of all ages."

See more "Mary Poppins" photos on my Disney movie web page.

Tribute to Diane Disney Miller

Yesterday, Walt's legacy on this earth got a little dimmer when his daughter and champion, Diane Disney Miller, passed away.



In 1954, she married Ron Miller, and together, they raised seven children. Three of them are shown here with their proud grandfather.





Some of the things she will be remembered for include her diligence about keeping Frank Gehry as the architect for the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.



Her crowning achievement will most likely be the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.



I never had the opportunity to meet Diane, but I do remember Julie Nixon Eisenhower telling me how Diane had made a difference in her life.



During one of the many times that Julie's father was being bashed by the press, Diane called her up to give some understanding and compassion since she had suffered through similar abuse from the media that had been heaped on her own father. Both adored their parents, and while they saw the flaws, they also saw the magnificent gifts that they had worked tirelessly to bestow upon the world. I thought that was a wonderful testament to the character of Diane.

Rest in peace, Diane; I hope someone in the family takes up your role in keeping the legacy of Walt alive in such a positive and meaningful way.

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web pages.

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.

The Walt Disney Family Museum, Pt. 3

Moving into the Disneyland period of Walt's life, this bench represents a significant part of the lore that surrounds the inspiration of the park. Here is the explanatory text that accompanies the bench. Note the photo of Walt, which was expertly composited by Bruce Gordon:



This March 1965 photo of Walt was taken from the same session, showing that he was actually in Town Square at Disneyland, not Griffith Park.



Although I loved seeing the previous rooms and exhibits, this was the section I was most anxious to see.



The original Lilly Belle was here on display:



Can you imagine all of the famous people that got to ride this scale locomotive and cars?





The display panel includes a photo of the Caboose Interior, carefully crafted by Walt himself:



In 1954, Walt proudly unveils the concept art for Disneyland. It is amazing how close it matches what was actually built.



The famous "lost weekend" illustration by Herb Ryman that sold the concept to the bank:



I'd love to read the inside pages of this 1953 document!



The original model of the Fantasyland Castle, built by Fred Joerger in 1953:



The actual camera used to create the "America the Beautiful" movie for the Circarama exhibit at Disneyland:





The actual exhibit at Disneyland:



The invitation for Walt & Lillian's 30th Wedding Anniversary, held on July 13, 1955 at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon before it opened:





An original Autopia Car. This one was a gift from Walt to his firstborn grandson Chris, who drove it all over the back lot with his sister Joanna.





A head sculpt for Abe Lincoln and the "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" exhibit:



The "skeleton" of his animatronics:



Mary Blair art for the "small world" attraction:



This photo of Walt shows him with a scale model of the Carousel of Progress attraction:



Thanks to a little compositing and stitching of my own, you can see the entire 1960's scene:



Tomorrow, you'll see photos of the massive Disneyland model.

See more Walt Disney Family Museum photos on my WD Family Museum web pages.