They Don’t Get It
Few people Walt Disney tapped to help him build Disneyland had any actual amusement park experience. At some point, the Disney team knew it needed to bounce its ideas off people who owned and operated parks.
Disneyland’s Hub
On this day in 1953, Disney Imagineer Marvin Davis finalized what’s known as the “hub” layout for Disneyland.
Behind the Attraction Preview
Disney has just announced that a new original “pop history” docuseries focused on Disney Parks attractions will be debuting Friday, July 16th on Disney+. Behind the Attraction is a 10-episode, hourlong series produced by Seven Bucks Production (co-founded by part-time Jungle Cruise skipper Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) in partnership with Brian Volk-Weiss, the creator behind the hit Netflix pop-culture docuseries “The Toys That Made Us.”
Green Imagineering
A recent Orange County Register article highlighted a number of enhancements made to the Haunted Mansion attraction while the park was closed during the pandemic. In addition to a few improvements inside the mansion, the pet cemetery outside also received some thematic upgrades.
A Treat for Anaheim’s Halloween Parade
One of the first previews of original Disneyland attractions came as a treat to attendees of the 1954 Anaheim Halloween Festival parade. Concept art below by Yale Gracey shows the parade floats designed by Disney for the city’s big annual event.
The Father of Fantasyland
Disney artist and Imagineer Bruce Bushman was born on this day in 1911. Bushman, pictured here with Walt Disney, was a lead designer of the original Fantasyland as you can see by his concept art on the walls. Bushman was first hired by the Disney Studios to work on Fantasia on April 5, 1937. He’d…
Snow White and Her Adventures
The Snow White and Her Adventures attraction was one of Disneyland’s original dark rides in Fantasyland, a new type of amusement park ride at the time. Later, the attraction was renamed Snow White's Scary Adventures.
Everybody’s Hometown
Following the advice of architects at Pereira and Luckman, Walt Disney knew early on that his park should only have one entrance and exit to help orient guests visiting the expansive and unfamiliar space. Funneling guests past a row of shops isn’t bad for business either. Walt decided this corridor would be, as described in documents presented to investors, a three-block-long commercial street with “the nostalgic quality that makes it everybody’s hometown.”
Designing Costumes for a new kind of Cast
These 1954 costume designs for Disneyland cast members were drawn by Renié Conley, an accomplished Hollywood costume designer. Walt Disney knew appropriate costumes for his themed lands were essential to the show he was presenting to his guests.
A New Kind of Movie
Circarama, U.S.A. was an original Tomorrowland attraction displaying an immersive and innovative film projected on a 360 degree screen. The first motion picture shown at Circarama was titled “A Tour of the West.”
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