A couple of terrific vintage ads for Disneyland surfaced on the internet this week courtesy a Vintage Ads group blog. The first one is an ‘advertorial’ for Disneyland’s Space Mountain
And below the cut an ad for Goodyear, who was a sponsor at Disneyland, showing off how they create molds that Disneyland uses to create some of its attractions; in this case, the Casey Jr. Circus Train and it contains a big secret from the park.
While on board the Disney Fantasy in March, I had the opportunity to sit down for a group interview with Chef Christine Weissman. At the time she was the head Executive Chef for the Disney Cruise Line, but has recently been moved to be over… Read More »Meet Chef Christine Weissman Disneyland’s New Executive Chef
Believe it or not, I have fond memories of camping out in Disneyland’s Town Square for most of the day just to catch a semi-obstructed view of the train station while Michael York or some other celebrity narrated the traditional Candlelight Ceremony and Processional. It… Read More »Disneyland Extends Candlelight Processional to Lengthy 20 Nights
It’s a problem that began back in 2010 in the heat of a long running labor dispute and has been a black eye for Disney in an area where they are usually known for their excellence. Disney’s parks have prided themselves on diversity in every… Read More »Former Employee Sues Disneyland Over Religious Discrimination
When Walt Disney first opened Disneyland, they trained the horses to prepare for huge crowds by having them walk in a tent with loud noises blaring at them through speakers. The horses currently housed at Circle D Corral still go through a process to introduce them to being on-stage, but the blaring speakers are long gone.
There are four horse-drawn streetcars on Disneyland’s Main Street. Each is a reproduction of 19th century streetcars that were used in major cities such as Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia or New York.
The horses used to pull the streetcars are from the larger breeds like Percheron, Belgian, Clydesdale, or a cross between Shire and Percheron. Each horse gets a minimum of 30 hours of training before going “On Stage.” Their work days are four hours long and they get a two-day weekend just like you and me.
Below the cut is a second video with a closer look at the Circle D Corral
Disneyland has announced that the current Princess Fantasy Faire meet and greet, located in the Fantasyland theater location, will be closing August 12th. They also let it be known that the plan is to prep the theater to once again host a stage show and they’re promising a new concept in entertainment.
With papers filed for some construction on Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theater of the Stars, home to Beauty & The Beast stage show, many are wondering if Disney will be saving costs by building sets and costumes for two shows at the same time. Most speculation is centered on will it be for a past movie (many assume Tangled is the likely candidate) or another revue show (like Animazement). The theme park stage version of Beauty and the Beast didn’t debut until a year after the movie came out, so they’re not too far off that timeline with Tangled. But revue shows have a little bit for everyone… it’s a toss up.
As you know, Fantasyland will actually be expanding soon when the Fantasy Faire area opens up in the old Carnation Gardens location. The Princess Meet and Greets will move to this location, along with some entertainment offerings during the day and the return of swing dancing at night.
Walt Disney Imagineering has shared this photos of the models for Fantasy Faire. The large tent that will cover the dance floor reminds me quite a bit of the color scheme for the Prince Charming Carousel at the Magic Kingdom.
Read More »Disneyland Fantasy Faire Models and a New Show for Both Coasts?
The arts, crafts, and traditions that built Disneyland may have created something totally new, but they were rooted in film making. In fact, Walt poached employees from studio art & set design departments across Hollywood to make sure his vision was realized. It followed that… Read More »The Original Windows of Disneyland’s Main Street USA
The Welte Orchestrion has called the Main Street Penny Arcade home for decades. Originally it was modified to work with nickelodeon rolls and made into a coin operated machine. During the recent refurbishment of the Penny Arcade side of Main Street, the Disneyland electromechanical team… Read More »Musical Star of Penny Arcade Returns to Disneyland after Second Rehab