Disneyland's Design Detail in New Orleans Square Gives Way to An Effective Crowd Exodus

The bridge between crowded Adventureland, the overpass of Pirates of the Caribbean's entrance, into Disneyland's equally crowed and popular New Orleans Square, has rarely been shown in concept art. Until now. Imagineering devised this plan in 1987 to combat congestion. Make no mistake, it's congestion the suits created once Fastpass kept guests out of queues so they could spend money in the shops and restaurants instead. 

The simple, elegant, and befitting entrance to arguably the park's most beloved attraction, was replaced with this complex but effective bridge that spanned the lands but ruined the aesthetic. With Fastpass and all that followed, no longer would New Orleans Square or the rest of Disneyland be a place to linger. Now, they could cherry pick attractions. And the practice continues to this day as masses of guests could more quickly and safely rush off to the Haunted Mansion or Splash Mountain at the expense of enjoying the layered design details that make Disney parks not just another amusement park. 

It really is a loss for simpler times and richer touring.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)