Walt Disney on the It's A Small World Construction Site

Walt Disney was certainly a visionary, but he was also very hands-on! When it came to building the Disneyland version of It's a Small World,  he relied on two of his most distinctive Imagineers to bring it all together: Mary Blair and Rolly Crump. Mary was chiefly responsible for the style and color palette of the interior, while Rolly contributed to the attractions iconic exterior. 

Walt directed the ship- and the park was better for it- but he also knew what it took to "sell" his projects. Not only did he get Pepsi to invest in the attractions creation when it came to the New York World's Fair, he got the rights to bring it home to Anaheim's Fantasyland, and his team brought in yet another sponsor there. Smart guy! In the photo above, he's shown with sponsor Bank of America's head honcho as the attraction's exterior was being completed. 

Walt was savvy! He wanted to best for his guests, and he creatively found ways to enhance the park. The focus on excellence resulted in happy investors in the company. It's certainly a strategy that paid off. Something that future CEO's did at times understand and sometimes not at all. Where would you rank the three most recent: Michael Eisner, Robert Iger, and Bob Chapek? I'd say it was most definitely a mixed bag. Truth is, there is still no one like Walt!

Sunday at Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe

There's something sweet and innocent about Disneyland and its attraction roster at opening. Don't get me wrong- it was very much ahead of its time, but it concurrently represented an America that no longer exists. 

The Golden Horseshoe- one of Walt's favorite opening day attractions.

The forward focused optimism of a sparkling new Tomorrowland stood alongside the nostalgic sweetness of an old fashioned Main Street and the dreams of childhood in Fantasyland.  It was Frontierland, however, that seemed the most authentic and certainly the most patriotic. 

Celebrating how the West was won, it also showcased how the West was fun. Nowhere was this more evident than in the rousing revue found within the Golden Horseshoe. 

The constantly sold out show quickly became a Disneyland institution as well as a favorite of Walt himself. Betty Taylor, aka Slue Foot Sue, and Wally Boag her comedic sidekick, made quite an entertaining team! 

Here's a color version of that poster behind Walt-

painted right on the brick!

The show remained a beloved one for decades, winning a slew of adoring fans and becoming a family tradition for each visit to the park. Pepsi and Kodak were its main sponsors. 

Promotional poster from Kodak.

A proposed poster concept courtesy "Matterhorn".

The famous Pepsi version.

Now, I'll end this with a nostalgic black and white photo, courtesy OC Attractions:

(Art and photographs copyright The Walt Disney Company.)