Piston Peak's Older, More Rustic Cousin: Disneyland's Rainbow Ridge

Piston Peak is sure to remain the Magic Kingdom's most hotly debated addition. Replacing Rivers of America- an opening day feature of the original castle park and one that held Walt Disney's beloved riverboat-  was an announcement that brought a hush and even some boos to D23. Deservedly so. 

Bringing the modern day Cars franchise into Frontierland. It wasn't blasphemy, but it was close. This was far worse than replacing Splash Mountain with Tiana's Bayou Adventure. 

Above is a vintage Rainbow Ridge Postcard from Disneyland's golden days when the man himself was still around to provide real vision for the park he loved. As the gateway to something fantastic, this area not only contained the Mine Train Thru Natures Wonderland, it also held the Conestoga Wagons and the Pack Mule train. 

It was truly a land of discovery filled with rustic scenes, animals native to the American West, and the show stopping Rainbow Caverns as grand finale to the mine train ride. This was the Americana version of the Jungle Cruise as designed by Imagineer Marc Davis. The whole thing was even more special as right across the river was Tom Sawyer Island, a special placed designed for open exploration and a chance to use the imagination God gave us.

Proving great ideas never go to waste, modern Imagineering borrowed from the Mine Train finale to add a taste of vintage Disneyland to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I'm grateful for that, and I look forward to the change. But it does makes me long for a simpler day when Disney suits realized the parks were about much more than promotion for the company's Intellectual Property.

All Aboard the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland!

Perhaps I'm nostalgic, but the early years of Disneyland were filled with anticipation. Walt Disney and his Imagineers were always up to something new, and the park felt fresh. Maybe guests were still in awe. It's seems like today we take "Walt's park" for granted. In 1960, the park began to promote the newest attractions. 

This insert / handout was for the terrific but now long gone Mine Train Thru Natures Wonderland. Think of it as the American West version of the Jungle Cruise, and you've got a good idea of what this brand new Frontierland attraction was all about. Lots of wild animals doing their thing among great wilderness landscapes and a funny old school narration to accompany the journey. The highlight was definitely at the end. The gorgeous Rainbow Caverns showcased waterfalls of all colors among deep, rich caves, stalagmites and stalagtites. All set to an otherworldly musical score. 

It was retro, vintage Disney Imagineering at its best! Speaking of vintage, this piece if from the great Vintage Disneyland Goodies blog.

(Art  copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

Old Frontierland Map

Ever since my recent visit to Disneyland, I've been on quite the kick of how wonderful Frontierland is! (Yes, I'm still working on that trip report. Almost done- it's worth the wait.) 

The revised Rivers of America made me take a fresh look. But it also made me think about the past when the Wild West really lived up to its Disneyland opening day experience. So, take a look at this souvenir book map from my 1957 Disneyland guide. 

This early Frontierland looks like Davy Crockett's world come to life. What a great place to explore! I couldn't have been the only one as I bet young future Imagineers and cartoonists were inspired by the old The Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland and its Rainbow Caverns. Think about the design of Carsland's Radiator Springs Racers. (If you've ridden it, you know what I'm referring to. If not, I won't spoil it.)

Exploring caves, the authentic Indian village, the fort on Tom Sawyer Island or the whole western landscape by mule or train made for quite a day of adventures! I loved paddling a canoe or taking a cruise on the river. (Still do!)

I'll quote myself from an earlier post here: "There was something very hands on about the place, be it shooting rifles, searching for the perfect coonskin hat, or hanging on to the ropes while crossing those pesky barrel and suspension bridges of Tom Sawyer Island. Nowadays, hands on tends to mean "hands on the controller" as Toy Story Midway Mania and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin take prominence at the Disney parks. Sure, those rides are fun, and the parks need this kind of variety, but the simple pleasures of simpler times also have their place. Yet, these kind of smaller attractions are no longer built. With their absence, we are also missing a part of homespun Americana and the opportunity to embrace our own imagination."

Other parks beyond the castle ones should think about what these old school attractions could bring. Tokyo Disney Sea has its fortress explorations, and it is well beloved. Animal Kingdom's Pandora would have been a perfect place for an island to explore. Maybe the next expansion to the area will do just that. Here's hoping!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Taking a Ride Through Nature's Wonderland

With the 60th Anniversary celebration in full swing at Disneyland and the landscape of the park soon to change for good starting next week, I did a little web investigation on one of my very favorite old school attractions: Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland. As almost every Disney park historian or fan knows, it was a popular precursor to the incredible and beloved Frontierland attraction Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. 

From the great site, Disney and More.

The wild life, the scenery, the music made the Wild West come alive once more when the attraction first opened. It was a living True Life Adventure through the American frontier; a new take on the Jungle Cruise but inspired by a land of rugged terrain, good old American folklore, and the history of the railroad. 

The poster only hints at the great attraction.

A Disneyland postcard.
From the Meet the World blog.

The love and care of Walt Disney and his Imagineers for America and its history was particularly evident here. Marc Davis created some of the most playful scenes ever to find there way into a theme park. It was a labor of love designed to last generations.

Want more Disneyland attraction posters in large sizes?

The series starts here with Main Street U.S.A.!

After traveling through beautiful pine filled landscapes, our trains took us into the Painted Desert, all leading to an unsuspected conclusion: a visit through the absolutely stunning Rainbow Caverns. Etherial music (you can hear it here) played up the beauty of the caves as colorful waterfalls of different shades moved underground right within view. Engineers said it couldn't be achieved without the colors blending into a shade of gray. Walt Disney said it could be done, and like most things, he did it. 

Nice little vintage clip of the caverns.

The ride was a favorite for many years, giving guests a chance to explore the American wilderness while in Anaheim. Tastes change, and soon enough, guests to Disneyland were clamoring for thrills of a different kind. The Imagineers watched what was on the horizon, and prepared something new under the leadership of Tony Baxter. Gentle rides gave way to more Disney mountains, and Nature's Wonderland disappeared in favor of the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness. (For the ultimate article on the attraction go to Werner Weiss' excellent Yesterland article.)

Here's a great blog that features the writer's work at recreating this attraction in model form. The video below offers a chance to once again experience an iconic attraction from Disneyland's past. Enjoy!

Perhaps as the Imagineers create Star Wars Land, they will include a not so subtle tribute to Nature's Wonderland by routing the train track through a recreated mini Rainbow Caverns. It'd be a nice touch that honors the past that made way for the future.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Redesigned for Little Kids?

In the planning stages for Disneyland Paris, then EuroDisney, Imagineers designed a smaller, kid-friendly version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The cuter-than-cute named Lil Thunder never was built, but it sure would have been fun!

Just imagine a runaway train for the littlest of varmints, traveling on rickety rails, heading off for a journey they would never forget. Of course, this was a Disney attraction, so the theming would be top notch. At least back in the late 80's when it was first imagined.

Cacti, critters, and a landscape similar to that of  Disneyland's famous Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland. It was all there. Just like that long lost gem, the ride would have concluded with a journey into the stunning Rainbow Caverns. Hopefully complete with the beautiful soundtrack, at once ethereal and melodic.

As many tales go, this attraction also never made it past the drawing boards. A replacement was found in Fantasyland's Casey Jr. ride, where young guests zoomed along the French version of the Storybookland Canal Boats, miniature houses and landscapes from fairy tales replacing the Wild West of Frontierland. (Guess that also means the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train won't ever come to Paris!)

Even though the park is rightly criticized for its lack up upkeep, Disneyland Paris does have the most incredible of Frontierlands. It's unfortunate that the land doesn't include the adult version of the mine train, the pack mules, the canoes, and everything else that made Walt Disney's plans iconic. All that would make it the ultimate take on the West... unless Marc Davis' Western River Expedition would ever get built. But don't count on it.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Frontierland- When the West Was Simply Wild

Love these old souvenir books! This great little map is from my 1957 Disneyland guide. Doesn't this Frontierland look like Davy Crockett's (or wannabe Davy Crockett's) dream? It sure was mine! My mind races back to others times and places just looking at it, and my imagination starts to work in full color. I know I wasn't alone in this bit of play. The old The Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland and its Rainbow Caverns certainly had its impact on John Lasseter and the design of Carsland's Radiator Springs Racers.

One aspect I really enjoyed about the younger years of the park is that Disney allowed you to create your own adventures. Sure, stories were told- and often times they were of a company film- but especially in Frontierland, we were encouraged to exercise our own imagination a bit. There we could explore caves, an old fort, the Indian village, or even an entire western landscape by mule or train. Paddling a canoe or taking a cruise on an old steam wheeler took us places where we didn't know what lay ahead. Great fun!

There was something very hands on about the place, be it shooting rifles, searching for the perfect coonskin hat, or hanging on to the ropes while crossing those pesky barrel and suspension bridges of Tom Sawyer Island. Nowadays, hands on tends to mean "hands on the controller" as Toy Story Midway Mania and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin take prominence at the Disney parks. Sure, those rides are fun, and the parks need this kind of variety, but the simple pleasures of simpler times also have their place. Yet, these kind of smaller attractions are no longer built. With their absence, we are also missing a part of homespun Americana and the opportunity to embrace our own imagination.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)