The Wild West Lives

It's true! The Wild West lives again! You can find it in the Disney Parks in China (Hong Kong Disneyland), Disneyland Paris in France (the absolute best version), and in the two American parks. But it could be a dying breed based on what was built at the newest Magic Kingdom in Shanghai- which would be a shame.

Walt Disney's love for American history, the love of story, and a good dose of business savvy necessitated that his new park had to have an area focusing on this time in America's expansion westward.

Today, guests only know Frontierland as the home of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the shortened (but more beautiful) Rivers of America and its iconic watercraft. Yet, long before Pirates Lair took over Tom Sawyer Island, one of the most beloved pieces the groundbreaking theme park had was its immersive take on the Wild West. The area was so large and it expanded so quickly that at one point in time, Frontierland covered almost 1/3 of the entire park's land mass. Can you imagine that? (I love BTMRR as much as anyone, but I wish they would have also retained the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland!)

Imagineer Sam McKim is most likely the artist who created this piece of concept art. He was a film star, making several Westerns and had a real love for the American frontier. The detail in this piece is a testament of his knowledge behind the artistry. (As always, click on the images for a huge version!)

Back in 1955, America was justifiably proud of its heritage. (Sure, we have our problems, but what country doesn't have its evil seasons?) Western themed films drew big business at the movie box office and were just as successful on the small screen. Contrast that to The Lone Ranger- a missed opportunity that if done well could have opened a whole new chapter for expansion of this land once again. But I digress... One of Disney's biggest hits was the five part series about Davy Crockett, making a star out of Fess Parker. The series aired from the end of 1954 until the end of 1955. When Fess himself helped open Disneyland, kids of all ages couldn't wait to explore the Old West for themselves.

Entering through the fort, guests were drawn to the adventures awaiting them. With the Mark Twain Riverboat on the river, the railroad trains chugging by, and the wild antics on stage at the Golden Horseshoe, the West was the place to be. The pack mules and soon the mine train took riders beyond the safety of the town, and eventually, guests go walk farther afield to the Indian Village. The Rivers of America became busier as well. Soon, canoes, keel boats, and the Sailing Ship Columbia plied the waters along with rafts that dropped guests off at Tom Sawyer Island. 

Over time, outer space explorations became more exciting to the public, and with Imagineering creating new major attractions, more and more of the original acreage dedicated to the West began to be used. New Orleans Square was the most successful and Bear Country the least- until Splash Mountain came along as part of the renamed Critter Country. The West continues to evolve with even more land being taken over by the Star Wars themed expansion. Perhaps one day, the interests of the public will come full circle, changing the face of the park once again. 

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A special thanks to Mint Crocodile over at the Magic Eye blog. Mint had the wisdom to photograph these extremely rare pieces of concept art shown in the Disney Gallery during the park's 60th Anniversary celebration. It is from his photographs that I was able to bring out the images you have seen.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Sailing Ship Columbia and Disneyland's Liberty Street

Certainly, there are many pieces of Disney Imagineering concept art that I haven't seen before- and here's one of them! Herb Ryman's sketch for the Sailing Ship Columbia.

Walt Disney was always looking at ways to enhance the guest experience. He was not thinking like the executives today who just want to milk more money out of their theme park guests. One day, Walt was visiting Disneyland and considering what else could be done. Seeing the Rivers of America and the activity on the water, he made the decision that another ship needed to be added.

Given that the Columbia sailed around the globe at the end of the 18th Century, it would certainly be more at home in Florida's  Magic Kingdom's. The lovely Liberty Square makes more sense from a history perspective than Disneyland's Frontierland. 

                            Take notice of the Columbia in the back.

Did you remember a version of Liberty Square was once conceived for Disneyland? (Click on this image for a huge size, but more about it here.) But no matter. Being on board is a very different experience that cruising on the Mark Twain. 

I've always thought it was too bad that the dock for the Mark Twain wasn't at a newly created "end" of New Orleans Square. Fan of us Disney park fans have the idea of recreating the perfect Disneyland from scratch. Not that we'll ever see another American Disneyland or World, but we can dream. In the meantime, the Sailing Ship Columbia remains a Disneyland original.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Columbia Sails Again!

Heading for the water again! Actually instead of the Hawaiian Islands as recent posts, this time we're headed for landlocked Disneyland and the Rivers of America. 

With the river soon to reopen for all watercraft in July, it seemed only appropriate to showcase these two rather rare pieces of Imagineering concept art. 

The top piece is by famed Imagineer Sam McKim. Known for his artwork that brought the park's Frontierland to center stage, this really lovely rendering of the majestic Sailing Ship Columbia captures the excitement and energy of the famous American vessel, giving guests a taste of what it was like to sail aboard her 200+ years ago.

The next piece is by Herb Ryman, one of my favorite artists at Imagineering. His work can be found for many of the parks, and some of his best pieces depict EPCOT Center. This piece, though simple in comparison to those, still successfully conveys what Walt Disney and his team hoped to build for the new park in Anaheim.

Once aboard the Columbia and the Mark Twain Steamboat, Disneyland guests not only enjoy a bit of a break on the river as it rounds Tom Sawyer Island, but they also get a slice of our history as well. Celebrating America and her hard earned values of faith, freedom, and family is something I've always loved about the original Disney park- and it's something the current leaders are moving farther from in the Stateside parks the longer Walt has been gone. Such a shame!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Art from Frontierland's Past

Disneyland's Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante is one beautiful eatery with its lanterns, lush bougainvillea and tile work. Honestly, it's one of my favorite meal time getaways when the park is busy. I can sit on the patio and watch Frontierland's guests on their way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Golden Horseshoe.

In the long ago, the restaurant was called Casa de Fritos. I bet you can guess who sponsored the place. 

The buildings of Casa de Fritos backed up right next to the town of Rainbow Ridge, part of the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland, the charming predecessor to Big Thunder. When the land also had the Pack Mules, the place was full of energy. It was the same on the Rivers of America. The Mike Fink Keel Boats and the Canoes shared the space with the Sailing Ship Columbia and the majestic Mark Twain.

These pieces of concept art were part of a display at Main Street's Disney Gallery. Photographs came to me courtesy Mint Crocodile and his terrific Magic Eye blog. I'm so appreciative of his weekly updates. You should check it out.

(Art copyright the Walt Disney Company.)

Goodbye to Disneyland's Rivers of America

The team at MiceAge / Mice Chat crew of Dateline Disneyland led by Andy Castro has posted an absolutely right on assessment of what exactly will be lost when Disney reroutes the flow of the Rivers of America to make way for Star Wars Land. It's a deeply moving, insightful, and eloquent look at why this move may be profitable short term but why it's also full of holes, destroying intangibles so important in defining Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. Trading profit now for bigger losses long term. Take a look and think about it all again. Includes a historic look backward at the river tour. Find it here.

(Photograph copyright Dateline Disneyland.)

Vintage Frontierland

Long before Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, long before Pirates Lair took over Tom Sawyer Island, one of the most iconic and beloved pieces of Walt Disney's groundbreaking theme park, Disneyland, was its immersive take on the Wild West. The area was so large and it expanded so quickly that at one point in time, Frontierland covered almost 1/3 of the entire park's land mass. 

Imagineer Sam McKim is most likely the artist who created this piece of concept art. He was a film star, making several Westerns and had a real love for the American frontier. The detail in this piece is a testament of his knowledge behind the artistry. (As always, click on the images for a huge version!)

In 1955, America was justifiably proud of its heritage. Western themed films drew big business at the movie box office and were just as successful on the small screen. One of Disney's biggest hits was the five part series about Davy Crockett, making a star out of Fess Parker. The series aired from the end of 1954 until the end of 1955. When Fess himself helped open Disneyland, kids of all ages couldn't wait to explore the Old West for themselves.

Entering through the fort, guests were drawn to the adventures awaiting them. With the Mark Twain Riverboat on the river, the railroad trains chugging by, and the wild antics on stage at the Golden Horseshoe, the West was the place to be. The pack mules and soon the mine train took riders beyond the safety of the town, and eventually, guests go walk farther afield to the Indian Village. The Rivers of America became busier as well. Soon, canoes, keel boats, and the Sailing Ship Columbia plied the waters along with rafts that dropped guests off at Tom Sawyer Island. 

Over time, outer space explorations became more exciting to the public, and with Imagineering creating new major attractions, more and more of the original acreage dedicated to the West began to be used. New Orleans Square was the most successful and Bear Country the least- until Splash Mountain came along as part of the renamed Critter Country. The West continues to evolve with even more land being taken over by the Star Wars themed expansion. Perhaps one day, the interests of the public will come full circle, changing the face of the park once again. 

---------

A special thanks to Mint Crocodile over at the Magic Eye blog. Mint had the wisdom to photograph these extremely rare pieces of concept art shown in the Disney Gallery during the park's 60th Anniversary celebration. It is from his photographs that I was able to bring out the images you have seen.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Design Detail: Riverboat Excursions

It's the little things that matter. Any theme park lover recognizes that fact even if the suits sometimes forget it.

At Disneyland, the granddaddy of theme parks, Frontierland is chock full of detail goodness! There's a lot of river craft on the water, and none is more elegant than the Mark Twain Riverboat. This poster has old time charm and loving detail as it advertises a leisurely cruise on the Rivers of America. 

With the Sailing Ship Columbia also there, these vessels and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes exploring the wilderness, these's no excuse for not traveling the backwoods of the park.  Tom Sawyer Island and its adventures beckon, but if you wait until sunset, there's nothing prettier than sailing the Mark Twain past a gas lit New Orleans Square on a summer night. Very rare because nowadays Fantasmic! needs to be dark- but oh what a treat it is!

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

Before Tom Sawyer Island Went PC

If memory serves me correctly, that settler's cabin on Tom Sawyer Island used to really burn. Of course it did! I've seen it myself for years. 

This image, a small piece of Imagineering concept art for Disneyland, comes from a Preview of Coming Attractions circa 1963- years before Pirates of the Caribbean and decades before these pirates would invade the island. 

Is the remodel well done? Yes, for what it is. Did they destroy yet another piece of Frontierland by taking down even more vegetation for a pirates inspired show? Yes- and it makes the waterfront piece of property less mysterious and more civilized. Honestly, I liked it better more rustic and inviting. There are so few true Frontierland experiences left in the park. So long Mike Fink Keelboats as well. Thank God the suits haven't touched the Sailing Ship Columbia and the Mark Twain Steamboat.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Overlooked Attractions at Disneyland

With space at a premium and lines everywhere for the large attractions Disneyland is famous for, the smaller experiences are well worth exploring. Here are some of my favorites: 

 1- Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Walt Disney loved America and was justifiably proud of its culture and achievements. Disneyland reflects the man's heart. At opening, Frontierland represented the pioneering spirit of the people and Main Street U.S.A. its heart. In the years before he died, Walt was able to see one of his heroes come to life, Abraham Lincoln. This Audio-Animatronic masterpiece debuted at the 1964 World's Fair, but made its way to Disneyland at closing. It's more effective than Walt Disney World's Hall of Presidents found in the Magic Kingdom. There, guests are overwhelmed by the spectacle of all the presidents at the expense of the message and its power. Nowadays, as folks rush past its entrance on their way to Indiana Jones Adventure and Splash Mountain, Mr. Lincoln remains in quiet dignity, reflecting an old school Disneyland and its early charm. 

 2- The Hungry Bear Restaurant. OK, I do not always eat here, but there's that intangible aspect to this place that draws me back repeatedly. A combination of peaceful surroundings, the sounds of nature in the middle of Anaheim, and the fact few visitors ever go all the way out to the bear end. the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch the world go by. 

 3- Sailing Ship Columbia. The Mark Twain Riverboat may get all the glory- especially on those rare occasions when it is possible to sail at night, but its the Columbia that impresses me more when I take a chance to explore the ship and its lower deck. The attention to detail is part of the appeal, and this nod to America's nautical history is just another example of a park that is a national treasure for good reason. 

 4- The French Market. Not an attraction in the traditional sense, but its is definitely one for me! There's something so appealing about a leisurely meal here, listening to a little jazz, and sitting at a cafe table, sipping a mint julep. It's not the real thing, but its as close as we can get to New Orleans west of the Mississippi. Besides, for Disney park lovers, the real thing has a hard time competing with Pirates of the Caribbean on one side and the Haunted Mansion on the other! 

 5- Alice in Wonderland. Admittedly, I do not always make it on this gem of an attraction, as for the last two decades my visits are shorter, limited to one day, and now with two parks to explore. Timing is everything, and if I get into Fantasyland later than 9 or 10am, the line is already trouble. Most guests prefer Peter Pan or Mr. Toad to a zany trip with Alice, and I generally do as well. All said, when I do ride, I am always surprised by just how clever and good the attraction is! The original Disney inspired characters are much warmer and likable then those found in the Tim Burton / Johnny Depp revamp, and the music and narration adds just the right whimsy to the proceedings- all the way to the explosive ending! 

 6- Mickey's Toontown. Like much of Fantasyland, as an adult male, I avoid this area of the park when the crowds settle. On that rare day when the numbers are light, I'll venture into the space to enjoy all the gags the Imagineers put in place. Surprises everywhere- many overlooked by the little ones enjoying attractions designed just for them. 

 7- Fire House. Since one of my daughters married a fireman, I decided to stop into the fire house on one of my recent visits. The number of artifacts found inside surprised me, causing me to stop and remember that Main Street U.S.A. is meant for exploring and not just for shopping. A ride on the Fire Engine is fun, but its what's upstairs that is even more appealing: Walt Disney's own apartment, where a light is always burning in tribute to the man that started it all.

(I highlighted the piece with a Disneyland Map from 1958- just for a bit of fun.)