 Two months before she "awoke" to opening day visitors, this Disneyland landmark was getting a few final touches from construction workers. Walt Disney wanted this castle to be a friendly and welcoming presence in his park so it was built on a smaller scale than its European counterparts. Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland is the centerpiece of Fantasyland, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Surrounded by beautiful flowers and whimsical topiary, the Disneyland landmark beckons park visitors to explore the different realms of "The Happiest Place on Earth."      Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park is the centerpiece of Fantasyland, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Surrounded by beautiful flowers and whimsical topiary, the Disneyland landmark beckons park visitors to explore the different realms of the place “Where Dreams Come True.” May 2019, the castle underwent a stunning refurbishment, enhanced with bold new colors and pixie dust, among other enhancements.     The following video is from the updated Sleeping Beauty story found inside the castle.   Here she is all aglow after sundown.
  Buena Vista Street opened June 15, 2012, as part of a five-year expansion of Disney California Adventure Park. It depicts a typical Los Angeles neighborhood where a young Walt Disney lived and worked after arriving in Southern California in 1923. This idyllic version of the City of Angels is captured with quaint “mom-and-pop” shops and markets, a big city department store and corner cafe. The two Red Car Trolleys providing transportation up and down the boulevard are a nostalgic reminder of Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s. The architecture draws on Los Angeles Spanish/Mexican roots, inspired by actual buildings of greater Los Angeles.  Carthay Circle Theatre, the iconic center of Disney California Adventure, honors the place where Walt premiered his first feature-length animation “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937. On Carthay Circle guests often pose for photos at “Storytellers,” a bronze statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. It reflects the beginning of a great partnership between the two; a time of great hope and boundless optimism in the life of the up-and-coming filmmaker and his famous creation.    1937 Packard Coupe parked in front of Oswald's Gas Station on Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure Park.            Venture inside the Magic Mirror Realm, where hands-on exhibitions reveal the “tricks” of the animators’ art, turning still images into the illusion of motion. You can even draw on your imagination—planning, sketching and animating your very own scene. A Magical Book. Enter a chamber modeled after the Beast’s secret library from Beauty and the Beast and interact with an enchanted book to discover which Disney character your personality most resembles. Visit the Sorcerer’s Workshop to create your own simple animation in the Magic Mirror Realm and uncover your “inner Disney self” in The Beast’s Library!         The Timber Mountain Log Ride is one of the most iconic, and classic, attractions at Knott’s Berry Farm. For years, it has delighted and entertained families of all ages with its rough and tumble look into the lives of the folks of Calico.  While it’s called the Timber Mountain Log Ride now, it was originally called the Calico Log Ride. Bud Hurlbut and his father, Ray Hurlbut, began working on the basic idea for the attraction almost five years before construction on the ride began. Bud already had a lot of success with the Calico Mine Ride, which focused on the troubles of the gold miners, at Knott’s Berry Farm when it opened in 1960. He dug into California history again for the Calico Log Ride and discovered a connection between the lumber industry and the gold rush. After thousands had flocked to California in search of gold, two really big problems arose: the lack of building materials for the new settlers to use and the lack of enough gold to go around. Now, because the miners had no building materials, they had to improvise a way in order to create them. And so, many of them turned to the lumber industry. Because these building materials were in such demand, they actually found a lot more profit in lumber than they would have from the depleted gold streams.  The Calico Log Ride was a costly effort, costing millions of dollars, and taking nearly a year to construct. It opened on July 11, 1969 with screen legend John Wayne and his son, John Ethan, taking the first ride down the flume. The ride is housed in a mountain 300 feet long and 75 feet high. The flume itself is 2,100 feet long and six feet wide. The fiberglass logs, weighing 450 pounds apiece, carry four to five passengers, enabling 1,800 passengers an hour to board the 36 logs for the thrilling 4-minute journey. The “free float” system of the logs did not employ any mechanical device to regulate passage. Fluid drive – water current, controlled by a pair of 125 horse-power pumps circulating 24,000 gallons of water per minute, cause the logs to rush through the flume at speeds ranging from 8 to 22 feet per second. A reservoir of 350,000 gallons of water is required to maintain the flow.  Sweeping through the water on their own power, the log passes picturesque scenery and realistic settings while surging around, over and through the mountain. Passing a forest of Ponderosa pine, wild animals are seen lurking in the thick underbrush. Floating under a waterfall, the logs slip along a trestle precariously clinging to the side of a cliff overlooking a deep ravine. The journey continues, passing many more animated scenes before the final plunge, shooting down a 42-foot incline, plunging with a big bow wave into the mill pond below.   All images: Knott's Berry Farm    
100th Anniversary Gold Collectible Snoopy Plush in Custom Box $26.99 100 YEARS!!! California's Original Theme Park is where families like your have been finding their own kind of fun, in hundreds of different way, for 100 years! "The Knott's Family Reunion" is a chance for friends and families to come together to relive their favorite Knott's remembrances while also creating unforgettable new memories. Knott's Berry Farm opened Camp Snoopy, the six-acre wonderland for kids and official home of Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang, in the summer of 1983. It was the first area of any amusement park designed solely for kids under 12.  Whittles Collectible Pin $9.99 Whittles, the Prospector roamed the dusty trails of Knott's Berry Farm's Ghost Town back in the day. He could be seen digging for gold all along the ore laden passages with his trusty burro sidekick, Brutus. He made friends with everyone he met - and those who met him say he was the friendliest ol' miner in the west. But one day, Whittles left Calico to stake his claim somewhere out in the mysterious desert. There have been sightings of him now and then, but Whittles remains a mystery to most folks. A shame really, as he had a heart of gold... and a few teeth as well. Someday you might see him back round these parts, Brutus at his side, prospecting for gold nuggets and good friends... Don't miss this gem of a pin, part of the Knott's 100th Pin Series. Pin #10.   The Haunted Shack Collectible Pin $9.99 Get lost in the vortex of the Haunted Shack with Knott's latest spinner pin, part of the Knott's 100th Pin Series! Step inside and bear witness to some of the most amazing, amusing, and confusing sights you'll ever see! In this ramshackle shack, water runs uphill, and chairs balance precariously on walls. Feel that mysterious forces in control. This shack is the middle ground between light and shadow. A dimension of imagination that tricks your mind. Beyond these portals, mysteries lie! Pin #17.   Leaping from the popular Bear-y Tales attraction, the next release in the Knott's 100th Pin Series takes us to Frog Forest. The classic 1975 attraction took riders into a whimsical storybook, on a journey to the fair meeting a variety of friends along the way. The recognizable residents of Frog Forest were hosting jumpin' tryouts to see who would compete for the grand prize at the fair. Don't miss out on adding this unique commemorative pin to your collection – before they hop away! Pin #79.  One of the most memorable parts of the original Bear-y Tales Ride was the winding road through the Weird Woods! Populated by some of the most bizarre creatures to ever pick a pie, Weird Woods was a black-light illuminated vision evocative of classic dark rides throughout the years. Just when riders thought their ride vehicle was about to be overtaken by the treacherous trees, they zoomed to safety into the bright world of the County Fair! Pin #22.  Straight from the original Knott's Bear-y Tales Ride you remember as a kid, comes our latest throwback pin - The Spring Chicken! As riders traveled from the Berry Factory, through the Weird Woods and, finally, to the County Fair - the journey was filled with amazing sights sounds...and scents! One of the highlights of the County Fair was the crowning of this year's Spring Chicken! This fun, nostalgic pin celebrates just one of the key moments from the classic ride! Pluck one now before it crosses the road forever...
Pin #82. |
Welcome to a place where Disney nostalgia meets storytelling magic. I create uplifting, history-rich content celebrating Walt Disney’s original vision and the golden age of Disneyland. From forgotten dining spots to untold stories of Walt’s creative team, this blog is a tribute to imagination, innocence, and timeless joy.
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