Walt heard of a Skyway system being tested in Switzerland in the fall of 1955, and naturally had to have one. By November of 1955, Walt figured out where the ride would go, and had the Von Roll Iron Works engineers work with designer John Hench to create the attraction. Walt purchased a used 1947 Type 101 Sidechair #5, which was one of the Von Roll prototypes. Opening ceremonies were presided over by Walt himself and Dr. Walter Smidt, the Swiss Consul General of Los Angeles. There were 42 round gondolas that could carry 2 guests at a time, seated in fiberglass patio chairs bolted into the floor. Moving at a slow and steady 4 mph, gondolas were dispatched approximately every 9 seconds. The Skyway gave guests an overview of the park between two stations: one in Fantasyland (where the drive system was located) and the other in Tomorrowland (where 35,000 pounds of ballast kept the 2400' long cables taut). In between was the peak, a support tower located on Holiday Hill (basically a mound of dirt). In 1959, the Matterhorn was added in the path of the Skyway, complete with 2 holes for the gondolas to pass through. The original round buckets were replaced in 1965 for the Tencennial Celebration. Each bucket was now able to carry four guests. The grips on the cars also changed; the original 10 sheave rollerbatteries and the entire tower in Tomorrowland were removed. During the Fantasyland remodel, the towers there were beefed up with extra supports at the urging of Von Roll Tramways. On April 17, 1994, a 30 year old man jumped from the Skyway, landing in a tree, relatively unharmed. The Skyway was removed 7 months later in November, partially because it was too costly to make safety upgrades. People also threw objects and spit at guests below as they went overhead. For the final ride, Mickey & Minnie made the last crossing as guests watched below. When the Skyway closed, the holes in the Matterhorn were filled in and the supports were dismantled within weeks.
Another reason it closed was because the ride was in technical violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. It was very difficult to load and unload mobility-impaired guests (guests had to step up when boarding and down when de-boarding), and this usually required having to stop the ride. Furthermore, wheelchairs could not be loaded onboard because the vehicles were too small. Approximately 150 million guests rode the Skyway. June 14, 1959, Walt Disney and then Vice President Richard Nixon celebrated the grand opening of the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System, Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage.
The Gold Mine area opened in August 1948, just in time for the centennial of the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. It was the original home of the gold panning attraction. About half of the mountain was torn down during the construction of Ghost Rider in 1998. Part of the old mine survives in the entrance to Ghost Rider.
Did you know the early concept for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room included a restaurant? This concept art by Imagineer John Hench, who was tasked with designing the attraction, illustrates his vision for the restaurant. In his book, Designing Disney, Hench explains:
“I visualized the show, the decor, and the dining area simultaneously. My proposed room was cross shaped, with four wings and a central open space. I located the service center for the tables in the central area, allowing unobstructed viewing of the show from the tables in the wings.” Ultimately, the dining element was removed because, as Hench states, “management decided that including food service would limit the necessary audience capacity too much.” The Magic Fountain was designed to hold dishes and supplies. The cabinets installed at the base are still there and in use today, most likely holding cleaning and repair items. The story of the battle between these two has been around for a long time. One the face of beauty; the other the face of evil. Anyone who knows me, knows that Sleeping Beauty's castle is my favorite castle. Walt specifically had a part in overseeing it's creation. Where it all began!!
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