This location started out as the Fantasy of Disneyland Shop. Next, it enjoyed a long tenure as the Tinker Bell Toy Shop (1957-2002), where guests could purchase Madame Alexander Dolls and other toys. Next, it became the Once Upon A Time Princess Shop, followed by the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on April 17, 2009.
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. When the Bandstand was moved from Central Plaza over to Adventureland and Magnolia Park, the Carnation Plaza Gardens were constructed and opened on August 18, 1956. A plethora of talent has performed under the tent of this area, including Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, The Osmond Brothers, Lionel Hampton, Tex Benecke, Cab Calloway, and Stan Kenton. High School bands, choirs, and orchestras would perform for guests on the same stage during the day. Swing Dancing in the evening on weekends was another popular activity that guests enjoyed in this area. There was once a counter where guests could order food, but it was eventually replaced by the Frontierland themed restrooms/pass-through area. Summer 2011, it was announced that this historic area would be transformed into a Fantasy Faire character meet-and-greet area set to open in early 2012, thus blurring the lines between Fantasyland and Main Street even more.
Motor Boat Cruise's area home from 1957 to 1983. In 2007 two-thirds of this body of water was filled up with the landscaping that you see all along its edges here, that created a healthy space between this body of water and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage which is a fresh water based lagoon. However this might blow your mind, this body of water is part of the Disneyland green water system. This water in front of us is the same body of water in a water system shared with Sleeping Beauty's castle moat, the rivers in the Jungle Cruise, the Rivers of America and its neighbor the Storybook Land Canals. Visit this alpine chalet where you’ll be happy to meet turkey legs, chimichangas and buttered corn on the cob. Then, chill out in the shadow of the Matterhorn with a fountain drink or frozen beverage in blue raspberry, cherry or apple.
Flynn Rider kept going on and on about how Rapunzel's hair grew 18" in one year!
|
Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|