The Original Skyway, Disneyland - Part 1

The Skyway was a staple in Disneyland Park. Both fun and relaxing, the attraction offered a break from walking through a busy park between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. It's humble beginnings started with Walt Disney's 1935 vacation through Europe where he spent six days in Germany and Switzerland. He really came to love Switzerland's traditions, music, peacefulness and aesthetic. After making the film Third Man On The Mountain, Walt visited again but with fresh eyes given that Disneyland had recently opened and was in full swing.

October 1955, Walt heard about a new Skyway system being tested out in Switzerland by a company called Von Roll. Supposedly it had small gondolas moving along a single cable system. Walt's imagination was immediately set ablaze with possibilities and he purchased the system before it was even completed. Unsure about what he was going to do with it, he was interviewed some days or weeks later and said it might be used for parking lots or huge shopping centers. By November 18th, he had figured out where the ride would go and put John Hench, his head imagineer in contact with the Von Roll Ironworks Engineers to work together. They finalized Disney's Skyway but the details are murky, Walt ended up purchasing a Skyway prototype called the Von Roll 101 model aerial ropeway.

It was made partially from leftover parts and equipment from the Rotterdam Fair and the German Federal Garden Show. The Von Roll 101 Sky rides powerful driving system was placed in Fantasyland neatly housed within a beautiful Swiss themed Chalet. While Tomorrowland's industrialized streamline station held the 35,000 pounds of counterweight ballast and kept the 2400 feet of cable nice and taut.

Von Roll as a company dates back to 1803 from Berne Switzerland, operating worldwide. Today they mainly focus on electrical insulation systems essentially working to create faster longer lasting e-drives and batteries for electric cars. However in the years leading up to the 1950s, they had built rides quite similar to Disney's Skyway a hundred times over and continued to do so afterward. The Von Roll 101 model aerial ropeway is still operating at Cedar Point Busch Gardens Tampa and the San Diego Zoo however the first Von roll Skyway attraction in America belonged to Disneyland!

Walt Disney himself first introduced the Skyway on June 23, 1956 just a year after the park opened. This made the Skyway the very first big enhancement to any Disney Park. It was a big deal because Walt was quoted on Disneyland's opening day as saying Disneyland will never be completed, it will continue to grow as long as there is Imagination left in the world. This was the first time he was making good on that promise!

The Swiss Consul General of Los Angeles was at the opening event. He was essentially a Swiss presence to lend some weight to the occasion.

Stay close for Part 2.