The In's and Out's of Hidden Disneyland

As some of you may know, Disneyland pays a lot of homage to it's past. From leaving heads on the wall from past shows, to using the exact same car and track from a short lived dark ride. Disney is always leaving the past open for guests with good eyes to find. Today, we are going to look at the very best of "Hidden Disneyland"

Say Hi to Mickey on the Matterhorn!

 Disneyland turns 60 years young on July 17th, 2015 and a lot has come and gone. Many attractions have come and gone, a lot of attractions that have gone have been classic and very popular. The Carousel of Progress, Natures Wonderland, and the PeopleMover just to name a few. But I think before we can visit some other attractions we need to take a slight detour. Through the wonders of "Magnification" we can visit "Adventures thru Inner Space."

The Mighty Microscope (Left) Fun fact, the line you see their is the same one used for Star Tours today. 

Adventures Thru Inner Space came about for an old idea called Adventures in Science. A pavilion type center in Tomorrowland that was to be located where Space Mountain is today. It was an idea scraped but as the old saying goes "Good Ideas never die at Disney" So, in 1967 it became one of the center pieces for the newly remodeled Tomorrowland.

The ride used what was then new technology called an "Omnimover" ride system. The same type of ride system was made famous by The Haunted Mansion in 1969. Inner Space was a ride about a shrinking you, the rider smaller than the size of an atom. You pass through snow flakes and a giant eye staring at you from a micro scope. Because the attraction was sponsored by Monsanto, the end of the ride took you through a show room showing fabulous Monsanto models.

In 1985, the attraction was closed to make way for Star Tours, which opened in 1987. But, this attraction has lived on through Star Tours. Here are some examples:

*In the original Star Tours attraction that operated from 1987 til 2010, the microscope was located in the beginning of the ride during the first drop that your captain takes you on. No Disney park has the original version of Star Tours anymore. But if your interested in more than just the picture below, you can find the original ride in video form pretty easily online.

If you look down the ride side past that weird looking building you can spot the mighty microscope. (Original Star Tours ride)    

 *In the new Star Tours that has been opened since 2011, there are 56 different possible ride combinations. 2 opening scenes, 3 first destinations, 3 holograms, and 3 ride endings. The only place you can see the Mighty Microscope is if you get the ending scene on Geonosis going through the Death Star under construction. So if you look for this in the park, you have to have a good eye and luck. The scope is towards the end as your about the exit before going through the blue force field, if you look to your left, your catch a quick glimpse of it. But you gotta be quick! Be warned, there is no guarantee that you can find this.

Microscope on Star Tours (2011)

In 1956, Disneyland introduced the Skyway attraction, which took guests from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland and vice versa. In 1994, the attraction was removed due to their being a support that was become very brittle. The attraction has a few remains to day. Here's where they are and how to find them.

*In Fantasyland and Tomorrowland there are remains of both Skyway Stations. In Fantasyland, if you go to the Casey Jr ride in the back of Fantasyland across from the Village Haus restaurant and look up into the trees. You'll see a white and brown building, that is the original station. If you go on the Casey Jr, your train goes right next to it.

Up the Staircase and behind the trees is where you used to board and get off the Skyway attraction. View from Casey Jr exit.

*In Tomorrowland, if you go to the entrance to the Autopia and look beyond the Autopia Winners Circle gift shop you'll see a flight of stairs. You used to go up those to board the Skyway. The stairs go to no where now pretty much. (Couldn't find a photo to explain my point. Your on you're own for this one.)

Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland was the first Thunder Mountain Disney ever made. It has been duplicated and many Disney parks across the world. But at Disneyland it replaced the Mine Train through Natures Wonderland

The attraction opened as Rainbow Caverns in 1956 and in 1960 the ride was expanded to Natures Wonderland. The attraction was revolutionary due to it using new at the time technology better know today as "Black light". It used the Black Light to make the mountain waterfall section look cool. It was also one of the first rides to use the new Audio Animatronic technology to it's full potential. It was also one of the first Disney rides to be humorist.

In 1977, the attraction was closed and the wonderland section of the ride was demolished to make room for Big Thunder Mountain which was opened in 1979. Big Thunder Mountain holds a lot of homages to Natures Wonderland. Here's how to find them:

*The name "Big Thunder" is a reference to a waterfall you passed during your trip through Natures Wonderland.

*Dallas McKennon the voice of the clay mation character Gumby was the voice of the narrator on Natures Wonderland is also the voice of the classic saying "Wildest ride in the Wilderness!"on Big Thunder Mountain.

*During the first lift hill on the ride if you look below you can see the rainbow caverns from Natures Wonderland.

*At the end of the ride you pass through a town called Rainbow Ridge. This town was where you boarded the Natures Wonderland ride.

Part of the little mining town of Rainbow Ridge. 

 *If you go down Big Thunder Trail from Fantasyland, past the Big Thunder Ranch you will see a pond and boarded up tunnels. Those were tunnels the Natures Wonderland ride went through. The pond was where the bears that used to catch fish were. If you stay there long enough, you may see some jumping fish.

Pond and Tunnel from Natures Wonderland. View from Big Thunder Trail.

Slowly over time references to Natures Wonderland and being removed. So catch these while you can. One day, they might be gone too.

Critter Country is the smallest land in the park. But it packs a big punch for the size it has. It homes Splash Mountain, Winnie the Pooh and during the summer and select weekends the Davy Crockett's explorer canoes. But before Winnie the Pooh was added in 2003, before Splash Mountain rocked the water ride world in 1989, the land was known as Bear Country, home of the Country Bear Jamboree. It replaced the Indian Village in 1972. The Country Bears were a funny bunch of Bears, Buffalo, Moose, and Deer all singing and making jokes while using state of the art Audio Animatronic technology.

The show was started by Marc Davis and Walt Disney. When Disney died in 1966, the project continued and was intended for a mineral king ski resort Disney wanted to build. The plan was eventually shut down due to numerous groups taking them to court and interest in the project dropping. In 1971, the Country Bears opened with Walt Disney World in Florida. It was a smash hit and was then added to Disneyland.

In 1986, the show at both Disneyland and Disney World was changed to Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, it stood like that at Disneyland until the show was closed in 2001. The Country Bears were a classic Disney show that still plays on at Disney World and Tokyo Disney. At Disneyland references to the attraction are everywhere. Here's how to find them:

*The entrance and exit of the Winnie the Pooh attraction are the same as the Country Bear Jamboree.

*The Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country still has pictures and references to the show.

*In the Pooh Corner gift shop which was once the Mile Long bar restaurant and Briar Bar Restaurant still has pictures of Country Bear Jamboree characters.

Gomer from the Country Bear Jamboree in the Pooh Corner gift shop.

 *Pete Renaday the voice of Henry in the Country Bear Jamboree is the voice of the Narrator in the Winnie the Pooh attraction.

*Inside the Winnie the Pooh ride after you pass the "Heffalumps and Woozles" you see Winnie the Pooh eating honey. Instead of looking forward, look up and you will see the Heads on the wall named "Max, Melvin, and Buff" They were characters from the original Country Bear Jamboree.

Max, Melvin, and Buff in the Winnie the Pooh Ride. 

Now, to finish this off, we are going to look at little changes you can see as evidence of rides being removed and added to "Hidden Disneyland"

*In Mickey's Toontown from it's opening in 1993 til 2003 there was a Jolly Trolley that took you around the park. It's pretty obvious where you'd board the attraction and where it went. The track is still there as well as the trolley itself. It just doesn't run anymore.

The Jolly Trolley station, track, and trolley itself.

 *In Fantasyland, there is a spot along a small river by the Matterhorn's right side that looks like a boat dock. That's actually what it used to be. The attraction was called the motor boat cruise and was there for many many years. In the 90's, it was changed to "The Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen" based on the popular at the time Gummie Bears cartoon that was part of the Disney Afternoon. The dock is now used as a sitting area.


*In Tomorrowland there is a floating track in the sky. This was the track used from 1967 til 1995 for the PeopleMover attraction. From 1998 til 2001 it was used as the track for the high speed thrill ride Rocket Rods. Out of all of "Hidden Disneyland" this one is the easiest to find. You literally can't miss it because it goes all throughout Tomorrowland. Just look for the track in the sky and you should be good.

Peoplemover/Rocket Rods track in Tomorrowland

This concludes the in's and out's of hidden Disneyland. There are much more to the hidden Disneyland but these were the most interesting at least to me. I hope you enjoyed reading and one last thing before you go. Can you find Mickey in this photo? Good luck and hope you read again soon.

Mr Toad is literally seeing Mickey everywhere he goes.

 

America Sings: Doomed From the Start? Or Masterpiece in Wrong Park?

America Sings, a Disneyland exclusive that opened in 1974 and closed in 1988. This Attraction has a rich history and it's legacy still lives today. But, what if they built it in the wrong park? That's what I'm here to answer. America Sings: Doomed From the Start? Or Masterpiece in Wrong Park?

Sam the Eagle and Ollie the Owl

America sings was the brain child of Disney legend Marc Davis who was instrumental in bringing humor into Disneyland through rides and pun type names for shops and such. He was the one who added the Elephant Bathing Pool in the Jungle Cruise, added a lot of the humorist elements in the Haunted Mansion, and was one of the main developers in the classic Disney audio animatronic show The Country Bear Jamboree. But there was something in common with all of those rides. They were Walt Disney's. He just helped bring them to life. America Sings was his own.

One reason America Sings was brought into the park was because The Carousel of Progress's sponsor, General Electric, wanted to move the show to Walt Disney World in Florida. So, the very large and visible Carousel theater was without a show. So, America Sings was born. The show was about the history of American music. From the south to "Modern Times" which was modern from big band music til Elvis. 

Carousel Theater photo from Matterhorn

 I mentioned something about "Doomed from the Start" earlier. That began on opening day. "Big Al" Bertino a Disney Imagineer during the press day fell on one of the animatronics. Didn't work for the rest of the day. Two weeks after opening. Deborah Gail Stone a show host died. The Carousel Theater had rotating theater. The seats moved around a stationary stage. She put her head to close between the stationary stage and the rotating seats. You can picture the rest...

America Sings rotating theater

After it's first few mishaps it ran smoothly for a number of years. It's only major change in it's 14 year run was two Animatronic Geese were moved to Star Tours. They are still there today. On April 10th, 1988. America Sings sang its last song. The reason was a dwindling audience and Splash Mountain needed animatronic figures due to it going 50 million dollars over budget.

I mentioned something in the beginning about masterpiece in the wrong park and I'm going to touch on that now. There is a section in Walt Disney World called "Liberty Square." An American colonial town theme. America Sings could have fit there. Frontierland in Disneyland could have also been a good spot. It's location in the park is what killed it. History in a futuristic land. Sure the animatronics were state of the art but the theme was one that doesn't fit in Tomorrowland. Yes, the Carousel of Progress was history. But it was the history of technology. America Sings was not.

America Sings lives on today in Splash Mountain and Star Tours. It's also a classic Disney Attraction. It's charm and great music is what made it great. Its humor was great, and its animatronics, Amazing. The show is on YouTube if you're interested. Thanks for reading and hope that you read again soon.