January 1993 – March 2022 LOCATION Mickey’s Toontown – When entering from Fantasyland, guests would follow the main pathway toward Toontown City Hall – Pluto’s Dog House was on the left, across from the 5 and Dime. EXPERIENCE Guests looking for a quick bite to eat in Mickey’s Toontown needed look no further than the […] Read more…
Source: Matterhorn 1959 May 1956 – January 1977 LOCATION Frontierland – Guests could board the Mine Train from central Frontierland, roughly where Big Thunder Mountain Railroad stands today. BACKGROUND Though Frontierland had no major rides or attractions in the first year of Disneyland’s operation, this area of the park needed its own adventure to draw guests […] Read more…
Source: The Mighty Microscope August 1967 – September 1985 LOCATION Tomorrowland – When entering from Main Street USA, guests could find Adventure Thru Inner Space on the right, in the building that now houses Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. BACKGROUND Plans for a molecule-themed attraction in Tomorrowland had been in discussion since 1957. Originally, Walt […] Read more…
Source: Disneyland Postcards July 1955 – November 1992 LOCATION Tomorrowland – When guests arrived from Main Street USA, they could find the Rocket at the end of the main path, roughly where Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port sits now. BACKGROUND Rocket To The Moon, which debuted on Opening Day in 1955, offered guests an unprecedented trip […] Read more…
June 2012 – February 2015 LOCATION Cars Land – Guests following the main path in Cars Land found Luigi’s Flying Tires on the left, across from Ramone’s House of Body Art. Luigi’s was also easily accessible by cutting through A Bug’s Land; the side road leading to Cars Land passes right by the ride and lead […] Read more…
February 2001 – January 2018 LOCATION Paradise Pier – You could see the Fun Wheel from anywhere around paradise Bay, but the entrance was tricky to find. The easiest path to follow was the one on the right hand side; head toward the Silly Symphony Swings, and you’d see the sunken waiting area to the […] Read more…
Fantasyland has always been the most popular and well-known land within Disneyland. But since its debut in 1955, Fantasyland has changed dramatically, and is virtually unrecognizable from its original design. Walt Disney and the Imagineers were never completely happy with Fantasyland’s layout or theme, but with limited time and money, they set up Fantasyland with […] Read more…
January 1993 – March 2022 LOCATION Mickey’s Toontown – After crossing under the bridge and into Toontown, guests would follow the main path to the left. You’d find Gadget’s Go Coaster at the end of the main walkway, just after Donald’s Boat. BACKGROUND When Mickey’s Toontown debuted in 1993, Gadget’s Go Coaster was the land’s only operating […] Read more…
ANTICIPATING THE BIG DAY Source: Name Tag Museum Walt Disney began envisioning Disneyland when he visited amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930’s and 40’s. He noticed that those parks catered primarily to children, and imagined a park that would be as entertaining for adults as it would be for their kids. When he […] Read more…
THE RESORT WELCOMES A SECOND PARK In the beginning, Disney used the area now occupied by California Adventure as massive parking space for Disneyland. But as Disney World in Florida grew into multiple parks and became increasingly popular, Disney wanted to repeat this set up in California. So in 1991, Disney announced plans to launch […] Read more…
NEED FOR CHANGE Though California Adventure was a massively anticipated addition to the Disneyland Resort, its initial design and premise did not resonate with guests. The absence of Disney charm and characters combined with the lack of rides for children left guests unimpressed and disinterested in leaving the Disneyland section of the resort. After a […] Read more…
Source July 1967 – August 1995 LOCATION Tomorrowland – When entering from Main Street USA, guests would find the PeopleMover in the center, just beyond the Astro Orbitor. BACKGROUND When Tomorrowland was reintroduced as “New Tomorrowland” in 1967, the PeopleMover arrived as one of the brand new headliner rides. The ride, which transported guests around […] Read more…
October 2002 – September 2018 BACKGROUND When California Adventure opened in 2001, the area in the park now occupied by A Bug’s Land was part of the “Golden State” region of the park. The theater, which showed It’s Tough To Be A Bug! was the only A Bug’s Life themed attraction in the park, and […] Read more…
October 2002 – present LOCATION A Bug’s Land – When entering from Hollywood Land, you would find the puddle park in the rear, toward the Route 66 entrance to Cars Land. If you arrived through the main entrance to A Bug’s Land, you’d see the Puddle Park straight ahead, across from Flik’s Flyers. BACKGROUND In […] Read more…