Disneyland was Walt Disney’s biggest dream, and was also his most complicated and expensive project. Though Walt always envisioned a park completely independently owned and operated by Disney, he unfortunately couldn’t afford to do that right from the beginning. To offset the cost of building the park, Disney hosted a number of sponsored attractions and […] Read more…
Source: Disney By Mark July 1955 – September 1966 LOCATION Tomorrowland – The Space Bar sat in the rear of Tomorrowland, to the right of Autopia. Today, this area is part of Tomorrowland’s huge circular building, home to Innoventions and the Star Wars Launch Bay. EXPERIENCE Details: Service Type – quick service Seating – adjacent […] Read more…
Source: Photo Bucket July 1955 – July 1965 LOCATION Main Street USA – The Red Wagon Inn sat at the busiest corner of Main Street USA, between the end of the street and the entrance to Tomorrowland. Guests standing at the central hub, facing the castle, would find the restaurant on the right-hand side of […] Read more…
Source: Static Flickr May 1956 – July 2003 LOCATION Frontierland – Fort Wilderness was the headline attraction on Tom Sawyer Island, located in the middle of the Rivers of America. To reach the island, guests boarded rafts on the Frontierland shoreline. Once on the island, the fort could be found on the western side of […] Read more…
You’ve seen it a million times, even if you’re not a Disney fan. Sleeping Beauty Castle is one of the most recognizable buildings in the United States, if not the world. And this fairytale home is not so magical by mistake; it was carefully designed and constructed to transport guests into a fantasy world, completely […] Read more…
Source: Farm 4 April 1990 – January 2012 LOCATION Main Street USA – The Blue Ribbon Bakery stood at the center intersection of Main Street, on the western side. Today, this space is the check-in area and indoor dining room of the Carnation Café. In 1997, the shop moved down the street, to Jolly Holiday‘s […] Read more…
If you ever took the time to explore A Bug’s Land, you may have noticed the amazing use of forced perspective in this area of the park. A Bug’s Land shrunk you to the size of an ant; so that the grass and clovers towered above you, and the cast of A Bug’s Life was suddenly your […] Read more…
January 2001 – April 2023 LOCATION Downtown Disney – Catal sat at the center of Downtown Disney, across from its sister restaurant, facing the central plaza. To find this quiet dining spot, you would head toward the outdoor Uva Bar. Catal was on the corner nearby, next to Marceline’s Confectionary. EXPERIENCE Catal was a Mediterranean-inspired […] Read more…
Source: TWIMG July 1978 – September 1983 LOCATION Main Street USA – The American Egg House sat at the corner of Main Street USA, between the Disney Showcase gift shop and the Mad Hatter shop. Today, this structure is part of the expanded Showcase (the Egg house was in the building with the second floor […] Read more…
The Court of Angels opened as part of New Orleans Square in 1966. This hidden gem was actually one of the last features Walt Disney designed before his death. For over 40 years, the Court was a popular spot for family photos, engagements, and even occasional character meet & greets, but most of the time […] Read more…
Source: Mouse Planet August 1956 – April 2012 LOCATION Main Street USA – The Carnation Plaza Gardens stood at the end of Main Street, to the left of the castle. Guests could reach the gardens by taking a path off the central hub, over a small footbridge. BACKGROUND As Disneyland settled in as one of […] Read more…
Source: Static Flickr June 1962 – April 1993 LOCATION Adventureland – Tahitian Terrace was tucked deep into the jungles of Adventureland, along the river. The terrace entrance sat next to the exit to the Enchanted Tiki Room, in the space now occupied by Aladdin’s Oasis. BACKGROUND The Enchanted Tiki Room was one of Disneyland’s first […] Read more…
Source: Jim Hill Media March 1991 – November 1991 LOCATION Fantasyland – The Rescue Rangers Raceway was a specially revamped version of Fantasyland Autopia. The track wove through the northeastern corner of Fantasyland, a space which is now partly used as the It’s A Small World plaza and partly used for the current Autopia track. […] Read more…
November 2012 – June 2018 LOCATION Downtown Disney – The Earl of Sandwich sat at the tail end of Downtown Disney, near the Disneyland Hotel. To find this restaurant, guests walked toward the opposite end of Downtown Disney from the parks. The restaurant overlooked the ESPN Zone at the end of the district. EXPERIENCE The […] Read more…