I talk a lot about hidden gems on this blog (it’s my favorite subject!), but there may be none as hyper-specific than the topic of today’s post. This is the kind of hidden gem that if you spot it and point it out to your family, they’ll probably be confused and…not that interested. But if you’re like me and the Dis-nerdier the better, this one’s for you.
Head over to Tomorrowland, along the Autopia fence line, walking toward the lagoon. When the fence turns sharply at the lagoon rocks, you’ll see there are three different fences clustered together.
This spot is known as the “three fences”. It’s one of the few places in the park that shows the subtle changes that come with the passage of time. The white and light blue piece dates from 1959, installed when the Matterhorn and Submarine Voyage joined the Disneyland lineup. The solid light blue piece dates from the 80s, when much of this area was still considered part of Fantasyland and the fencing needed to match the color scheme. And the dark blue piece dates from 1999, when Fantasyland Autopia finally merged with Tomorrowland Autopia to create a singular attraction.
It’s pretty cool to see how a singular spot’s look and feel transformed over time, adapting to surrounding attractions and lands as they developed. It’s the closest thing Disneyland has to a time machine!