Spirit of America Room at It's a Small World

Hello! I'm excited to present a new way of viewing some of the content that is written on the website.
I love, love, love to read and long bodies of text with little to few images are A-okay with me.
However, I know that is not for all. So, I'm conducting a test, a way to show some interesting fun facts about the rides in a interactive zoom in kinda way. It's great for those visual people and for those who just want the fun facts thrown out there. Please, please, please let me know what you think!

It's A Small World

Opening Day:

It's A Small World opened on May 28, 1966. Walt joined children representing 16 ethnic groups to pour waters from around the world (the seven seas and nine major lagoons). International Children’s Choir of Long Beach along with local folk dance groups were also in attendance. The event was known as “Operation water”, a great marketing event by publicist Jack Linguist. 

Casey Jr. Circus Train

Casey Jr. was one original ride that wasn't opened to the public (although it appeared so on T.V.) on opening day. It didn’t start chugging along until July 31, 1955. Casey Jr. was first conceptualized as a "high speed" ride but because it could result in jumping the tracks, the idea was nixed.

(Side story: I have known a few cast members in my day, and I have it on good authority that this actually is a fear for Disney. Conductors are taught to slow down during the bottom loop as you come around the curve. )

Instead, Casey Jr. was engineered as a “B’ ticket ride that would chug along the tracks. The 3 minute 30 second ride didn’t have much to look at in its first year. It wasn’t until Disney installed the miniature scenes in September 1956 that it could be described as “scenic”.

If you listen closely as it goes up the last hill near Cinderella’s castle you can hear Casey hissing “I think I can” and as he goes down the hill “I knew I could”.

On aboard!

Peter Pan's Flight

        For years the sign said "Peter Pan Flight" but all knew what they meant. Although this was suppose to be a "C" ticket attraction it was and still is quite popular. No matter what time of the year you visit the park this ride always has a line. The ride is only about 3 minutes or so, but the loading and unloading can be a bit clumsy.
     Your vehicle for this ride is a flying pirate ship hanging from a ceiling track above. Your ship breezes you through the Darling's nursery , above the city lights of London, and of course Neverland. Although you are in the nursery for only about 4 seconds keep a watchful lookout at the blocks on the floor. They normally say "Peter Pan" or "Disney"; however, the cast members CAN and WILL rearrange from time to time. As you go through London look carefully at Big Ben, you will be able to find a full silhouette of  Mickey in one of the faces of the clock. The pirate ship of Neverland, that used to be a part of a restaurant in the first two decades or so. In the Fantasyland remodel of 1983, the ship was broken down, used in the new attraction and actual figures of Pan and the others were installed in the ride.
     My personal have, "the Mermaid Lagoon, sigh, underneath the Magic Moon." This can be found at the end of the ride.
More updates to come.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Well, I WAS going to put a great picture I have of Mr. Toad but I guess it's on my 'CRASHED" computer. ARG!!!
        Sorry- let's begin. This ride is located on the east side of Fantasyland next to Peter Pan's Flight (aka Peter Pan Flight). The two minute trip takes you through the story of Mr. Toad, the story can be found in the 1949 cartoon collection of The Wind in the Willows. However, unlike the cartoon (I won't spoil it for you)  the ending is very warm and twisted; I don't mean sweet, I mean physically warm.
    According to Stodder, the original souvenir books carried this description  for the ride, "the hilarious misadventures of Mr. Toad in Fantasyland bring fun and laughter to everyone - a hilarious adventure for the young in heart of all ages". I found a great little post on the Souvenir picture book , 1976, its a bit tongue and cheeky ...I LIKE IT!
Click here to read it. Snagged the picture below from the post... just great. As a Catholic school girl (don't judge) it makes me laugh.

This "C" ticket ride continues to be a favorite in Fantasyland and is safe for now.

   Cars were named after key players :Mr. Toad, Ratty, Moley, MacBadger, Weasel, Winky and Cyril the horse.  The true names of the cars: Toady, Ratty, Cyril, Winky, MacBadger, Weasel Moley, and Winky. Some are names are duplicated - more cars than names.
   Disneyland is lucky to still have it, the ride at Walt Disney World was replaced with Winnie the Pooh.... uh, don't get me started on THAT ride.
Did you know:
    Alice in Wonderland is part of the same building, part of the Alice ride is on the 2nd floor above Toad...interesting.
Updates to come.

Snow White's Scary Adventures

     I’ll be honest, I wasn’t alive for the opening in 1955, heck, I wasn’t even alive for the “new” Fantasyland in 1983. So my idea of scary is what my little peepers saw the first time I RECALL going on Snow White. Man oh man, was the witch SCARY! The worst part was I always felt like I got the seat next to the Evil Queen during the transformation scene. Even though my earliest memories of Snow White were somewhat terrifying I always found the courage (or coaxing) to go on it again. But after reading through some Ah-mazing detailed descriptions of the ride circa  1955-65, my "version" of the ride seems like a walk in the park. I have scrutinized over some great blogs including Daveland, KenNetti, Filmic Light, as well as such books as Disney: A to Z, The Disneyland Encyclopedia, and Through the Looking Glass; a big THANK YOU to them for having done so much ground work on this ride.
         Update to this post will come as soon as I can shrink all the information (it's a beast). In the meantime, check out the blogs above, and for those who want the "Hi-Ho-hum"  description of the ride, here it is, from the Disneyland website:

 "The 2-minute tour takes you to the merry cottage of the Seven Dwarfs and through mines filled with glowing gemstones. Soon, your mine-cart vehicle is spirited away to spookier locations. Proceed with caution to the dark and haunted forest, the Queen's sorcery chamber, skeleton-filled dungeons and dangerous storm-swept cliffs."

Check back for updates!

         

Fantasyland Dedication

How fitting to start with it's official opening.