Parks & Resorts Archives - Page 14 of 29

Q : There has been an ongoing conversation (argument, really) with friends and family, in regard to what “lands” the Matterhorn and “it’s a small world” belong to in Disneyland. Is the Matterhorn a part of Fantasyland? Or Tomorrowland? Or is it on the borderline between both lands as a stand-alone attraction?

Leo, Santa Maria, California

A: The Matterhorn Bobsleds are officially a part of Fantasyland, as is “it’s a small world.”

photo of figure from Carousel of Progress at the 1964 New York World's Fair

Q : Where can I find the 1960s version of Carousel of Progress? Are there any soundtracks or DVDs available anymore?

Ethan, Agawam, Massachusetts

A: There was a souvenir record released in 1968 as Disneyland record DL-599: General Electric Carousel of Progress: Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, including a medley of Disney tunes, but no soundtrack album. There are also CD sets Walt Disney and the 1964 World’s Fair and A Musical History of Disneyland, which include material from the show.

Q : Are the first three scenes in the Carousel of Progress the same today as they were for the 1964 World’s Fair? If not, are there pictures of those first three scenes as they were originally composed?

Tim, Cordova, Tennessee

A: It is primarily the last scene that has been updated; the first three scenes have remained about the same, though with some tweaks over the years. Some photos can be found online.

Q : It has been passed down through my family that Uncle Orville in Carousel of Progress was named after a family member who worked at GE. He would be my great, great uncle. Do you have any information if the character was indeed named after a person who worked with GE?

Jason, Edmond, Oklahoma

A: There is no evidence that the character was named for a real person.

Q : Do you know if the Walt Disney Archives, or perhaps some backstage area at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, has any recognizable parts of former Monorail generations? I read somewhere that Bob Gurr has a Mark I Monorail red door.

Robert, Kissimmee, Florida

A: I went to former Imagineer Bob Gurr with your question. He responds that Walt Disney World had a display case with a front left door from a yellow Disneyland Mark I Monorail. Bob has a red panel from a Mark I; it is currently on display in Walt’s barn at the Los Angeles Live Steamers area in Griffith Park, and previously had been shown at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. Bob also has two panels from the Mark I blue Monorail.

Q : I remember seeing Patti Page at Disneyland, I believe it was in Tomorrowland. I believe in was the late 1960s. Do you know the exact date or any details?

Melissa, Yucaipa, California

A: We are aware of Patti Page visiting Disneyland on September 6, 1960, and again in the summer of 1968 when she was photographed with Goofy and Pluto. Click here.

Q : When I was 14, I was a member of a song-and-dance troupe called The East End Kids. We traveled to France and performed at what was then called EuroDisney. This was in 1993. While I was home for the holidays visiting my parents, I found a certificate and a T-shirt I received from Disney with the title of “Journes Musicales Magiques” on it. Does Disney still sponsor these programs that help send teenagers to perform at their parks, both national and internationally, but are not technically employed by the Disney Company? We were an independent organization located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but contracted through Disney to perform abroad. It was an amazing experience for me and I was just curious.

Liza Marie, Brooklyn, New York

A: These popular programs are still going on—at the U.S. Disney parks, they are known as Magic Music Days.

Q : Back in the 1980s, Disneyland offered for purchase a lifetime pass for senior citizens. Is this true?

Donald, Huntington Beach, California

A: No, Disneyland has never offered a lifetime pass.

Q : What did Disney do with the old character costumes the performers would wear at the Disney parks?

Avi, Irvine, California

A: The Walt Disney Archives has some, and the costuming departments at the parks have saved some of their own costumes.

Q : Why was the Hatbox Ghost removed from the Haunted Mansion ride, and where is it now?

Avi, Irvine, California

A: Supposedly the special effect never worked well enough. His current location has never come to light, which means that most likely he was destroyed. [An all-new Hatbox Ghost was introduced to the Haunted Mansion in May 2015.]