Here's a pair of photos of the wonderful clock on the façade of "It's a Small World", back when that ride was brand-new to Disneyland (having opened there in May of 1966 after its two-year run at the New York World's Fair). Of course this wonderfully stylized façade was not at the Fair; judging from the amount of photo taken, it's pretty clear that it blew people's minds. Notice that the doors are just opening, as they do every quarter hour.
A second photo shows just a few of the wooden dolls that guests will see as the mechanical parade ensues. I have never noticed that the little jester (next to the 2) is not done in the "round head, round-dots-for-eyes" look of all the other dolls. Wonder why? Watching this mechanical clock is something that I'm sure every child remembers fondly.
I'm still away from home, but will be home soon! Thanks for checking in.
Beautiful, bright color . I’ve never heard an official name of this building ..... the main structure facade is listed on some blueprints and SMALL WORLD “PALACE” and the front structure is SMALL WORLD “PALACE CLOCK TOWER” another group refers to it as “FANTASY CLOCK TOWER”.
ReplyDeleteImagineers were brilliant to bring this feature to Disneyland - something almost entirely non- existent in the USA - a Clock Glockenspiel..... all over Europe - especially in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland crowds gather to watch elaborate battles , fables , religious and other historical events re-enacted in a parade of miniature figures - sometimes even animated perform every 15 minutes.
Some of my favorite things to see at Disneyland is the haunted mansion art gallery stretch , trains cross the Bear Country Trestle , the Tomorrowland Stage rise and lower and the Small World Clock parade!!!
I’m glad the Tower of the Four winds was not brought to Disneyland because was was built instead is so much more substantial and beautiful!!
ReplyDeletei agree with Mike. While I love the Tower of the Four Winds, it would not mesh well with that part of Disneyland - it was too tall and too different in style. It seems to me to be a better fit in the pre-1967 Tomorrowland. Rolly Crump has never been crazy about the final product anyway - engineering requirements forced the builders to make certain elements proportionally thicker than on the original design, altering the gossamer feeling he was going for.
ReplyDeleteThe Small World Clock parade is one of my favorite things to see, too, particularly when it's accompanied by a train rolling by.
Wow the Small World facade is so brand spanking new in these pics. To quote Shirley Temple (as she presented Walt with his special Oscar in 1939), "Isn't it bright and shiny!"
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Tower of the Four Winds could have been placed on top of the Carousel of Progress. Who cares if that would have made it visible all the way to the Indian Village!
TM!, I wonder if the two combined would have been taller than the Matterhorn?
ReplyDeleteChuck, the Matterhorn is 147 ft. tall, and the Tower of the Four Winds was 120 ft. tall. Would I be safe in assuming that the Carousel Theater Building is at least 27 ft. tall? If so, then the Tower of the Four Winds placed on top of it, would be at least as tall as the Matterhorn.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe Hans and Otto could’ve placed the Tower of the Four Winds on top of the Matterhorn??
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the Tomorrowland Stage rise but I will stop what I'm doing to watch the train over the Bear Country trestle. I've never been bothered by the music in Small World. I must not have that gene.
ReplyDeleteSue, you would need Hans and Franz to lift the Tower, I think.
Thanks Major
Zach
it’s a small world is truly a work of art, both inside and out. I bet the facade DID blow people’s minds.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the jester is meant to be wearing a funny mask.
Maybe I should rig up one of my clocks at home so that it plays the small world parade music every 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteOld enough that I still think of Small World as a new part of Disneyland. Or maybe it's the contrast -- the rest of the Fantasyland attractions are based on vintage animated features with period settings, while Small World's design still feels modern. At WDW, the indoor facade dated quickly, looking like a 70s airport. They eventually replaced with a sized-down version of the Disneyland original.
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember seeing the ride on "World of Color", along with the other World's Fair exhibits. Always felt a little cheated that the cavemen didn't find a spot in Anaheim.
Regarding the clock: I wonder if it's really functional, or whether somebody has to change at least the big hour signs manually.
I’m glad to see the facade reverted to the original white and gold, this is the best version of IASW. Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteThe Crump/ Blair collaboration was, is, and remains brilliant.
I’m with Mike, I love all of those things too, and the second drop in Pirates. An underground water roller coaster in pitch darkness, just amazing.
Cheers all, enjoy the holiday weekend, the most costly time-off in the calendar.
JG
JG, I LOVE the two drops in the Disneyland POTC, too!! Cool and refreshing tummy-ticklers!
ReplyDeleteThis clock always fascinated me as a kid. I do think that the mechanism inside functions by itself. Well, at least it looks like there's some rotating thingamajiggies in there.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the show still feels very contemporary, and definitely has that world's fair vibe to it. We were lucky to have such amazing shows relocated to the park.
The Small World clock tower is a functioning clock. The “TIC - TOC -TIC -TOC” is a recording. Into the 80’s the sound was made by two metal rods that would alternately lift and drop hitting wooden blocks next to speakers that amplified the TIC-TOC sound to the exterior area by various output speakers .It was taken out temporarily to make a recording for use at Tokyo Disneyland’s It’s A Small World. Shortly after a upper management tour was being given and the executives were shown the sound making mechanical set up ... one executive could not control his astonishment as to what was making the clock sound effect and blurted out a “ Holly F***!!!” ...... that was picked up by the speaker and broadcasted LIVE to hundreds of it’s A Small World guests. Pretty soon the mechanism was replaced with the same recording done for Tokyo Disneyland .
ReplyDeleteThe Small World Clock parade is one of my favorite things to see, too, particularly when it's accompanied by a train rolling by.
ReplyDeleteChuck, it's 'funny' you made this comment - as I'm pretty sure I sent Major a scan of that, in my last batch of slide scans...now I'm hoping it'll be one you like!
At WDW, the indoor facade dated quickly, looking like a 70s airport. They eventually replaced with a sized-down version of the Disneyland original.
DBenson, even that replacement version is awfully LAME, in my opinion. WDW got "short-changed," when it comes to their version of IASW. (And WDW got short-changed with only one POTC "drop.")
Andrew, thanks for adding the music link. Puts me in a Disneyland vacation mood!
Fun comments from all!
Today was not a Snoozer Sunday, that's for sure, especially with that last comment from Mike! Mike, if anyone else told that story, I would never have believed them! But we believe YOU!
Major, hope you're enjoying your holiday weekend! You sure are trusting, to let the "inmates run the asylum"! <;o)
I was used to the single drop in WDW’s Pirates, so when I finally got to Disneyland the second drop took me completely by surprise, in a most delightful way.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in charge, I would relocate WDW’s it’s a small world to the old Odyssey restaurant building in EPCOT, which sat empty and unused for years and is now being used as a preview center. It would have its own pretty little body of water around it like a moat, there would be plenty of room to build both a facade to rival Disneyland’s AND an indoor queue to accommodate Florida weather, and it would be a perfect thematic fit sitting at the entrance to World Showcase. This would also create space to move Frozen Ever After to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom where it belongs, and return the Norway pavilion back to being all about Norway.
Melissa, like I said the other day, "I wish you were in charge!"
ReplyDeleteI’d probably go mad with power. MAD, I tell you!
ReplyDelete