Toontown Panoramas and More (July 1)
Today's panoramas come courtesy of the Dream Team... you know who they are! Irene, Bruce, and James. We've seen some wonderful panoramas (taken with a special film camera) before, and these are the last of those (though not the last of the photos from the Team).
The first three feature Toontown, and I believe that the photos were taken shortly after that land debuted (on January 24th, 1993). It's hard to grok that Toontown has been around over 27 years now! I've always like the idea of Toontown, though there's not much to do back there. "Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin" is an excellent dark ride, though. Here's the City Hall, looking 200% wackier than anything that appeared in a Disney short cartoon.
Donald Duck must have built his house all by himself. Those plans are so confusing to read! But the seagull on the chimney approves. And Donald can walk along the "widow's walk" on the tower and observe the ships coming in. Never mind that the ocean is 20 miles away, Donald has exceptional eyesight. "Ship ahoy!" he exclaims, quackily.
The next two photos feature the Omnibus, loaded up with various Disney animated characters for an unknown parade. Up top we can see Dopey, and maybe Belle's yellow gown, Chip, Dale, Max and his father Goofy. On the lower level we can see Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Pluto (nearly lost in the shadows).
I can't tell if this photo was taken when the characters were boarding the Omnibus, or if they were exiting the vehicle. Maybe there was no parade? It's possible the character-filled Omnibus just drove around for a fun photo opportunity.
And finally, here's a lovely shot looking down on the Rivers of America, with the Colombia in Fowler's Harbor (as usual), Tom Sawyer Island (dead center), and the Mark Twain next to Big Thunder's "hoodoos". The trees look pretty magnificent. Wouldn't you like to be at the park on that day?
MANY THANKS to the Dream Team!
20 comments:
I like the whimsical architecture of Toontown. And I can appreciate the difficulty of designing and building all those non 90 degree angles. But like you said, Major, there's not much to do there, at least for anyone over the age of six (or so). Still, I suppose it's worth a stroll through, just to see what it feels like to be in a cartoon.
That's a beautiful view of the ROA, even with the Fantasmic stage and the hoodoos.
Thanks to Irene and the Dream Team for the images, and thanks to Major P. for posting them for us to see.
- Just Barfed (from eating all of Sunday's Halloween candy) This is the last of the nicknames; I promise. Of course, the various holidays are coming up...
Toontown always seemed kind of "tacked on" to the rest of the park, to me, since they didn't bother to put a new berm around it. I know they thought they could get away with it by placing those painted "flats" of buildings and hills, behind the land. But I think they look cheap....especially after the sun has faded them. Tokyo Disneyland's Toontown was given a berm with trees, so it doesn't feel "tacked on" like Anaheim's.
Major, that's Goofy's house, not Donald's! It used to be a "bounce house" for kids, but now it's nothing but an empty structure to walk through. Donald has a boat on the other side of Goofy's house, but most of it's features have been stripped away, as well. And then the same was done with Chip and Dale's treehouse.
I do like Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin a lot, but I wish they had left just that, and bulldozed the rest of Toon Town for Wookie World. It would have been better than truncating the Rivers of America, bulldozing the back end of Tom Sawyer Island, rerouting the train, and cutting down all of those trees in Frontierland. Oh well. They didn't ask for my opinion!
Thank you Irene, Dream Team, and Major!
- Turkey Magic!
Panoramic pictures are the best! These are terrific - thank you, Irene (Dream Team) and Major!
- Lou and Sue and pumpkin pie, too!
Toontown was a great concept, and it really was a fun place for young kids before the lawyers got a hold of it and the crowds got too dense and various features kept getting stripped away.
I remember reading somewhere (maybe in Steve DeGaetano’s book, or possibly the National Enquirer) that Toontown’s station was explicitly modeled on the Frontierland depot.
There seem to be a lot of shorts and short-sleeved shirts for this to be January, but it got up to 79 degrees Fahrenheit in Anaheim on January 24th, 1993 and stayed in the 70s most of that week, peaking at 81.9 on the 26th.
Thanks again, Dream Team!
Ahhh…Toontown…after my time, but I did visit once, and once was quite enough. Looked like another plastic cheaply put together Eisner abombination…but the little kiddies enjoyed it, so all good! I honestly thought it was a temporary “pop up” land. Guess it was on purpose. I did go on the Rabbit ride, but don’t remember it…I remember faded plastic and kind of a “play school toy/Mall play area” covered with little kid DNA that I really didn’t want to interact with. There is some new high tech thing coming which may give the land some street cred, but of all the amazing things to build…you do that? It would been better as a place to put Fantasmic without ruining the night time experience along the rivers of America. Those “tube” things look like the decorations that were put up on Main St. for Blast to the Past. They probably are. The tubes ran all over the buildings, going into windows and over the tops of facades. Our supervisor at the time said that they were “testing out” the decor. The test never went away. It was weird, and I think was supposed to emulate neon (?). I don’t know…Blast to the past was actually kind of cool with many fun things attached like fuzzy dice and hula hoops. I would have rather had the American Gazette Parade run forever …but guests were now spoiled with prizes from the “Guest Grabber Extrordinaire”…I forget what the bigger prizes were, but there were fuzzy dice all over the place! Thanks for the pano-photos!! That is the first time I’ve seen the river with it’s Fantasmic thing going on. Hmmmm….
These are great photos of Toontown, which is somewhat under documented, for all the reasons cited, and then some.
We visited with the kids when it and they were new, but on the last trip (2015) all we did was the Rabbit Ride, which is decent and has a nice pre-show queue. It was a walk-on. The land is under-interesting, no good food, and no shade. No reason to go there, but it does siphon off some of the SUV strollers. Maybe the forthcoming whizz-bang coaster will help.
That last shot of the River is quite fine, even with the Fantasmic carbuncle on our beloved TSI.
Thanks Major and the Dream Team!
Although I've never been to this Toontown, I went to the WDW version (first Mickey's Birthday Land and then renamed Mickey's Toontown Fair) My daughter was five when we went and she really liked it, although there was much less to do than in the west coast version. You pretty much met Mickey, and went through some little houses. Goofy's Barnstormer was there (the shortest coaster ever devised by man, I'm sure) Donald did have a very leaky boat as a splash zone, which was kind of fun (water cannons anyone?) Of course it all went away with the Fantasyland expansion, and few, if any, people regret the change (they actually did a good job on that). Goofy's Barnstormer is now rethemed as The Barnstormer Starring The Great Goofini to tie in with the circus section. It's still about as long as sliding down a slide. I guess little kids can't handle long rides? By the way, The Seven Dwarves Mine Train is a fairly small coaster, but the swinging cars and zippy track make it pretty fun!
Ok. I've rambled on enough...
Thanks, Dream Team!
I like Mickey's Toontown. The architecture is fun and there are lots of gags throughout the area. It's a fun place to explore and then there's "Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin. With the future addition of "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway", there will be another reason to visit Mickey's Toontown.
The problem with the Rivers of America panoramic shot is that ugly Fantasmic! stage. Otherwise the rest of it is beautiful.
Thanks Dream Team! Thank you too, Major.
Oh, and that's a great shot of Goofy's son Max on the Omnibus! I always liked that character from "Goof Troop".
Toontown was OK for a few times, but a just a walk through after that. I have to say, I did invest in quite a few Tail Wagger Specials from Plutos hot dog stand.
Thanks Major.
JB, I like the idea of Toontown more than the reality, I think. Again, it’s more to do with the fact that crazy architecture like that is more of a Fleischer style. Only the very earliest Disney cartoons were kooky at all… it didn’t take long for them to start being as “realistic” as possible, until the UPA style kicked in around the 1950s. I’m sorry you barfed!
TokyoMagic!, I totally agree, and I also had a faint hope that they would somehow keep the Car Toon Spin and tear the rest down for Star Wars Land. There’s just so little to do back there, AND they close it early. Thanks for the correction, as soon as you said that Donald’s house was a boat, I said to myself, “I knew that!”. And yet… I still got it wrong. Goes to show just how little time I’ve spent in Toontown; I literally walk in, do the Roger Rabbit ride, and then I leave. I know many people love to go to Mickey’s house (and Minnie has a house too?), but that has never really interested me.
Lou and Sue, not only do we get the panoramic views, but it seems like the lens quality was better than most of those other disposable cameras. Are you going to keep on with the nicknames, only with a Thanksgiving spin? I admire your moxie!
Chuck, when they stopped running the trolley I knew that it wasn’t going to go well for Toontown. Look at all the extra goodies that they used to have on Buena Vista Street - tons of street performers to interact and enrich the experience. All long gone now, as far as I am aware. I must have read that bit about Toontown Station being based on Frontierland Station in Steve’s book, but didn’t consciously remember it. Yes, we have had hot Januarys, and hot Christmases, it’s a bummer! I like a little cold weather to interrupt our months and months of heat.
Bu, maybe Toontown would have been better if it looked a little more sinister. It is so bright and colorful, and I get it, it’s supposed to be based on cartoons, but maybe they could have used a bit more of that “noir” quality, since “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” was a sort of film noir pastiche. I think Fantasmic works on the river, but I hate what it did to Frontierland, we’ll be stuck with that forever. It’s never going to go away, if anything they’ll just change the show. Maybe you’re right about the Blast to the Past tubes, I didn’t know anything about them until a recent post on Facebook (or is it “Meta” now?). I know people have fond memories of “Blast”.
JG, there are a few more Dream Team Toontown photos to come, though (I hate to even say it) I am probably through around 3/4 of that batch of photos. Nooooo! I fully expect small children to love Toontown, it really was built for them. And I suppose that if you have a small child or two, it might be enough to see the delight on their faces. But if you’re an adult without kids, Toontown is not the place for you. I remember when there was a ball pit at one of the houses (Goofy’s?), until people realize that those plastic balls were magnets for all kinds of foul goo. Is Goofy’s Barnstormer that little coaster that goes around in a circle? LAME!
K. Martinez, Toontown is fun the first time you go through it, but once you’ve seen the gags, (and every time after that), it is a case of diminishing returns. For me anyway. But I am glad that people love it, and if you love it, that’s awesome! I guess I’m just a mean old fart, ha ha. Yes, that Fantasmic stage is a disgrace, but what can you do.
K. Martinez, I never saw “Goof Troop”, but I did like “A Goofy Movie”!
DrGoat, “Tail Wagger Specials”, I can’t help picturing hot dogs with TAILS!
Major-
When panoramic views look like these, they really are great. Mickey's Toontown was interesting on the first visit, and when Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin finally opened over one year later-! (yes, there was so much to do that first year...) that helped. But unless you're 'a little kiddie' [or think like one], it's kinda a 'one and done' place. Hey - just like Fantasmic!... with apologies to - whoever.
Thanks to The Dream Team.
Besides being short, the cars for Goofy's Barnstormer/Great Goofini are difficult for grown-ups to get in and out of. I went to WDW with my parents (one a little older than 70, the other a little younger) and the boarding and unloading process was difficult to say the least. There probably should be a warning about that at the entrance to the queue.
Major, the coaster in the Disneyland ToonTown is called Gadget's Go Coaster. I don't know who Gadget is/was, I think a character from "Afternoon avenue" or something like that.
It's a cute kid coaster, not scary or fast for an adult, but good thrills for the tiny ones. It is a long wait because there is only one train. It's much like the little portable ones you would see at the County Fair.
I rode it once with my toddlers, but the only reason I recall this much is from watching Fresh Baked videos, that blogger likes the ride.
I'm all for the "idea" of Toontown, little ones need a place geared to their needs, and much of Disneyland is now tending to be more and more "adult", loud, scary, fast. But Toontown is a long way from filling the need, IMHO.
JG
JG
Ha, I signed that post twice, to make up for not signing the earlier post.
JG
TokyoMagic!, I kept waiting for your trademarked "They ruin everything" while reading your comment. But I guess it was implied throughout.
Wow, I didn't know that they gutted most of the Toontown structures over time. Now there's even less to do there than I thought.
"Turkey Magic!", "Lou and Sue and pumpkin pie, too!" ... and so it begins. (sigh)
Seems to me, the very concept of Toontown is the antithesis of why Walt built Disneyland in the first place; a place where adults and kids can have fun together. Sure, there's a certain amount of joy to be had in standing around, watching your kids have fun. But you can do that in any park with a playground.
Bu, "...covered with little kid DNA that I really didn’t want to interact with", haha! So funny, because it's so true.
JG, "...it does siphon off some of the SUV strollers", I hadn't thought of that. I guess that justifies Toontown's existence ... almost.
- Just Barfed
I remember the excitement of Toon Town opening. Everything was so fresh and cute. Now it's not so fresh anymore and even that Trolley that went up and down the street is gone. Of course Bruce was very happy that they were devoting a land to something from his favorite cartoon - Toon Town from Roger Rabbit and a ride devoted to him! But slowly over the years everything has faded both literally and figuratively. Perhaps with the addition of Mickey's Run A Way Railroad things will once again perk up. It is apparently very popular back at Hollywood Studios and some vloggers that I follow just love it. I always did like panoramic shots. I have that feature on my Sony Camera but I seldom take photos anymore.
That last picture is breathtaking! It really brings home how much the Imagineers were able to fit into a relatively small area.
I bet Donald's house started out perfectly straight, but he hit the ceiling so many times it went all whopperjawed.
I recently read that while the Barnstormer is a short ride, it goes at the exact same speed as Space Mountain.
And didn't I see somewhere that they're cloning Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway in Toontown? I haven't seen the Florida version in person yet, but I've really enjoyed the videos I've seen (as sad as it was to see The Great Movie Ride go).
Big thanks to the Dream Team!
Nanook, I remember being sort of vaguely intrigued by what Toontown could be, but it turned out to be mostly aimed at kiddies. Couldn’t they have made it suitable for kids AND adults? Sort of like Storybook Land or so many other Fantasyland attractions that work on both levels. Sadly, it was easier and cheaper to just make kid-friendly areas.
Dean Finder, I didn’t even think that grownups could fit in Goofy’s Barnstormer at all! I thought it was strictly for the 10 and under crowd. I agree, they should definitely warn guests that the cars are not built for normal sized adults.
JG, I think Gadget was from Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers, a show that I have never seen. And you’re right, the ride in Disneyland does go by that name. What can I say, I’m no Toontown expert! I guess I wish that Toontown had some rides that were suitable for kids, but also worked for adults. Like I said to Nanook, Storybook Land is a perfect example. Charming for all ages.
JG, I guess I will somehow find it in my heart to forgive you.
JB, I think that “They ruin everything” can always be assumed when TM writes a comment. I’m sure a lot more stuff was removed from Toontown than I realized, and it doesn’t surprise me. Why spend money maintaining something when you can just tear it out? The true fans won’t care. I was reluctant to invoke Walt’s name, but I agree, he wanted a place where parents and kids could have fun together. “Little kid DNA”, and WORSE stuff than that, oog.
Irene, you have some photos (did I already share them? I forget) that were from Toontown’s opening. It’s always a bummer to see faded, peeling paint anywhere in the park, I remember that hillside painted “flat” looked disgraceful when it got super faded. I forgot about Mickey’s Run A Way Railroad, and have watched videos of it. It looks good! More of that kind of thing, please!
Melissa, another thing I love about that last picture is the beautiful “forest”, my buddy Mr. X has been so distressed ever since they removed some of the large trees that block out certain things from the outside (like the Mickey and Friends parking structure). I figured Donald built his own house because they established that he was unable to follow blueprints in one of the classic shorts.
Melissa, I’ve never thought that Space Mountain was that fast as roller coasters go, but it felt faster being in the dark. And of course there are the fun effects to enjoy. I do love that ride! Yes, as far as I know, Anaheim will be getting the Runaway Railway too; in fact I assumed that it was already there and running, but I guess it isn’t ready yet.
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