New Fantasyland, September 1983
It's always a good day when I can share photos from LOU AND SUE! These are from 1983, when the "New Fantasyland" was truly new.
Whew, it's a busy day. i wonder if the photos were actually taken in August? Or maybe it was just a Saturday. Either way, you know that the lines will be long. Might as well deal with it! I'm so used to the striped tent over the Carrousel that it's strange to see it like this. In the distance, a pale yellow Skyway gondola swings wildly. Darn kids!
Lou must have been suitably impressed with the sheer level of architectural details - the different kinds of shingles, the various weather vanes, and even the hand-painted decorations that give some of the buildings that "old world" folk-art feeling.
I wish I had a more vivid memory of the first time I saw this New Fantasyland... but I don't. It's hard to get over the loss of Skull Rock and the old Pirate Ship, but my gosh, they did a beautiful job on everything else. This is Tokyo Disneyland-level stuff (the ultimate compliment!).
Sure, this photo is very much like the last one, but I'll bet you are OK seeing it!
The next three feature the It's a Small World façade. I'm not sure if this was the first ride from Disney that made the outside of the attraction so interesting that waiting in line might not be quite the drag that it could be. Take a look at the numbers to the right of the smiling clock face... one of them is missing! Next to the 7 and 4, there should be an "8". Take a look HERE!
I'm sure you all noticed the addition of shades of blue to the usual white and gold. I think they should have just painted the whole thing battleship-gray and been done with it.
Here's an unusual angle looking at part of the queue, as well as some of the distant sections of the façade. Notice the sign to the extreme right for the "Photo Spot" - those were still a thing. I've always kind of liked how the line went over the waterway, giving you a nice view from up there.
MANY thanks to Lou and Sue!
34 comments:
Major-
'They' did indeed, do a beautiful job on the new facades. I was awfully smitten with them right from Day One. (Somehow the first image is seen here flopped).
As for that missing "8" - it's on-loan to Santa's reindeers.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
#1- So, when did the Carousel canopy get the medallion design that we saw the other day? I thought it was for the new Fantasyland. Looks like all the horses have already been painted white.
#2- it looks like there's a deflated red Mickey balloon in the tree in front of the turret roof.
I miss the old Medieval Fair façades but wow, these new fronts look fantastic. They give a different look and feel to Fantasyland. I suppose each style has its pros and cons; apples and oranges.
It looks like, by 1983, strollers have already begun to "be fruitful and multiply" and overrun the Park.
In the Small World photos, I like those white umbrellas with blue and metallic gold trim. I guess they tie in with the newly-painted façade.
Do you suppose someone snatched that numeral 8? Maybe the Grinch took it back to his workshop because it only lit up on one side.
Nanook, I didn't notice that #1 was mirrored. After looking closely, I see that the word "Thank you" is indeed backwards on the trashcan. And of course, the mouse ear balloons are flipped. ;-)
These are extra nice photos from Lou. And thanks to Sue and Major for bringing them to us.
New Fantasyland was indeed beautiful! It felt like it’s construction took forever , but it was worth the wait. The Preview Center on Main Street featured several updates on the New Fantasyland progressed …. But the Discovery Bay & Dumbo Circus model was removed and a Tokyo Disneyland display went in with pre opening merchandise from the Tokyo DL preview center in Japan and all the Discovery Bay artwork was replaced with a large framed souvenir style map of Tokyo Disneyland. Never again did the preview center concepts for future developments …. Only models and artwork for projects under construction. Splash Mountain being the last.
I know I’ve mentioned this before but Disneyland’s new Fantasyland was made possible by the architectural molds being made for World Showcase at Epcot Center. While working on some fantasyland related projects at WDI years ago , documentation control had printed up blueprint sets of 1983 New Fantasyland to use as reference : in amazement were the plans and details that had been drawn up and planned , but canceled during construction because of budget overruns … some of the details included a Peter Pan Statue , a prop Stromboli Puppet wagon ( a scenic prop - not the merchandise cart added later) , an abandoned “gypsy cart” between Mad Hatter and Toad Hall….. an elaborated animated wooded marquee at Ghepetto’s and an elaborate entry topiary for the Mad Tea Party. I can guarantee that had any of these details had actually been fabricated, they would have long since been removed by now to make way for merch carts and “Wookiee World”.
Now, after having the missing "8" pointed out, I have the Schoolhouse Rock song, "Figure Eight" (by Blossom Dearie), playing in my head. Coco Peru would say, "It's the demons!"
Mike, I remember seeing the artwork for the New Fantasyland in the Preview Center on Main St. They were also featured in Disney News and Vacationland Magazines. I remember being excited about the New Fantasyland, with the exception of the fact that Captain Hook's Pirate Ship and Skull Rock, were being removed. I STILL think they could have stuck Dumbo in the meadow, to the left of IASW, even if they weren't going to go ahead with the plans for Circusland/Dumbo Circus back there.
I remember that Peter Pan statue that was shown in front of the attraction, in the artwork. I also remember the New Fantasyland artwork showed what looked like marionettes dancing the can-can, above the entrance to Pinocchio's Daring Journey. It's always disappointing when they show us one thing in concept art, but then it isn't in the finished product because of "budget cuts." They even ruin things, before they finish building them!
I forgot to thank Lou, Sue and the Major, too. These New Fantasyland and Blue Small World photos are wonderful!
Oh, and Major, they eventually reversed the entrance and exit for IASW. Today, the guests exit over that bridge and go directly into the "shop at the exit." Although, I think if you are paying attention, you can bypass the shop. But how many guests at DL are actually paying attention?
I love that little pavilion-like “porch” that extends out in front of the right side of the Peter Pan facade. It reminds me of pavilions located in the market squares of market towns in England (which I’m willing to bet was an architectural inspiration).
The numeral on the it’s a small world clock went missing after Dick Van Patten’s visit on August 3rd, 1983. He was overwhelmed by the amount of souvenirs available and was having a hard time deciding what to take home with him as a memento. In the end, he decided that an “8” was enough.
JB, the medallion design was added around 1976 and basically copied the design used at that time at WDW’s Magic Kingdom.
Number 8 is missing, and so is the flag on the upper left side triangle of Clock Face. The maintenance log for this facade must be something to see, all the gadgets and gizmos and doodads needing attention.
It's a quarter to 12 on the Peter Pan Flight tower, same as the time on Big Ben in the PPF poster, though the poster is 12 hours later. I remember the atrocious New Fantasyland TV special with Morey Amsterdam and Heather O'Rourke; Amsterdam described another item which wasn't realized, namely that Dumbo elephants would splash down in the moat at the end of their spin.
Thanks to Lou and Sue and the Major for this detailed look back!
JB, regarding the medallion design on the carrousel pavilion roof, for comparison, here's the WDW carrousel in December of 1982 and the Disneyland original in April of 1980.
Ahh, the early 80s. My young-family years. With a two and five year old in tow we were card carrying members of the ever growing Stroller Brigade.
As much as I hated any Tomorrowland changes after 1959 I liked the new Fantasyland.
Great pics. Thanks Lou, sue and Major!
I love a good Dumbo "splash down"....kind of like Splash Mountain, meets the end of the Matterhorn, meets Dumbo. That would have made for a much more exciting attraction! Make the Dumbo ears wiggle and THEN that would be a ride! Or convert the Dumbi, take off the ears and replace the bobsleds! Have no idea why WED did not hire me! It DID take forever to build Fantasyland...I said "Fantasyland is closed" about a million times at least, and contended with those who came to City Hall to get their money back because "everything is closed". It was more Dumbo than anything else. Make Dumbo into a high capacity ride for God's sake. My co-workers and I breathed a GIANT sign of relief when Fantasyland opened. There was the employee preview...they sent us pewter "keys"- I had tons of those things..(all gone) then our special preview (hardhats, sensible shoes, ladies had to wear trousers to not distract the construction workers (not kidding.) and then the press preview which at the time was quite elaborate and the "Fantasmic" of it's time- although it was a one time shot....and then an abbreviated version for the employee previews. The details were very impressive, and I do remember seeing those renderings of the Peter Pan statue. Really? We couldn't do a statue? I suppose money was tight back then. Imagine trolling through that crowd with 30 "kittens" behind you....was a challenge. You always lost people, or they were distracted by distractions. The whole thing was a very big deal, although overall it was more atmospheric than actual "amazing additions". It did free up quite a lot of space in Fantasyland, although you wouldn't feel it until a slower day. The Sword in the Stone thing was very sweet for the kids. I forget where the button is to release the sword...somewhere that a character lead would push across the way. The Merlin character was a coveted face character...I think Dana Daniels did that (?) I think that was his name...he did a lot of entertainment work in the day. Odd that the 8 is missing. Funny Eight is Enough story: Cast member (not Disney...Eight is Enough cast member) came to comp booth. The series I think was over for a few years at that point. She didn't have ID. ID was required by everyone...Including the most famous of famous. Comp booth hostess did not own a TV. She didn't know what this person was talking about, and told her she needed ID. Actress started to ask normie guests around her to identify her. Of course, they all probably, kiiinddd of, recognized her...but didn't know her name. I was just overhearing all of this crazy...I forgot how it ended but I think she ended up buying tickets. That was in the day of "rules are rules". Other famous people may have not had ID, but they still needed to be "cleared" by a supervisor. Generally, it was "well....is it him?" us: "yes"... supervisor: "just give him the tickets then." For those people we had to actually write a synopsis of the situation. There were many synopsis's. Everything was documented in gory detail. Where are those logs?! Lots of great stories in there! Thanks Lou and Sue! Looks like Fantasyland is OPEN!
Thanks Sue & Lou. I did really miss Skull Rock & Chicken of the Sea Pirate ship but it was a great look. It really engulfed you in architecture that was so elaborate and Fantasylandish that you couldn't help but being impressed and charmed. Lou took all the right photos. I'll bet there are more in Fantasyland from around then.
Thanks Major and S&L.
Bu, so as long as you were famous, and presented an I.D., and the person at the window knew that you were actually famous, you got free tickets?
These have to be 80’s-90’s pics. Two different men wearing pink shirts.
I remember my first visit to New Fantasyland, pushing a stroller and frantically searching for Skull Rock Grotto. My shirt was (probably) lavender.
It’s good architecture, but golly, I miss that place.
Thanks Lou, Sue and Major!
JG
These are great and chock full of You Are There. I remember seeing TV ads for New Fantasyland as a kid on the other side of the country. It would be the next century before I got to see it in person!
Mike, I never would have made the connection in my mind between World Showcase and New Fantasyland, but it makes total sense. I can't unsee it now!
It seems crazy to me that anyone would go out and about without any ID, but I know people do it. I remember working as a grocery cashier in college, and we had to enter people's ID into the register before they could buy beer. Several time a week I'd have customers I was absolutely certain weren't underage, but I still couldn't sell to them because they didn't have ID on them. Or they'd try to pay by check with no ID. And they'd be buying a week's worth of groceries, so it's not like they took the bus there - why are you driving without a license? People are weird!
Thanks to L&S&TMT!
TM: no. Famous meant nothing. Famous with connections was something else. Famous with “we want to do business with you” is another something else. Even at one point Michael Jackson was denied freebies as he was suing Disney for something. Other people of note had to pay unless they had some kind of business affiliation. Friends of the “family” were another thing. Gold Pass Holders: another. Unless you had a reservation at Club 33, you paid for tickets. This ex-sitcom celeb I’m sure knew someone that got their way into Arlene Ludwig’s office, or some random affiliation. If you didn’t do work for us, or we didn’t metaphorically want to bed you, you paid. Many famous people paid, but the “illusion” of “free” may have been there by them picking up their tickets at a “special people” place. If you were the member of the press- as long as you were credentialed (we checked…they needed ID AND credible credentials…and advance notice.). If a “noted” member of the press toodled up…like Leeza Gibbons or something- that was a no brainer to get Bob Roth down to meet personally, and get them through the gate. “Old Hollywood” famous went through Michael Eisner (Lucille). In the end…free was not free. Departments were charged the going rate internally and it was part of their budget. Public company and everything was properly accounted for. Simple question/long answer.
Nanook, I don’t want to say that I flopped the first image to keep you on your toes, BUT… notice that you are standing on your toes.
JB, as we saw in a recent post, Fantasyland underwent a repaint in the early ‘80s (or maybe even very late 70s?), but I am not sure if everything was painted yet again for the New Fantasyland. I’m amazed at how often we see balloons stuck in trees, or maybe even way up in the sky, having been released by a toddler. It does seem like, by 1983, the strollers really were beginning to go out of control. But why? I have to wonder if that number 8 didn’t fall to the ground with a crash. “Now THIS is a show!”
Mike Cozart, how long did it take to build the New Fantasyland from the time they started? I always thought it was less than a year, but don’t really know. I wonder why they don’t show concepts for future developments anymore? Do they not want to give the competition any ideas? These days the competition often “out-Disneys” Disney, so I don’t know if there is any real cause for concern. I sort of wish they had built that Peter Pan statue, and I like the idea of the Stromboli puppet wagon, but those are definitely the kinds of things that get the axe when money gets tight.
TokyoMagic!, I sure loved those Schoolhouse Rock cartoons and songs! I can practically sing them all, at least the “Multiplication Rocks” songs. I wish they’d just put Dumbo somewhere else too, but I also think that the designers just expect that there will be some complaints, and do what they want to do. Never mind that it makes the area worse! Don’t they have marionettes dancing the can-can in Tokyo?
TokyoMagic!, I know that they reversed the entrance and exit for IASW, but never really knew why. Was it because of that ugly gift shop??
Stefano, oh yeah, good eye on that missing flag. Maybe a meteorite hit the facade of IASW. Yeah that’s it. I think that I must have NEVER thought about the clock on the tower of Peter Pan’s Flight, but it’s a fun detail if they really had it set the same time as on the original silkscreened poster! Morey Amsterdam and Heather O’Rourke, jeez, is that really the best Disney could do?? Was Milton Berle busy?
Chuck, thank you for linking to those photos, I was much to lazy to do it myself!
Grant, like any changes at the park, there were “good” and “bad” aspects, although for the most part the New Fantasyland was an impressive feat, it really looks expensive, unlike many other projects!
Bu, I am sure that many people were so focused and excited to be entering Disneyland that they weren’t listening to what you said! You know how it goes. And of course I would wait until the end of the day to ask for my money back, yuck yuck. I wonder if that Peter Pan statue would have been a genuine bronze? Or maybe it would be epoxy resin painted to look like bronze. 15 years ago (or so) I was chosen to be the adult who could not pull the sword out the stone. I didn’t mind being the source of laughs, but I was jealous that the little girl who was my nemesis got a cool medal, and I got NOTHIN’. but it was still fun. The Merlin was excellent. I wish I could remember the names of any of the women on “Eight is Enough”. Oh wait, Betty Buckley! Was it her?
DrGoat, I always think it’s fun to see how great Merlin’s Magic Shop always looked, even back in 1955. Walt probably wanted that sort of detail all along, but knew that it wasn’t going to happen with the limited time and money.
TokyoMagic!, of course they got free tickets! Celebrities are sent to us from the heavens, and we are lucky to share the same air as they!
JG, my grandma once bought me a very ‘80s shirt that was many pastel colors, but primarily pink. I wore it to school once, and got so many comments and looks that I eventually gave it to a girl I knew who wanted it!
Lou always takes great pics. I love these showing New Fantasyland in its first few months even if the first pic is through the looking glass.
Thanks Lou & Sue. Your photos are always an extra special treat.
Thank you too, Major.
i forgot to comment on IASW.
I do like this blue version of the facade, not as much as the original, but a lot more than the Michael Graves "Spumoni" version that came later.
I think the queue works better after the reversal, which I do think was designed to steer the exit through the gift shop. That feature cost us some money to be sure. It does have a benefit in putting the long part of the queue over on the side where there is room for it. That area has been updated and seems to work better.
It is possible to dodge the gift shop on exit, if you want to, but on my last solo trip, (which is looking to be my last trip of all time), I walked through the shop, remembering buying Barbie and Hot Wheels for my kids on that first visit with them.
Bu, interesting backstory on celebrity visitors, thanks. The budget you describe sounds a lot like the "spill tab" in a bar. Sensible to plan for that, anything saved falls straight to the bottom line.
JG
It sounds like the comp desk was like the will-call window at a theater; the tickets were arranged in advance, but you had to prove you were the person the tickets were set aside for.
I'm on a quick, late lunch break and wanted to attach this link to Westcoaster's site, regarding Disneyland's "refurb-a-mania": Click HERE!
It looks like EVERYTHING'S being "worked on" and Main Street may end up coordinating with the castle. Looks like cartoon-town.
Celeste, didn't you mention you were just there? It looks like there are construction walls everywhere!
Will be back later...
Sue,
Thanks for that link. Wow.
Tokyo!, maybe you should change your trademarked phrase to "They pre-ruin everything!".
Chuck, "8 was enough"... oh my. I had to make a trip to Urgent Care after that groaner.
Thanks for the medallion canopy date. I thought it was after the New Fantasyland opened, not before. Good to know. :-)
Chuck again, I think I prefer the more rounded roof of Disneyland than the octagonal(?) roof at WDW. Although, that extra 'clown hat' piece atop the WDW Carousel looks pretty nice. Thanks for the links.
Sue, thanks for bringing our attention to what's new at Disneyland... some good... some bad.
Sue, those bright colors may just be the photographer setting his camera to oversaturate the colors to really make the pictures pop. At least, I hope that's what's going on here. Otherwise...wow.
With the exception of the New Orleans Square main line electrical upgrade discussed the other day , any other rehabs going on are scheduled maintainence and is very typical for gearing up for the summer crowds. One exception is of course the TOONTOWN renovation …. Last week the original 1993 marque was removed . Also mentioned last week was the delay in the Treehouse rehab …. That is part of the New Orleans electrical project … having been taken off the Adventureland line and is now being re-connected back to the Adventureland main line. Also several attractions missed their scheduled rehabs during Covid.
When the New Fantasyland was first announced it was in 1967 “to begin right after New Tomorrowland” ….. that project was sidelined because of the Florida project , but one of the proposals was the addition of a pinocchio dark ride. The new fantasyland picked up again in 1974 ….. in fact by then the entire Pinocchio’s Daring Journey attraction was completely designed as we know it. The focus of the 1974 New Fantasyland was a cleaning up of the land and adding a large restaurant and Pinocchio’s Village extension. A completely revised Alice in Wonderland and relocated teacups….. and more dimensional animation added to the existing dark rides. Also at thus time Dimbo Circus area had been proposed - first by Sam McKim …..and there was consideration for Pinocchio to be a part of Dumbo Circusland : eventually other projects got moved forward as others were altered or put on the back burner.
When Discovery Bay was scheduled to move forward after Big Thunder , it was decided to make access easier and organize fantasyland first. The first all new part of Pinocchio’s Village was to use molding and architectural details from WDW’s Pinocchio Village section ….. and took a big chunk of the fantasyland budget. But a former DL Ambassador now at WDI ( I always forget her name) figured out by doubling the production of details for World Showcase at the same time , they could budget a much more extensive fantasyland redo . ( like the time and money saved making both DL & WDW mansions at the same time) because of this Peter Pan , and Toad could also get new facades and redos. ( Snow White was gonna get a new exterior along with the Pinocchio’s Village project) and including Pinocchio in Tokyo Disneyland even more money would be saved by manufacturing TWO Pinocchio attractions!
So without EPCOT CENTER and Tokyo Disneyland , there would have been a very different new Fantasyland in the early 80’s …. But Discovery Bay would have been started sooner …. Before Eisner got in and halted it.
Mike Cozart, are those facade pieces big fiberglas panels on a frame, or some other construction method? I wonder how you can mold a building. Though today, you can 3D print one, so anything is possible.
Major, I also was once selected for the Sword in the Stone show at WDW. I was called an "evil sorcerer" so I went to City Hall to get one of those free buttons with that title added.
I got to see Bob Dorough (writer and vocalist for many Schoolhouse Rock songs) once. It was at an Andrew Bird concert at Carnegie Hall. He's a folk singer and a big fan of Dorough. When Bird introduced him, there was a clear division between the part of the audience old enough to remember SHR and those younger than those cartoons. He played 3 is a Magic Number, Elementary My Dear (2), My Hero Zero, and Conjunction Junction. Totally worth the tickets to see him
I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation, but I still haven’t figured out why they didn’t take advantage of the park closure to do a lot of maintenance. It seems like masked, gloved, and distanced work crews could have gotten a ton of work done and been even ahead of schedule when the parks reopened.
Melissa, I agree with what you just said, but the folks running DL and WDW haven't made too many wise decisions over the recent years, so I wouldn't expect them to start now.
It appears that the '8' isn't the only thing missing (besides the missing flag that Stefano noticed and mentioned, too). Opposite the '4,' that circle with lines (whatever you call it...it reminds me of a dandelion that's about to 'seed') - that's missing, too.
BTW, Stefano, you are VERY OBSERVANT, as I recall you were the one who also told us about The Dent. (Thank you!)
Bu, I bet you accidently said, "Fantasyland is closed," sometimes, once it reopened. (I don't know what's worse...having to say, "Fantasyland is closed," or "It's a fine day for engraving," - what my mom had to say when she answered her job phone; both sound silly.)
Chuck, I hope you're right about the colors!
Nanook, when you mentioned the first picture was reversed, I looked at it and realized you were correct when I saw the Mickey/Minnie red/gold/white shopping bag on the right. Mickey's heading the wrong way. Just last night I noticed a fun purse [of that exact shopping bag] for sale on shopdisney.com, but would never spend that kind of money for it. See it HERE.
Thanks, everyone, for all the fun comments. My dad will enjoy them, too. And, thanks, Major. Oh, one last thing, Major...stop reversing my dad's scans. ;oP
DEAN FINDER: the moulds are for chimney pots , stone cornices .. the stone and brick patterns , wrought iron trim , shingles , finals , corbels … brackets etc . Depending on what the item being casted is for can be aluminum, resin, lexAn , FRP, foams , polyester , wood-resin paste. But I don’t thing you can cast a whole building from a mold …. It would probably look pretty crappy. The substructures of Disney park buildings are usually build per standards and codes to the countries or states etc. certain building facades from Tokyo Disneyland may look cosmetically just like it’s counterpart at Walt Disney World - but using Japanese standards and construction techniques.
Melissa: you have to remember that the same busy bee that were shut down and not allowed to operate for us - citizens - weee also not available to Disneyland . If a company was unable to operate to supply —- say lumber or was unable to get lumber … Disneyland couldn’t get lumber either. Another BIG problem were the unions that would not allow their people to work etc. Disneyland had the same difficulties with labor , supplies, restrictions that we all did.
Busy Bee = businesses….. my phone changes things on me.
Major, Tokyo Disneyland does have a can-can dancer and a dutch puppet, above the entrance to their Pinocchio attraction. Of course, they did finally add a Pinocchio figure above the entrance to the Anaheim version, but that was many, many years later.
In the concept art, the Peter Pan statue was painted realistically. It seems like it would have been better as a stone or bronze statue, since it was on that tall column. I've included a link to that artwork and also Tokyo's Pinocchio facade/signage. Scroll down to the last two pics!
Oh, and did you know that the space that used to be Merlin's Magic Shop, is now called "Merlin's Marvelous Miscellany"? I just discovered that last night, while looking at Google maps and noticing the label over the store. So after 39 years, it is once again, "Merlin's." Unfortunately, it is not a magic shop, and they also did not bring back the rubber spiders that used to drop down from the ceiling, onto unsuspecting guests.
Peter Pan's Flight Concept Art and Pinocchio's Daring Journey in Tokyo
Sue, $700 for a purse??? I'll take two! ;-)
JB, "They pre-ruin everything!" Ha, ha! I can put that on the back of my T-shirt, with "They Ruin Everything" on the front. But now where am I going to put Rolly Crump's quote from a few years ago, when he said, "The Park Is Gone!"
Ha! I just noticed in the second pic - bottom right corner, the man in the light blue shirt, facing to the right, is my dad’s brother who lived in Glendale at the time. I bet they were having a lot of fun that day!
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