Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland Read online

  The Backstories and Magical Secrets of Walt Disney World

  Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland

  VOLUME TWO

  Christopher E. Smith

  THEME PARK PRESS

  www.ThemeParkPress.com

  © 2019 Christopher E. Smith

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

  Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, no responsibility is assumed for any errors or omissions, and no liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of this information.

  Theme Park Press is not associated with the Walt Disney Company.

  The views expressed in this book are those of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Theme Park Press.

  Theme Park Press publishes its books in a variety of print and electronic formats. Some content that appears in one format may not appear in another.

  Editor: Bob McLain

  Layout: Artisanal Text

  Theme Park Press | www.ThemeParkPress.com

  Address queries to [email protected]

  To Mom.

  I don’t want the public to see the world they live in while they’re in the Park. I want them to feel they’re in another world.

  —Walt Disney

  Every Imagineering project starts with a great story. It can be a classic fairy tale, a vintage cartoon, a historical event, a recent animated feature. Whatever the source, the story needs to have “legs”—a mix of timelessness and broad appeal.

  —The Imagineers, Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making MORE Magic Real (2010)

  Contents

  Cover

  Front Matter

  Introduction

  Definitions

  Adventureland

  Chapter 1:Adventureland

  Chapter 2:Pirates of the Caribbean

  Chapter 3:Swiss Family Treehouse

  Chapter 4:Jungle Cruise / Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen

  Tomorrowland

  Chapter 5:Tomorrowland

  Chapter 6:Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

  Chapter 7:Space Mountain

  Fantasyland

  Chapter 8:Fantasyland

  Chapter 9:Peter Pan's Flight

  Chapter 10:Sir Mickey's

  Chapter 11:The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

  Select Bibliography

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  More Books from Theme Park Press

  Introduction

  My primary goal in starting the Backstories series was to help Disney fans “leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy” by revealing the backstories, magical secrets, and true historical accounts behind their favorite lands, attractions, restaurants and shops in Walt Disney World. In other words, I wanted to help Disney fans enjoy the Most Magical Place on Earth in the way that Walt Disney himself intended: by allowing them to leave the stress and worry of the real world behind by literally stepping inside a series of stories told by Imagineers throughout the parks. I suppose it’s natural to worry about how such a book will be received by the public (especially when it is the first volume in a multi-volume series). I was very happy to discover that there are thousands of people out there who, like me, love the hidden history and details of Walt Disney World. The overwhelmingly positive response I received from readers is directly responsible for the continuation of the Backstories series in this second volume.

  As I explained in Volume 1, everything at Walt Disney World tells a story. EVERYTHING. Every land, every attraction, every restaurant, and every shop. From the minute that guests walk through the turnstiles of a Disney park they are immersed in a series of magnificent stories told on a grand stage. This immersion is weaved into everything that guests see, hear, smell, and touch inside the Disney World theme parks. Imagineers use a multitude of tools to help immerse guests into these fantastic stories, including the architecture of the structures located in the parks, intricate props, immersive backstories, enticing (and some not-so-enticing) smells, music, carefully crafted and maintained vegetation, costumes, and both cutting-edge and age-old special effects. Unfortunately, many guests are completely unaware of the immersive storytelling elements, backstories, and details that Disney’s creative experts have intricately weaved into the parks.

  In Volume 1, I discussed the backstories, magical secrets, and true histories behind Main Street, U.S.A., Liberty Square, and Frontierland, and many of the attractions, restaurants and shops found within those lands. Volume 2 continues that journey through the Magic Kingdom and its three remaining lands: Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland. While Main Street, U.S.A., Liberty Square, and Frontierland all trace their thematic roots to specific United States historical eras and geographic regions, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland grow more from imagination, fantasy and, in many cases, international sources of inspiration.

  Notwithstanding these thematic differences, the storytelling emphasis utilized by Imagineers in creating Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland is no less thoughtful and impactful. In fact, some of the Magic Kingdom’s most thematically detailed and beloved attractions are found in these lands, including Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, and Space Mountain. While the backstories and magical secrets of those headliner attractions are most certainly discussed in this book, some of the best storytelling details in the Magic Kingdom can be found in more hidden areas of these lands. For example, did you know that one Magic Kingdom restaurant includes a dining room that was once the secret meeting location for a clandestine group known as the Society of Explorers and Adventurers? Have you ever heard a page for “Mr. Morrow, Mr. Tom Morrow,” regarding a certain flight to the moon during a grand circle tour of Tomorrowland? Have you ever had an otherwise calm day of shopping interrupted by a giant lifting the roof of a quaint retail establishment in search of a “Brave Little Tailor”? If the answer to those questions is no, then you don’t know the whole story behind the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen in Adventureland, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover in Tomorrowland, or Sir Mickey’s in Fantasyland.

  Volume 2 of The Backstories and Magical Secrets of Walt Disney World continues your definitive guide to Walt Disney World backstories. In the pages that follow, you will find:

  Backstories. A description of the backstories behind the lands, attractions, shops, and restaurants in the Magic Kingdom. In many cases, these backstories are “official,” in that Disney has disclosed them in some form to the public. In other cases, the backstories are wholly fan created or pieced together through different hints and storytelling props used in the particular experience.

  Queues. A full description and walkthrough of the queues of some of the most popular attractions in the Magic Kingdom. For the uninitiated and for those who tend to skip the “definitions” sections of books (including this one), a “queue” is the area where guests wait in line for an attraction. The queues for many attractions in Walt Disney World are crucial to the immersive storytelling effect. They are extremely detailed and help convey to guests, perhaps better than any other aspect of an attraction, the storytelling elements for that attraction. In fact, many queues are so entertaining that guests should take the time to experience them even if they are not interested in the actual attraction (Pirates of the Caribbean is a good example).
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  Storytelling Elements. A description of the numerous details, props, set pieces, and storytelling elements found inside the attractions, shops, restaurants, and lands that are painstakingly created and chosen by Imagineers to help convey a particular story (including where you can find them). Note: Disney is constantly adding, removing, and updating various storytelling props throughout the parks. The information contained herein is accurate as of the date of publishing, but certainly things can and will change over time. Of course, this is part of what makes exploring the Disney World parks so exciting, as there is always something new to discover.

  The True-Life History. I originally intended for this series of books to only include the above categories. However, during the research phase for my first book, The Walt Disney World That Never Was, Stories Behind the Amazing Imagineering Dreams That Never Came True, I discovered something very interesting. In some cases, the only thing more interesting than the fictional story for a particular attraction, land, restaurant or shop was the real history behind how it came to be found in the parks in the first place. For example, I think that any story about Pirates of the Caribbean, one of the most popular attractions in all of Walt Disney World, must begin with the fact that Disney executives did not intend to include it in the Magic Kingdom in the first place! Instead, Disney planned on creating what it thought would be the greatest attraction ever, a “Wild West” version of Pirates known as the Western River Expedition. In other words, I believe that a true understanding and appreciation for any experience in Disney World must include the story of how it actually came to be in the first place.

  In short, this is your guidebook to the whole story (both real and fictional) behind your favorite lands, attractions, restaurants, and shops in Walt Disney World.

  Definitions

  In my day-to-day legal practice, I spend a great deal of time drafting, reviewing, and revising contracts of all shapes and sizes. One of the most important parts of any contract is the “Definitions” section, where certain terms used frequently throughout a document are given a particular meaning. The purpose of adding a “Definitions” section is to provide clarity to the document and to make it more efficient so as to prevent re-explaining what a particular term means each time it is used.

  Walt Disney World has its own unique terminology and lexicon that obsessed fans like me use and understand with ease. However, non-obsessed Disney fans may be less familiar with these terms. The last thing I want to do is draw an analogy between this book (which I hope is extremely entertaining) and a contract (which most assuredly is not). However, since the Definitions sections of my previous books did not appear to scare off too many readers (or maybe everyone just skipped that section), I think it is a good idea to once again clarify the meaning of a few terms that will be used throughout the book:

  Attraction. The Disney term for a ride. Rather than offering mere boat rides, roller coasters, and carousels to guests, Disney uses numerous storytelling elements and thematic components to create immersive experiences that they characterize as attractions.

  Cast Member. The Disney term for employee. According to Disney, they do not have actual employees, but instead have cast members who are performing on stage in front of guests at all times. This is the same reason cast members wear “costumes” instead of uniforms. This of course plays into the overarching theme of “storytelling” in the Disney parks discussed throughout this book.

  The Disney Company. A multinational corporation that, in addition to many other businesses, owns and runs Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (including Walt Disney World and Disneyland). The Disney company has been known at different times as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the Walt Disney Studio, and Walt Disney Productions before assuming its current name, the Walt Disney Company, in 1986.

  Guest. The Disney term for a visitor (aka me and you) to any of its theme parks.

  Imagineers. The artists, architects, animators, engineers, designers, mechanics, technicians, and musicians that create the Disney theme parks and the lands, attractions, and experiences found therein. The term is a combination of “imagination” and “engineers.”

  Magic Kingdom. The first theme park that opened in Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. It is the most popular theme park in the world.

  Queue. The term used to describe the general area where guests wait in line to experience a particular attraction.

  Walt Disney World. The overarching term used to describe Disney’s collection of theme parks, resort hotels, and other guest offerings in central Florida that opened to guests on October 1, 1971. Walt Disney World covers approximately 30,000 acres and today includes Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

  PART ONE

  Adventureland

  chapter one

  Adventureland

  Here is adventure. Here is romance. Here is mystery. Tropical rivers—silently flowing into the unknown. The unbelievable splendor of exotic flowers…the eerie sound of the jungle…with eyes that are always watching. This is Adventureland.”

  —Walt Disney (referencing Disneyland’s Adventureland)

  Adventureland is a land of mystery and intrigue, adventure and excitement. It is a land of African jungles, Polynesian islands, and Middle Eastern marketplaces. It is home to peaceful islanders, dangerous headhunters, shipwrecked families, Arabian merchants, and swashbuckling pirates alike. Reflecting the adventurous spirit of classic Disney films like Treasure Island (1950), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), In Search of the Castaways (1962), and The Jungle Book (1967), Adventureland offers many unique discoveries for brave explorers, including singing birds, flying carpets, spitting camels, and mischievous Tiki statues.

  Walt Disney explained his fascination with adventure by stating “[t]he spirit of adventure is often linked with exotic, tropical places,” and that “[m]any of us dream of travelling to these mysterious, far-off regions of the world.” In designing Adventureland, Imagineers incorporated that adventurous spirit:

  Adventureland re-creates the eras and locales of the greatest adventure stories ever told. You’ll navigate the tropical rivers of the world, ride the winds over the Arabian desert, sing along with the flowers and birds of the South Seas, and go swashbuckling through the Spanish Main. Adventureland is for the young at heart and brave of spirit.

  —The Imagineers, The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, An Imagineer’s-Eye Tour (2005), p. 37.

  Adventureland has always been one of the most popular lands in the Magic Kingdom. It is home to not just one, but two headliner attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise. Two other classic Disney attractions, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and the Swiss Family Treehouse, and a newer addition, the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, join these fan favorites. While Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and the Swiss Family Treehouse have their own standalone chapters, Adventureland is filled with many other intricate backstories and storytelling details that go much further than a generic “jungle” theme. These stories include tales of an exotic marketplace that imports treasures from the four corners of the globe, a secretive watering hole for cutthroat pirates, and a mysterious lamp discovered at the bottom of a well in a bustling Arabian thoroughfare.

  Backstory

  The Spirit of Adventure

  Disney never released an “official” backstory for Adventureland. Instead of relying on words or a script written by Imagineers, Adventureland’s backstory grows more from a general feeling, a spirit if you will. More specifically, the backstory focuses on the spirit of adventure. That spirit permeates throughout the land by virtue of the eclectic architecture, lush landscaping, exotic music, and an almost countless number of thematic details and storytelling elements.

  The adventurous spirit of Walt Disney World’s Adventureland traces its roots to the original version in Disneyland. Imagineer John Hench, who was instrumental in creating the land, described his fo
cus on capturing the spirit of adventure:

  I was asked to work up a conceptual treatment for an area in Disneyland’s Adventureland, which was to be directly across from the Jungle Cruise. My task was to create an atmosphere of adventure that reflected the character of the cruise and its African locale. I began with the story idea that conveyed adventure and the spirit of Africa. I designed structures assembled from elements I found in photographs of African villages and authentic decorative styles that drew on several African cultures—a collage effect that extended to the shops and juice bars, and featured such motifs as fabric banners, umbrellas, thatched roofs, and mud-brick construction. At a glance, guests know that this is a special place for adventure.

  —John Hench, Designing Disney, Imagineering and the Art of the Show (2008), p. 70.

  Walt Disney himself described Disneyland’s version of Adventureland as follows:

  The spirit of adventure is often linked with exotic, tropic places. To create a land which would make this dream a reality, we pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa. The result is Adventureland, “the wonderland of nature’s own design.”

  Disney Imagineers continued this focus when construction began on the Magic Kingdom. In 1970, Disney issued a colorful marketing booklet called “Preview Edition Walt Disney World ‘The Vacation Kingdom of the World.’” The booklet provided beautiful artistic renderings and detailed descriptions of the various resorts, amenities, and entertainment offerings that were coming soon to the massive Florida Project. It also provided readers with an entertaining preview of the various attractions and experiences guests could expect at the Magic Kingdom, broken down for each of its six theme park lands. For Adventureland specifically, the “Preview Edition” provided the following description: