Disney(World) vs. Disney(land)?

[Californian Elitist]

You are absolutely correct. However, in 20+ visits to DL over several years, I never heard it referred to as the Magic Kingdom. Ironically, in 12+ years at Disney offices at Burbank, my wife never heard folks call the Anaheim park by that name.

I'm curious if many who joined during Eisner's era even know about this history.

You must have missed the times it's been called that. To this day the announcers at Disneyland will say something like "Welcome to Disney's original Magic Kingdom" or something like that. As a CM I even recall saying the original Magic Kingdom. Hang on a sec, let me try and find some evidence.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Check around the 20 second mark.

 

[ChrisFL]

Because MK wasn't his decision was it?

Walt wasn't focused on it. He knew he had to build a park that people would go to first, so he could help to finance his EPCOT city project. Also, I think he was going to let his imagineers develop most of the park as he focused as much of his time possible on EPCOT (And Mineral King also)

 

[El Grupo]

You must have missed the times it's been called that. To this day the announcers at Disneyland will say something like "Welcome to Disney's original Magic Kingdom" or something like that. As a CM I even recall saying the original Magic Kingdom. Hang on a sec, let me try and find some evidence.

I know you are correct. It is a bit embarrassing to admit we didn't learned this fact until later. But, we never did the rope drop. And, believe it or not, there was always chatter on the train during the narrative (or we weren't paying attention).

Either way, I suspect that is quite a few more like us out there.

 

[marni1971]

Doubt it.
Highly unlikely the Peoplemover track ever gets used again.

Boo hiss. Cynthia Harris should sit n spin.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I know you are correct. It is a bit embarrassing to admit we didn't learned this fact until later. But, we never did the rope drop. And, believe it or not, there was always chatter on the train during the narrative (or we weren't paying attention).

Either way, I suspect that is quite a few more like us out there.

It's completely normal for WDW vets to be unaware of the fact that Disneyland is referred to as the Magic Kingdom, too. It could be worse. Someone was challenging me once, telling me Disneyland was the second Disney park to be built. Trust me, it could be worse.

 

[Tom]

I know you are correct. It is a bit embarrassing to admit we didn't learned this fact until later. But, we never did the rope drop. And, believe it or not, there was always chatter on the train during the narrative (or we weren't paying attention).

Either way, I suspect that is quite a few more like us out there.

It's completely normal for WDW vets to be unaware of the fact that Disneyland is referred to as the Magic Kingdom, too. It could be worse. Someone was challenging me once, telling me Disneyland was the second Disney park to be built. Trust me, it could be worse.

I still believe it's a "local" thing - even at the lower level of corporate - to call it the MK. It was indeed referred to it as the MK, verbally, in the early days. But original park maps just call it Disneyland.

If you look at the official listing of Disney trademarks and copyrights, the property is legally known as Disneyland Resort, with Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park.

It's an unimportant discussion, but it is strange for us out east to hear it referred to as the Magic Kingdom, since it's only referred to it as such by locals, local management, old timers, and within the park itself.

 

[flynnibus]

It's simple.. Dl is called 'the magic kingdom' - like an adjective. But it's name is Disneyland.

The park in Florida is actually named magic kingdom - proper noun.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I still believe it's a "local" thing - even at the lower level of corporate - to call it the MK. It was indeed referred to it as the MK, verbally, in the early days. But original park maps just call it Disneyland.

If you look at the official listing of Disney trademarks and copyrights, the property is legally known as Disneyland Resort, with Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park.

It's an unimportant discussion, but it is strange for us out east to hear it referred to as the Magic Kingdom, since it's only referred to it as such by locals, local management, old timers, and within the park itself.

That's why I said it's a nickname. It's first called Disneyland, everyone knows that. I was just saying it's perfectly normal for Disneyland to be called the Magic Kingdom. It's not false information, that's all I'm saying.

 

[TP2000]

It's simple.. Dl is called 'the magic kingdom' - like an adjective. But it's name is Disneyland.

The park in Florida is actually named magic kingdom - proper noun.

Perfect explanation.

And during the 1950's and 60's, the Magic Kingdom adjective was also used as a description of the place literally owned by Walt. Hence the original phrase "Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom" that was seen on advertising and official phrasing from 1955 onward. The original poster art for the Disneyland Hotel in 1956 used this phrase that was already in widespread use.

Disneyland Hotel Attraction Poster (zoomed in on text) Circa 1956

They often would use the "Magic Kingdom" phrase secondarily in written or spoken text at Disneyland, to give variety to the phrasing. The "Magic Kingdom" became quickly known as a nickname for Disneyland this way.

Disneyland Ticket Book Circa 1960

Then fast forward to several years after Walt's death and the dawn of the 1970's... When it was time for the corporate committee who built the theme park in Florida years after Walt's death to name the place, the phrase Magic Kingdom Park came into being because that's what they'd been casually calling Disneyland already. They knew they couldn't call it Disneyland, and the Disney World moniker had been taken to describe the entire property, so the theme park had to use something else.

 

[AmongMadPeople]

It's simple.. Dl is called 'the magic kingdom' - like an adjective. But it's name is Disneyland.

The park in Florida is actually named magic kingdom - proper noun.

I can cope with Disneyland being a "magic kingdom" and the park in Florida being the "Magic Kingdom." I'll file this in the "It's Kroger, not Krogers!" list of things that keep me up at night

Sorry for the OT diversion. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It's simple.. Dl is called 'the magic kingdom' - like an adjective. But it's name is Disneyland.

The park in Florida is actually named magic kingdom - proper noun.

Yep, exactly.

 

[unkadug]

I can cope with Disneyland being a "magic kingdom" and the park in Florida being the "Magic Kingdom." I'll file this in the "It's Kroger, not Krogers!" list of things that keep me up at night

Sorry for the OT diversion. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

That's as bad as people saying that they purchased something at WalMarts.

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

Or even worse, people eating at the Irish Polynesian restaurant: O'Hanas

 

[Cosmic Commando]

...which is why you hear the silly "Magic Kingdom Park" name used for WDW. It's because Disneyland is the Magic Kingdom and our MK is Magic Kingdom Park.

 

[Kuhio]

Boo hiss. Cynthia Harris should sit n spin.

The "Cynthia Harriss Sit 'n' Spin" would be an inspired working name for a modest, lightly-themed C-ticket for DL's Tomorrowland.

 

[Lee]

...which is why you hear the silly "Magic Kingdom Park" name used for WDW. It's because Disneyland is the Magic Kingdom and our MK is Magic Kingdom Park.

Or as they would prefer it, "Disney's Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida."

 

[Tom]

Or as they would prefer it, "Disney's Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida."

Right! Well, almost. They actually don't put "Disney's" in front of Magic Kingdom. According to their document entitled "Walt Disney World(R) Resort and other Significant Disney Trademark and Nomenclature Usage Examples and Guidelines", this is how they would reference the Florida kingdom:

Magic Kingdom(R) Park at the Walt Disney World(R) Resort

 

[Lee]

Right! Well, almost. They actually don't put "Disney's" in front of Magic Kingdom. According to their document entitled "Walt Disney World(R) Resort and other Significant Disney Trademark and Nomenclature Usage Examples and Guidelines", this is how they would reference the Florida kingdom:

Magic Kingdom(R) Park at the Walt Disney World(R) Resort

Ahhh...so they only put the "Disney's" in front of the hotels.
Pointless, if you ask me.

 

[TalkingHead]

Ahhh...so they only put the "Disney's" in front of the hotels.
Pointless, if you ask me.

And then renamed the DLR second gate Disney [no 's] California Adventure.