Disneyland’s Splash Mountain marks 30 wet years on Wednesday, July 17 - OCR/SCNG

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster

>>Baxter remembers being stuck in rush hour traffic on the way to Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale when he first conceived the idea of reusing dozens of animatronic creatures from the aging America Sings! attraction that had been highlighted during the nation’s Bicentennial inside the former Carousel of Progress building but had since become tired and less popular.


“People had kind of had enough of it,” Baxter said. “But there were something like 90 creatures in there that were beautifully designed.”


He recalled that Dick Nunis, then-president of Walt Disney Attractions, wanted to build a flume ride that would follow up on the huge success of Pirates of the Caribbean.


Baxter’s idea, to reuse animated characters and stories from Song of the South worked because it was Southern themed, matching the adjacent New Orleans Square, also provided the flume ride that Nunis wanted.


“By the time I got to work, I had a story we could work around,” Baxter recalled. “I was as giddy as a little kid.”


The team, including project manager Bruce Gordon and show designer John Stone, set to work immediately on the idea, which would take four years to come to fruition.


Baxter remembers successfully pitching the ride to Michael Eisner — and his 14-year-son Breck — only a few days after Eisner took over the reins of the Walt Disney Company.<<
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I love this part...

>>Baxter recalls one of the biggest construction challenges was learning how to use water to propel the boats through the ride, because none of the engineers had ever worked with it before.


“You can’t control water,” Baxter said his team learned. “It’s going to do whatever it’s going to do. We were almost six months later than we thought, because we had to rethink and redesign the boats to work with the water.”<<

Tony, I think you were just frustrated that the Logs were designed wrong. WDI or its former names, designed "it's a small world" and The Pirates of the Caribbean, and learned a lot about how and where to place jets to help propel boats through the water. The also kept in touch with Bud Hurlbut, who designed the Log Flume Ride, and how to build flumes, what angles to place them to get the speed you want, along with hills and drops, use of conveyor belts, etc. Things, you (Tony) did add to your version.

In fact, you did go back and talk to others who helped you and your staff make the design changes.

Just saying.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
From a young age I always enjoyed Disneyland. Obviously, most kids do- so this is nothing special.

I think the moment that turned my Disneyland enjoyment into obsession was when I rode Splash Mountain around second grade. I remember being scared of the drop (the first ride photo is me ducking as low as I can on it). I remember getting freaked out by the dip drop. But something about the ride clicked and launched me into Disneyland obsession.

This is still the ride that gets me excited to go to the park, even though it's in horrible shape. Seeing the facade brings back many memories of riding it, or just being in Disneyland in general.

Happy birthday Splash Mountain, here's hoping you last another 30 in a pure state.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Stories of Splash Mountain's development is incredibly sanitized. Basically usually boils down to simply:

Dick Nunis wanted a Log Flume. Imagineers wanted to close America Sings.

In traffic Tony Baxter dreamed up the Zip a Dee River Run

Breck Eisner loved it, Michael pitched the new name 'Splash' after the Touchstone film.

Splash Mountain was delayed to redesign the flume and went way over budget.

Splash Mountain opened and everyone loved it.


Lots of information about Bruce Gordon and Dave Feiten gets left out. Imagineering contacting Bud Hurlbut to help with flume design. The work Tom Morris did for finding a location. Bob Gurr designing the showboat at the end.

And even with those bits of information being available if you really dig, there's likely tons that's been published that many, including myself, haven't been able to find. And that ignores the information WDI keeps locked up that would likely make an amazing book. It's a shame such an important attraction has so little available about it.

Edit to add the Sooner Or Later to Burrow's Lament song change.
 
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Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It’s crazy to think that DL has doubled in age since my first memories there in the mid to late 80s.

While I was not there on opening day, July 18th, 1955, my parents told me I was there in my first year of life in 1960. I remember around 3 or 4 years of Age, the Midget Autopia and my grandparents in attendance are main ones.

Then growing up visiting Disneyland, Knott's, Universal, Busch Gardens and many other tourist attractions with my parents, grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and international visitors staying at my house or nearby. I was very blessed to be able to make some many visits over my youth. So currently at the age of 59, Theme/Amusement parks have remained a key part of my life.

Tonight, at the dinner table, my wife brought up the fact that I have become a city leader, and how did that happen? And there is no simple answer. But one point sticks out, I care. I think it showed in all my writings over the decades, why I gained the friends and business associates I did, and why I am sitting in the chairs of power.

I was at a meeting last night, where one of the folks I have to work with, Cynthia Ward, and one I disagree with a lot, came up to me and my wife to thank me for speaking up and talking during the meeting.

What I posted about to Tony, I actually told him that a few years ago in so many words, face to face. Folks can disagree, but if both sides care, well, there are multiple points of view.

And let me add, Tony is just as frustrated as us fans are about the condition of Splash Mountain, and that discussion was fairly recent.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Stories of Splash Mountain's development is incredibly sanitized. Basically usually boils down to simply:

**** Nunis wanted a Log Flume. Imagineers wanted to close America Sings.

In traffic Tony Baxter dreamed up the Zip a Dee River Run

Breck Eisner loved it, Michael pitched the new name 'Splash' after the Touchstone film.

Splash Mountain was delayed to redesign the flume and went way over budget.

Splash Mountain opened and everyone loved it.


Lots of information about Bruce Gordon and Dave Feiten gets left out. Imagineering contacting Bud Hurlbut to help with flume design. The work Tom Morris did for finding a location. Bob Gurr designing the showboat at the end.

And even with those bits of information being available if you really dig, there's likely tons that's been published that many, including myself, haven't been able to find. And that ignores the information WDI keeps locked up that would likely make an amazing book. It's a shame such an important attraction has so little available about it.

I like your summary. Much of my info from the 1980's came through Bud Hurlbut and his friends, some of who just happened to work for WDI. And like many informal discussions, thall shall not speak outside the group.

Yes, the total disaster of Splash Mountain 1.0, and how/why so many mistakes happened is something that has remained fairly quiet, because, well, it was a disaster. And it made nobody look good. But the changes were made, some tough financial decisions had to be made.

But when it opened (Let's say version 3, or 3.5), it basically worked (some tweaking had to happen after opening), and the guests loved it. As they say, watching how sausages are made, well, especially back 50+ years ago, isn't pretty or appetizing. But they are sure are tasty when you eat them!

Folks might want some answers as to why these things happened, but well, the folks in charge at the time, well, they found blaming water was an simple way to avoid the discussion.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
A year or two after riding Splash Mountain for the first time, while at the Disneyana store on Main Street (back when it wasn't in the bank)- I saw a book on the Disney Mountains. The one by Jason Surrell.

Talked my parents into getting it for me, and read that thing so many times- particularly the chapter on Splash Mountain. I actually recently found my copy and it's a very worn book. I couldn't care less about Claude Coats, Marc Davis, or any of the other Imagineers referenced in the book- but Tony Baxter stuck out to me. Because he's portrayed as the genius behind Splash Mountain (even though there were many people involved). Of course, I'd love to learn more about how much Tony actually did for the ride- but that's not my point.

In the 50s and 60s, Walt Disney presented everything about Disneyland. It was Walt Disney's Disneyland. Sure, he'd show off the designers- but their screentime was short, and everything they were designing was for Walt.

As a kid growing up in the '00s, I was really far removed from Walt Disney- but instead, there was Tony Baxter. Obviously, as I grew out of childhood and learned more about Disney, Disneyland, and Tony- the childlike wonder turned into respect and admiration for one of the greatest creative minds of the last 100 years. But I think it's important for young children to be able to link the Disneyland creations to someone and in turn be inspired by that person. Having someone around who embodies Disneyland and really comes across as a 'Walt' figure on camera did wonders for my interest in the park.

That's something modern Disneyland is lacking. Sorry, but the 20 year old interns and Scott Trowbridge just aren't cutting it. Chapek in front of the camera is more off putting than anything. I really hope someone is able to answer the calling and guide Disneyland through the next few decades, both behind the scenes and as a public figure.
 

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Here's some cool audio I stumbled upon recently, and I think it's fitting for the occasion. It's a recording of a presentation given by Bruce Gordon in 1987 describing Splash Mountain. An excellent listen.

Window To The Magic 274 Bruce Gordon

It's only about the first half hour of the episode. Listening to Bruce describe the ride is really amazing. The passion he obviously had for the ride and park as a whole is amazing, and it's something modern WDI is desperately lacking in.

Oh, and here's another one of their episodes that talks quite a bit about Dave Feiten. Skip the lengthy intro, and yes the format was definitely intended for a younger audience. But the content is there, and there's lots of excellent information there.

Window to the Magic 382 Splash from the Past
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Happy Birthday to the best ride at the park. Now with that said, if POTC and Splash were both hanging off a cliff and I could only save one I’d save POTC but Splash Mountain is the best ride in the park and very repeatable when you consider what it has going for it. Great songs/ music, tons of AAs (and a few that work too), great theming, a nice pace and thrills. It has everything you’d want in a Disney E ticket.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Eisner did way more good than bad while at Disney. Though his reasoning was flawed, I do think Splash Mountain is the better name.

I’m torn on the name. I think if I was an adult when Splash Mountain was announced I would have thought it was an incredibly generic name that tells me nothing about the theme of the ride. I also would have thought “Disneyland” sounded pretty generic if I was around in the early 50’s. In hindsight it may seem like the better name because it’s short and sweet even if maybe a little too literal. We also have 30 years of history with the name so it seems natural. I think Zip a Dee River Run describes the attraction better but Splash Mountain is more in line with the other very generic attraction names at the park like Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion (at least its not house).
 

THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

Well-Known Member
I love Splash Mountain. To me I love Timber Mountain Log Ride more at Knott's because it's one of the first in existence and I had more history with that one in my younger days. but Dinseyland's Splash is soo much fun and thrilling and fun. 'How do you do? do do do do" love it
 
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THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

Well-Known Member
A year or two after riding Splash Mountain for the first time, while at the Disneyana store on Main Street (back when it wasn't in the bank)- I saw a book on the Disney Mountains. The one by Jason Surrell.

Talked my parents into getting it for me, and read that thing so many times- particularly the chapter on Splash Mountain. I actually recently found my copy and it's a very worn book. I couldn't care less about Claude Coats, Marc Davis, or any of the other Imagineers referenced in the book- but Tony Baxter stuck out to me. Because he's portrayed as the genius behind Splash Mountain (even though there were many people involved). Of course, I'd love to learn more about how much Tony actually did for the ride- but that's not my point.

In the 50s and 60s, Walt Disney presented everything about Disneyland. It was Walt Disney's Disneyland. Sure, he'd show off the designers- but their screentime was short, and everything they were designing was for Walt.

As a kid growing up in the '00s, I was really far removed from Walt Disney- but instead, there was Tony Baxter. Obviously, as I grew out of childhood and learned more about Disney, Disneyland, and Tony- the childlike wonder turned into respect and admiration for one of the greatest creative minds of the last 100 years. But I think it's important for young children to be able to link the Disneyland creations to someone and in turn be inspired by that person. Having someone around who embodies Disneyland and really comes across as a 'Walt' figure on camera did wonders for my interest in the park.

That's something modern Disneyland is lacking. Sorry, but the 20 year old interns and Scott Trowbridge just aren't cutting it. Chapek in front of the camera is more off putting than anything. I really hope someone is able to answer the calling and guide Disneyland through the next few decades, both behind the scenes and as a public figure.
let us hope no one is inspired by Pixar Pier except in a what not to do type a way and creates something truly amazing one day due to that.
 

THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

Well-Known Member
Happy Birthday to the best ride at the park. Now with that said, if POTC and Splash were both hanging off a cliff and I could only save one I’d save POTC but Splash Mountain is the best ride in the park and very repeatable when you consider what it has going for it. Great songs/ music, tons of AAs (and a few that work too), great theming, a nice pace and thrills. It has everything you’d want in a Disney E ticket.
Indiana Jones would beg to differ.
 
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