Fiberglass Statues at WDW

[_caleb]

Question: When did Disney start installing fiberglass statues of characters?

I've grown up going to the parks, and I remember a time when these were not common in the parks. In fact, they were stuff of Bob's Big Boy restaurants and McDonald's Playplaces.

If you know, you know.

Sometimes, you'd see one that was a cheap knockoff of a Disney character, and every kid recognized it for what it was.

Maybe that's Donald's half-cousin or something.

Obviously, many ride vehicles use some variation of these: Dumbo, Tea Cups, etc. But now, freestanding character "statues" are all over Disney's parks and resorts. From the Art of Animation's courtyard "decorations," to Port Orleans French Quarter's jazz alligators to Blizzard Beach's new Frozen themed kiddie area. In CA, it's Jack-Jack on a stick at DCA, Tarzan's Treehouse in DLR, etc.

I'm curious: what were the first instances of fiberglass statues in Disney parks?
What are the best (and worst) uses of these that you've seen at WDW?

 

[JustAFan]

Question: When did Disney start installing fiberglass statues of characters?

I've grown up going to the parks, and I remember a time when these were not common in the parks. In fact, they were stuff of Bob's Big Boy restaurants and McDonald's Playplaces.

View attachment 674832
If you know, you know.

Sometimes, you'd see one that was a cheap knockoff of a Disney character, and every kid recognized it for what it was.

View attachment 674833
Maybe that's Donald's half-cousin or something.

Obviously, many ride vehicles use some variation of these: Dumbo, Tea Cups, etc. But now, freestanding character "statues" are all over Disney's parks and resorts. From the Art of Animation's courtyard "decorations," to Port Orleans French Quarter's jazz alligators to Blizzard Beach's new Frozen themed kiddie area. In CA, it's Jack-Jack on a stick at DCA, Tarzan's Treehouse in DLR, etc.

I'm curious: what were the first instances of fiberglass statues in Disney parks?
What are the best (and worst) uses of these that you've seen at WDW?

Many sources document that Walt and his team were early adopters of the fairly new material (fiberglass) when he built Disneyland in the 1950s. They liked it for Autopia cars and Dumbo vehicles. I'm not sure how many statues they had back then, but some researchers seem to think it was a preferred material to be used when possible or appropriate.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Question: When did Disney start installing fiberglass statues of characters?

I've grown up going to the parks, and I remember a time when these were not common in the parks. In fact, they were stuff of Bob's Big Boy restaurants and McDonald's Playplaces.

View attachment 674832
If you know, you know.

Sometimes, you'd see one that was a cheap knockoff of a Disney character, and every kid recognized it for what it was.

View attachment 674833
Maybe that's Donald's half-cousin or something.

Obviously, many ride vehicles use some variation of these: Dumbo, Tea Cups, etc. But now, freestanding character "statues" are all over Disney's parks and resorts. From the Art of Animation's courtyard "decorations," to Port Orleans French Quarter's jazz alligators to Blizzard Beach's new Frozen themed kiddie area. In CA, it's Jack-Jack on a stick at DCA, Tarzan's Treehouse in DLR, etc.

I'm curious: what were the first instances of fiberglass statues in Disney parks?
What are the best (and worst) uses of these that you've seen at WDW?

I don't know when they started, but the usage I really dislike is when they stick figures of the characters into the themed environment such as the Up characters at Adventureland in Disneyland Paris:

That looks very McDonald's playground to me rather than creating a themed environment.

I think Blizzard Beach opened full of those sort of figures, though.

 

[_caleb]

Many sources document that Walt and his team were early adopters of the fairly new material (fiberglass) when he built Disneyland in the 1950s. They liked it for Autopia cars and Dumbo vehicles. I'm not sure how many statues they had back then, but some researchers seem to think it was a preferred material to be used when possible or appropriate.

Right. Along with plastic, it was seen as a space-age material.

I see a difference between fiberglass ride vehicles and character statues. Maybe one just evolved into the other? Obviously, fiberglas is an amazing material; lightweight, strong, waterproof, nonconductive, easy to clean, etc. But using the material to make character statues seems like a newer thing, to me.

 

[_caleb]

I don't know when they started, but the usage I really dislike is when they stick figures of the characters into the themed environment such as the Up characters at Adventureland in Disneyland Paris:

View attachment 674876

That looks very McDonald's playground to me rather than creating a themed environment.

I think Blizzard Beach opened full of those sort of figures, though.

I agree. This is exactly what I have in mind. Granted, these are MUCH better done than the ill-formed ones you'll see used for carnival kiddie rides, but Disney didn't used to do this, did they?

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I can't quite answer your question, but a Dumbo is displayed at the American history branch of the Smithsonian in DC. So somebody thought the Disney one was special, and worthy.

The ones at the hotels I think date to the opening of those hotels. Maybe they have added, removed, or replaced some over the years. They do update the pools every so often, but AoA had them when it opened.

The splash area at GF is newer. I think they were maybe phase one of DVC expansion. (Just my vague recollection, nothing official.)

 

[_caleb]

The display at the Smithsonian @MickeyLuv'r referenced above:

And one of the alligators at Port Orleans French Quarter:

Not to be confused with these painted resin(?) figures from MK's Snow White ride:

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Toontown and Toontown Fair we're heavily fiberglass based with the props, statues and whatnot..

 

[_caleb]

Toontown and Toontown Fair we're heavily fiberglass based with the props, statues and whatnot..

Yeah- props were fiberglass:

But not a lot of just "here's a static Goofy staring in your general direction":

This seems to be a more recent thing.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Camp Minnie Mickey at Animal Kingdom was full of them dating back to the 90s.

 

[_caleb]

Camp Minnie Mickey at Animal Kingdom was full of them dating back to the 90s.

View attachment 674955

Thank you! I KNEW I'd forgotten some of these!

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Camp Minnie Mickey at Animal Kingdom was full of them dating back to the 90s.

View attachment 674955

I wondered what had happened to them after the switch to Pandora. If they got scrapped or reused somewhere else...But another big placed that used huge fiberglass figures..World of Disney..

 

[_caleb]

I wondered what had happened to them after the switch to Pandora. If they got scrapped or reused somewhere else...But another big placed that used huge fiberglass figures..World of Disney..

Yes! I remember suburban mall Disney Stores in the 90s did, too…

 

[castlecake2.0]

I wondered what had happened to them after the switch to Pandora. If they got scrapped or reused somewhere else...But another big placed that used huge fiberglass figures..World of Disney..

Omg I forgot how chaotic WOD used to be

 

[UNCgolf]

Omg I forgot how chaotic WOD used to be

Yeah, I'm not suggesting it should have stayed like that (it shouldn't), but at least it had character that doesn't really exist in the current version outside of a handful of touches. It also felt bigger for some reason.

 

[_caleb]

Yeah, I'm not suggesting it should have stayed like that (it shouldn't), but at least it had character that doesn't really exist in the current version outside of a handful of touches. It also felt bigger for some reason.

now it looks like this:

which gives vibes:

 

[LittleBuford]

But now, freestanding character "statues" are all over Disney's parks and resorts. From the Art of Animation's courtyard "decorations," to Port Orleans French Quarter's jazz alligators to Blizzard Beach's new Frozen themed kiddie area.

Are you drawing a distinction between IP and non-IP characters? The newly installed Frozen statues at Blizzard Beach are replacements for statues of crocodiles.

 

[_caleb]

Are you drawing a distinction between IP and non-IP characters? The newly installed Frozen statues at Blizzard Beach are replacements for statues of crocodiles.

Good point! No need to distinguish. I'm mostly after "when did Disney start setting up fiberglass statues in/around the parks?"

The alligators were certainly an example of this.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

now it looks like this:
View attachment 675080

They went from one extreme, Disney overload, to no Disney theming at all (beyond the merch)… given the choice of the two I prefer the new look, a couple characters scattered here and there would really make the store more interesting though.

 

[_caleb]

They went from one extreme, Disney overload, to no Disney theming at all (beyond the merch)… given the choice of the two I prefer the new look, a couple characters scattered here and there would really make the store more interesting though.

Yeah. I don’t HATE the new look. I just find it boring and unimaginative.