Mirror Disneyland - Version 2.0 - An Alternate History

[DisneyManOne]

Wow, this is incredible so far! I really enjoy how you intend to make this version longer. I think starting out with The Lost World really sets the tone of adventure we are going to have here.

I don't know if you intend to use live actors solely for the purposes of the hijacking scene, but I think having live actors doing live re-enactments of some of the scenes would be incredible. For example, I think a better Young Frankenstein scene would be a live re-enactment of Frederick, Inga and Igor officially bringing the monster to life. Imagine the adrenaline rush of having live actors playing the parts, being able to hear someone actually bellow forth "Give my creation LIFE!" instead of it being on a track.

Also, I've heard that the reason why Ghostbusters wasn't featured in the original Great Movie Ride was because Bill Murray didn't want to grant likeness rights. I take it that in this "Mirror Universe" Bill Murray does agree to it?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

I don't know if you intend to use live actors solely for the purposes of the hijacking scene, but I think having live actors doing live re-enactments of some of the scenes would be incredible. For example, I think a better Young Frankenstein scene would be a live re-enactment of Frederick, Inga and Igor officially bringing the monster to life. Imagine the adrenaline rush of having live actors playing the parts, being able to hear someone actually bellow forth "Give my creation LIFE!" instead of it being on a track.

Also, I've heard that the reason why Ghostbusters wasn't featured in the original Great Movie Ride was because Bill Murray didn't want to grant likeness rights. I take it that in this "Mirror Universe" Bill Murray does agree to it?

I haven't thought of including live actors in other scenes, but it is a possibility! Even though this resort is entirely illogical financially, I have to keep operating costs in mind still. As for Bill Murray, I'd probably do what Horror Nights did and have the Ghostbusters with their backs turned so that you can't see their faces (plus, no dialogue was used from the actual film).

In this universe, there was a whole controversy between Universal Studios Florida and Disneyland when Ghostbusters was included in the Great Movie Ride. USF had their Ghostbusters show and Disneyland in California had a Ghostbusters showscene. The two companies would throw shade at each other for years over it, with Universal claiming they had the licensing first and Disneyland claiming they used the licensing better. The "fun feud" would end when Universal eventually retired their use of the characters

When I finish The Great Movie Ride, I plan on posting a comprehensive timeline of Mirror Disneyland, and possibly the firework show for @Twilight_Roxas!

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

You don’t have too.

 

[Evilgidgit]

I was wondering if the Yuppie invasion still occurred in this timeline? XD

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Continuing on with The Great Movie Ride... The previous portion of the ride-through can be found on Page 5. So far, we've visited scenes from:

- The Lost World (1925)
- Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
- Nosferatu (1922) & The Horror of Dracula (1958)
- Young Frankenstein (1974)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- The Jungle Book (1967)

Again, Theme Park Tourist's Lost Legends article on The Great Movie Ride was used as a reference in writing this. Also, @TheOriginalTiki gave me the idea for a certain segment featured in today's portion of the ride-through.

***

​

The Jungle Book now behind us, a very different sight appears: a gloomy cityscape in 1930s Chicago. We have stumbled into a seedier part of town… “Uh-oh. This doesn’t look like a very nice neighborhood. It seems we’ve entered the birthplace of the gangster film, the seedy underbelly of Chicago from ‘The Public Enemy,’ starring James Cagney.” We glide past a figure of Cagney as Tom Powers standing in a doorway, arguing with someone inside. “Released in 1931 before strict censorship rules were enforced, ‘The Public Enemy’ is a gritty, realistic, and violent look at the world of gangsters in the Depression era.” Faded posters on a fence showcase other classic gangster films, interspersed with wanted posters and references to ongoing crime and chaos in the city. A red light over a shuttered tunnel ahead stops our vehicle in its tracks. We spy a couple of suspicious characters hiding behind some crates to our left; Squid and Beans, two shady gangsters.

“Somebody’s coming! Somebody’s coming! Get down!” Beans whispers. Squid whispers back, “Ah, ah, is it them?” Beans replies, “Nah, just a bunch of rubber-neckin’ tourists…” A third (and live) voice replies to the banter. “Shut up, you two! You wanna blow our cover?” Our tour guide reacts. “Sorry about the delay, folks. I don’t want to run a red light, even if it is just a movie.” The third voice emerges from the shadow, a live performer (male or female) in gangster attire, brandishing a loaded pistol.

Gangster: Hey, you!
Tour Guide: Are you talkin’ to me? Are you talkin’ to me?
Gangster: No. I’m talkin’ to the dame in the funny-lookin’ outfit over there. Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you. Come ‘ere.
Tour Guide: Sorry, I’m not supposed to leave the vehicle.
Gangster: I said GIT over ‘ere!
Tour Guide: Okay, if you say so. (Gets out) What’s up, Mugsy?
Mugsy: (Walking down a flight of stairs) Hey! How do you know my name?
Tour Guide: Oh, I’ve seen this movie before. (Both MUGSY and the TOUR GUIDE are startled by a screeching cat hiding in a trash can)
Mugsy: The heat’s on, you see? And your fancy car’s my ticket outta here. So, beat it!
Tour Guide: Oh no, you’re making a big mistake!
Mugsy: I said scram outta here!
Tour Guide: But I can’t walk out in the middle of the movie!
Beans: Here they come, boss!
Mugsy: Go on, beat it!
Tour Guide: On second thought…
Squid: Get out your grinders!
Tour Guide: I could go for some popcorn right about now!

A car screams into the scene on our right. Squid and Beans rise up, brandishing tommy guns. Our tour guide runs offstage and out of sight. The gangsters inside the car begin to fire back with tommy guns of their own. An all-out shootout has broken out around us, as bullets whiz overhead, ricocheting across the streetscape. Mugsy races aboard the vehicle, taking our tour guide’s place.

Squid: Ah! I’m hit! Hey, I’m hit!
Beans: Mugsy! They got Squid! Mugsy!
Mugsy: I hear ya! Rub ‘em out! (To the enemy gangsters) Hey, you mugs, this ain’t a fair fight!
Beans: Mugsy, Squid’s hit bad! Real bad!
Mugsy: You’re next if ya don’t shut up! (To Guests) Everybody just sit tight. Runnin’ a red light is against the law, and I never break the law. (MUGSY shoots the red light) Lookie dat! No more red light! (Our vehicle resumes motion as the tunnel opens for entry)
Beans: Mugsy! Mugsy! Come back ya rat!
Mugsy: Sorry, boys, I’m makin’ my getaway! Give my regards to the warden, suckers! (To a Guest) What’re you lookin’ at? Everybody mind your p’s and q’s, and maybe nobody’ll get hoit…

​

The tunnel transitions from the world of gangsters and into the famous finale of Casablanca, where Audio-Animatronics of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman stand in front of a waiting airplane. Mugsy seems confused. “Whoa, what’s this? Where am I? New Jersey?” The voice of a movie trailer, deep-voiced and familiar, narrates the scene. Mugsy is noticeably confused. “Humphrey Bogart in his most famous film. In 1942, ‘Bogie’ finally got to spread his wings and romance the beautiful Ingrid Bergman in ‘Casablanca’.” Mugsy shouts out at the pair. “Here’s lookin’ at you, kid! Good grief.” Mugsy turns to a child in our vehicle. “And here’s keepin’ my eye on you, kid.”

Then, it’s on to perhaps one of the most iconic scenes in film history. Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) prepares to leave home for Charleston, no longer wanting anything to do with his wife, Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh). This classic scene from Gone with the Wind plays out at the bottom of a lavish staircase, and occurs in an open doorway.

Scarlett: Please take me with you!
Rhett: No, I’m through with everything here. I want to see if somewhere there isn’t something left in life of charm and grace. You know what I’m talking about?
Scarlett: No. I only know that I love you. Rhett! If you go, where shall I go? What shall I do?
Rhett: Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.

Mugsy seems touched, having burst into tears. “The original cinematic heartbreak. Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind' gets to me every time.” Mugsy gathers his or herself, then sharply snaps, “If any of youse tell any of the boys back home 'bout this, you’ll be in hot water for sure!”

​

Speaking of hot water…

In 2019, an original scene from the California version of The Great Movie Ride was removed. For twenty years, passengers aboard The Great Movie Ride would leave behind Gone with the Wind and enter a galaxy far, far away… The famous and climactic duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker from The Empire Strikes Back. Mugsy would provoke a fight with a robed Jedi hidden in the shadow, only to be defeated by who turned out to be our tour guide disguised in Jedi robes. The opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge next door had made the original attraction’s famous scene feel redundant, and therefore, its removal was imminent. Inspired by the impressive Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure attraction at Shanghai Disneyland, it was decided a new segment themed to the action genre would take Empire’s place: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

The classic music and dialogue of Gone with the Wind behind us, the unforgettable, macabre surroundings of inside The Flying Dutchman now surround us. We are below deck in the cabin of Davy Jones, evident from large windows looking into an aquatic world beneath the surface. Coral formations and rotted timbers surround our vehicle on all ends. Maccus, the "hammerhead" First Mate, pokes up from behind a pile of treasure, glaring at us and snarling his jagged fangs. The same deep-voiced "movie trailer" announcer from before provides narration. "Here, in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest', Captain Jack Sparrow must settle a debt with the dreaded Captain of The Flying Dutchman, Davy Jones. Will Johnny Depp escape with his soul? And what will be your fate? Beware."

A manic organ refrain fills the air. “I dunno about youse guys, but this ride is gettin’ kinda creepy in here. What is dis?” The familiar, hulking shape of Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) is seen ahead tickling the keys of a massive pipe organ, his back turned to us. Across from Jones are a number of humanoid shapes embedded into the walls of the ship, covered in coral and kelp. A huge treasure chest sits open in front of the wall-bound figures, filled to overflowing with glistening gold doubloons and jewels. Mugsy notices the pirate’s treasure and throws on the brakes. “Well, hello, dolly! Get a load o’ dat pirate’s booty! None of youse move while I get the goods.” Davy Jones continues playing his organ, not noticing Mugsy leaving our vehicle to snag the treasure. One of the humanoid shapes in the wall comes to life, speaking in a raspy voice.

Wall-Humanoid: Wait! That treasure belongs to Davy Jones, Captain of The Flying Dutchman. And those who dare try and steal The Dutchman’s treasure will suffer a fate worse than death!
Mugsy: What is this? Some kind of pirate movie?
Wall-Humanoid: Yes, that’s exactly what this is.
Mugsy: Look, I know easy cash when I see it, and this here is easy… (JONES rapidly turns around, furious. His tentacled-beard wriggles to life.)
Davy Jones: What have we here?! A trespasser?! On my ship?!
Mugsy: Whoa, get a load of dis here calamari!
Davy Jones: Ha, ha, ha. Tell me, lad… Do you feel dead?
Mugsy: Is that supposed to be some sort of a threat?
Davy Jones: Do you feel that dark abyss?
Mugsy: Listen here, squid-fer-brains, I'm gonna take your treasure, and nobody'll get hoit.
Davy Jones: Do you not fear death?
Mugsy: I’ll take my chances, ya filthy animal.
Davy Jones: Well then. To the depths!

A great hiss of steam is released from the ground around Mugsy. The white fog envelops the scene and as the smoke clears, we see Mugsy (or what’s left of Mugsy) reduced to a frightened skeleton. The wall-bound humanoid that tried to warn Mugsy is now gone, replaced by our tour guide! Still alive! He (or she) fans the smoke away, seemingly unmoved by the supernatural occurrence, just as chipper as ever.

Tour Guide: That just goes to show you that anything can happen in the movies!
Davy Jones: What’s this?! Another trespasser?!
Tour Guide: (Climbing back into the driver’s seat) Uh-oh…
Davy Jones: You are neither dead nor dying. What is your purpose here?
Tour Guide: I’ve seen this movie! I think I’m supposed to say… Jack Sparrow sent me to settle his debt. Is that right?
Davy Jones: (Shocked) What is your purpose here?
Tour Guide: Jack Sparrow… Sent me to settle his debt…
Davy Jones: Did he now? I’m sorely tempted to accept that offer. (The atmosphere has drastically changed. The Dutchman begins to creak and moan. The cryptic members of Jones’s crew can be heard shuffling and shouting above the deck as our vehicle begins to move again.)
Tour Guide: We better get out of here.
Davy Jones: You have a debt to pay, Sparrow! (To his Crew) Prepare for battle!

We escape the cabin of The Flying Dutchman through a large hole in The Dutchman's side. Hans Zimmer's iconic "He's a Pirate" has since replaced the organ refrain. Our vehicle has magically been transported from The Dutchman to the highest masts of The Black Pearl in the midst of a swirling maelstrom. Wind bellows from all around the vehicle - we even feel the mist and spray of the oceanic storm.

​

A 360-degree IMAX screen creates the impressive illusion that we are in the middle of the action, with the prerecorded performance of Jack Sparrow (Depp) and Jones engaged in their climactic duel from At World's End atop a nearby beam. Jack holds the literal "Dead Man's Chest" in one hand and his sword in the other. Our tour guide shouts over the noise. "It's a little hard for me to talk over the storm, but this climactic duel is from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series! The films are based off an attraction that started here at Disneyland in 1967, which was the last attraction personally supervised by Walt Disney." A cannonball flies overhead (from one side of the screen to the other), just barely "missing" us. "Whoa! That was a close one." Sparrow and Jones shout insults back and forth as our vehicle continues on. The raging wind continues through the dark transition between scenes.

We next glide into our first taste of the finale... In a darkened, windy room, projected footage of perhaps one of the most famous movie scenes of all time plays before us: the Tornado from The Wizard of Oz. The iconic scene and music kick-off the attraction's breathtaking grand finale. "This can't be good either... Hang onto your hats and glasses! Cause we're in the middle of a cyclone!" The wind calms and we emerge from the darkness and into said finale...

For nearly twenty-five minutes so far, we've been more than spectators...we've been inside the movies! We've jumped between decades and styles, celebrated the grandeur of fantasy and old Hollywood, and learned more than a fun fact or two along the way. And now, we will conclude our journey with the most fitting film to end The Great Movie Ride with: The Wizard of Oz.

​

Having emerged from the cyclone and the darkness, we are greeted by the crash-landed home of Dorothy Gale, aptly sat on the crushed legs of the Wicked Witch of the East and her famous Ruby Slippers. We have "landed" amongst the technicolor world of Munchkinland. As windows and doors open, the adorable Munchkins emerge. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. How often do you get to say that? I think we've gone over the rainbow and landed in one of the most beloved and most watched movies in cinematic history: The Wizard of Oz." The Munchkins break into a chorus of "Ding-Dong, the Witch is Dead" in celebration of our arrival and their victory.

Mayor: Yes, let the joyous news be spread
The wicked old witch at last is dead!

Munchkins: (ALL cheer)
Ding-dong the witch is dead
Which old witch?
The wicked witch!
Ding-dong the wicked witch is dead

She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - Below - Below
Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.

We welcome you to Munchkin Land
Tra la la la la la la la la la la la
We welcome you to Munchkin Land
Tra la la la...

In a burst of flaming fog, the Munchkins scream and retreat back into their homes. When the flames subside, we see that the green-skinned, hook-nosed Wicked Witch of the West has arrived, brought to life by an Audio-Animatronics figure so lifelike, you might swear it was Margaret Hamilton herself.

"Who killed my sister? Who killed the Witch of the East? Was it you?" She points to our guide threateningly. "No, it was an accident! I didn't mean to kill anybody!" "Well, my pretty, I can cause accidents, too!" "Oh rubbish," our guide chuckles. "You have no power here! Now be gone, before someone drops a house on you, too!" The Witch recoils. "Very well... I'll bide by time... But just try to stay out of my way. Just try! I'll get you, my pretty...and your little dog too!" Cackling, the Witch is encased again in thick, flaming fog and disappears in an instant, her sinister still laugh echoing behind.

Tour Guide: That was a close call. I wonder how we get out of here. Which way should we go?
Mayor: Follow the Yellow Brick Road!
Tour Guide: Follow the Yellow Brick Road?
Munchkins: Follow the Yellow Brick Road!
Tour Guide: Why didn't I think of that? Sing along, folks, you know the words.
Munchkins: Follow the Yellow Brick Road.
Follow the Yellow Brick Road.
Follow the, follow the
Follow the, follow the
Follow the Yellow Brick Road.
Follow the Yellow Brick
Follow the Yellow Brick
Follow the Yellow Brick Road!

You're off to see the Wizard,
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
You'll find he is a whiz of a Wiz!
If ever a Wiz there was.

If ever oh ever a Wiz there was
The Wizard of Oz is one because,
Because, because, because, because, because.
Because of the wonderful things he does.
You're off to see the Wizard.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

As our vehicle travels from Munchkinland through an enchanted forest, we come upon Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion looking out upon the distant, glittering beauty of the Emerald City.

Dorothy: At last! At last! Beautiful, isn't it? Just like I knew it would be. He really must be a wonderful wizard to live in a city like that!
Lion: Ain't it the truth! Ain't it the truth! (TOTO barks) Ruff! Ruff!
Dorothy: Look! Emerald City is closer and prettier than ever! Oh, Toto, we'll be home in time for supper!
Lion: In another hour, I'll be King of the Forest! Long live the king!

Finally, our journey has come to a close. Our vehicle pulls into a darkened theater, parked next to a separate vehicle full of riders. We look onto a wraparound movie screen "concealed" by a blue curtain dotted with stars. A cheerful musical refrain serves as an underscore while we wait for the film to start. Our tour guide gives a few final words.

Tour Guide: Unfortunately, folks, this does conclude our adventures through some of cinema's greatest moments. But we've only scratched the surface of what Hollywood has to offer. There are still thousands of other great movies out there waiting for you to discover.

Robert Osborne appears on the screen.

Robert Osborne: From all of us here at Disneyland and Turner Classic Movies, we hope you've enjoyed your tour through some of my favorite films, but remember there are many more adventures waiting for you everyday on TCM!

Robert turns his head to watch the following presentation. The blue curtain parts to play a montage of scenes and memorable moments from classic films. The film montage is a perfect fusion of the glitz and glitter of cinema, and an emotional journey through time. Over 125 films are featured in the montage, ranging from Citizen Kane to The Terminator. It is a fitting and sentimental climax to our whirlwind Great Movie Ride adventure.

***​

 

[DisneyManOne]

I didn't think this could get any better, but it did! I wasn't expecting Mugsy to head into the romance section, but it was rather hysterical to see this tough-as-nails be reduced to tears. Overall, I really liked how different this version was compared to the Floridian Great Movie Ride. Not only were there more diverse films, but you actually swapped the order of genres around a bit. And I will say, that Pirates segment was pretty darn cool! But I wonder, although this wasn't mentioned, as the vehicle pulls back into the station, does the guide still go over the scene known only as..."The Exit"?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

I didn't think this could get any better, but it did! I wasn't expecting Mugsy to head into the romance section, but it was rather hysterical to see this tough-as-nails be reduced to tears. Overall, I really liked how different this version was compared to the Floridian Great Movie Ride. Not only were there more diverse films, but you actually swapped the order of genres around a bit. And I will say, that Pirates segment was pretty darn cool! But I wonder, although this wasn't mentioned, as the vehicle pulls back into the station, does the guide still go over the scene known only as..."The Exit"?

Yes, the guide would still do "The Exit" bit! I just ran out of steam writing yesterday haha. But thank you for your kind words and feedback! Any other rides you'd like to see next?

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

History is changed from the start - the blessing of size and wealth are present from the get-go, and budget is never an issue. Euro Disneyland is not a financial disaster. COVID-19 does not happen. Disneyland Park (in this reality) attracts roughly 21 million visitors per year, and WestCOT Center attracts 13 million.

Now, how big is this resort?

Disneyland Park - 250 Acres
WestCOT Center - 330 Acres
Unnamed Water Park - 90 Acres
The Disneyland Bowl - 65 Acres
Disney Boardwalk & Hotel District - 210 Acres
Fantasy Lagoon - 100 Acres
Fantasy Lagoon Beaches - 50 Acres
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa - 75 Acres
Disney’s Boardwalk Resort - 75 Acres
The Disneyland Hotel - 80 Acres
Fantasy Lagoon Hiking Trails - 200 Acres
Disneyland Resort Campground & Cabins - 600 Acres
Wilderness Lake - 150 Acres
Wilderness Lake Beaches & Horseback Trails - 75 Acres
Roads, Parking Lots & Parking Structures (Combined) - 555 Acres
Team Disney Anaheim Administration Building - 60 Acres
Disneyland Warehouses & Storage - 60 Acres
WestCOT Warehouses & Storage - 60 Acres
Disney Boardwalk & Hotel District Warehouses & Storage - 60 Acres
Expansion Space & Undeveloped Areas - 6,855 Acres

In real-life, Anaheim, California is 32,560 acres, a few thousand acres larger than Walt Disney World. In this reality, Anaheim is instead 42,560 acres, so 10,000 of those acres belong to the Disneyland Resort. Therefore, 32,560 acres of Anaheim remain for the public and other properties. And with so many acres left unused for Disney...there’s plenty of room to grow in the future.

A Timeline of the (Mirror) Disneyland Resort​

July 16, 1954
10,000 acres of orange groves and farmland in Anaheim, California begin their transformation into the “Happiest Place on Earth.” To finance Disneyland, Walt and Roy Disney received more than enough financial backing from eager investors. "It was never a problem to convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible," Walt recalled, "because dreams of this sort offer much collateral and great reward."

Remarkably, much of the Disneyland property was left underutilized and vacant, even today. Only an initial 150 acres were used to create Disneyland, and an additional 150 for its parking lot. A series of roads were built through the Disney property, with direct access to the highways and public streets in close proximity to the site. Walt plans to sell the remaining several thousands acres had Disneyland been a financial failure. Disneyland is left “small and contained,” as the fear of under-performing remains constant. New attractions would often replace old attractions, and pushing the park’s berm was unheard of for several years. As a result, the current Disneyland Resort, even today, is rather compact despite the “blessing of size.” This, of course, was resolved when Walt Disney World was designed two decades later.

October 27, 1954
"Disneyland" premieres on ABC, bringing the story of the Magic Kingdom into the homes of millions of American families.

March 6, 1955
The 100-acre Fantasy Lagoon is filled with water. Walt intended the lagoon to be home to real beaches and water sports, an offering still featured today.

July 17, 1955
“I think that everyone here will one day be as proud to have been at this opening as the people who were there at the dedication of the Eiffel Tower,” actor Bob Cummings remarked. The actor was one of the many stars of the day who were gathered for the Grand Opening of Disneyland. To celebrate, ABC organized the biggest live telecast in history. The number of stars, celebrities and public figures on hand seemed almost endless, including host of the telecast, Art Linkletter. It was a grand premiere unlike anything Hollywood had ever seen. Despite this, Opening Day was not without flaw. It was 100° in the shade, and the fresh asphalt was still wet. 12,000 people were invited… And 30,000 showed up! The news outlets and critics of the time predicted the worst for Walt, but only 90 days later, the 1,000,000th Guest walked through the gate. Disneyland not only survived - it thrived.

October 5, 1955
The Disneyland Hotel opens on a 60-acre site overlooking Fantasy Lagoon. Even with the blessing of a healthy budget, Walt opted to pour his funds into Disneyland, Fantasy Lagoon, and the 150-acre parking lot. In 1954, Walt offered his friend Jack Wrather, Jr. the deal of a lifetime - 60 acres and exclusive use of the Disney name for hotels in California for the next 99 years. Therefore, the Disneyland Hotel was owned by the Wrather Corporation. Ticket Books became available at Disneyland later this month, containing A, B, and C Tickets.

December 1955
“The Christmas Bowl” captured the spirit of the Yuletide season with music. One of the earliest holiday presentations at Disneyland, the Christmas Bowl featured scores of local youth bands, choral groups and orchestras as well as Disneyland’s own Charles Dickens Carolers.

Throughout 1956
Thirteen new attractions open, including Tom Sawyer’s Island and the Skyway. The “Fantasy in the Sky” firework display makes its debut. D Tickets are added to Ticket Books. The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train wound its way through the desert landscapes of Frontierland for the first time. The climax of the adventure was the multi-hued waterfalls cascading through Rainbow Caverns. An Opening Day attraction, Canal Boats of the World, is replaced by the picturesque Storybook Land Canal Boats.

August 18, 1956
Carnation Plaza Gardens opens near Sleeping Beauty Castle and would last until April 30, 2012. The colorful dance pavilion goes on to host some of the greatest Swing and Big Band groups in history.

June 16, 1957
The 9-acre Holidayland, often referred to as the “lost” land of Disneyland, opens. This picnic and recreational facility was open until 1961, and included a playground, a baseball field and a large circus tent for live entertainment. Holidayland sat along the western outskirts of the property and remains intact today, though now decrepit and concealed by overgrown woodland. Urban explorers are regular visitors to the abandoned facilities.

December 1957
Leigh Woolfenden is Disneyland’s 10,000,000th Guest. Some 7,500 celebrants welcomed in 1958 as part of Disneyland’s first annual New Year’s Eve Party, a tradition that continues every year.

Throughout 1958
The Grand Canyon Diorama, Alice in Wonderland, Main Street Fire Engine, and the Sailing Ship Columbia debut throughout the year. The Disneyland Kennel opens on January 18.

November 21, 1958
Liberty Street opens on this date. The poorly received Hall of Presidents and Hall of the Declaration of Independence open with the land. The Revolutionary History Museum opens with Liberty Street, and is recognized this same year by Congress as a national museum, meaning it to be at the quality and content of the Smithsonian Institute. The Disneyland News begins syndication.

December 1958
The Candlelight Procession begins a yearly tradition. This parade of carolers illuminates the Magic Kingdom with the glow of a thousand candles and the music of a thousand voices. Over the years, some of Hollywood’s most respected performers have participated in the reading of the Nativity Story.

June 14, 1959
A mountain has slowly emerged on the Orange County horizon… Tomorrowland saw the addition of several major attractions, including the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Monorail, and the Submarine Voyage. The Monorail became the first passenger-carrying system of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The new attractions represented an investment of $6 million. The famous E Ticket was added to Ticket Books as a direct result.

May 28, 1960
The Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland featured a “cast” of more than 200 animated birds, reptiles and mammals in their natural Frontierland habitat. After more than a year and a half in development, the popular adventure opened in place of the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train.

August 1960
Fantasy Lagoon enjoys the addition of the Fantasy Lagoon Hiking Trails. Over several thousand different varieties of plant-life are added to the man-made hills and settings reminiscent of an authentic Southwest wilderness. Deer and other wildlife naturally come to inhabit the area.

February 14, 1961
Samuel Osgood, Postmaster General, a former false facade, becomes an operational U.S. post office on Liberty Street, and continues to accept and distribute letters and packages to this day.

Throughout 1961
Grad Nite is held for the first time at Disneyland. The Flying Saucers were added to Tomorrowland but were quickly closed a few years later in 1966. The Monorail is extended to the Disneyland Hotel, making it the first of its kind in the U.S. to operate over surface streets. The Disneyland Hotel expands and becomes the tallest building in Orange County (at the time).

November 18, 1962
The Swiss Family Treehouse “grows” to life size in Adventureland. The tree used six tons of reinforced steel and 110 cubic yards of concrete in construction. With over 300,000 handmade vinyl leaves and blossoms, the 80-foot high attraction weighs almost 150 tons and still delights “islanders” to this day. Also in 1962, an entire pool of Indian elephants brought the new art of “Audio-Animatronics” to the Jungle Cruise. Complimenting this addition was the opening of the Tahitian Terrace Restaurant.

December 1962
Santa Claus was seen directing the installation of a 24-foot Christmas star on the Matterhorn’s highest peak. The sparkling decoration shone from atop the Matterhorn for many years before being retired as part of Disney’s energy conservation efforts.

June 23, 1963
The Enchanted Tiki Room brings space-age entertainment to the Magic Kingdom, the first major use of Audio-Animatronics characters in the world. In its original concept, the Enchanted Tiki Room was envisioned as a restaurant, with an after-dinner performance from a group of birds.

April 22, 1964 - October 17, 1965
The New York World’s Fair is later remembered as the venue that Walt Disney and his Imagineers used to design and perfect their system of Audio-Animatronics. WED Enterprises designed and created four shows for the fair: It’s a Small World, the Carousel of Progress, Ford’s Magic Skyway, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

July 18, 1965
Disneyland’s ten-year anniversary was celebrated with the dedication of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the Main Street Opera House. The show became an overnight sensation as it was at the World’s Fair. Liberty Street’s Hall of Presidents quietly closed the following day.

November 15, 1965
With the largest media aggregation in Florida history, Walt and Roy Disney joined Florida Governor Haydon Burns to announce their new “Florida Project.” Walt had purchased 30,500 acres (48 sq mi; 123 km) of land near Orlando, Florida.

December 18, 1965
The Gala Premiere of Fantasy on Parade, which would become the longest-running parade in Disney Parks history.

May 28, 1966
It’s a Small World opens on this date. The attraction features more than 500 “singing and dancing” dolls representing children and animals the world over. This same year, the dinosaurs of Ford’s Magic Skyway arrive to join Disneyland’s next adventure, the Primeval World diorama.

July 24, 1966
New Orleans Square has its Grand Opening. New Orleans mayor, Victor Schiro, joined Walt Disney for the ceremony. The five-acre, $21 million expansion authentically captured the beauty and intrigue found in the famous Louisiana city a century ago. A New Orleans reporter covering the story said, "It's the next best thing to being there..." New Orleans Square was the second new land built at Disneyland since Liberty Street in 1958.

December 15, 1966
Walt Disney passes away. “He was an original; not just an American original, but an original, period. He was a happy accident; one of the happiest this century has experienced.” - Eric Sevareid, CBS Evening News, December 1966

March 18, 1967
Pirates of the Caribbean makes a splash in New Orleans Square. Today, the attraction remains one of the finest examples of Imagineering and has been a standard for all attractions to follow.

July 2, 1967
Tomorrowland celebrates its grand reopening. The $23 million rebirth of Tomorrowland brings Disneyland the Carousel of Progress, Adventure Thru Inner Space, and the WEDWay PeopleMover among other new adventures in futuristic fantasy.

August 9, 1969
For six years, the distant, ominous Haunted Mansion stood unoccupied on a hill in New Orleans Square. Finally, on this date, The Haunted Mansion creaked open for the first time, welcoming "foolish mortals" to an attraction quite unlike anything they had ever before experienced.

January 1, 1970
The Disneyland Campground is introduced. Over two hundred tents, trailers and motor-homes are on hand to celebrate the inaugural “first night.” 600 acres are dedicated to the forested campground, including a second man-made lagoon: Wilderness Lake. This large area would be renamed the Disneyland Resort Campground & Cabins in early 1998 when cabins, horseback riding, and other resort amenities were introduced.

June 17, 1971
Valerie Suldo became Guest Number 100,000,000 at 11:13 a.m. Thursday, June 17, 1971, launching a summer-long celebration.

October 25, 1971
Walt Disney World is dedicated by Roy O. Disney on this date near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida. Three months after he dedicated Walt Disney World to his late brother, Roy passed away on December 20. Roy added the essential financial complement to Walt’s creative genius.

March 4, 1972
Folktale Forest opens in the southwest section of Frontierland, a replacement for the former Indian Village. The Country Bear Jamboree, opening on an extended run, was the hit show of Disneyland’s new eighth land.

June 17, 1972
The Main Street Electrical Parade is the highlight of Disneyland’s summer entertainment in its debut season. By popular demand, the parade would only become bigger and brighter over the years.

July 29, 1974
America Sings, a comical, tune-filled adventure tracing nearly 200 years of our nation’s musical heritage, opens inside Liberty Street’s Independence Hall. The Carousel Theater in Tomorrowland was dismantled and relocated to Liberty Street for the new attraction, carefully placed behind Independence Hall.

July 1975
Conceived as a salute and celebration honoring the American Bicentennial, America on Parade began its daily performances at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World and continued until September 1976. It completed more than 1200 performances before a total audience of 25 million. On July 17, Disneyland welcomed back Christine Vess Watkins and her cousin Michael Schwartner who, at ages five and seven, had been the first visitors to enter Disneyland.

May 27, 1977
Space Mountain opened its portals to Disneyland Guests for a most incredible thrill experience, housed within a “Disneysphere” of technological and theatrical treats for the imagination. On hand for the Opening Ceremonies are some of the original seven U.S. astronauts.

Throughout 1978
Mickey Mouse turns 50 in November! Even though he didn’t look his age… A huge celebration is held, and 91,000+ Guests attend. A total of fifty new tandem bobsleds are introduced to the Matterhorn, and the Abominable Snowman made its first appearance inside the mountain’s eerie, new ice caverns.

May 4, 1979
Dumbo’s Circusland debuted in the vacant land near It’s a Small World. The “sub-land” gave a home to a relocated Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Casey Jr. Circus Train, as well as a new dark ride: Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.

September 2, 1979
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens in Frontierland. Over seven years of planning, two years of construction and $15.8 million were required to bring this thrilling new adventure to reality on the large area once occupied by Nature’s Wonderland.

Mid-1981
A large grotto is carved in a vacant hillside near Sleeping Beauty Castle. This marks the groundbreaking for “New Fantasyland.” An Audio-Animatronics dragon would later occupy the grotto, one of the largest Audio-Animatronics figures ever designed by WED.

Throughout 1982
The Disneyland Passport (later, just the “Annual Pass”) is introduced, and Ticket Books are discontinued. For the first time, attractions and entertainment are included with park admission. EPCOT Center opens at Walt Disney World on October 1.

April 15, 1983
Tokyo Disneyland debuts in Chiba, Japan. It is the first "Disneyland" outside of the U.S.

May 25, 1983
After a year and a half of reconstruction, Fantasyland reopens in a new, Alpine-themed setting. Each attraction now sports a detailed, three-dimensional facade, while technological advances and stunning special effects combine for truly memorable storytelling. Jolly Holiday with Mary Poppins opens.

September 1984
Michael Eisner becomes CEO and begins an aggressive increase in ticket prices, among other things.

January 1, 1985
1985 begins year-round, 365 day operation for Disneyland.

December 1984
The Country Bear Christmas Special debuts. It is the first holiday overlay for a Disneyland attraction. It’s a Small World gains a new neighbor in the Enchanted Snow Palace. The charming boat ride sailed through the wintry, Arctic world of the Snow Queen.

February 1986
The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown debuts. The Country Bear Jamboree venue is renamed the Country Bear Playhouse.

September 18, 1986
Captain EO opens in Tomorrowland. The 4D attraction starred Michael Jackson as the titular Captain, and was written and produced by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Throughout 1987
The Disney Gallery opens above the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean. The second-floor space had originally been designed as Walt's "Royal Suite." Star Tours opens in Tomorrowland, and is the first time a Disneyland attraction is based on a non-Disney movie. Star Tours is built on the former site of the Carousel Theater, which had remained vacant land since the early ‘70s.

Throughout 1988
America Sings closes. The Carousel Theater was thereafter dismantled for good. The Walt Disney Company buys “back” the Disneyland Hotel.

May 1, 1989
Disney-MGM Studios opens at Walt Disney World.

July 17, 1989
Splash Mountain dominates the Folktale Forest skyline with its record-setting five-story, 47-degree plunge down Chick-a-Pin Hill at over 40mph. Many of the Audio-Animatronics characters from America Sings are relocated to the attraction. By this date, 300 million people have visited Disneyland since 1955.

July 17, 1990
Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary. The American Adventure, an attraction made famous at EPCOT Center, opens inside the vacant Independence Hall. Plans are announced for a new “Disneyland Resort” that will include a new theme park and state-of-the-art recreational and luxury facilities.

Throughout 1992
The Adventureland Bazaar is expanded into a marketplace reminiscent of 1,001 Arabian Nights. Aladdin’s Enchanted Passage opens as an offshoot from the Bazaar. Fantasmic! debuts on the Rivers of America in Frontierland at a cost of $30 million. Euro-Disneyland opens this same year on April 12.

September 25, 1993
The Country Bear Halloween Hootenanny debuts.

May 27, 1994
Tomorrowland 2155 opens. By 2019, “2155” is dropped from the title, but many of the same attractions and details remain. Opening with the renovated Tomorrowland was The Visionarium: From Time to Time, an updated Adventure Thru Inner Space, and the famous ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.

March 4, 1995
Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition opens in Adventureland. This huge expansion would introduce an extension of the Jungle Cruise, as well as the groundbreaking Indiana Jones Adventure and Raging Spirits thrill attractions.

April 5, 1996
Construction begins on WestCOT Center and the Disneyland Resort. Despite the luxury of real estate, WestCOT is built directly across from Disneyland on the former parking lot.

December 1997
It's a Small World Holiday begins its yearly holiday season with several thousand lights on the attraction's iconic facade.

April 22, 1998
Animal Kingdom opens at Walt Disney World.

May 22, 1998
The Boardwalk & Hotel District opens on this date. Inspired by Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World, the shopping district is an intricate and detailed experience found alongside Fantasy Lagoon. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience opens in place of Captain EO in Tomorrowland.

June 12, 1998
The Disneyland Bowl has its inaugural performance. The state-of-the-art amphitheater later went onto host The Muppet Show Live in 2001 and an outdoor production of Hamilton in 2018 among other shows. The Disneyland Bowl anchored the beautiful, new Anaheim Commercial Recreation Area. The Recreation Area is serviced by an elevated, high-capacity PeopleMover and an expanded Monorail.

July 4, 1998
The Disneyland Resort welcomes 5,600 additional hotel rooms. The Grand Californian Hotel & Spa overlooks Fantasy Lagoon and its natural surroundings, with a view of the distant Frontierland and Folktale Forest. The Boardwalk Resort, based on the Hotel Del Coronado (just like the Grand Floridian Resort), opens as the centerpiece to Disney’s Boardwalk & Hotel District. The *Unnamed* Water Park opens this date.

​

December 2, 1998
WestCOT Center welcomes the world to a “second Epcot.” The incredible addition stood, in its time, as the world’s most detailed, fully realized theme park. WestCOT welcomed a number of celebrities, humanitarians and scientific thinkers alike for Opening Day. ABC once more held a live telecast to showcase the new park. In its first full year of operation, WestCOT Center welcomes 9 million visitors.

May 1, 1999
Hollywoodland debuts behind Fantasyland and opens with four attractions: The Great Movie Ride, the Red Car Trolley, Roger Rabbit’s Runaway Trolley, and Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D. FastPass debuts as a direct result of new crowd-flow. FastPass works a little too well.

February 14, 2000
The Wonders of Life finally opens at WestCOT. The Pavilion includes the Great Midway of Life, Body Wars, ImageWorks, and the classic Journey Into Imagination.

January 1, 2001
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Atlantis Expedition opens as a suited makeover for the old Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland. The new attraction madeover the original submarine fleet into steampunk clones of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus.

February 8, 2001
Disney Animation opens in Hollywoodland. The breathtaking Soarin’ opens in The Wonders of Earth at WestCOT. Dreamer’s Airfield opens outside the Pavilion.

September 4, 2001
Tokyo DisneySea debuts. WestCOT is dethroned as the world's most beautiful theme park.

October 2001
Woody’s Roundup, a fast-moving “whip ride” opens in Frontierland. The Haunted Mansion Winter Terrorland overlay premieres on October 13.

March 16, 2002
Walt Disney Studios Park opens in France.

June 28, 2003
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt opens in Fantasyland and is Disneyland’s first “trackless” dark ride.

March - May, 2004
WestCOT begins its annual Flower & Garden Festival.

May 5, 2004
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror joins the growing skyline of the Disneyland Resort. The popular attraction (an import from Walt Disney World) was the perfect crowd-puller to the low-traffic Hollywoodland behind Fantasyland. This same year, Disneyland sees its 500 millionth Guest.

March 13, 2005
Robert Iger is named CEO of the Walt Disney Company, though Eisner held the title until he resigned on September 30, 2005.

May 5, 2005
The Happiest Homecoming on Earth begins, an 18-month-long celebration of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary.

July 4, 2005
Thunder Mesa Expedition debuts and dominates the Frontierland skyline in honor of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary. The “mega-attraction” finds its roots in the famously unbuilt Western River Expedition from Imagineer Marc Davis. On this same day, “The Sea” finally opens at WestCOT.

July 17, 2005
Disneyland turns 50!

September 9, 2005
Halloween Time enjoys its first season. The Haunted Mansion and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror anchor the event, which included a specially ticketed after-hours party with special entertainment, haunted mazes, trick-or-treating, and madeover lands crawling with things that go bump in the night.

September 12, 2005
Hong Kong Disneyland debuts in Hong Kong.

November 18, 2005
Haunted Mansion Winter Terrorland begins its seasonal run. Moving forward, the popular overlay is exclusive to the Christmas offerings at Disneyland.

January 24, 2006
Disney announced it would acquire Pixar for $7.4 billion. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is re-acquired from NBCUniversal this same year.

August - November, 2006
WestCOT holds its first annual Food & Wine Festival.

March 16, 2006
CineMagic, starring Martin Short and Julie Delpy, premiered in Hollywoodland at the Carthay Circle Theatre. The English Language version of the film premieres the same date as its Parisian counterpart at Walt Disney Studios, France.

May 31, 2008
Toy Story Midway Mania is introduced to Dumbo’s Circusland.

November 27, 2008
The Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough reopens after a seven-year hiatus. The updated experience is praised for its attention to detail and simplicity.

December 2, 2008
WestCOT celebrates its 10th Anniversary. The long-vacant second-floor in the Wonders of Science Pavilion is finally filled - Test Track roars onto the scene, providing WestCOT with a needed thrill.

January 2009
It’s a Small World opens from a lengthy refurbishment, introducing a number of Disney Characters from the world over.

April 15, 2009
Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek debuts in Tomorrowland. The interactive dark ride opens the exact same day as its counterpart at Tokyo Disneyland. The Monsters, Inc. Scare Factory becomes as recognizable a Tomorrowland icon as Space Mountain, and can be seen from Harbor Boulevard in Anaheim.

August 2009
Negotiations begin to acquire Marvel Entertainment and its associated assets for $4 billion.

May 26, 2011
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is the first dark ride attraction to open at the Disney Boardwalk & Hotel District.

January 2012
The Country Bear Revue: A Tribute to the Music & Lore of the American West debuts. The show is a compilation of the previous Jamboree and Vacation Hoedown shows with additional material. The Vacation Hoedown and original Jamboree are retired at Disneyland.

October 2012
Lucasfilm Ltd. is purchased for $4 billion following several months of negotiations.

May 22, 2015
Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary is launched with a 24-hour event at Disneyland.

June 16, 2016
Shanghai Disneyland opens in Shanghai.

June 21, 2016
Frozen Ever After officially takes over the Enchanted Snow Palace, much to Disney Purists' dismay.

July 4, 2016
The Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History premieres on Liberty Street.

November - January, 2016 - 2017
WestCOT holds its first annual Festival of the Holidays.

Throughout 2017
Moana: The Heart of Te Fiti premieres at the Tahitian Terrace. Guardians of the Galaxy - Destination: Tomorrowland opens in the location that previously housed Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The Festival Pavilion opens at WestCOT Center.

January 5, 2018
The original Star Tours in Tomorrowland is closed. The simulators are relocated to the ongoing construction site of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

December 2, 2018
WestCOT celebrates its 20th Anniversary. The celebration is marked with the opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and the announcement of another Parisian attraction (TBA).

March 2019
Disney’s deal to purchase 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion is finalized after almost a year.

May 31, 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opened to the public. Star Wars composer John Williams composed the orchestral theme for the new land, his first ever collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and an updated Star Tours are opening day attractions.

January 17, 2020
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opens.

April 26, 2021
The Avengers Initiative fills the location once home to Star Tours. Expo Gifts and a Marvel Hall of Fame are included in the Tomorrowland addition.

***
​

Since WestCOT isn't finished yet, I will add major WestCOT events to this timeline at a later time!

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Cool.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Any other rides you'd like to see next?

How about Thunder Mesa Expedition, or New Horizons? And I will admit, River of Time does sound intriguing, but given that you said it has a 45-minute length, I'd kinda prefer you saving that for when you finish WestCOT. It'd serve as a great finale for that section of Mirror Disneyland.

 

[megatron_85]

Any other rides you'd like to see next?

how about adventures thru inner space?

 

[Mickey Pride]

@MANEATINGWREATH All I can say is WOW. You have put in so much amazing effort into this project and I am calling it a project because it is so much more than just a forum thread. In just scanning through the pages of this it seems you have covered just about everything and then I click to the next page and there is more. You have down an amazing job with your Mirror-Disneyland and should be commended on it. Fantastic Job!!!!!!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

@MANEATINGWREATH All I can say is WOW. You have put in so much amazing effort into this project and I am calling it a project because it is so much more than just a forum thread. In just scanning through the pages of this it seems you have covered just about everything and then I click to the next page and there is more. You have down an amazing job with your Mirror-Disneyland and should be commended on it. Fantastic Job!!!!!!

Thank you for your kind words! There's so much more to come in regard to WestCOT and the Disney Boardwalk & Hotel District. I could honestly continue working on this project for the next few years there is so much left to do.

How about Thunder Mesa Expedition, or New Horizons? And I will admit, River of Time does sound intriguing, but given that you said it has a 45-minute length, I'd kinda prefer you saving that for when you finish WestCOT. It'd serve as a great finale for that section of Mirror Disneyland.

how about adventures thru inner space?

Okay, those three are next! I'm not sure what order they'll be carried out in, however, or when they will be posted. But I'll get started right away!

 

[Mickey Pride]

Thank you for your kind words! There's so much more to come in regard to WestCOT and the Disney Boardwalk & Hotel District. I could honestly continue working on this project for the next few years there is so much left to do.





Okay, those three are next! I'm not sure what order they'll be carried out in, however, or when they will be posted. But I'll get started right away!

I look forward to all that is to come.

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

Okay, everyone. I'm back to work, so my goal is to get at least one new project out a week. I'm currently working (and almost finished with) Thunder Mesa Expedition, and then I plan on diving right into the next piece. Here's a timeline of what to expect in the coming weeks.

1. Thunder Mesa Expedition
2. The Country Bear Revue: A Tribute to the Music & Lore of the American West
3. The Country Bear Christmas Special
4. New Horizons
5. Adventure Thru Inner Space

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

As promised, here is PART ONE of Thunder Mesa Expedition.

I want to give a shout out to perhaps the greatest series of articles on Western River Expedition ever written, conceived by FoxxFur over at the Passport to Dreams Old & New blog.

https://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2015/01/all-about-western-river-expedition-part.html​

Thanks to said article, I have now debunked in my head-canon several longstanding “details” about the attraction that aren’t true, including the attraction being narrated by the owl Hoot Gibson, and the climactic outdoor waterfall. Even more surprising was learning that the oft-mentioned Pack Mules and Pueblo Indian Village were never intended for Thunder Mesa. Go figure.

Other great sources on the subject include ThemeParkTourist, Widen Your World, Yesterworld Entertainment, and The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at Its Peak by Jason Surrell.

The ride-through you are about to experience differs greatly from the description in my initial overview of Mirror Frontierland. In that, I detailed a whole “Boot Hill” segment where zombies rise from the grave and attack. Let’s pretend I never said that… For now, ignore that original description and consider this ride-through canon. I will update the overview later.

***

Thunder Mesa Expedition
“The Most Famous Disney Ride Never Built”

​

​

When Walt Disney World opened on October 1, 1971, guests were astonished at the omission of Pirates of the Caribbean. The Imagineers believed that Florida’s culture was already rich in its own pirate folklore, and was so close to the real Caribbean, that residents and tourists alike would have little interest in a simulated pirate adventure. Instead, a large portion of land northwest of Frontierland was set aside for the building of Western River Expedition, a rip-roaring waterborne journey through the American West, starring cowboys and Indians in place of buccaneers and brigands. It would outdo Pirates in every respect, and was to be the star attraction of Thunder Mesa, a mountainous show complex that would also be home to hiking trails and exhibits, a runaway mine train, and a canoe ride through whitewater rapids and straight-down a waterfall.

It was Marc Davis himself, the man largely responsible for such attractions as the Country Bear Jamboree and Pirates of the Caribbean, who spearheaded the ambitious attraction slated for the Magic Kingdom’s first expansion phase. The veteran Imagineer had little interest in repeating himself and a lot of interest in topping himself. Construction was slated to be complete by 1976, but with guest complaints mounting over the exclusion of Pirates, then-CEO Card Walker’s top priority was to build a smaller version of Pirates as soon as possible at the Florida Park. Davis and the Imagineers lobbied for their new adventure that was to be even bigger and better than Pirates, but Card would hear none of it. An Adventureland site for Pirates was chosen in the spring of 1972, and construction was underway by that fall.

​

To further stir the pot, the Thunder Mesa complex would have cost an astronomical $60 million to build. The energy crisis of 1973 wreaked havoc on the “Vacation Kingdom of the World.” Attendance fell. Further complicating matters, Marc’s depiction of Native Americans, which were decidedly cartoonish and not at all politically correct, had raised eyebrows and concern among the Imagineers and executives. All these factors and more led to the abandonment of the attraction altogether. Western River was extinct - dead in the water.

Test Track opened at EPCOT on March 17, 1999. The highlight of the new attraction was (is) a “speed trial” at a top speed of 64.9mph, making it the fastest Disney Attraction ever built. The new ride system was a win for the Imagineers, and would allow for a number of attractions to be built that were previously thought impossible. One Imagineer felt as if the new ride system would be the perfect opportunity to restore Marc’s unbuilt cowboy ride. Tony Baxter, wishing to right a wrong, successfully found the means to introduce Western River Expedition to Walt's Disneyland.

On July 4, 2005, Frontierland welcomed the shadow of an immense rock-wall, something like Big Thunder Mountain, but taller, wider, bigger. Having begun construction in mid-2003, Thunder Mesa became a panoramic backdrop for the whole of Frontierland, visible from three directions (later four with Galaxy’s Edge), an immense undertaking with a size and scope making it the largest and most dense component of Disneyland. And although smaller than Marc’s original designs for Florida, and with less attractions inside and out, the purpose of the Thunder Mesa Mountain remained the same; Tastefully disguising the E-Ticket attraction inside: Thunder Mesa Expedition.

​

The attraction is housed within two large show buildings with a third, and somewhat large show building connecting the two. Each show building is comparable to the size of the main Pirates of the Caribbean show building (so, excluding the cave scenes), and are all comfortably compact behind the walls of the rugged, Bryce Canyon-inspired rock-work of the mountain. The attraction inside is as close to Marc’s vision as possible, with a few edits here or there:

1. The boat ride and waterfall drop were eliminated, deemed redundant with Splash Mountain and Pirates. The attraction would utilize rustic “wagons” on a ride system “borrowed” from Test Track, a “giant slot car,” of sorts. The attraction, of course, was renamed accordingly.
2. Thunder Mesa would be sized down from original designs and only feature the main Expedition, a diorama for the Disneyland Railroad, and a companion restaurant.
3. The insensitive portrayal of Native Americans would be eliminated almost entirely. The indoor waterfall was replaced by an 80-foot drop down the slopes of Thunder Mesa. The climactic fall would result in a high-speed “chase” through a narrow series of canyons and caves at the base of the mountain.

Baxter and his team researched the never-built attraction tirelessly. Marc and his longtime collaborator Mary Blair had produced a number of paintings, sketches, and even a scale-model that told the original ride’s story, dating back as early as 1968. Each design was examined and thoroughly re-created as deemed appropriate. The attraction was the PERFECT kick-off to fifty-years of Walt’s Magic Kingdom, and a soon-to-be celebrated Disney Classic held equal to the standards of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion alike.

The Ride

​

​

Our adventure begins in Frontierland, which perhaps stands as Walt’s greatest tribute to America's pioneers. In this historical land, wooded natural surroundings give way to a rustic, frontier town that is still in full operation. Wooden sidewalks lead to the entrance of bustling, frontier stores. Within earshot: high-kicking dancing girls, corny comedians, and a ragtime piano player entertain diners at the old-fashioned, brass-railed Golden Horseshoe Saloon. And just a stone’s throw away is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a whirlwind trip through towering rock formations, tumbling avalanches, and a dynamite explosion, on the fastest and wildest railroad anywhere on the frontier.

At a bustling bend in the Rivers of America, with its rugged trails and musical themes reminiscent of a Hollywood Western, this is the panorama of Frontierland, a composite of the life and times of over a hundred years ago. Our journey back in time continues as we meander down Big Thunder Trail, which has serviced safe passage through the tranquil wilderness connecting Frontierland to Fantasyland, and later Galaxy’s Edge, since 1979. Leftover remnants from the former Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland rest along the forested trail, with abandoned train tunnels and a murky lagoon showing what’s left of the former Beaver Valley and Bear Country scenes.

Both Big Thunder Mountain and Trail were dwarfed in 2005 when a different, but eerily similar mountain grew on the near horizon…

​

Thunder Mesa Mountain is a marvel unto itself - a towering, ever-present, landmark mountain range of rusted hoodoos, arches, and waterfalls topped with distant dwarf evergreens, the miniature huts of Pueblo Indians, and a complete frontier town nestled along its base. This is the “township” of Mesa Terrace, sort of a companion piece to Rainbow Ridge, the miniature mining town of Big Thunder Mountain (formerly Nature’s Wonderland).

This idyllic Western town is a facade for the elegant Mesa Terrace Restaurant, a Blue Bayou-style eatery with spectacular views overlooking Thunder Mesa and the forced-perspective streets of a Western settlement. The lobby and tables are housed inside the colorful buildings, by all appearances a functioning pioneer town from the front, but inside a single and connected open space looking onto the Western settlement diorama.

Not far from Mesa Terrace stands an enormous ore elevator (perhaps a wink at the canned “Geyser Mountain” project once planned for the site), our suited entrance into the attraction and into the base of the towering mountain itself. At 130-feet in height, Thunder Mesa is dwarfed only by the Matterhorn and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and can be seen from various vantage points, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Fortunately, the mountain's rock-work which is reminiscent of Bryce Canyon, Utah, is a seamless blend with the petrified trees and rock formations of Batuu and its Black Spire Outpost. From Hollywoodland, Thunder Mesa appears not as a desert mountain, but instead as a grassy hillside. In fact, the famous “Hollywoodland” letters stretch across the mountain, a fact made unaware to the riders of the attraction inside. This detail, of course, is only visible from Hollywoodland.

​

We enter a mine shaft at the base of the elevator and proceed through a series of long-abandoned, underground mining tunnels. We make our way through the shadowy bowels of Thunder Mesa Mountain past rusted ore cars, arsenals, excavation equipment, and the long-forgotten tracks of a former mining operation. Imagine, if you will, traveling the caverns of Big Thunder Mountain by foot.

Passing through the subterranean passageways of the Thunder Mesa Mining Operation, we emerge from the darkness in the leftmost show building, in a romantic, technicolor sunset cast down upon the orange hoodoos and lush waterfalls of a desert canyon. Crossing over a natural arch, we look down and see a train of rustic “wagons” that will soon take us on our journey, some returning to the load area, others now loading and departing. The air is cool and the sunset is brilliant, with hues of pink, orange, red, and blue. A few fluffy clouds, a la Toy Story, float across the romantic sky. Coyotes can be heard howling in the distance, along with the soothing sound of early evening crickets and the occasional rattlesnake. The ride’s theme song, “The Ballad of Thunder Mesa” (a variation on “The Ballad of Pecos Bill”) plays in the style of a Hollywood Western as our trail climbs down the walls of the canyon and into the loading area amid trees and brush typical of the American Southwest. The canyon’s waterfalls cascade down into trickling streams splashing alongside the load area.

​

We will make our journey aboard a two-row, six-passenger vehicle reminiscent of the Conestoga Wagons that once traversed the Oregon Trail - sans the overhead awning, and far lower to the ground, almost like an automobile. There are thirty-one wagons in all, each of which is christened with a name that reflects a Western folk hero, from Pecos Bill to Davy Crockett. Each wagon looks to have either been built from wood salvaged from a scrapyard, or from wood that has experienced all manner of difficulties on its journey westward.

​

Our wagon pulls away from the canyon and glides through a picturesque landscape under the perfect soft, summer sunset, bathed in warmth and scored by the music of nature itself. An encampment of Plains Indians sits just off to the left, the remnants of a campfire smoking heavenward. Though Native Americans are not visible, we can hear a Shaman inside one of the tepees, spinning a tale for his grandchildren children through music and chanting. Further left is the infinite horizon of the American West, a verdant landscape dotted by literal purple mountains and fruited plains.

Our wagon rolls deeper into the wilderness, straight ahead to the mouth of a great cave in the base of a rocky mountainside. Nestled among the rocks are giant, over-sized dime novels of the great frontier - stories of Davy Crockett, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, Pecos Bill, and Zorro. The Devil’s Paint Pots, an elusive, desert mystery, bubble in all kinds of colors before the entrance to the cave. Not ironically, this scene in the show sits on the exact land once occupied by the Devil’s Paint Pots of the original Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. With the colorful mud bubbling and popping to the tune of the music, we enter the cave and into a long, dimly lit cavern.

​

We drift into a cavernous grotto dimly illuminated by the sunset spilling into the catacombs from the surface above. Hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites surround us, with only the dripping of water as company. Then, the eerie melody of rhythmic drums. We first see a stalactite shaped like a rabbit. From inside the “rabbit,” the drums begin to play. We glide past more stalactites in the shape of familiar Old West figures - a coyote, a cowboy, an old man. From inside each stalactite, the music gets louder, until the entire cavern is filled with the ethereal music, and more familiar shapes overwhelm the whimsical rock-work.

***
​

PART TWO coming soon!

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

PART TWO

***
​

We slip outdoors and gently roll through a warm desert at dusk. The “Ballad of Thunder Mesa” continues from the ethereal music of the caverns, though this time in the vein of a melodramatic, minor key score to a silent film. Above our wagon and off to the left, a railroad track runs on a rocky bluff - an authentic steam train rumbles past, the Disneyland Railroad passing through.

If the passengers aboard the Disneyland Railroad were to look out across this simulated desert, their view would be our next sight: a true-to-form Stagecoach Robbery on an overhead trestle.

​

Masked bandits on masked horses, complete with their own variation on the theme song, seem too occupied with their latest crime to bother us - though, the leader, a menacing fellow in a top hat, suggests through song we’ll meet again. The sinister leader rides on the back of a masked grizzly bear.

“The Ballad of Thunder Mesa - Bandit Lyrics”
To the Tune of “The Ballad of Pecos Bill”

BANDIT LEADER
Oh, my friends, you see, you’ve got yourselves some trouble
You’ve seen our faces, and that’s not good in the least

ALL BANDITS
We’re the roughest, toughest bandits, never known to say dang-nabbit!
And we never have no fear of man nor beast!
So yippee-i-ay-i-ay, yippee-i-o!

STAGECOACH PASSENGERS
They’re the toughest critters west of the Alamo!

BANDIT LEADER
Quiet, you varmints!
(One of the BANDITS fires at the PASSENGERS. The STAGECOACH HORSES whiney.)
Where was I? Ah, yes…
(SINGS)
Now you’ve seen us, we’re the meanest, causing trouble!
We’re crooked villains, with no fillings in our teeth!

ALL BANDITS
We’ll chase you down and all around
‘Til you’re our captive, and our clown!

BANDIT LEADER
We’ll meet again, I don’t know when, but just you see!

ALL BANDITS
So yippee-i-ay-i-ay, yippee-i-o!

STAGECOACH PASSENGERS
They’re the toughest critters west of the Alamo!

BANDIT LEADER
I said, QUIET!!!
(One of the BANDITS fires at the PASSENGERS. The STAGECOACH HORSES whiny.)
That’s better…
​

Not wanting any trouble, our wagon picks up speed, darting under the stagecoach trestle and hastily dipping over a number of rolling “sand dunes” and hairpin turns around cacti and rocks. Our wagon slows to a leisurely pace as we continue into a desert prairie at twilight, in awe at the fluffy clouds floating across the endless, night sky, and distant rock formations silhouetted against the twinkling stars and silhouettes of howling coyotes on the horizon.

​

​

A family of buffalo gather around a group of prairie dogs popping in and out of their burrows; the visible, distant coyotes howl; the underscore music swells from “The Ballad of Thunder Mesa” to a different and more sentimental tune: “Blue Shadows.” Nearby, a cowboy sings to calm his musical, bellowing cattle under the soft moonlight. Even his lanky horse joins in the song.

A chuck wagon parked along the trail serves as a base camp for the cowboy’s comrades, whose guitar and harmonica playing around a campfire join the arrangement of “Blue Shadows” as the wide-eyed cook sings along.

​

Of course, all the cowpokes are joined by an entire chorus of singing cacti…

CHORUS
Shades of night are falling
As the wind begins to sigh
And the world's silhouetted against the sky

Blue shadows on the trail
Blue moon shinin' through the trees
And a plain tiff wail from the distance
Comes a driftin' on the evening breeze

Move along, blue shadows, move along
Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way

Until the darkness sheds its veil
There'll be, blue shadows on the trail

Move along, blue shadows, move along
Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way

Until the darkness sheds its veil
There'll be, blue shadows on the trail
Shadows on the trail​

The placid strumming of “Blue Shadows” transitions into a honky tonk piano arrangement of “The Ballad of Thunder Mesa.” Raucous shouting, gunfire, and general “yippin’” and “hollerin’” has filled the air. Rounding the corner from the prairie, we ride onward and into the little pioneer town of Dry Gulch.

​

It’s a Saturday night in Dry Gulch, and the technicolor streets are alive with revelry. The influence and intense color stylization of Mary Blair is perhaps most evident in Dry Gulch. The right side of the town is bathed in bright, blue moonlight, with the various buildings standing out against the hue in shades of green clapboard and yellow windows, whereas the left side of the town is bathed in fiery, burning red, courtesy of the setting sun, with impossibly long shadows cast by the warmly-lit buildings. On either side of town, towering canyon walls loom beneath the vast expanse of the evening sky. Our wagon travels through town at a comfortable pace, not excluding the opportunity to catch a gag on either side of this chaotic, masterclass scene in Marc Davis design.

Dry Gulch - Right Side​

A trio of dance hall girls sing “The Ballad of Thunder Mesa,” performing cancan kicks, cheered on by cowboys. A drunkard on horseback (his horse also drunk) is about ready to topple over, while his fellow drunk, another horseback cowpoke, has somehow managed to get his horse onto the roof of “Big Jack’s Saloon,” firing his six-shooters into the air. Most townspeople look on with general distaste, one woman covering her child’s ears, while the saloon’s bartender wags his fist and shouts insults at the rooftop deviant.

​

Not far from the chaos, an old-time photographer snaps a photo of a smiling cowpoke with his arm wrapped around a stuffed bear (only 10 cents!). More chaos ensues outside the “Diamondback Lounge” next door, where the house pianist has been wheeled outside to underscore the mayhem. A showgirl on the front porch has kicked her leg so high that it’s snagged the shirt collar of a cowboy now hoisted in the air and struggling to get back down. The nearby cowpokes, one in which rides on the shoulders of another, sing, laugh, and toast their moonshine to the sight. In a subtle nod to Pirates of the Caribbean, the silhouette of a cowboy chasing a showgirl can be seen in the upstairs window, though both seem to be enjoying the chase, as both giggle and shout playful taunts of “I’m gonna getcha” back and forth.

​

Surrounded by tall torches, a Snake Oil Salesman, the mustached “Doc Edwards,” has established his wagon-shop at the end of the right side of the street, showcasing his wares with the help of a grinning muscleman, with music provided by a grizzled prospector and a gangly woman on banjo and flute. Doc Edwards has reeled in an audience - ourselves, two children, and a quartet of pigs.

DOC EDWARDS: Alright, ladies and gentlemen, step right up! Step right up! That’s right, folks. No pushing and shoving, there’s room for all. Observe, my friends, the wonder of Doc Edwards Extraordinary, Foolproof, Muscle-Growth Magic Elixir. That’s right, folks. That’s Doc Edwards Extraordinary, Foolproof, Muscle-Growth Magic Elixir. You’ll experience the most amazing, the most incredible, the absolutely most sensational growth of your biceps, triceps, and every muscle in between! Take a look at our strongman here. He used to be a child like you, but with one bottle of this miracle elixir, here he stands today, an overnight transformation from little boy to giant man! And by the time you’ve finished just one bottle, one bottle, mind you, not two, not three, buy ten, of Doc Edwards miracle elixir, you’ll praise its potent pleasures and find yourself the next Paul Bunyan of this great frontier. Don’t hesitate, don’t wait, it’s here now, and here today! Get your magic elixir! Get it now! Doc Edwards Extraordinary, Foolproof, Muscle-Growth Magic Elixir!

Dry Gulch - Left Side​

The left side of Dry Gulch, with sight gags and scenes happening concurrently with the right side, is awash in the brilliant red color of the setting sun, with your typical Western bank robbery and shootout well underway.

​

The sheriff’s deputy and his horse, both asleep, have failed to notice the underground tunneling trailing below them from the nearby jailhouse. The jailhouse, of course, has a changeable sign that reads “NO VACANCY.” Fearsome robbers have looted the local bank, having even pulled an entire safe out to use as a shield, firing Colt 45s from their varied hiding places. Nervous soldiers of the United States cavalry answer back from the windows of a bathhouse. The sheriff, clad in shaving cream and a polka-dot apron, has emerged from the tonsorial parlor, returning fire. A Calamity Jane-style deputy takes her time deciding on which target to aim at first, while cowpoke minstrels sing that titular “Ballad of Thunder Mesa,” all whilst avoiding the rampant gunfire. And, at the end of the street, a grinning mortician (with advertised “24 hour service”) fiddles with his favorite measuring tape, sizing up his potential clients for the foreseeable future.

“The Ballad of Thunder Mesa - Dry Gulch Lyrics”
To the Tune of “The Ballad of Pecos Bill”

CHORUS
Oh, Thunder Mesa is a legend here in the West
With painted deserts, drinkin’ cowpoke, in the least.
The town of Dry Gulch is a danger
But come in, don’t be a stranger!
We’re friendly to all folk, including man or beast!
So yippee-i-ay-i-ya, yippee-i-o
We’re the toughest town just west of the Alamo!

Oh, Thunder Mesa is our humble little abode
So have a drink, kick off yer boots, and heavy load
You’ll mine a fortune and can keep it
Play some poker, win a trinket,
But if you cheat you’ll get yourself bruised up for sure!
So yippee-i-ay-i-ya, yippee-i-o
We’re the toughest town just west of the Alamo!

Oh, Thunder Mesa has more gold than El Dorado
You’ll strike it rich, make true your wish, go high from low
But if that gold’s seen by some robbers
Well, my friend, you’ll just get clobbered
Don’t call the sheriff, he’s no good, he’s just too slow
So yippee-i-ay-i-ya, yippee-i-o
We’re the toughest town just west of the Alamo!

​

As we depart from the town of Dry Gulch, we pass under a bridge, currently occupied by a hollerin’ cowpoke firing his six-shooters, and a rather disgruntled Native American man covering his ears in disapproval.

The sound of bullets and music is soon replaced by the nagging caw of a red-eyed raven. Vultures circle overhead, with two vultures already having perched on a gnarled tree branch to watch our wagon with eager eyes. The road becomes a bit bumpy as our wagon starts to pick up speed through the rugged terrain of “Boot Hill,” a desolate cemetery of wooden gravemarkers, tumbleweeds, and unfriendly-looking cacti. A coyote howls. Ominous digging can be heard from within an open grave, a fresh pile of dirt and a lantern nearby. Lightning from a gathering rainstorm on the horizon illuminates the distant silhouette of Big Thunder Mountain.

Storm clouds have now gathered overhead, and bolts of lightning tear across the sky. Rain begins thundering down on a distant plain. Our wagon picks up additional speed, venturing toward a rather ominous-looking forest straight ahead at the base of a rugged plateau…

​

Thunder and lightning now overwhelms the sky. We begin a steep climb up the back of a toppled redwood toward the plateau. The rain continues to fall, but a bolt of lightning has set the trees on either side of us ablaze. The once-peaceful journey has gone from bad to worse, as we arrive at the top of the toppled tree and creep onto the forested peak of the plateau, ravaged by the wildfire.

The tallest trees have already begun to topple, and several charred timbers creak and moan, flames dancing in all directions. We can feel the intense heat on our skin as flames burst from all around us and smoke fills the air. We barely escape getting crushed by a tall pine as it falls from the earth and topples into a diagonal collapse above our heads. Unlike the fiery finale of Pirates of the Caribbean, this raging forest fire offers the illusion that danger is imminent. In fact, most of the fire effects in close proximity with our vehicle are produced by REAL flame.

​

Things have only gone from bad to worse… The bandits from earlier have caught up with our wagon, and sure enough, they fully intend on robbing us in the midst of this raging forest fire.

BANDIT LEADER: Well, well, my friends, you’ve got yourselves into some trouble!
BANDIT #2: Hee-hee… Trouble…
BANDIT LEADER: (Whispers) Quiet! (Louder) I’ll help ya outta here… But first… Stick ‘em up!

Our wagon comes to a screeching halt. The grizzly bear used as a “horse” by the Bandit Leader, gives a ferocious snarl.

BANDIT LEADER: Fork over all yer precious baubles and coins… That’s right… Silly hats and glasses need not apply.
BANDIT #2: Hee-hee… Silly hats…
BANDIT LEADER: (Whispers) I said, quiet! (Louder) This is the end of the line, amigos. Hands up! And keep yerself seated… There’s no escapin’ now! Fire!

One of the bandits fires his pistol heavenward. This spooks the leader’s grizzly bear, which rears like a horse and gives an agitated roar. This also “spooks” our wagon, launching it forward at an INCREDIBLE speed of 55mph. We rip through the forest fire and into a pitch-black cave, before toppling down the front-side of Thunder Mesa Mountain - an 80-foot plunge into the jagged canyons below at a top speed of 60mph.

As our wagon regains traction in the outdoor canyon below, noticeably visible from sections of Big Thunder Trail, we travel 40mph through bunny hills and high-banked turns around the rock formations at the base of Thunder Mesa Mountain, even ripping past the Mesa Terrace Restaurant and entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Altogether, our wagon went from 0 to 55mph, then 60mph down an 80-ft drop, then 40mph through a rather lengthy outdoor segment, before slowing to a crawl…

Our adventure concludes as our wagon slows and enters an homage to Frontierland past, a suited Grand Finale: Rainbow Caverns.

​

The caverns are dark inside, illuminated only by the pools and waterfalls of brightly colored, glowing water. The original, almost ethereal music from the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train and Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland fills the air. Through illuminated dyes, and under black light, the magic of Rainbow Caverns comes to life, a brief conclusion to our fantastic journey through the Old West. The many stalactites, stalagmites and weird rock formations are illuminated only by the omnipresent glow of the supernatural waters.

Rainbow Caverns exits into the same canyon from the start of our journey. We disembark from our wagon and resume our westward journeys in Frontierland, or perhaps take a second ride on Thunder Mesa Expedition - the true “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.”

*** ​

 

[MANEATINGWREATH]

So, over the past few days, we've enjoyed The Great Movie Ride, Main Street Electrical Parade, Fantasy on Parade, and now, Thunder Mesa Expedition. Is there any feedback on the latter?

Currently, I'm working on a multitude of different projects (both requested and not requested) that I detailed in a previous post. I'm also still toying with the idea of when I will resume work on WestCOT. I'm still struggling a bit there, and admittedly, am having trouble focusing on it. I have every intention on returning to the project sooner rather than later, but please, bear in mind, I have returned to my actual job in real-life, so my free time is lot less open now.

One thing I have not yet detailed is my comprehensive Google Doc project which will compile EVERYTHING into one document. That's right. All of Mirror Disneyland in one place, at the simple touch of a button. I plan on going through and doing slight tune-ups here and there to make a definitive Version 3.0. I will not start a new thread for it, obviously, but I will HOPEFULLY have a shareable link that you can view once all is said and done. Though I do not see the Google Doc being done for at least another year.

 

[DisneyManOne]

I really enjoyed Thunder Mesa Expedition, and I think you did an excellent job recapturing the spirit of the original Marc Davis concept. I admit, though, I'm not really all too keen on the giant dime-store novels. I feel that they really stick out like a sore thumb compared to the naturalistic beauty of the rest of the area.

 

[spacemt354]

Thunder Mesa Expedition was a highlight MEW - really enjoyed it!