“Here you
leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.”
“Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this
timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are
reborn - and fairy tales come true. Fantasyland is dedicated to the
young-in-heart, to those who that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come
true.”
Once upon a time, a man by the name of Walt Disney sat at a bench at
an amusement park, watching his daughters play. As he sat there he noticed how
ragged and filthy the small amusement park was and he watched the reactions of
families to different rides. The one thing that rang through over and over was how
children's parents had nothing to do. They would be anxious to go home, while
their children were still having fun, and playing.
This is where Walt was conjuring, and planning a new type of
amusement park; one that would be clean, and would have attractions for parents
and children together. The result of this dream-Disneyland.
"What this country
really needs is an amusement park that families can take their children to.
They've gotten so honky tonk with a lot of questionable characters running
around, and they're not to safe. They're not well kept. I want to have a place
that's as clean as anything could ever be, and all the people in it [his park] are first-class citizens, and treated like
guests."
Years before Disneyland was
constructed, Walt was thinking, generating, and creating everything in his
mind. He traveled the United States, and visited buildings of Americas most
prolific inventors and creators, such as Thomas Edison's Workshop, the Wright
Brothers Bicycle shop, and the home of the Dictionary magnate Noah Webster.
While visiting these places, he was formulating and dreaming of a "Mickey
Mouse Park" with a western village, Main Street, and more, these ideas
would eventually form Disneyland.
From the start Walt Disney
envisioned all the lands, to every detail. Main Street, U.S.A., the
very front of the park, was where Walt wanted to relive the typical turn of the
century city Main Street.
"For
those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring
back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back
the calendar to the days of grandfather's youth."
Walt made Main Street U.S.A
the entrance to a "weenie," as he called it.
"What
you need is a weenie, which says to people 'come this way.' People won't go
down a long corridor unless there's something promising at the end. You have to
have something the beckons them to 'walk this way.'"
Adventureland. was
planed as an "exotic tropical place" in a "far-off region of the
world."
"To
create a land that would make this dream reality, we pictured ourselves far
from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa."
Frontierland was designed to relive the pioneer days of the American frontier.
"All
of us have a cause to be proud of our country's history, shaped by the
pioneering spirit of our forefathers. . .Our adventures are designed to give
you the feeling of having lived, even for a short while, during our country's
pioneer days."
Fantasyland was created with the goal to "make dreams come true" from the lyrics of "When You Wish Upon a Star."
"What
youngster has not dreamed of flying with Peter Pan over moonlit London, or
tumbling into Alice's nonsensical Wonderland? In Fantasyland, these classic
stories of everyone's youth have become realities for youngsters-of all ages-to
participate in."
Fantasyland would feature a
large Sleeping Beauty Castle, and a Fantasy Village.
Tomorrowland was shaped as a look at the "marvels of the future."
"Tomorrow
can be a wonderful age. Our scientists today are opening the doors of the Space
Age to achievements that will benefit our children and generations to come. .
.The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to
participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future."
And
thus Disneyland was born-the Happiest Place on Earth-the place where all your
dreams come true.
"To make the dreams of
Disneyland come true took the combined skills and talents of hundreds of
artisans, carpenters, engineers, scientists and craftsmen. The dreams that they
built now become your heritage. It is you who will make Disneyland truly a
magic kingdom and a happy place for the millions of guests who will visit us
now and in the future."
“Disneyland is the star,
everything else is in the supporting role.”
“Disneyland
will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is
imagination left in the world.”
Happy 59th Anniversary Disneyland and to Walt Disney, we can only hope that you are looking
down and smiling, just as you once did from your apartment on Main Street
grinning from ear to ear, a tear rolling down your cheek knowing that dreams
can and do come true.
