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| (August 1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Disney felt every park needed a carousel (it was supposedly a carousel that Disney watched his daughter ride that inspired the park itself). Therefore, an 1875 Dentzel park model carousel which had operated since 1922 at Sunnyside Amusement Park in Toronto, Ontario was taken from Sunnyside and moved to Disneyland in 1954. The ride was refurbished and turned into a 4 row unit by adding additional animals that came from other carousels around North America. The original chariots were removed and used as cars on the Casey Jr. attraction. A Wurlitzer #157 band organ is on the carousel but does not operate. Motifs from The Sword in the Stone were used in 1955 to replace elements of the carousel. Original inner rounding boards were replaced with mirrors, and the jester and princess head shields on the outer rounding boards have also been extensively altered. The carousel has seventy-two horses, some carved in Germany and the rest in the United States. Some of the horses were taken from a Stein & Goldstein carousel and another carousel in 1955 to add a fourth row, completely made of jumpers and operated by a custom-built crankshaft. Standers on the original three rows were converted to jumpers in 1955. Because of the overwhelming popularity of the carousel’s single white horse, all horses have been painted white since 1976. King Arthur Carrousel reopened in February 2003 after extensive renovations. These renovations included an entirely rebuilt turntable, a new computerized operating system that stops the carousel in the same spot every time, and the replacement of about half of the mirrors with scenes from Sleeping Beauty. Most photos available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below. |
King Arthur’s Carrousel, 1950’s |
King Arthur’s Carrousel, 1960’s–1980’s |
King Arthur’s Carrousel, 2000+ |
Jingles |
| On April 8, 2008, Julie Andrews came to Disneyland to for a ceremony that recognized her service as Honorary Ambassador of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. Joined by Marty Sklar (Executive VP & Imagineering Ambassador) and Ed Grier (President, Disneyland Resort), Julie was at the King Arthur Carrousel for the dedication of the lead carrousel horse, “Jingles.” Jingles was “goldenized” in 2005 in honor of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary and Julie was photographed with the horse during the festivities. To acknowledge Julie’s role as an honorary cast member, Disneyland Resort gave Jingles another makeover and dedicated the cherished horse in her honor. Jingles now dons a hand-painted, colorful jewel-tone palette. Special features have been added to honor the screen legend, including embellishments of gold leaf horseshoes, flowers representing Julie’s love of gardening, and Mary Poppins’ themeing on Jingles’ enhanced golden saddle. Hand-painted features on the saddle include Julie’s initials, the number “50” representing Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, Mary Poppins’ boots and a flying silhouette of Mary Poppins. Golden, wooden jingle bells also adorn the horse’s body. A miniature, one-of-kind replica of Jingles was also presented to Julie. The commissioned, hand-carved wood piece stands nearly 2.5' tall and wears a special replica broach of the custom-made pin that Julie received for being an Ambassador for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary.
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