BEHIND-THE-SCENES

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These photos show some of the elements that went into building Disneyland, with some rare behind-the-scene glimpses of the unfinished park. At the bottom is a map of Disneyland on opening day. This map and a scale model are currently on display at the Main Street Opera House. If you look in the background of the Carrousel Horse Photos, you can see the cars from the Casey Junior ride, as well as some of the Main Street Vehicles. In addition, you will find other “current” behind-the-scenes photos.

Most photos available for purchase as enlargements; email your request. To view photos, allow popups in your web browser and click thumbnails below.
The rendering by Herb Ryman that sold the concept of Disneyland, 1954
The rendering by Herb Ryman that sold the concept of Disneyland
Herb Ryman and Walt Disney
Herb Ryman and Walt Disney
Walt Disney signing the ABC deal, 1954
Walt and Roy Disney sign with ABC (ABC Pres. Robert Kintner on left, ABC VP Sidney Markley on right), April 1954
Disneyland Fire Engine on the backlot, December 1954
Fire Engine on the backlot, December 1954
Disneyland Construction, January 1955
African Elephant model by Chris Mueller Jr., under construction in Burbank. 8'6" at the shoulder, 2.5 tons of clay, Jan. 1955
Disneyland Construction, January 1955
African Elephant model by Chris Mueller Jr., under construction in Burbank. 8'6" at the shoulder, 2.5 tons of clay, January 1955
Jungle Cruise Construction, 1955
Cheesecake promo photo
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Walt surveys his castle and kingdom, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Main Street (the car belongs to Walt), May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Walt in front of one of the castle spires, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
The Mark Twain, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Frontierland Gates, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
ABC Cameras cover the construction, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
City Hall, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Adventureland, May 1955
Disneyland Construction, May 1955
Town Square, before the Bandstand was moved, May 1955
Town Square construction, 1955
Opera House Construction, 1955
Disneyland Town Square Trolley Track Construction, 1955
Town Square trolley tracks, 1955
Rivers of America and Frontierland construction, 1955
Rivers of America & Frontierland Construction, 1955
Disneyland Construction, Carousel Horse, May 1955
Carrousel Horse on the Backlot, June 1955
Disneyland Construction, Carousel Horse, May 1955
Carrousel Horse, June 1955
Disneyland Construction, Carousel Horse, May 1955
Carrousel Horse, June 1955
Disneyland Construction, Carousel Horse, May 1955
Carrousel Horse, June 1955
Disneyland Construction, Carousel Horse, May 1955
Carrousel Horse, June 1955
Disneyland employee cafeteria, 1961
Disneyland employee cafeteria, July 1961
Jungle Cruise Rhino, May 1963
Jungle Cruise Rhino with Walt, May 1963
Original model of the Castle
Walt with the original model of the Castle
Walt Disney and original model of the Sleeping Beauty Castle
Walt with the original model of the Castle
Original model of the Castle
Original model of the Castle, Feb. 2007
Original model of the Sleeping Beauty Castle
June 2008
Original model of the Sleeping Beauty Castle
June 2008
Walt Disney showing the 1966 additions to Disneyland
1966

Kevin Kidney chimes in

An interesting story about this painting. Of course it's considered a priceless treasure of Disney art and an integral piece of Disneyland history, but it was almost lost forever. Around 1983 or ’84, a couple of art directors I used to work with at Disneyland were setting up some kind of special event at the Disney Studio up in Burbank. While on lunch, they went off to explore the old backlot area which, at the time, still had all the familiar film and television set facades used for many decades. The old adobe-style structures for the “Zorro” TV series were still standing, and the guys went poking around inside one of them.

There, leaning against a wall, on the dirt floor with a packing blanket half draped over it, was the Ellenshaw painting. Presumably because of its large size, it had been tucked back there with other clutter to get it of the way, and had been forgotten about for quite a long time.After telling some folks back at Disneyland about it, it was rescued and brought indoors. There was light water damage to a portion of the painted surface, which was later touched up for public display in the new Disney Gallery in the late 1980s.

Thankfully it survived and today everyone recognizes it as the irreplaceable gem that it is. When I see pictures of the painting, I can't help but think of this story.
Matte artist Peter Ellenshaw creating  concept art for Disneyland 1954
Matte artist Peter Ellenshaw,
creating concept art 1954
Matte artist Peter Ellenshaw creating  concept art for Disneyland 1954
March 1955
Matte artist Peter Ellenshaw creating  concept art for Disneyland 1954
March 1955
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Shooting a commercial on Main Street, May 2007
Model of Disneyland, July 17, 1955
Model of Disneyland, July 17, 1955
Model of Disneyland, July 17, 1955
Omnibus parked for the evening, May 2007
Toy Story Mania Construction, August 2007
Toy Story Mania, Aug. 2007
Toy Story Mania Construction, August 2007
August 2007
Toy Story Mania Construction, August 2007
August 2007
Toy Story Mania Construction, August 2007
August 2007
Toy Story Mania Construction, August 2007
Toy Story Mania, Aug. 2007
New Orleans Square, August 2007
Disney Gallery, Aug. 2007
New Orleans Square, August 2007
Disney Gallery, Aug. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace construction, September 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Sept. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace construction, September 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Sept. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, November 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Nov. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, December 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, December 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, December 2007
Riverbelle Terrace, Dec. 2007
Disney's California Adventure construction photo, June 2009
DCA construction, June 2009
Disney's California Adventure construction photo, June 2009
DCA construction, June 2009
Disney's California Adventure construction photo, June 2009
DCA construction, June 2009
CoxPilot Remembers at Daveland
Disneyland Employee Cafeteria Photo, July 1961CoxPilot & The Employee Cafeteria: I can’t believe there was really a picture of that little crammed room (part of the back of the Red Wagon Inn). I think that might be Vesey Walker in the back; I remember him and the cigars. Later, they rebuilt the cafateria into a very large, more modern place, when they re-did the RWI into the Plaza Inn. A lot of college studying went on at that corner table.

The date of the photo is July 1961. Space suit has multiple rings around the neck, and the space man is guy I knew. Also, I remember Snow White from that era. Indian is in a photo of yours dated Feb 1960 (but has winter costume). He is also in photo of June 1960 (almost same costume). The “thing” on the back of the wall is the feathers worn on the back of his costume, and would have to be removed to sit. I also remember the lady sitting with the cowboy, and I think she worked at Pendleton in Frontierland. Just outside the cafeteria (door was just under that fan) was a covered patio with red wood benches and an old coke machine. It was the manual kind with small glass bottles (6 oz). It was not used much, so the cokes were frozen, like coke-cicles. Heaven on a hot day, and only a dime. The bottles were replaced back into a metal rack on the side.
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