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| “Fantasyland is dedicated to the young at heart and to those who believe that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” —Walt Disney (July 17, 1955—Present) BACKSTORY: Walt said, “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.” Due to budget constraints, Fantasyland featured Tournament Festival “Tent” façades instead of the original Tudor designs initially drawn. This situation was not rectified until May 25, 1983, when Fantasyland was reopened after a lengthy remodel process, and the attraction façades were changed to the original Tudor concept. Fantasyland’s main entrance is through Sleeping Beauty Castle, which once had a separate walk-through attraction (The Sleeping Beauty Dioramas) that opened on April 29, 1957, with Shirley Temple presiding over the ceremonies. These dioramas were closed in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks for security reasons as well as accessibility issues. Where the Pinocchio attraction is today was once The Mickey Mouse Club Theater (8/27/55), which was the official Disneyland headquarters of the Mousketeers until 1963. It also featured a program of Disney cartoon shorts. On June 16, 1956, the theater debuted the 3D film “3D Jamboree” starring the Mouseketeers, as well as the 3D cartoons “Working for Peanuts” (Donald Duck) and “Adventures in Music: Melody.” The Theater was renamed the Fantasyland Theater in 1964 and then replaced by Pinocchio’s Daring Journey during the 1983 Fantasyland remodel. |
FANTASYLAND ATTRACTION POSTERS |
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1950’s |
BOB WEAVER REMEMBERS… |
Questions or comments about Bob’s photos? Feel free to email him directly. Check out Bob’s website: http://fireworksland.com |
1960–1962 |
GUIDED TOUR SCRIPT, SEPT. 26, 1962 |
| Here is the text from the Live Narration of a Guided Tour, circa 1962 (previously started on this page): FANTASYLAND There are many exciting adventures here in Fantasyland for young and old alike. Our King Arthur Carrousel is the finest of its type in the world, with 72 hand carved steeds. The themes of the four dark adventures in Fantasyland each depict one of Walt's favorite pictures in a most exciting way. The Skyway, overhead, gives you a wonderful aerial view of the park and will take you through the Matterhorn mountain to Tomorrowland—or from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland. To resume your vintage tour, please go to the Matterhorn page. |
1963–1965 |
1966–1969 |
MISCELLANEOUS 1960’s |
) Early 1960s |
) Early 1960s |
) Early 1960s |
) Jack Benny |
) Mme. Alexander dolls in Tinkerbell’s Toy Shop (1957–2002; then became Once Upon a Time), 1960’s |
) 1960’s |
) 1960’s |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
) Undated |
1970’s–1983 |
NEW FANTASYLAND CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS, COURTESY OF BILL H. |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) Feb. 1982 |
) May 1982 |
) May 1982 |
) Aug. 1982 |
1984–1990’s |
) Jan. 1984 |
) Jan. 1984 |
) Jan. 1984 |
) Jan. 1984 |
) Jan. 1984 |
) March 1987 |
) 1988 |
) 1988 |
) May 1994 |
2000—PRESENT |
VILLAGE INN/VILLAGE HAUS |
MERLIN’S MAGIC SHOP/HERALDRY SHOPPE |
) ) Merlin’s Magic Shop opened near The Sleeping Beauty Castle on July 17, 1955, with a Main Street location opening up just two years later. After Merlin’s in Fantasyland closed in 1983, the Main Street location remained. Actor Steve Martin got his start at Merlin’s and briefly worked at the Main Street shop as well. Martin spent three years at the Fantasyland location where he demonstrated packaged magic tricks and practical joke items that were for sale inside the shop. He learned all the tricks, and collected all the jokes, writing down every gag. "I knew every nook and cranny of the shop," he recalls. He identified a number of the items for sale in the window shot at left from October 1963:There's a Ouija board window in the window as well as a Troll Doll. These were very popular “ugly” dolls that were fad items. In the other window in the lower left are the “Sucker Die Box,” a magic trick where the audience was led to believe they figured out the trick (but didn’t), and a Jerry Mahoney ventriloquist doll. At right, click on the thumbnail to see the window in 1962. Martin recalls: Wow, it’s the bunny rabbit puppet in the window that I used in my stage act for years. I put a rubber juggling ball in the end and produced the rabbit saying, “a live, bouncing, baby rabbit.” Then I bounced it. |
BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOUTIQUE |
TANGLED |
) Sept. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
) Oct. 2010 |
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Bob Weaver is a frequent Daveland visitor. He wrote a fantastic backstory on )
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