Fantasmic! Part 2

Outside the Berm had a great post recently with Pre-Fantasmic shots of the drained Rivers of America. Here are some pictures circa February 1992. Fantasmic contruction was in full-swing.

In the picture above (enlarged) the pieces of metal tubing are gas lines for the fire effect. Sometimes the black lifts didn't raise. Either one of the side projectors or lifts could go out but the show would be cancelled if the center lift didn't work.

On the left side, near Fowler's Harbor, a black bag tube blocks the river. This bladder functioned as a dam to allow the backside of the river to be filled

After the river was filled the water screen lifts wouldn't always go down all the way so they were marked off with floating barrels or boxes. Keel boats, rafts, and canoes could then safely avoid getting beached. Anybody have pictures of those markers?

Westcot Wins Over Long Beach

The water labyrinth sounds intriguing. Many ideas for the Long Beach park made it to Tokyo but not that one.

The area marked for future expansion was later acquired by Disney, but it caused a controversy at the time.

The logo shows the sphere planned for Westcot. This was later changed to a spire due to neighbor complaints.

Magic Kingdom Gazette! Part 2!

Continued from yesterday...

I can't wait for Tomorrowland 2055. Only 46 more years!

Is Beverage Bay 56 still in service?

Magic Kingdom Gazette!

The Magic Kingdom Gazette was one of many departmental newsletters. This was a monthly newsletter for Theme Park Operations.

I'm afraid this issue has some bad news for vintagedisneylandtickets!

Come back tomorrow for part 2!

Splash Mountain! Part 1

10/28/1988 Disneyland Line:

Click picture to enlarge

This article from the Disneyland Line employee newsletter was a bit optimistic. Splash Mountain ended up starting employee testing in May 1989 after the original logs were chopped to bits and replaced. The replacement logs seated 7 and were slightly shorter.


The grand opening was 7/17/1989--about six months late.


Note the Drop 5 runout rails; originally the runout was designed to be adjustable to adjust the splash seasonally. That feature never came to be.


I wonder what the final Audio-Animatronic count was?

Tomorrowland Terrace, Part 1

The Tomorrowland Terrace as it exists now opened in 1967 with the rest of New Tomorrowland: A World on the Move. The architectural styling clearly shows the personal influence of Disney Legend Roland 'Rolly' Crump. The style of the futuristic planter sculpture motif was evident throughout the facility on both of the 'Coke' banners and other planters. Sadly, many of these elements have been removed over the years. The bandstand roof planter was removed in 1990 and replaced with a double-sided '35 Years of Magic' logo sign and later a space themed sculpture. In the last few years a sculpture similar to the original was put brought back.

'Systems' as described in the article also made use of a verbal short-hand that could allowed quick communication of orders to other team members. The elegant efficiency of 'Systems' gave way to technology around 1992, when electronic cash registers gave way to computer registers. I'm not a luddite, but it's a mistaken assumption that upgrading technology will necessarily improve processes. I would like to know what Coke Terrace sales are for a peak hour today versus 1991.

Other features of Tomorrowland Terrace included a garbage chute that allowed quick elimination of waste into a garbage compactor in the Tomorrowland tunnel.

The bandstand sits on a hydraulic lift similar to the ones used for the nearby Rocket Jets. For safety purposes the lift requires two buttons to operate: one in a nearby planter and one on the bandstand itself.

The menu items at the Tomorrowland Terrace have changed throughout the years but for many years the staples were Spaceburgers (hamburgers), Moonburgers (cheeseburgers), and Magic Kingdom Burgers (Canadian bacon cheeseburger).

The pillbox hats were intended to evoke an image of a bottle cap. When Coke Terrace opened bost soda was still sold in glass bottles! The bottlecaps were replaced with hairnets in 1987 when the costumes were redesigned.

One of the last remaining Club 55 members, Marion Schawacha worked in the Central Foods Kitchen at the time of her retirement in 1990.

Super Duper Hooper!

Another day, another world record...








If you zoom in on the photo there are some interesting details:


Is Snow White really using three Hula Hoops? I think she's cheating with some sort of device on her back.


Miss Poodleskirt is definitely using three.


To the right of Miss Poodleskirt I see someone is having technical difficulties. Make that 1,526 Hula Hoopers!


Are those balloons stuck in the tree?


No Br'ers today (Splash Mountain was still over a year from opening).


Besides Snow White and Dopey there's Foulfellow. If you squint, you might be able to see Mickey and Minnie on that jukebox.


Wait a second, is that a jukebox in front of the castle? Yes, like it or not, it is. In 1988, besides the jukebox, the hub would also feature a Globe of Death and a ferris wheel.


Tomorrow: Upjohn