On October 16th, The Walt Disney Company will officially turn 100 years old, and we here at Laughing Place are celebrating with a look back at iconic moments from 100 years of magic. Ever since Disneyland opened in 1955, attractions based on the company’s iconic animated features have been a mainstay of all Disney Parks. In this article, let’s look at some attractions based on Disney animated films from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through to “The Bronze Age” of the 1970s and 1980s.
As the very first animated feature, it’s quite appropriate that there’s a lot of representation for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Snow White’s Scary Adventures (under various different names over the years) has called Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris home since opening. Unfortunately, that original attraction closed permanently at the Magic Kingdom in 2012. Snow White didn’t leave the park though, as just a few years later, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened, including many figures repurposed from the original dark ride. The family roller coaster also opened in Shanghai Disneyland alongside the park in 2016.
Disneyland’s version of the dark ride was updated in 2021 into Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, giving the attraction some wonderful new effects, minimizing the scary elements, and fleshing out the often criticized rushed ending. Nearby, many marriage proposals have happened with Snow White’s Grotto as a backdrop – while “I’m Wishing” plays from within.
Pinocchio surprisingly didn’t have its own dark ride until the New Fantasyland of 1983, when Pinocchio’s Daring Journey opened at Disneyland, replacing the Fantasyland Theater. That same year also saw the attraction debut at Tokyo Disneyland, opening 9 years later at Disneyland Paris as well. Even though Pinocchio didn't have a dark ride at Disneyland until the 80s, you could always go through the mouth of Monstro the Whale aboard the Storybook Land Canal Boats.
Fantasia, as a very different type of animated movie, also has different representation in the Disney Parks. “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is inspired by Fantasia, with moments from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and “A Night on Bald Mountain.” Perhaps the greatest representation is the beautiful Fantasia Carousel at Shanghai Disneyland, which features wonderful Pegasus-like horses from “The Pastoral Symphony” and chariots from “Dance of the Hours.”
The only attraction to be featured at all five castle parks is Dumbo The Flying Elephant, all with differing designs. The Magic Kingdom has the largest, with a full circus tent queue that includes a wonderful play area, as well as two mirror-imaged attractions. The neighboring Storybook Circus draws even more inspiration from Dumbo, including a Casey Junior themed splash area. Speaking of Casey Junior, the delightful Casey Jr Circus Train is an original attraction at Disneyland, and a similar attraction was added to Disneyland Paris in 1993.
Following World War II, the rest of the 1940s saw a number of so-called “package films.” As less well-known films, there’s not as much representation, but that doesn’t mean there’s none. In 2006, El Rio Del Tiempo at EPCOT was updated to become the Gran Fiesta Tour, featuring the Three Caballeros from the film of the same name. At both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Paris, the Sir Mickey’s store features fun decorations, including the imposing giant himself from the Mickey and the Beanstalk section of Fun and Fancy Free.
The final, and perhaps best well-known package film is The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad, which of course served as the inspiration for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, an opening day attraction at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. Sadly, the Magic Kingdom version closed in 1997, however the Disneyland classic remains open to this day. The Toad Hall facade was replicated at Disneyland Paris, for the beautifully themed restaurant of the same name. There’s a lot of fun and creative portraits of Mr. Toad featured throughout the ornately detailed restaurant.
Disney bounced back into the animated field with 1950’s Cinderella, and the film is appropriately featured at parks across the world as the most iconic element of them all – Cinderella Castle. Nearly identical Cinderella Castles can be found at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. Just behind the castle in most parks is the Carousel, which is named Prince Charming’s Regal Carousel at the Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Carousel at Hong Kong Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland’s version is also Cinderella-themed, but is simply named Castle Carousel.
One of Disneyland’s best exclusive dark rides has to be Alice in Wonderland, which opened in 1958, creatively making use of two levels via a wonderful outdoor section. All castle parks except for Shanghai Disneyland feature an Alice in Wonderland-themed tea cup ride, which has caused plenty of dizziness for guests across the years. Wonderful mazes themed to the film are featured at Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland, the first themed to the 1951 original, while the latter is themed to the Tim Burton version. Over at Tokyo Disneyland, the incredibly well-themed Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall is a highlight of Fantasyland.
Perhaps the most popular attraction at Disney Parks across the globe is Peter Pan’s Flight, which can be found at all castle parks except for Hong Kong Disneyland. This magical journey over Neverland varies from park to park, with Shanghai Disneyland featuring a highly modernized, and perhaps the best version of the attraction. Opening next year at Tokyo DisneySea is Fantasy Springs, which will include an all-new Peter Pan-themed area with two attractions. Disneyland Paris’ Adventure Isle features the iconic rockwork of Skull Rock, which was also featured in Anaheim through to the early 1980s.
While two castles are inspired by Cinderella, just as many call back to Sleeping Beauty for its inspiration. In fact, the original Disney castle at Disneyland was named after Sleeping Beauty, four years before that movie even premiered. Alongside the premiere of the film, the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough opened, with wonderful dioramas telling the story. A far more elaborate castle inspired by Sleeping Beauty matches the beauty of Disneyland Paris, complete with an audio-animatronic dragon underneath. Hong Kong Disneyland’s castle was once a replica of Disneyland’s, but has since been updated to feature elements inspired by other Disney classics.
Perhaps one of the most beloved photo opportunities at Disney Parks is the ability to try and pull the Sword out of the Stone, straight out of the 1963 animated classic, The Sword in the Stone. This can be found in most Fantasyland across the globe in front of the Carousel.
Disney’s “The Bronze Age” of animated films features a bunch of lesser known films that are still beloved to many of that generation. While I’m a big fan of movies such as The Rescuers and The Great Mouse Detective, there is not quite as much from this era featured in the parks. One big exception is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, inspiring an attraction of the same name over 20 years later at the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The latter park also features a tea cups-esque spinner attraction, Hunny Pot Spin, inspired by Pooh’s love of honey. But perhaps the most beloved Winnie the Pooh attraction is Pooh’s Hunny Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland, Disney’s first modern trackless dark ride that continues to be one of the resort’s most popular attractions, and one that U.S. fans such as myself really want to make the trek out to see.
Join me soon for Part Two, as we look at more modern animated classics and the Disney Parks attractions they inspired, from The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, through to Frozen and Moana.
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