The history and backstory of Disney rides

[Figmentforever24]

It is $15 per person, at least it was last time I checked.

Dang

 

[circus4u]

This probably doesn't qualify as "backstory," but I am curious why the Swan Boat ride was closed. We used to enjoy the ride, especially in the evenings, as one of those few ways to take a respite with the kids.

 

[maarch]

IF you could do the Haunted Mansion it would be great, it is in my opinion one of the best ride in DW and also one with the best story behind it.

 

[Figmentforever24]

World of Motion coming soon. I am also not ignoring the request on the page and will work on those when the time presents itself. I have been very busy of late and haven't had the time to stop and do them.

 

[Figmentforever24]

The world relies on Motion doesn’t it? Everything we do requires motion is some way. Epcot Center realized this important fact and made sure to showcase motion in Future World. Here is a tribute to the World of Motion at Epcot Center.

Early on Transportation was something that Disney was interested in covering at Epcot Center. Early plans called for two rides to be built inside a circular building. To look at early concepts you would notice that the original omnimover ride was planned along with a second ride. The second ride was to be something alone the lines of what Test Track is now. During planning Disney studied the main General Motors headquarters up north. They noticed how the cars went through select test, and they thought this would be great for the thrill portion of the ride. The plans went forward as the pavilions design went forward. Then they realized just how much it would cost to build both rides. The building along with the omnimover portion would cost well over 90 million dollars alone. So the thrill portion was dropped for just the single ride. No one is sure when it was dropped but it was before 1978. As far as the building location goes, the building stayed in the same spot throughout planning. Making it one of the few yet there was a time when The Living Seas was to be placed next to the transportation building.

Site work began in 1980 with the construction taking place shortly after. The pavilion design was to be the same that it was from early design. A simple round building with reflective panels all around it. The entrance to the ride would be a cut out in the building. Inside guest could see people riding the ride as they entered into the first show scenes. They then entered the building and went through the pre show and queue area. The ride itself depended on an omnimover system. This was something implemented in many of the rides at Epcot Center to help with ride capacity. Each car could hold a total of six gust with a total of 20000 thousand guest riding a day.

The ride itself would have more AA’s then any Disney ride ever created. 24 separate show scenes would hold a total of 188 AA’s. This of course held its challenges and almost caused the delay of the rides opening with Epcot Center. Some of the AA’s were not syncing properly and had to be reprogrammed completely. Though with an insane amount of luck the ride opened October 1st 1981 along with all of Epcot Center. The ride was a huge hit for all guest visiting the park. It was one of the few rides in the park that offered a more comical view to educational rides. The show scenes started when guest exited the building and made the corner at the entrance of the building. Guest could watch as rides entered the first scene. You enter a cave were footprints appear on the ground. This is where we learn of foot power. The first form of transportation. The scenes go by one by one as you watch how motion has progressed over the years. It also had more of a comical side to the ride which was something Epcot Center was lacking. The end of the ride was guest entering the future where they would see what future would be like. They then were dropped off and welcomed to the GM headquarters as some liked to call it. Although the official name was the TransCenter. This area was actually once going to be used for the ride yet GM didn’t want the entire building to be a ride. They originally were going to have guest ride an escalator and pass by different cars that GM had come out with. This was later changed to an entire area where guest could explore and interact with everything. Many people do not know it but World of Motion was also built with a cooperate lounge like many of the pavilions in Future World. It is right above the main entrance of the ride and gave great views of the park. Today it still remains for parties and other select groups that are lucky enough to be in it.

World of Motion opened to great fan fare in 1981 along with the rest of the opening day attractions. The line would stretch far beyond the entrance as people tried to get in line to see it. Yet over the years the lines died down as the ride became less popular. Many people found the ride somewhat boring after the first time they rode it. So many people did not ride it more then once. As Disney entered the 90’s Eisner believed that Epcot Center was facing some issues. The first thing was everything was outdated. To make things worse everything was outdated yet costing an arm and a leg to run. So his idea was to change Future World all around with new rides while making them cheaper to operate. So began the dumbing down of Epcot Center into what became Epcot. World of Motion was on the block already due to the sponsor getting ready for renewal. Gm agreed and the ride was to go down for major changes. Eisner wanted the ride to focus more on car testing….and well you will have to go read the first article to know from there what happened!

Don’t be to sad though. Many of the props and AA’s have found their home somewhere else with Disney. For example many of the AA’s were reused and sent to Disneyland Paris for their version of Pirates. Some of the props have also wondered to Disney California Adventure, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

 

[mattmc]

Sorry to dig up the original post from April, but I just started reading this thread. You stated that Test Track was originally slated to go 95 MPH. I honestly doubt that this is true. 95 MPH is very fast and I don't think that there is a single Roller Coaster in the USA - if not the world - that goes this fast.

I'm not saying that everything else you have written is misinformed, but logic dictates that this is.

 

[rteetz]

Sorry to dig up the original post from April, but I just started reading this thread. You stated that Test Track was originally slated to go 95 MPH. I honestly doubt that this is true. 95 MPH is very fast and I don't think that there is a single Roller Coaster in the USA - if not the world - that goes this fast. I'm not saying that everything else you have written is misinformed, but logic dictates that this is.

Ferrari roller coaster in Abu Dhabi goes 150mph, next closest is 129... At the time test track was being built 95 was probably very high.

95 is the 7th fastest in the world. King da ka is second in the world which is in the US at 129.

 

[mattmc]

Ferrari roller coaster in Abu Dhabi goes 150mph, next closest is 129... At the time test track was being built 95 was probably very high.

95 is the 7th fastest in the world. King da ka is second in the world which is in the US at 129.

Very well, I stand corrected.

 

[rteetz]

Very well, I stand corrected.

I'm glad Disney didn't go with 95 I'm not one for huge thrill rides that may be too much for me.

 

[Pipperdoodle]

I just wanted to pop in and give a big Thank You for all of this. I've really enjoyed reading it all.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Sorry to dig up the original post from April, but I just started reading this thread. You stated that Test Track was originally slated to go 95 MPH. I honestly doubt that this is true. 95 MPH is very fast and I don't think that there is a single Roller Coaster in the USA - if not the world - that goes this fast.

I'm not saying that everything else you have written is misinformed, but logic dictates that this is.

95 was the original idea but then the realized the cars couldn't bank properly at that speed so they lowered it to about 65.

 

[King Triton]

I think removing Horizons was a big mistake. The whole family enjoyed it. With Mission Space, you can't ride it with children or your grand parents. Heck, I can't even ride it without getting sick. Mission Space is a big disappointment in my book. Horizons had that Disney magic of imagination and wonderment. It was the best ride at Epcot. I would build a brand new Horizons II today. Epcot needs a new dark ride with that old Disney Magic.

 

[rteetz]

I think removing Horizons was a big mistake. The whole family enjoyed it. With Mission Space, you can't ride it with children or your grand parents. Heck, I can't even ride it without getting sick. Mission Space is a big disappointment in my book. Horizons had that Disney magic of imagination and wonderment. It was the best ride at Epcot. I would build a brand new Horizons II today. Epcot needs a new dark ride with that old Disney Magic.

Horizons was outdated new came in. I don't believe in a horizons remake. Disney should come up with a new concept all together. Things change for a reason as Marty sklar said disney parks are not museums they will be changed walt wanted them to change.

 

[PrincessFelisha]

King Triton I agree with you 100%. Horizons was creative and great. The music was superb. I can't even walk past MSpace without throwing up a little in my mouth. Just like MK has Carousel of Progress as a classic throwback, Epcot should still have Horizons as a classic throwforward to the future we have imagined and continue to imagine.

 

[pookadoo77]

I would love to read Haunted Mansions history too! Thanks for all the other posts!

 

[Figmentforever24]

The Haunted Mansion - Due to popular demand, The Haunted Mansion will be receiving its own little backstory and history report. Lets get started!

So in order to understand the history of the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World, then you have to go back to when Walt Disney was still alive. Walt Disney loved the movie business, but he wanted to get in the theme park industry. He noticed that there were not many places that families could spend time together. So he wanted to create a small little theme park across from his studio in Burbank. The idea seemed like a good idea so he had a man named Harper Goff. Not much was known about the small park except that Goth Hill was part of the plans. The main ride for this area was a small haunted house. Little is known about the house except that early reports suggest that it was a walkthrough rather then an actual ride. As time went on Walt realized that eleven acres was not going to be enough for the ideas he had planned. So he went and bought the land in Anaheim that would later become Disneyland.

Walt never did forget about the Haunted House concept. When he was first planning Disneyland he wanted to put a part haunted house part museum of weird stuff in Main Street. You would have walked down a dead end street and seen this ratty looking building. Inside guest would have seen many weird and strange items. Some of these items included a headless ghost, a talking chair, and flying hats. Apparently the idea gave Walt nightmares so the plans were cancelled for a brief time and a new direction was taken. The Haunted House was to be moved to Frontierland, and was to be given a more western theme. The story was a man from the north had went west to find gold. When he found gold he built his mansion in the little town. Eventually his obsession for gold drove the man mad and he eventually hung himself. Now guest would enter the mansion and would encounter the spirit of the man along with other spirits visiting the place. You would have seen things like ghost dancing to cowboy music, cowboys having a shootout and more. The plans were cancelled once again.

In 1955 Disneyland opened its doors to the public yet something was not there…..The Haunted Mansion. No Haunted Mansion was ever built for the grand opening of the park, but it wouldn’t stay that way. Shortly after the park opened Walt Disney planned to expand with a whole new land. This land would be called New Orleans Square and would feature new shops, restaurants and a new ride called the Haunted Mansion. Walt Disney originally was going to have an old looking house in Frontierland yet his mind was changed with this house in New Orleans. He went for a nice and clean colonial type house. His very words were “We will take care of the outside, and let the ghost handle the inside.” So work began on the façade of this new ride. The new land eventually opened to great fan faire yet the new ride was not opened. The only thing there was an empty façade with signs promising the ride would soon open. No one is exactly sure what the problem was, but many believe it was due to the failure to find a good storyline. Walt also was busy with other projects like It’s a Small World. Plans floated along for the new ride except Walt died of lung cancer in 1966 causing the entire project to be placed on hold.


The Haunted Mansion façade had now been sitting there empty in this busy land for two years, and the man in charge had just passed away. Imagineers started to scurry trying to find ways to get this ride opened. Some top Imagineers joined the project and began to debate on which direction to take for the storyline. Marc Davis believed the mansion should be more comical since this was Disneyland after all. Claude Coats thought the ride would be better as a real scary attraction like many other haunted houses. In the end a deal was struck and the ride was built with a spooky setting with comical creeps.

The ride system was going to be a first for the Disney company as it was be a nonstop moving vehicle. Disney realized that the Fantasyland rides suffered from capacity due to the guest vehicles always stopping to load and unload. This new ride system would be different as it never stopped. It was a slow moving ride system that would allow guest to load and unload efficiently without stopping the ride. Being new the ride system had many terrible glitches. For one thing the Doom Buggies never wanted to turn in certain scenes. Also special chains and equipment had to be built to help the Doom Buggies move and rotate. The new chains also had to handle the all day stress the always moving machine would face. The next thing they had to tackle was the ride itself. This ride was obviously going to be a big draw for Disneyland and had to deliver due to guest waiting many years. The first issue they faced was the ride itself. There were problems with land in the area to keep it simple so they needed to go below ground. So Disney came up with a creative way to bring many guest at a time below ground while keeping them immersed in the story. The idea was the stretching room. Guest would enter a round room that would work as an elevator as well as a pre show. As guest looked up they would notice the pictures stretch as they were moved to the lower level. They would then exit and board their doom buggy where the ghost host would lead them through the mansion. Guest would past many effects like the self playing piano, the endless hallway, Madam Leota, ghost dancing in the ballroom and graveyard. What was to really shock guest would be the ballroom scene. This would be where most of the money went to wow the guest. What guest saw below them was ghost moving through objects or disappearing and repeating. This effect is done by AA’s under them that they cant see. Mirrors and lighting are put together to reflect the ghost into the ballroom. Disney faced multiple problems during the process getting the ghost to work and it took three more years to build the ride. Yet finally in 1969 the Haunted Mansion opened its doors. It was a mega hit and was planned to be cloned right away for Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World was well under way in Florida and the park needed some good rides. Many rides that were unique to the park were planned yet Disney had a budget to follow so not everything was unique. Favorites like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Haunted Mansion were both planned to be built in this new park. The Haunted Mansion was such a big hit that ride itself was left to be almost the same thing. What Disney had to do though was make it fit thematically in the park. The ride was to be placed in a little corner of the park setting on the edge of two lands. At first it was going to be Fantasyland that saw the ride although plans were quickly made to make it part of Liberty Square. Obviously the New Orleans look wouldn’t work here so a new façade was picked for the attraction. This façade looked like the old colonial houses you would see back in the early times of America up north. This would better fit the theme of Liberty Square a lot better. Since the ride was already planned to be built in Florida two of everything was made when the Disneyland version was made. This helped save time and money. The mansion on the outside did not look clean and well kept like the original. The other change was that the stretching room was not an elevator like in Disneyland, but was simply a room where the roof went up. In 1971 the ride opened to the public, and was one of the few rides that reportedly worked fine.

 

[pookadoo77]

Yay! Thanks! Loved the story!! I did not know ours in Disney World was not an elevator, thought they both were. Thanks again for all the work and time!

 

[Figmentforever24]

Please request what you would like me to do a history report on and I will try to do in a timely manner.

 

[circus4u]

Please request what you would like me to do a history report on and I will try to do in a timely manner.

How about some of the smaller, "extinct" attractions like the Mike Fink Keel Boats, Swan Boats, maybe the carousel (was it constructed especially for MK or are the animals from old carousels). Perhaps the parades, seems to me the first time I saw the Main Street Electrical Parade, it was the half time show at the Super Bowl. Then, there used to be a Lion King show where Philharmagic is located. Don't know if any of these have interesting histories, but could be something to consider.

 

[Figmentforever24]

Prince Charming’s Royal Regal - So I am going to do a little history report, due to the request of a user, of the Magic Kingdom carrousel.

So lets go back to when Walt Disney was planning Disneyland. Now of course Walt knew that every ride in Disneyland wasn’t going to be some top notch innovative ride that was never seen before. He knew it didn’t have to be that way. He needed to present the classics in a top notch immersive environment that made people feel like it was something special. The Carrousel was no different. Now make no mistake the Carrousel was not created by Walt Disney. In fact the very first one was made in 1916 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. When Walt was building Disneyland he knew he wanted this attraction for his park. So he bought the ride from an amusement park in New Jersey called Olympic Park. The name of the ride in the park was simply called “Liberty” and each horse was painted in his very own way.

When Walt moved the ride to Disneyland some paint was done, but the ride stayed mostly the same in look and detail. In fact much of the original ride is still there. The ride was a hit when it opened although it never surpassed the famous dark rides in the park.

When Walt Disney World was being designed by Roy and his team they decided a Carrousel needed to be part of Fantasyland much like Disneyland. So they decided that a Carrousel themed to Cinderella would be placed in the middle of Fantasyland. After all her Castle lay just in front of the ride. So Carrousel was built by the Disney team as they assembled the ride. Each horse was made specifically different, and the roof was painted with classic scenes from the movie. When the one in Disneyland opened to the theme Sword in the Stone, the Sword in the Stone was added to the front of the ride. The same Sword in the Stone was added to the Cinderella version simply for the sake of being in Fantasyland. (So forget the rumors that it became themed to Cinderella at the last minute) The ride opened as an A ticket attraction and was pretty popular although the other rides beat them out.

Now there is a rumor out there that Cinderella has her own horse on the ride. Now the rumor has never been officially debunked or confirmed by Disney, but cast members have come out and talked about it. One employee Isle Voght was in charge of working on the ride when it was built. She claims that the ride never had a horse that belonged to Cinderella since she never even rode a horse in the film to begin with. (The horse in the second ring with the gold bow is the argued horse) In 2010 the ride saw a theme and story change. The official Disney story was:

“ Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called “carrousel.”
The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending”

A weird story as their was no need for a story change. Today the ride continues to delight guest and draw in decent crowds.