Why didn't Walt make the DL castle as big as WDW?

[celticssuck]

Why didn't Walt make the DL castle as big as WDW?

 

[fairycat]

Cause he didn't need too!!!!!

Actually it is about the size of the park and the scale of Main Street to the castle. All of the scale is right on balance with both parks. If you look MS is taller at WDW to compare to the extra length that MS has, it balances the castle. If they brought Cindy's here it would look like it was eating MS. That would not look good would it?

 

[Gisele]

It is because there are legal height limits to building in the area. It is in regards to airspace restrictions. After all, who wants to see a small plane collide with the castle.

 

[Gisele]

Forgot to add, that is the reason why the castle was built with a forced perspective. The architecture tapers up to the top of the castle. That way, the perspective is a larger castle, and a taller one, when looking at it, from a far. As one approaches it, one can see that it is not as tall the impression is initially. It is very well designed so as to give this impression.

 

[fairycat]

It is because there are legal height limits to building in the area. It is in regards to airspace restrictions. After all, who wants to see a small plane collide with the castle.

I am trying to find information on this, but it seems wrong since the Matterhorn is 147ft while the castle is 77ft. Also many of the hotels sprung up near the opening that are much taller then either structure. Now I need to do some more seatching I am curious about this as I had never heard of this reason before.

 

[Gisele]

Then of course I sometimes do mix up Dl with WDW. So maybe that is the reason for the confusion. I am quite sure though that I am not mixing them up. For sure though, forced perspective was utilized in the architecture of the castle. At some point I will see about the information on line. It was via a documentary regarding Dl and WDW.

 

[Stacerita]

Why didn't Walt make the DL castle as big as WDW?

Because he made the DL castle first.

 

[BecBennett]

Because he made the DL castle first.

My thoughts exactly

 

[Califgirl]

The explanation for your question is two-fold. One is that he built Disneyland (and thus Sleeping Beauty's Castle) first. Second, he wanted the castle to not seem overpowering from main street. As was already mentioned, he used a forced perspective to draw you to the castle, but didn't want it big and imposing so that it wouldn't seem scary to the visitors. He wanted it to be inviting, and wanted guests to walk right up to it and enjoy the wonder of it.

 

[MinnieMouse7575]

WDW's is bigger. But I think the DL castle is prettier and has a lot more interesting detail to it.

 

[bumbershoot]

They also are for two different princesses. Cinderella in MK and Sleeping Beauty in DL.

I've always read that the Matterhorn was the visual mark of DL, instead of the castle anyway, so there's no need for a big castle.

 

[Disney Dreams]

It is because there are legal height limits to building in the area. It is in regards to airspace restrictions. After all, who wants to see a small plane collide with the castle.

I am trying to find information on this, but it seems wrong since the Matterhorn is 147ft while the castle is 77ft. Also many of the hotels sprung up near the opening that are much taller then either structure. Now I need to do some more seatching I am curious about this as I had never heard of this reason before.

Regarding the height of the Matterhorn... It is built to an exact 1/100-scale of the actual mountain. When the plans were submitted to the city or county (I forget which) for Disneyland, the Matterhorn was denied permitting because it was too tall and not allowed. However, there were other buildings of that height. Walt inquired what the difference was. He was told that a sporting arena was allowed height and that DL was not a sports arena. He got an exact definition of what constituted a sports arena. He then sent his Imagineer team back to the drawing board with the challenge of meeting the requirements.

In the top of the Matterhorn (inaccessible to the public) there is a half-court basketball court with regulation height hoop. When the plans were re-submitted, Walt argued that the Matterhorn met the standards for a sporting arena. It was approved.

That type of thinking is what I personally admire about Walt. He was told no, asked why, and then made it work within the rules.

Why didn't Walt make the DL castle as big as WDW?

As others have explained, the Matterhorn was intended to be the focal center of the park at DL. At WDW's MK, the castle was.

As for the forced-perspective that others have mentioned regarding the castle, all of Main Street is actually an optical illusion to make your mind's eye think the castle is bigger than it really is. The buildings are constructed in a way in which the eye goes upward, the street is made so that the eye goes forward toward the end, and Main Street is designed to look longer than it truly is. The result? Your brain decides that the castle is larger than it truly is. (I could expand on this if anyone is interested, but that's the general gist.)

- Dreams

 

[PinkBudgie]

I do know for a fact that WDW has the hight limit on the castle. I am currently renting Modern Marvels: Disney World and just saw that part. It if it was 2 feet taller it would need to have a flashing red light on it. This of course, doesn't fit with a castle theme, so he had to keep under that limit.

I just got The Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland but it doesn't address the height of the castle in it.

 

[donkthemagicllama]

I've read lots on this, here's what I can remember...

DL was built in 1955 (by Walt). It was the first modern theme park, and they were making up the rules as they went. The budget was limited, and no one knew if it would be a success or not. A home builder actually built the castle, and it was a new experience for them! A giant castle wasn't feasible.

Another factor was the desire to make it look like it was made for children. That's why Main Street buildings are built to 5/8 scale and the castle not full size.

The Matterhorn was added in 1959. By this point the park was a huge success, and one problem was it was easy to lose your bearings as the foliage grew in. The Matterhorn helped this as you can see it from just about anywhere in DL. The imagineers were actually against it initially, thinking a mountain wouldn't fit the theming... Walt insisted it would work out and it was built.

When building MK (Walt had passed away by then), the imagineers had learned from DL, and made the castle (and main street and the walkways for that matter) much larger!

 

[blackjackdelta]

My thoughts exactly

How would he have know..I agree and what were the building codes in the mid 50's compared to now.

Jack

 

[ballarinamom]

I've read lots on this, here's what I can remember...

DL was built in 1955 (by Walt). It was the first modern theme park, and they were making up the rules as they went. The budget was limited, and no one knew if it would be a success or not. A home builder actually built the castle, and it was a new experience for them! A giant castle wasn't feasible.

Another factor was the desire to make it look like it was made for children. That's why Main Street buildings are built to 5/8 scale and the castle not full size.

The Matterhorn was added in 1959. By this point the park was a huge success, and one problem was it was easy to lose your bearings as the foliage grew in. The Matterhorn helped this as you can see it from just about anywhere in DL. The imagineers were actually against it initially, thinking a mountain wouldn't fit the theming... Walt insisted it would work out and it was built.

When building MK (Walt had passed away by then), the imagineers had learned from DL, and made the castle (and main street and the walkways for that matter) much larger!

If it weren't for Roy Disney, the park would have never been possible. Walt would come up with the great ideas and Roy would find the way to pay for it.
WDW was not even a consideration at the time DL was built. Especially after the first day which was considered a disaster. They ran out of food and drinks. They were not prepared for crowd control and traffic. WDW was developed as a second chance. But Walt dies before it ws finished which is why some people feel it is not "as magical" as DL. Without Walt's perfectionist mind, many details were left out of WDW

 

[ballarinamom]

I've read lots on this, here's what I can remember...

DL was built in 1955 (by Walt). It was the first modern theme park, and they were making up the rules as they went. The budget was limited, and no one knew if it would be a success or not. A home builder actually built the castle, and it was a new experience for them! A giant castle wasn't feasible.

Another factor was the desire to make it look like it was made for children. That's why Main Street buildings are built to 5/8 scale and the castle not full size.

The Matterhorn was added in 1959. By this point the park was a huge success, and one problem was it was easy to lose your bearings as the foliage grew in. The Matterhorn helped this as you can see it from just about anywhere in DL. The imagineers were actually against it initially, thinking a mountain wouldn't fit the theming... Walt insisted it would work out and it was built.

When building MK (Walt had passed away by then), the imagineers had learned from DL, and made the castle (and main street and the walkways for that matter) much larger!

Ooops forgot! I totallay agree with you!

 

[S. S. Columbia]

... In the top of the Matterhorn (inaccessible to the public) there is a half-court basketball court with regulation height hoop. ...

The link below has a photo of Vlade Divac playing basketball inside the Matterhorn. The link also has the rest of the story...

www.snopes.com/disney/parks/matterhorn.asp

Here's the link for the photo of Vlade Divac playing basketball inside the Matterhorn:
http://www.snopes.com/disney/info/matterpc.htm

 

[TheAXIOM]

Regarding the height of the Matterhorn... It is built to an exact 1/100-scale of the actual mountain. When the plans were submitted to the city or county (I forget which) for Disneyland, the Matterhorn was denied permitting because it was too tall and not allowed. However, there were other buildings of that height. Walt inquired what the difference was. He was told that a sporting arena was allowed height and that DL was not a sports arena. He got an exact definition of what constituted a sports arena. He then sent his Imagineer team back to the drawing board with the challenge of meeting the requirements.

In the top of the Matterhorn (inaccessible to the public) there is a half-court basketball court with regulation height hoop. When the plans were re-submitted, Walt argued that the Matterhorn met the standards for a sporting arena. It was approved.

Aha, so that's why there's a bball court up there!
Always wondered why; now I know!

 

[S. S. Columbia]

It is because there are legal height limits to building in the area. It is in regards to airspace restrictions. After all, who wants to see a small plane collide with the castle.

Then of course I sometimes do mix up Dl with WDW. So maybe that is the reason for the confusion. I am quite sure though that I am not mixing them up. For sure though, forced perspective was utilized in the architecture of the castle. At some point I will see about the information on line. It was via a documentary regarding Dl and WDW.

I think you're referring to the Cinderella Castle in MK.

The Cinderella Castle is 189 feet high. If it were 200 feet or higher, then the FAA would require it to have a red light on top. (Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom is 199.5 feet tall.)

I think one reason MK's Cinderella Castle is much taller than DL's Sleeping Beauty Castle is that they wanted the Cinderella Castle to be visible from the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Also, the Sleeping Beauty Castle was mostly built using wooden 2 x 4s, while the structure of the Cinderella Castle is mostly steel.

HTH