Post by Dave on Jul 6, 2020 9:39:37 GMT -5
The Enchanted Tiki Room was the first Disney attraction to use animatronics.
Before there were dancing bears or talking pirates, Walt Disney gave us the singing birds of the Enchanted Tiki Room.
When this lively musical attraction opened on June 23, 1963, it marked the first use of audio-animatronics at Disneyland. The technology used to animate these birds was the same technology used the very next year when Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln debuted at the New York World's Fair, and Disney hasn't stopped pushing the limit on what an audio-animatronic can do since.
The "it's a small world" ride debuted outside of Disneyland.
Though it opened in the early days of Disneyland in 1966, "it's a small world" was originally built as a pavilion for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair.
The theme of that year's fair was "Peace Through Understanding," and if you've ever gotten the ride's catchy tune stuck in your head, you'll know that it's a perfect representation of this sentiment.
The earworm hasn't changed, but new animatronics that represent favorite Disney and Pixar characters were added throughout the ride in 2009.
Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day.
On April 22, 1998, Disney World celebrated Earth Day in a big way by adding a fourth Florida theme park to the Florida resort.
Animal Kingdom was inspired, in part, by Walt Disney's own love for animals, which can be seen in some of his early sketches (long before Mickey came on the scene) and the animals that often showed up in his films.
Animal Kingdom offers more than just safari rides and characters in explorer costumes; there are also opportunities to learn more about animals and the environment, and the role we play in their future.
One of the original Disneyland train cars was named for Walt Disney's wife.
Walt and Lillian Disney first met when she worked in the company's Ink and Paint Department. Walt would sometimes drive her home from work in his car, and later named one of Disneyland Railroad's original train cars after her. After they were married, Walt built a miniature steam power train in his own backyard and named it "Lilly Belle" after his beloved.
When the Disneyland Railroad opened in 1955, Lilly's namesake train car could regularly be seen on the tracks. While no longer being used in Disneyland's day-to-day operations, they do sometimes bring the car out for special occasions.
Disney's first trackless ride was at Epcot.
Trackless rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters abound at today's Disney parks, but the very first of this ride type opened along with the rest of Epcot in 1982.
Universe of Energy, later known as Ellen's Energy Adventure and now the site of the future Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster, utilized computer-controlled ride vehicles that were known as "traveling theaters." From there, this technology was used for The Great Movie Ride in 1989 and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 1994.
The first true trackless ride – one that could actually travel in a randomized path instead of a straight line – was Pooh's Hunny Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland.
Before there were dancing bears or talking pirates, Walt Disney gave us the singing birds of the Enchanted Tiki Room.
When this lively musical attraction opened on June 23, 1963, it marked the first use of audio-animatronics at Disneyland. The technology used to animate these birds was the same technology used the very next year when Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln debuted at the New York World's Fair, and Disney hasn't stopped pushing the limit on what an audio-animatronic can do since.
The "it's a small world" ride debuted outside of Disneyland.
Though it opened in the early days of Disneyland in 1966, "it's a small world" was originally built as a pavilion for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair.
The theme of that year's fair was "Peace Through Understanding," and if you've ever gotten the ride's catchy tune stuck in your head, you'll know that it's a perfect representation of this sentiment.
The earworm hasn't changed, but new animatronics that represent favorite Disney and Pixar characters were added throughout the ride in 2009.
Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day.
On April 22, 1998, Disney World celebrated Earth Day in a big way by adding a fourth Florida theme park to the Florida resort.
Animal Kingdom was inspired, in part, by Walt Disney's own love for animals, which can be seen in some of his early sketches (long before Mickey came on the scene) and the animals that often showed up in his films.
Animal Kingdom offers more than just safari rides and characters in explorer costumes; there are also opportunities to learn more about animals and the environment, and the role we play in their future.
One of the original Disneyland train cars was named for Walt Disney's wife.
Walt and Lillian Disney first met when she worked in the company's Ink and Paint Department. Walt would sometimes drive her home from work in his car, and later named one of Disneyland Railroad's original train cars after her. After they were married, Walt built a miniature steam power train in his own backyard and named it "Lilly Belle" after his beloved.
When the Disneyland Railroad opened in 1955, Lilly's namesake train car could regularly be seen on the tracks. While no longer being used in Disneyland's day-to-day operations, they do sometimes bring the car out for special occasions.
Disney's first trackless ride was at Epcot.
Trackless rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters abound at today's Disney parks, but the very first of this ride type opened along with the rest of Epcot in 1982.
Universe of Energy, later known as Ellen's Energy Adventure and now the site of the future Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster, utilized computer-controlled ride vehicles that were known as "traveling theaters." From there, this technology was used for The Great Movie Ride in 1989 and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 1994.
The first true trackless ride – one that could actually travel in a randomized path instead of a straight line – was Pooh's Hunny Hunt at Tokyo Disneyland.
