The Fabulous Disney Babe
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She Who Must Not Be Named, my media host, knows more about carousels than anyone I have ever met. She could look at a horse and tell you who the manufacturer was, when it was made, and what made it rare. Different types of horses have different names - she showed me one called a (please let me get this right) "pretty eye" - not on the Carrousel, it was a display horse - and man, it was beautiful. She recommended the E-Ticket Magazine's King Arthur Carrousel issue to me - and I concur - it's a "must-read". "There's wood under that paint." Rich told me, pointing to the Carrousel, Disney-style. The ones in Florida, She said, are fiberglass.
Rich is now working on the Rivers of America rehab. Anything new for it? Nope.
I then had the pleasure of speaking to the Art Director of Disneyland, Kim
Irvine-Allison. If it's not a new attraction - like Pooh - or a major reworking
- like New Fantasyland (Kim's art from the New Fantasyland project is up at the
Disneyland Hotel, just up the stairs from the entrance to Goofy's Kitchen) then
the WDI Satellite office at Disneyland is where it's done. Color schemes,
patterns, designs, shops, additions to attractions, etc - it's all theirs. Like
the colors you see all over Disneyland? Thank Kim. Which brought me to a
subject near and dear to my heart - the restoration of "it's a small world".
Kim came up with the pastel color scheme after it was a smash hit in Paris, and
guests here liked it, for the most part. But with the 50th anniversary
approaching, the Imagineers took a look at the attraction and decided that it
would be refreshing to a whole generation who had never seen or heard it as it
was opened to experience it that way. The sound system and soundtrack, as I
mentioned in an earlier column, were restored from the original tracks - that
yodeler's as clear as a bell! The only thing that is not yet restored is the
finale room, which was originally done in peach and dazzling white - and there
are no plans that I know of at present to restore it, unfortunately. It was
great to hear the Disney chorus at the end. When I was a kid, I knew those
voices better than most of my family's - I had the eight-track (I know, I'm so
old) of the it's a small world storyteller album and wore that poor thing out.
And yes, I did ask about the Peoplemover and Tomorrowland. Nada.
Matt Ebeling
Matt Ebeling, former Disneyland Ambassador, is now working with Cast Services. He was one of the organizers of the morning's celebration, and was thrilled with the turnout. Instead of a ceremony with a bunch of people making speeches and confetti, they invited the cast members who had worked so hard to restore King Arthur Carrousel to its original glory and better, and honored them - they could ride the Carrousel, Peter Pan and Mr. Toad, and there was a nice breakfast. Pinback buttons were handed out, as well as pink fact sheets about the Carrousel: "A close look at any of the King Arthur Carrousel horses reveal that the right side of each horse is carved and jeweled with the most detail and intricacy. This is known as the horse's "romance" side (facing out to the public) and it was always the artist's practice to focus his best effort for that perspective".
Another interesting fact: the horses alone are worth more than ten million dollars. Next time you sit on one of them, remember - it's probably worth more than an entire Indy jeep.
The winner has been chosen in the Name the Class contest.
Manufacturing the Magic: The History of Disneyland and Growth of the American Theme Park.
Congratulations to Zazu, aka Bruce Metcalf!
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-- Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith can be reached using the Talkback form below or by emailing her at [email protected].
The Fabulous Disney Babe's column is posted every Friday and whenever else she has something to say. For more on Michelle's background, see her first column. She also offers The Fabulous Tour: Disneyland Secrets and Stories. Click here for more information.
The opinions expressed by our Michelle Smith, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted March 7, 2003