The West Side of the Kingdom
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Perhaps that is part of the "magic" of Disneyland. Maybe the magic we all hang onto isn’t embodied in a concrete and steel mountain or a fiberglass ride vehicle. Perhaps the magic that is Disneyland is our own personal history with the Park. Mine goes back to about 1972. Some of you weren’t born until after 1980. Some of you have been going since the Park opened (I envy you, because the images and video footage live in your mind’s eye). Whatever the story, our personal history with Disneyland Park may be where the magic truly lies.
Rick and Worthington Foulfellow in 1976
That is why we get so upset and unruly when something is disrupted, such as America Sings being taken out or the PeopleMover being closed. Those attractions are the physical counterparts to our history with the Park. Having things go away threatens our memories and we know that, perhaps subconsciously. We remember America Sings, but do we remember it completely? How many rows of seats were in the theaters? How did each character react to another? Our minds tend to "fill in the blanks" after time, and our memories pick and choose how we remember these things. So, when the situation comes up and something is removed from Disneyland, we know that’s it; it’s up to our memory to preserve these attractions forever. I think that is why we get upset; at least partially. The good news is, attractions will come and go over the years, and the same attachment to these creations will play out over and over with each new generation. That’s the beauty of Disneyland; the magic that I am pondering is always growing, presenting itself to new fans each day.
I’m personally thrilled that fan sites exist and that Annual Passholders have such a passion for the Park. If anything, it ensures that the magic of Disneyland is alive and well today.
Yeah, the company has seen better days. However, I have to believe that it’s the passion of the fans and the understanding of what is "right" for Disneyland that will prevail long after the likes of Eisner and friends have moved on.
Disneyland is a living entity. It changes each day and grows. Some years are better than others, but all of them are special to millions of guests that go home with their own memories and trip reports for friends and family. It’s our duty as journalists, collectors, fans and historians to keep the Disneyland Story alive and well for generations to come. That is the key, folks. That is what will keep Disneyland on the right track through these strenuous years; not management or the bottom line.
I never met Walt Disney; he was long gone before I was even born. I have seen endless hours of film footage of Opening Day 46 years ago and have taken to heart what was said in Town Square:
"Disneyland is your land."
It’s our land. To love, to cherish and to remain loyal to no matter what for years to come. It sounds like a marriage, doesn’t it? Perhaps it is. It’s a marriage of our childhood with adulthood; understanding the political battles and problems the company has these days but also keeping in touch with the wonder and fantasy of the Park itself.
I’m too far away to visit Disneyland this anniversary week. But my heart and spirit are there, definitely.
Thank you, Walt, for being the architect of dreams and giving the world such a very special gift 46 years ago. I have every bit of confidence that the best is yet to come; I can see it in the distance, just past the second star to the right…
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-- Rick West
Rick West is the publisher/editor-in-chief of Theme Park Adventure Magazine. Through his involvement with that he has been able to meet and interview some of the biggest names - past and present - in Walt Disney Imagineering. Rick draws on those experiences, and his experience in the theme park industry, for The West Side of the Kingdom.
The West Side of the Kingdom is normally published the third Wednesday of each month.
The opinions expressed by Rick West, 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 of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted July 18, 2001
©2001 Theme Park Adventure Magazine and LaughingPlace.com. All rights reserved.