Disneyland Feature Used Only Twice In Its History Still Works Employee Confirms
ID:
TMS-5866
Source:
SFGate
Author:
Katie Dowd
Dateline:
Posted:
Status:
Current
A Disneyland feature that has only been used twice in its 70-year history still functions, a Disney employee recently confirmed, raising hopes the castle’s drawbridge could be deployed again someday.
Earlier this month, several Imagineers, Disney’s term for its engineering and creative employees, hosted a panel called “Beyond the Spires: An Insider Look at Disney Castles.” The panel, which was part of the company’s annual D23 convention, delved into Disneyland’s iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, Mickey Visit reported.
Imagineer Wyatt Winter shared that the castle drawbridge, which is permanently lowered to allow guests to walk into Fantasyland, isn’t just for show.
“As we were preparing for this panel, we actually reached out to Disneyland partners and asked them about it,” Winter said. “And they were willing to lift up some of the rails and test it and show us today that it still works and functions, if you wanted to.”
Only twice in the park’s long history has the drawbridge been raised and lowered. The first was on opening day: On July 17, 1955, the drawbridge came down and dozens of excited youngsters bolted across into the new park.
Twenty-eight years later, the drawbridge was utilized again to usher in the opening of New Fantasyland. The two-year, $45 million renovation was an attempt to bring in new crowds as attendance declined. The Renaissance fair design was replaced with the European village-style aesthetic that guests know and love today. Some of the rides received minor tweaks, like updated scenes in Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Pinocchio’s Daring Journey was added.
When the renovation was ready in May 1983, the drawbridge was again lowered, unleashing a flock of white doves. A number of families, among them about 20 people who crossed the bridge as children in 1955 and now returned with their own kids in tow, ushered in the new era.
Disney has given no indication that the drawbridge will be used again, but its continued functionality 42 years after its last use bodes well for the future. With major anniversaries on the horizon, including the 75th in five years, it’s possible the famed bridge could be back in the spotlight again someday.
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