Step in Time: The History of Magic Kingdom’s Mad Tea Party
Welcome back to Step in Time — our look back at the history of the Magic Kingdom’s attractions! Today, we are taking a look at a classic Disneyland, and opening-day Walt Disney World, attraction — The Mad Tea Party.
So, let’s get started!
History Before Opening
While the Mad Tea Party would eventually become an iconic Disney attraction, when WED Enterprises began work on Disneyland, the spinner attraction was not exactly what they envisioned.
Initially, Imagineers planned on creating an attraction that called for guests to enter a “Mad Tea Party” that the Mad Hatter and the March Hare were throwing. On this version of the attraction, guests would enter their tea cups (walking past giant versions of the Cheshire Cat and the Caterpillar) before spinning around a giant Unbirthday Table.
While spinning, they would see the Mad Hatter and March Hare singing the “Very Merry Unbirthday” song.
Debut in Disneyland
By the time Disneyland opened in 1955, however, the scale of the attraction had been greatly reduced.
Gone from the attraction were the Alice in Wonderland characters and the Unbirthday scene. Instead, guests twirled around in psychedelically colored tea cups. “The Unbirthday Song” did provide the attraction’s soundtrack, however.
Despite the basic nature of the attraction, the Mad Tea Party was an enormous success at Disneyland. So much so, in fact, that Imagineers decided to create a version of the attraction for the then-unopened Walt Disney World.
History in the Magic Kingdom
The Mad Tea Party would open on October 1, 1971, with the rest of the Magic Kingdom. Shortly after opening, however, Imagineers realized that they had a problem.
Unlike Southern California, Walt Disney World’s version of the Mad Tea Party was bombarded by rain on a regular basis.
By 1973, Imagineers decided that a canopy would need to be added over the attraction. During the refurbishment that installed cover for the Mad Tea Party, the central teapot (housing the Dormouse from Alice in Wonderland) was also added.
After the addition of the canopy, the Mad Tea Party remained unchanged until 1992, when Japanese lanterns were added. At this time, the attraction also received a new color scheme and score.
In 2010, the attraction was once again repainted, giving it the color scheme that it has today. In recent years, the attraction has also gotten new lighting for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Finally, in April 2024, the attraction received new signage that appears to be made out of Tulgey Wood. At this time, the attraction’s entrance clock was redesigned to resemble the White Rabbit’s pocket watch.
So, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this look back at the history of an original Magic Kingdom attraction.
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