Tales From the Creation of Disneyland
Disneyland started as a corkboard comprised of six Post-Its indicating the names of themed lands.
Nobody talks about that modest image since it’s so humble, yet it’s absolutely true.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
When Walt Disney envisioned The Happiest Place on Earth, all he could do was create a visual aid for Imagineers.
During the construction phase of Disneyland, artists illustrated Uncle Walt’s plan for a better family entertainment destination.
So, let’s talk about some tales regarding the creation of Disneyland that you’ve probably never heard.
The Hub and Spokes
The Disneyland Resort of today bears little resemblance to the one from the early 1950s.
That’s because Walt Disney transformed orange groves into the world’s first popular theme park.
Photo: Disney
Since this destination was the first of its kind, Imagineers struggled with the conceptualization.
Walt Disney held the complete blueprint in his head. Explaining his idea to others proved a challenge.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
Why did the construction crew succeed so completely in their endeavor? The answer comes down to simplicity.
Uncle Walt provided the corkboard that showed a hidden sanctuary in the woods.
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – JULY 1955: Children running through gate of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Walt Disney’s theme park, Disneyland. (Photo by Allan Grant/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images)
Even in the 1950s, Los Angeles had already become a thriving metropolitan area.
So, Imagineers faced a challenge in creating a walled garden away from the bustle of society.
AARONP/BAUER-GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES
That image showed a somewhat triangular forest of trees. Hidden within it was a sanctuary, an escape from modern living.
The Post-its – I’m calling them that even though Post-its didn’t exist yet – showed only a handful of words like Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
Credit: Disney
While Imagineers needed to fill in the blanks here, what mattered was the hub and its spokes.
Sleeping Beauty Castle would provide the anchor. It was a portal to other dimensions, places like Adventureland and Frontierland.
The startingly detailed artist’s renderings showed moats, pirate ships, and even flying balloons, much of which never came to pass.
The reason why everyone understood the underlying idea was because Uncle Walt could point to the center of the map.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
That was the hub. All the spokes (i.e., walking paths) led back to this spot.
You can never get lost when all roads lead to the same destination.
Photo:visitorlando.com
That one simple premise has defined theme park design for 70 years now, including all the Disney parks around the world.
ABC Owned One-Third of Disneyland
Walt Disney Company
In 1995, The Walt Disney Company announced that it would acquire Capital Cities.
This transaction came with a prize: ABC, the revered broadcast network.
Photo: Disney
When the transaction completed in 1996, Disney’s history came full circle, as its history is inexorably linked with that of ABC.
As a member of Hollywood’s old school from the 1920s, Walt Disney had initially bristled at the thought of programming television.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
Even in the 1930s and 1940s, the movie industry sneered at lesser broadcast mediums.
Sure, Hollywood power players do it now with streaming, but they did the same with television back then.
Photo: Disney
However, Disney needed capital when he plotted the construction of his planned theme park.
So, Disney contacted investors and found an unlikely but willing partner in ABC.
Photo: DIsney WIki
Humorously, this negotiation only happened after the two more prestigious networks at the time, NBC and CBS, said no.
The financiers for these other corporations didn’t see a path to profit for a theme park lacking a roller coaster.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
Thus, a desperate Uncle Walt turned to ABC, the only company that would listen to his offer.
The network was willing to assist Walt Disney…for a strange price.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
ABC would provide a $500,000 cash infusion and a guarantee of $4.5 million in loans.
In exchange, the previously reluctant Walt Disney agreed to create extensive programming for ABC.
The Walt Disney Company
Once this deal was in place, ABC became the one-third owner of Disneyland Resort. You had no idea, did you?
Hilariously, the deal immediately benefited Disney, as he recognized a rare business opportunity.
Photo: The Walt Disney Company
ABC’s wide sphere of influence gave Disneyland a giant marketing platform before the park opened.
That’s why 90 million people watched this legendary opening day broadcast.
By the way, in 1960, Disney paid ABC $7.5 million to repurchase that one-third stake in Disneyland.
Rome in a Day
Disney recently announced upcoming expansion projects for Villains Land, Monstropolis, and Avatar Land.
In addition, Disney will double the size of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure.
Photo: Disney
And none of those projects will be ready before 2027. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes.
Well, Disneyland challenges the notion, as its construction took only one year.
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – JULY 1955 (Photo by Allan Grant/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images)
According to official Disney history, work began in earnest on July 16th, 1954. The park held its grand opening on July 17th, 1955.
Obviously, times were different then, but reports at the time expressed awe over the speed and efficiency of this construction.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
Walt Disney hired teams of experts who literally worked around the clock to bring this dream to life.
Multiple shifts of construction crews hovered around the future home of Disneyland, trying their best to honor those Post-it Notes.
Walt Disney
Still, this project never would have been completed in time unless Uncle Walt hired the perfect person to oversee the project.
Can Do
Photo: Disney PArks
Rear Admiral Joe Fowler had a hand in winning World War II.
A graduate of the Naval Academy with a Master’s degree from M.I.T., Fowler was an infrastructural savant.
(AP Photo/Jim Kerlin)
During the 1930s and 1940s, Fowler had a hand in designing the U.S.S. Lexington and the U.S.S. Saratoga.
Those were two of the largest aircraft carriers in World War II. This dude’s ships beat Hitler, folks.
Photo: Mickey News
Later, he ran the San Francisco Navy Yard. So, we’re talking about someone significant in naval history.
When Walt Disney found Fowler, he was wasting his talents overseeing the construction of cookie-cutter homes in San Francisco.
Joe Fowler, Photo: D23
Disney placed Fowler in charge of construction, and the man President Harry Truman had placed in charge of military budget efficiency, found his second calling.
Fowler’s natural confidence and optimism earned him a glowing reputation.
Photo: D23
Uncle Walt loved that whenever he asked Fowler to handle even the most challenging assignment, the simple response was, “Can do.”
I’ve read so many stories about the great heroes of Disney history. Fowler might be my favorite.
Disney History Institute
His unwavering belief in what Disney was building unlocked the full potential of The Happiest Place on Earth.
So many of the so-called “blue sky” projects Disney envisioned were deemed impossible by others.
Disneyland Park
Fowler helped bring Sleeping Beauty Castle to life, just as he added details so that every themed land felt fully immersive.
In 366 days, this land transformed from orange groves to the world’s most beloved family vacation spot.
Photo: Disney
Walt Disney dreamed it, he and ABC paid for it, and Joe Fowler built it in a shorter timeframe than Villains Land will take.
Walt Disney was really, really good, y’all.
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