Sam Bits: Random Stories from Disneyland

When working on a new book, sometimes you find some really interesting stories that just don’t quite seem to fit. However, the stories are too good not to pass along. Welcome to the cutting room floor.

ALL ABOARD!

Ever notice the announcements coming from the Disneyland and Walt Disney World train depots? You know, “Your attention Please!” That idea came from animator and train aficionado Ward Kimball. Kimball told Walt that historically, most train depots “had a guy high on a high balcony with a great megaphone, something like a ‘yell leader’ and he’d say YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE…and it echoed with so much reverberation in it…ALL POINTS WEST…and he’d rattle off all the little stops.” Kimball felt this little touch would add a bit of authenticity. “So I suggested that the Disneyland announcement have an echo,” Kimball said. “It should be in a ‘singsong’ kind of monotone voice…and so they recorded it that way.”

ONCE AROUND

The more you dive into the history of the Disney theme parks, the more you realize that the use of cutting edge technology rarely worked out of the box. One example was the Disneyland Monorail. Although the train was based on the ALWEG concept, much of the engineering had to be redone since Walt wanted the train to make tight turns and significant grade changes. The German train was not capable of handling the program.

The project was handed over to Disney Legend (and MiceChat columnist) Bob Gurr. It was no easy task. In fact, the monorail would not even make it around the track without breaking down. The first full trip around the circuit came the day before the grand opening. Needless to say, the Disney folks were concerned.

The plan for the live grand opening broadcast was to have the ribbon cutting and then load Vice President Richard Nixon and his family on the train and pull away from the station out of the camera’s view. Gurr decided to park the train at the platform and if it broke down after that, they would be okay.

The day of the broadcast was another Southern California scorcher. Prior to the broadcast, Gurr powered up the train to turn on the air conditioning and cool down the cab. Walt took the Vice President, his family, and Art Linkletter on a tour. Gurr said, “Walt was very proud to show Mr. Nixon his new advanced Monorail train, and demonstrate what modern transit really was.” Walt told the group, “Since I always run the Steam Trains, I don’t drive modern trains…and since this is an electric train, it’s a train that Bobby gets to play with.”

Nixon’s two daughters were excited about what they saw and asked if they could take a ride. Without thinking, Gurr figured it was already powered up and simply drove off. By the time they got around the Submarine lagoon and looked back toward the platform, they realized that all of his Secret Service were still back there on the platform. Gurr noted, “At that moment, I realized that I had “kidnapped’ the Vice President out from under the Secret Service.” He added, “I enjoyed Nixon’s colorful language as he described the people who were supposed to guard him.” Fortunately, the train did make it all the way around the track.

As the train approached the platform, Nixon’s daughter shouted, “Let’s go again…Let’s go again.” Proud that the monorail made it all the way around, Gurr said, “I pushed the accelerator lever forward and we started through the station again as the Secret Service guys came running toward the train. When we went through the station they turned and began running after the train and again they couldn’t get on.” Only at Disneyland.

THE CAMPGROUND

Did you know that Disneyland had it’s campground? What has become the surface parking lot north of the Disneyland Hotel was Disney’s Vacationland Campground. The campground opened on June 15, 1970 and was owned and operated by the Wrather Corporation (then owners of the Disneyland Hotel). It was the largest full-service campground in the area. There were 295 pull-through and back-in recreational vehicles sites with full hook-ups. There were also 74 tent sites. Amenities included a heated swimming pool, a picnic area, and a fully stocked convenience store. There was also restrooms and shower facilities protected by 24-hour security.  The campground was closed prior to the construction of DCA and the site was used for the construction trailers.

DREAMFINDER

One of the most storied Disneyland developments that never happened was Discovery Bay. Back in 1974, recently retired Imagineer, Tony Baxter, tried to create a new land that would fit at the north end of the Rivers of America. The project is detailed in my new book and, according to the Disney Archives it would have been “a decades-early precursor of the current ‘steampunk’ trend in science fiction.” Although the project was never built, one of the original characters did find another life. The proprietor of Professor Marvel’s Gallery of Illusions would eventually became Dreamfinder in Journey into Imagination at Epcot

WORLD OF COLOR

When the Disneyland submarines debuted in 1959, they were painted military grey just like the boats they were modeled after in the Navy. How many of you remember when the subs paint scheme was changed to yellow, pink, and blue pastel? That turned out to be a very unpopular decision which lead to today’s bright yellow submarines that was chosen to emulate a “modern scientific research vessel.”

Full of vitamins and minerals, this serving of Sam-Bits was part of a complete Disney breakfast.

Hard for me to believe but my upcoming book, THE DISNEYLAND THAT WAS, IS, AND NEVER WILL BE, is already available for pre-order.

A Biography of an American Institution

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