Snow White Statue Mystery!

[DisneyDude2006]

If anyone has been on the Walking in Walt's footsteps, they have probably heard the mystery surrounding the white marble (correct me if im wrong, but i believe it was marble) statues near the grove.
After Snow White became a big success, Disney received 8 wooden crates. When they opened it up, they found 8 white marble statues of the seven dwarves and Snow White. To this day, they do not know where these statues came from, and no one has come forward.

The interesting thing is, those statues probably cost a hefty price, so who would pay that much just to go anonymous?

I thought we could discuss the mystery and the aspects surrounding it.

[sediment]

Um, it's a mystery.

Anyone else?


Actually, the reason why the statues are the same size is because in Italy there is a statue of limitations. All statues must be the same height.

[French25Fan]

Um, it's a mystery.

Anyone else?

Yep. They were from Italy.

[kronos]

Never heard of it, nor will I ever because I am not going to pay for a tour that for the most part I already know. But interesting, maybe it was from a studio. Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't the orignal swans in the moat in front of the castle from a studio? maybe the statues were from the same place?

[DisneyDude2006]

It was a cool tour, it had some info I didn't know. Plus you got to see some interesting stuff, like the original flower from the tiki tiki room. You also got to do through walts personal door and go into the lobby of club 33

[Saddlesore Swanson]

Never heard of it, nor will I ever because I am not going to pay for a tour that for the most part I already know.

Anybody see the irony in this statement? :-)

[barfownz]

Very interesting. And these are located near the castle?

[mcow1]

Funny, when we took the tour we were told that Walt had ordered them and was very surprised to find all 8 statues the same size. After Snow White became a big success? That was in 1937?

[kronos]

Anybody see the irony in this statement? :-)

Alright so I am cheap. but seriously are you going to pay for a tour that will end up on the internet? I mean I can see the lobby of Club 33 from the outside when the door is open, or the inside when I eat there.

[DCACM]

This link does not delve in to the mystery, but it does go in to detail of the wishing well area. http://www.mouseplanet.com/karl/well.htm

[DisneyDude2006]

Well there is a diff between looking into the lobby and being in there.

Anyways, Our tour guide was great. But he said that they were a mystery and to this day they don't know. ANd yes, they know it came from Italy. Perhaps it is just a rumor then? Maybe it was Walt.

[mycroft16]

Alright so I am cheap. but seriously are you going to pay for a tour that will end up on the internet? I mean I can see the lobby of Club 33 from the outside when the door is open, or the inside when I eat there.

Some of us aren't blessed with chances to eat at Club 33. And peering through an door that opens for a few seconds is significantly different from being inside that door. And merely reading about something isn't quite as immersive and fun as actually seeing it with your own eyes and being part of it. No, it isn't for everyone, so no one is going to try to convince you to take the tour... but for others, it is an excellent "waste" of money. I include myself in the group that plans on "wasting" money on this tour.

[DisneyDude2006]

The figures were sculpted in Italian marble and were put into place in 1961. Some say that they were an anonymous gift, while others contend that they know who donated them. Regardless, the figures were all the same height, presenting a problem when they were to be installed in Disneyland.
John Hench was responsible for the design of the area. His artwork for the Grotto was exhibited in the inaugural Disney Gallery exhibit.

Since Snow White's statue was roughly the same size as the dwarves, a visual effect called "forced perspective" was used. Major elements of the scene were scaled and angled to give the illusion of distance and height. When you view the scene from the wishing well, you "see" Snow White in perfect princess height way up on the crest of the waterfall.


Interesting. The guide told us about the problem with the size and how they used forced perspective to fix it

[tinkermonkey]

Sounds like a case for Micechat's intrepid investigator...oh Froggy? Where are you??

[Gemini Cricket]

I didn't know that it was a mystery. That's cool.