Sleeping Beauty Walk Through

[HBG2]

This was always a good way to unload an A ticket. I wondered if anyone would care to share recollections of this quiet, unassuming attraction?

I remember a weird scene in the original walk-through that I think was deleted when the attraction was redone substantially (don't ask me what year that was). The scene was a bunch of spinning wheels, flying and circling around. Quite surrealistic. They were brightly colored and the illusion that there were hundreds of them shooting around was created by mirrors.

Anyone else remember this?

[MellyMouse]

I dont remember that, I do remember the time I took my son through, ( I have this on video too) we read the whole story and pointed out everything in the windows. When we got to the last scene, the wedding reception, with everyone dancing, there were two real live pigeons in there who were neck to neck going in circles. My son hit the ground laughing. They looked like they were dancing with the guests. It was great!

I wish they would re-open it....

[Neverlandtink]

I keep hearing through the grapevine that it's been dismantled. Don't know if it's true or not, but I suspect it is.

I used to love to wander through. It had an element of excitement for me as a kid because you could actually "walk through" the castle. And since it was so quiet and unassuming you could go through it on any given day without standing in line. What I don't understand is, why they closed it down when Cinderella castle in FLA remains open. In fact, I don't believe that one ever closed down.

HBG2, I don't remember that scene either. Was that before the "New Fantasyland"? Do you remember seeing the little goons? Years ago I got a tour of the Glendale WDI facility and my friend showed me a couple of old boxes with windows in them and if you peeked inside you could see a few of Malificent's goons smiling back at you. They were cute, and he told me that they came from inside the attraction.

[RooBear]

It was, truly, an example of the Disney touch. Here, in the middle of the bustling park, was a small, air-conditioned reprieve. I discovered it on my first trip there and would go whenever the place just got too much (like it could ever).

In a way, I miss it.

Peace,
Roo

[merlinjones]

The original Sleeping Beauty Castle diorama featured stylized painted flats inspired by Eyvind Earle and executed by Ken Anderson and Claude Coats (as I understand it). It was far superior to the later "Main Street doll" version, which took over sometime in the late 70's.

I remember the surreal spinning wheel vision you are talking about, and some other great vignettes, such as "Maleficent's bottomless pit of screams" which featured an echo chamber effect if you shouted out (of course, kids liked to shout expletives into the pit - - tee hee).

If you find the Fantasyland View-Master packet from the 1960's (two versions), it has a great 3-D slide of the original window display of Aurora asleep in her bedroom. Beautiful.

[QuietViolet]

I miss this attraction so so much! We walked through the castle every visit because, as a child Sleeping Beauty was my favorite... I have really fond memories of it... It had a lot of sentimental value to me...

[pineapplewhipaddict]

It really bums me out that I experienced this but can't remember it at all I love Sleeping Beauty...*sigh*

Oh, for any of you who want to get your own prints of the original paintings that were in the original attraction (or perhaps it's concept art? I'm not sure), you can go to the Disney Gallery and get some printed for you. I got the one of Aurora sleeping...it's an absolutely beautiful piece of art. I still need to find a frame for mine

[HBG2]

HBG2, I don't remember that scene either. Was that before the "New Fantasyland"? Do you remember seeing the little goons? Years ago I got a tour of the Glendale WDI facility and my friend showed me a couple of old boxes with windows in them and if you peeked inside you could see a few of Malificent's goons smiling back at you. They were cute, and he told me that they came from inside the attraction.

We are definitely talking about the old Fantasyland. And yes! I remember the goons, very vaguely. I was so little, someone had to hold me up to peek through the little windows or viewing holes, whatever they were. That's one of my very earliest DL memories, probably from 1961 or 62.

[Lynn, Renaissance Woman]

I have a wonderful booklet that was given out in honor of the openning of Sleeping Beauty Castle. It is copyright 1957. It has an introduction by Walt himself. It illustrates each of the scenes and speakes of the artistry of the film. It also offers another copy for$.25. I always enjoyed it.

[Spidergrrrl]

I always used to enjoy walking through this attraction as well. I felt like I had found some special, secret attraction since it was never crowded. I liked that it was different from all the other attractions at DL - it was something you could just browse and enjoy at your leisure.

DH was really sad and disappointed to learn that it was no longer open. He remembered it from his visits as a child.

[aimster]

I used to love to wander through. It had an element of excitement for me as a kid because you could actually "walk through" the castle. And since it was so quiet and unassuming you could go through it on any given day without standing in line. What I don't understand is, why they closed it down when Cinderella castle in FLA remains open. In fact, I don't believe that one ever closed down.

Ummmm... there was never a walk-thru attraction in WDW's castle. Just a couple shops and the restaurant.

[teruterubouzu]

I've only been to Disneyland once. It was a steamy August day, and the walk through was a cute way to get a break from the sun. Here's a photo I took from the end of the exhibit.

[Neverlandtink]

Ummmm... there was never a walk-thru attraction in WDW's castle. Just a couple shops and the restaurant.

Ummmmmm, that's what I meant. They kept the restaurant (at WDW) open, but they closed down the little walk through (at Disneyland). Doesn't make sense to me. Why would they close one castle "because of 9/11" and yet keep the other one open?

[Cousin Orville]

Why would they close one castle "because of 9/11" and yet keep the other one open?

Al Qaida can't take the humidity.

[Werner Weiss]

Doesn't make sense to me. Why would they close one castle "because of 9/11" and yet keep the other one open?

Disneyland never announced anything along the lines of closing the Sleeping Beauty Walkthrough "because of 9/11." I recall that Sleeping Beauty Walkthrough stayed open a number of months past 9/11. The doors were closed at some point in 2002, presumably as a cost-cutting move. The doors never reopened to guests.

I do think there's a legitimate security issue with Sleeping Beauty Walkthrough. And by "security" I mean a broad, mundane definition of security, not necessarily terrorism. During its final years, Sleeping Beauty Walkthrough had an unsupervised entrance and exit. Anyone could go in and hide in the nooks and crannies. Ideally, the attraction would have been carefully supervised at all times to assure the safety of guests. I'm sure that Security checked on the attraction regularly (at least I hope so).

The big difference with WDW is that the large, open restaurant in Cinderella Castle is constantly full of cast members and guests. It's completely different than the dark, narrow, twisty, hidden walkthrough in Disneyland.