May 2, 2008: The Original Mad Tea Party

[Werner Weiss]

The Mad Tea Party is still in Disneyland, but the original Mad Tea Party is in Yesterland.

Link to The Original Mad Tea Party at Yesterland

Please discuss it here.

[SummerInFL]

Thank you for a great article on the Mad Tea Party, I loved learning about the history of this attraction and that it was originally located somewhere else.

Good job!

[danyoung]

I loved those old pictures. I had to look closely at some of them - those crew-cut boys in their nice button down shirts could have easily been me and my brothers back in the early 60's!

[ragrobyn]

I remember my childhood in Black and white. I love it when truly it happened in Technicolor! Those photos are fabulous! Thanks Werner!

[McDuck]

Did anyone else notice in the photo where the red & yellow platter needs cleaning, that two very early costumed versions of Mickey & Minnie are in the crowd. They can be seen in the top center portion of the photo. Pretty cool.

[Olympicnut]

Interesting that the original turntable was made of wood! And unpainted in one of thephotos (the circa 1955 photo).

[Katella Gate]

Hi Werner, great article, always enjoy when Yesterland gets an update! I'm old enough to remember when the teacups just had that canvas strap across the door, then an exposed chain, then a vinyl-covered chain, and now proper doors.

Three quick questions if anybody knows:

1:With all the fussing with safety features on the doors, has anybody actually fallen out of a teacup?

2:Can the teacup free-spin or is there still a limiter device on how fast you can spin them.

3: What's the French name for the attraction in French: "Les tasses de thé du Habidashiere Fou" ?

[Werner Weiss]

Did anyone else notice in the photo where the red & yellow platter needs cleaning, that two very early costumed versions of Mickey & Minnie are in the crowd. They can be seen in the top center portion of the photo. Pretty cool.

First, welcome to MiceChat!

I never noticed Mickey and Minnie when I was preparing the photos. That's a great observation! I went back to the original image file. Here's a view that shows Mickey and Minnie.

[JeffYardDog]

Hi Werner, great article, always enjoy when Yesterland gets an update! I'm old enough to remember when the teacups just had that canvas strap across the door, then an exposed chain, then a vinyl-covered chain, and now proper doors.

Three quick questions if anybody knows:

1:With all the fussing with safety features on the doors, has anybody actually fallen out of a teacup?

2:Can the teacup free-spin or is there still a limiter device on how fast you can spin them.

3: What's the French name for the attraction in French: "Les tasses de thé du Habidashiere Fou" ?

The Teacups (and a similar ride at DCA: Francis's Lady Bug Boogie) have governors on them that will limit how fast and how long you can spin.

[Werner Weiss]

3: What's the French name for the attraction in French: "Les tasses de thé du Habidashiere Fou" ?

According to the French version of the official Disneyland Paris website, the French name of the attraction is... Mad Hatter's Tea Cups.

See http://idf-parcs.disneylandparis.fr/...nd/index.xhtml

Mad Hatter's Tea Cups

Pour tournoyer à en perdre la tête dans des tasses et des soucoupes
Une cuillérée de tourbillon et une pincée de virevolte et vous vous retrouverez à tournoyer à bord des Tasses du Chapelier Fou (là où les tasses vous tournent la tête). Vertigineux !

[drb]

Have the turntable mechanisms and the teacups themselves all been replaced over the years, or are there parts of the teacups that have been in service for over 50 years? Or does anyone know?

[HighLeveller]

Great article.

Is the teacup outside the present ride one of the originals? I've been under the impression that it is. Or for that matter, are they all original? (There appear to be subtle differences, mainly with the "saucer" part and the shape of the doorways.)

[Werner Weiss]

Have the turntable mechanisms and the teacups themselves all been replaced over the years, or are there parts of the teacups that have been in service for over 50 years? Or does anyone know?

Is the teacup outside the present ride one of the originals? I've been under the impression that it is. Or for that matter, are they all original? (There appear to be subtle differences, mainly with the "saucer" part and the shape of the doorways.)

I don't know the answers to these questions.

I would assume that after more then fifty years of operations — including a move from one location to another — that everything in the ride has been replaced at least once, and many things multiple times. But that's only a guess.