(It worked – Ford’s pavilion was the second most-visited of the Fair.)Īt the close of the World’s Fair, three of the attractions that Disney had designed for New York were relocated to Disneyland (as “it’s a small world,” Great Moments with Mr. Inside, riders would glide through massive sets recreating a primeval world populated by very large electro-mechanical and Audio Animatronic dinosaurs – a breathtaking encounter with a showstopping and genuinely new Disney creation meant to draw guests to Ford’s pavilion product showcase. Debuting at the 1964 – 65 New York World’s Fair, the Ford Magic Skyway was its own kind of wonder, inviting guests to step aboard “motorless” Ford Mustang convertibles (new for ’64, and an attraction in their own right) to be whisked along elevated highways around – and eventually into – Ford’s pavilion. Yet even as they were making their auspicious Disneyland debut, WED designers were hard at work on adapting Audio-Animatronics technology to give life to their much larger ancestors. The Tiki Birds were small, but sensational. Walt and his team coined the phrase “Audio-Animatronics” to refer to the inner workings of the feathered reptilian cast, well-encapsulating their unique, three-dimensional animation individually synchronized with pre-recorded audio – all controlled by cutting edge, room-sized computers. When the Modern Marvel: The Enchanted Tiki Room opened in 1963, its cast of singing birds was so groundbreaking and sensational, a new name was needed to describe the technology that made them possible. After all, one of the most pivotal innovations ever explored at WED Enterprises (today, Walt Disney Imagineering) was a technological tool meant to bring dinosaurs to life… Just not the kind of dinosaur you’re thinking of. Though you may not have thought about it this way, the connection between Disney and dinosaurs goes way back. Unsurprisingly, the story begins in the past… So “let’s get in, grab the Iguanodon, and get out before that asteroid hits!” Hang on! Disney and dinosaurs Image: Disney Today, we’ll explore the development of Disney’s Countdown to Extinction and its subsequent transformation into DINOSAUR, detailing the differences and what makes the ride such an unusual, uneven oddity in Disney’s portfolio today. Yet Animal Kingdom’s only dark ride was also… a loveable mess, driven by a comical plot and blacklight jump scares meant to leave riders laughing, screaming, crying, or all-of-the-above. When Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, Countdown to Extinction was its only dark ride, sending guests on a wild, off-roading journey through a steaming primeval jungle, pursued by some of the biggest, loudest, meanest, and hungriest creatures ever to walk the Earth.Ĭountdown to Extinction was a technological marvel, filled with incredible Audio-Animatronics and brought to life by one of the most talked-about ride systems ever developed by Imagineers. Image: Disneyīut through all the stories we’ve told on Park Lore, few hold a candle to one of the boldest, darkest, and downright weirdest rides ever developed by Walt Disney Imagineering. Together, we’ve dug deep into the tales of Lost Legends, explored the making of industry-changing Modern Marvels, reflected on the lessons learned from Declassified Disasters, and walked through unbuilt Possibilitylands across the site. Our mission is to explore the stories behind the rides, adding context to the legends and lore around the world’s most beloved (and sometimes, denigrated) attractions. Maybe you could say that the same is true of exploring, excavating, and exulting Disney Parks past, too… and that’s where Park Lore comes in. Uncovering the past isn’t always easy, and making sense of what was only begins at finding evidence of it. “Exploration – Excavation – Exultation!” Take it from the Dino Institute team: there’s an art to digging deep. – “I Need You To Imagine” Podcast Extras (B|S|G|P).The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management.The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Orlando).The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (California).
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