DizBuff.comAlmost everyone has seen the famous Partners Statue in Disneyland’s Castle Hub or Central Plaza, but not everyone has seen the eight little Disney characters that surround it. Have you? If not, you’ve come to the right place, because I’m about to tell you about each one of them.
First of all, there’s the Partners Statue (below) that stands at the North end of Main Street, right in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Ever notice the Cigar Store Indian on Main Street USA in Disneyland? What is he doing there? There’s no tobacco store anywhere in Disneyland.
When Disneyland first opened in 1955, there were a number of shops on Main Street that are now closed or have been replaced by other unique and magical boutiques. One of those original shops was the Tobacconist on the east side of Main Street, right next to the Cinema. It closed in 1990 and has since been replaced by the 20th Century Music Company, but its Cigar Store Indian is still presiding over Main Street USA.
In Disneyland’s Town Square, it’s hard to miss the towering 65 foot flagpole, but have you ever noticed the flagpole’s unique-looking base? It’s an ornate piece of metal that came to Disneyland because of an automobile accident in Los Angeles.
We don’t have to guess – Walt Disney told us in his own words. He was sitting on a bench in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, watching his daughters ride the Merry-Go-Round when he had a thought. There ought to be a place where both parents and children can enjoy themselves together.
The Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland, CA is no ordinary restaurant. Why? Because it’s “practically perfect in every way.” This restaurant in Disneyland is loaded, and I mean loaded, with Mary Poppins references. From stained glass penguins on the windows, to Bert’s chalk drawings on the floor, to the weather vane on the roof and everything in between! And I don’t think I’ve seen HALF of what’s actually there. Let’s take a tour.
You’ve walked past the Disneyland Partners Statue many times, but have you really looked at it? I will show you 3 hidden details on the Walt & Mickey Partners Statue that you probably haven’t seen or heard of before.
This is one of the most famous and recognizable scenes in all of Disney. The view above captures three Disney icons – Walt, Mickey and Sleeping Beauty Castle.
You’ve probably walked down Main Street USA in Disneyland a number of times, but I’ll bet you never noticed the large Indian Head Cent mounted above the entrance to the Penny Arcade. And it’s not just any old large-prop coin either. Again and again, Disney Imagineers work their magic…
There are two signs in front of City Hall in Disneyland California that say “Lost Parents.” Did you know that the two characters on top of the sign are actually George and Mary Darling from the Peter Pan story by J.M. Barrie?
George and Mary Darling look a little worried. Could it be that their three children, Wendy, John and Michael, have just flown off to Neverland with Peter Pan?
Disneyland has not one, but two working, vintage orchestrions. What’s an orchestrion? It’s kind of like a one-man band, only there’s no man, and it’s 100% mechanical. Disney’s Welte orchestrion is pretty well known, but their 2nd one is a bit more hard-to-find, buried deep in Frontierland.
There is an unusual, red brick test wall just off Main Street in Disneyland, California. The bricks are neat and even on one side and crooked and jagged on the other. How long has it been there and what’s the story?
A Disney legend says that during the construction of Disneyland in the 1950’s, Walt wanted to see different brick patterns and textures for use in various buildings around the park. So brick masons installed this test brick wall in an out-of-the-way location to help him decide which style he liked the best.