Adventure is out there, as the saying goes. The marvelous Pixar movie, Up, embraces this idea in demonstrating the spirit of adventure that Walt Disney treasured. When the inventor of the Happiest Place on Earth readied the world’s first theme park, he wanted to sprinkle in a dose of exploration. The themed land that he developed under this auspice has stood the test of time due to its rare blend of enthusiasm and optimism. Here are some interesting facts about the history, development, and attractions that comprise Adventureland.
Adventureland started with a tree
Image: DisneyA tree from the 19th century stands as one of the iconic parts of Adventureland at Disneyland, and you may not even know it. Over the years, countless theme park tourists have looked at this tree, unaware of its significance. This Canary Date Palm almost prevented Walt Disney from constructing the Happiest Place on Earth.
When Uncle Walt purchased the orange groves that comprised the Disneyland campus, he ran into Ron Dominguez, the grandson of a couple that had married in 1896. One of their wedding gifts was a tree planted in honor of their newfound love. The Dominguez family had a friend who was a horticulturist, and this tree was his way of demonstrating support for their union. Since the job title of horticulturist was relatively new back then, they probably viewed it as a cheap wedding present, but its historical significance is unparalleled.
When the Dominguez family sold their ranch and the accompanying 10 acres to Disney, Ron requested something odd. He wanted the demolition crews to preserve the tree that symbolizes the love of his grandparents. The family loved the idea so much that they asked for the survival of the Canary Date Palm as a condition of selling the property. As construction workers tore down various orange groves, Uncle Walt kept his word by saving the tree. He moved it from the area designated for parking in the 1950s. You’ll now find it in Adventureland, a 120-year-old tribute to enduring love.
Here’s a side note to the story. Uncle Walt was so impressed by Ron Dominguez that he hired the young man to work in the park. From opening day forward, Dominguez was a cast member. He eventually worked his way all the way up to the title of Executive Vice President of Disney Attractions. Dominguez is also a Disney Legend.
Every Disney theme park has an Adventureland
Image: DisneyThe Adventureland concept is seminal to the idea of a Disney theme park. As such, Imagineers have replicated it in all six locations. You can walk through Adventureland in the United States, France, Japan, and China! The various themed lands have different central conceits, though.
For example, the Magic Kingdom version of Adventureland debuted with a fitting theme. The East Coast theme park paid tribute to the West Coast original by choosing a theme of a 1950s exotic vacation. Conversely, the theme of the original Disneyland version was exploration. Specifically, guests roamed through the jungles of Africa, Asia, South America, and the South Pacific. Disney even hired a horticulturist to bring authentic jungle plants and trees to the parks.
Adventureland opened small and didn’t expand much
Image: DisneyThe other commonality of these two iterations of Adventureland is that they were sparse at the start. Magic Kingdom’s version debuted with only three attractions: Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Tree House, and Tropical Serenade (The Enchanted Tiki Room by a different name). That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s three times as many as Disneyland offered. The ONLY Adventureland attraction on opening day in 1955 was Jungle Cruise.
The oddity of Adventureland is that it’s remained sparse throughout its existence. Two years after Magic Kingdom opened, Disney introduced an East Coast version of Pirates of the Caribbean for reasons we’ll discuss in a moment. That ride debuted in 1973. Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland wouldn’t get another new attraction until 2001! And that one is a copycat ride, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, which functionally clones Dumbo the Flying Elephant. As of today, the Aladdin ride is still the newest thing at Adventureland, meaning that Disney’s only added two true rides in 45 years! Adventureland needs more love, Disney.
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room has a fascinating history
Image: DisneyWhen you think of Stouffer’s foods, you probably think of microwave food that tastes similar to the cardboard box containing it. Had things worked out differently, you might have always associated it with one of the seminal engineering marvels of Disneyland.
As Walt Disney planned the Happiest Place on Earth, he was desperate for cash and always looking to make a deal. He worked out several sponsorships for the various attractions. One that he strongly considered was with Stouffer’s. He wanted to build a restaurant that combined technology and food. Guests would eat as they sat under Audio-Animatronic birds who would entertain them. Yes, The Enchanted Tiki Room in its original version was dinner and a show.
There was just one little problem. Disney worried that their revolutionary new technology was too realistic. Some guests would believe that the birds were real, creating an unpleasant dining experience. After all, would YOU want to eat while you were sitting directly under birds? No, there are *ahem* hygienic issues that would cause problems. For this reason, The Enchanted Tiki Room dropped the dinner part and emphasized the show. It was still the first home to Audio-Animatronics at any theme park in the world, making it historic.
Here there be pirates?
Image: DisneyAs previously discussed, Walt Disney loathed the idea of his Orlando project becoming merely an East Coast version of Disneyland. He viewed the theme park branch of the Florida Project as a moneymaking venture to support the grander ambitions for his Experiment Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Still, he didn’t want to duplicate prior works.
After his death, Imagineers tried to respect that thought process. They chose not to build Pirates of the Caribbean, an important and popular attraction. It was the last one that Uncle Walt worked on, and he even had a special harness system so that he could comfortably mimic the ride experience toward the end of his life. Theme park tourists immediately responded to the Disneyland version, but park planners ultimately decided it wasn’t right for Magic Kingdom.
That decision was a mistake quickly rectified, albeit an understandable one. Disney officials questioned whether the pirate lifestyle would resonate in Florida, where the culture was already well-established. In California, the premise was original. In the Sunshine State, it was derivative. When East Coast residents learned that they wouldn’t have it, however, they revolted. And that’s how Pirates of the Caribbean became the last new ride at Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland from 1973 until 2001.
Jungle Cruise disappointed at first
Image: Disney
Jungle Cruise is unquestionably one of the most iconic rides in the industry, but it took has morphed from the original intent. In fact, it has changed in two major ways. The more storied aspect is that Walt Disney wanted live animals to populate the attraction. It was a rare instance where his Imagineers said no to their boss. The ultimate outcome was unexpected. Had Jungle Cruise included animals, Disney likely never would have constructed Animal Kingdom, the park that fulfilled one of Uncle Walt’s dreams.
The infamous humor of Jungle Cruise was a change that happened more quickly. Initially, Jungle Cruise had a serious tone, one that mirrored the 1950s television program, Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures. It was a fitting premise for an Adventureland attraction. The skippers narrated as if they were hosting a nature documentary. There was just one little problem. The self-serious subject matter was deadly dull.
Image: Disney
The scenery at Jungle Cruise was rife for sardonic humor. Cast members didn’t want to step on any toes, but they could tell that the guests on each boat grew bored by the standard spiel. Some of them started to sprinkle in jokes to keep everyone awake. Over time, park planners accepted that the funny version of Jungle Cruise was the superior one. They created a script to emphasize the comedic elements of the ride, evolving it from a snooze into an unforgettably punny ride experience.
Indiana Jones and the two rides
Image: Disney
As mentioned, Adventureland never seems to have enough attractions. When Disneyland prepared to add Indiana Jones to the themed land, they had grand plans. Their goal was to introduce two different Indy rides, the one that you know and love and a roller coaster that you don’t know.
That’s because Michael Eisner winced at the budget demands for two new attractions. Indiana Jones Adventure cost $100 million on its own. A roller coaster would have added another $50 million. We know this because the ride did get built, just not at Disneyland. Eisner elected to split the plans, constructing the adventure at Disneyland and the roller coaster at Disneyland Paris. The French know it as Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril, but in some alternate history of Disneyland, you would know it as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. Ah, what could have been.
Image: DisneyBy the way, here’s one other fun fact about Indiana Jones Adventure. Imagineers were so detailed in their planning of the attraction that they even hired linguists! Yes, some folks at Disneyland were paid to create a new language just for the ride. It was called Marabic, and several signs at the attraction had special Marabic messages for theme park tourists to decode. You can even find some older internet sites that still have Marabic decoders. It’s just another example of how much cast members care about delivering the best possible ride experience at Adventureland.
