1955 Article Introducing Disneyland - Part Two : Peter Pan's Flight Original Design, and more

Thanks to Matt Hunter Ross and David, two faithful Disney and more readers, i've found the second double page of this great 1955 article announcing the opening of Disneyland with great original artworks by Disney artist Bruce Bushman!

In this one - just like in the part one which was showing the original concept for the Snow White dark ride that you can see HERE if you've missed it - we have the original concept for the Peter Pan's Flight ride. This Peter Pan sketch is a perfect example of illustrating a ride, and pretty faithful to the opening day show, the only surprise in it is that the track mechanics are shown on the sketch of the boat at the upper left in the picture above.

Also on this double page a sketch for Mr Toad's Wild Ride vehicle...

...but also this concept of a Donald ride that never was in which "seagoing visitors would have been captain of their own electric powered boats in the shape of wash tubs. Inflated inner tubes would have encircle each craft to absorb the shock collisions." It's funny, but when i see this artwork i thought that they still could do it using the same old Flying Saucers technique, the one they used at DCA for the Luigi Flying Tires attraction.
As for the Dutch mill in the background this one was finally built by Imagineer and DLP Fantasyland show-producer Tom Morris at Disneyland Paris Fantasyland - although with a slightly different design - and was of course a tribute to Disney's short animated and Academy Award winner The Old Mill.

A great idea - specially for a pre-show decor - was this decor of a huge table from Alice in Wonderland which would have made DL guests feel like Alice did after the potion made her tiny...

Last but not least, the artwork of the Alice Mad Hatter tea cups ride is another one showing an attraction that has been built, except that we don't have the table with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare in the center of the ride. It was probably not possible for technical reasons, but it would have been a good idea to have the tea cups turning all around this unbirthday party table...

Thanks again to Matt and David, and if you had a good year with Disney and more why not making a kind donation through Paypal - see the post below.

Pictures: copyright Disney