1955 Article Introducing Disneyland Reveal Snow White Dark Ride First Design

Here is a short post but with something really cool as it is a document published in a non-Disney American magazine before Disneyland opening in 1955. What's really interesting in it - click on the image to see it in big size is of course these WED Enterprises renderings drawn by Disney artist Bruce Bushman, but more specifically the one about the Snow White dark ride showing how the ride was envisioned back in 1955.

As you can see, a lot of scenes still  now exist in the Snow White dark ride but here they're shown not in the same order. What is interesting about this sketch is that it ends with the warmth of the movie, not the witch falling of a rock. You have a long time to approach the Castle and see them heading off together with the Dwarves. A better, happier ending. 

You'll note also the difference of design on the ride vehicle itself as at that time they envisioned to have a sculpted dwarf on the front of the vehicle.

The rendering showing the Dumbo ride also prove if needed that the elephants were originally imagined to be in pink color.

But the other artwork interesting on this double page is the flume ride with Monstro, the whale from Pinnochio. We've seen this artwork before and know that it is one showing "a ride that never was" but obviously the magazine, specially in 1955, got all these artworks from Disney which means that the ride was really envisioned to be built at that time and may be even shortly after Disneyland opening day. This Monstro sketch showing a straight flume was likely in reaction to the most popular ride at Coney Island that every operator told Walt he'd have to have "Chutes the Chutes". Finally the Monstro ride was never built but who knows, may be it will be one day?

Pictures: copyright Disney