If you're going to Disneyland, you can't miss the Wild West area, Frontierland. Featuring cowboys and dusty streets, this area is full of old west games and rides. Pull up those spurs and let's go see what we can round up.
Let's get going to Frontierland. We've already explored Adventureland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Main Street, Mickey's Toontown, New Orleans Square, and Tomorrowland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The wildest ride in the west actually built for a larger attraction that never got built for Disneyland, the "Western River Expedition". It was supposed to be a part of this larger area, but instead was taken as a separate ride and installed by itself in 1979.
The mountain itself is based on the landscape of the Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. The colors are inspired by the area around Sedona, Arizona.
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Mark Twain journeys around the "Rivers of America" in Disneyland. It got its name from the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens who was a writer during the late 1800s that Walt Disney admired. He took his pen name from the call that riverboat pilots made when the ship was at a safe depth.
Sailing Ship Columbia
The Sailing Ship Columbia shares the "Rivers of America" with the Mark Twain. It was built in 1958 as a full-scale replica of the ship "Columbia Rediviva" which was the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe in the 18th century.
Frontierland Shootin' Exposition
Test your skill with a rifle at the shooting range in Frontierland. This range has infrared rifles, so there are no whizzing bullets. However, when this range first opened up the guns shot metal pellets. This proved too dangerous and also created a lot of maintenance work on the targets so it was changed in 1985.
Fantasmic!
This fantastic night time light show has gained well deserved fame over the years since it's opening in 1992. It features all sorts of Disney characters from their animated films over the years. First, of course, it features Mickey Mouse as the main character of the show. The villain is Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty" who transforms into the giant dragon from the animated film at the end. Other notable guest appearances are characters from "Peter Pan", "Pinocchio", "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast".
Sources
- Hench, John, and Pelt Peggy. Van. Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show. New York: Disney Editions, 2003. Print.
- Walt Disney Imagineering: a behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real. New York: Hyperion, 1996. Print.
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