Present, Past, and Walt Disney’s Inspiration

There is something about a carousel that brings out the child in all of us. Walt Disney knew this and made sure to include one in Disneyland’s Fantasyland. Disney California Adventure also has a carousel, which has recently been rethemed. In fact, it was a vintage carousel located in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park that inspired Disney to build Disneyland in Anaheim. Each of the Disneyland Resort carousels is unique and fun for guests of all ages. Let’s take a closer look.

Jessie’s Critter Carousel – Disney California Adventure

• Park:                         Disney California Adventure
• Location/Land:      Pixar Pier
• Opening Date:        April 5, 2019
• Theme:                     Toy Story
• Details:
  • Replaced King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea.
  • Inspired by Jessie’s wilderness friends featured in the “Woody’s Roundup” television show from Toy Story 2.
  • Features 56 whimsical desert critters from Woody’s Roundup.
  • Closes early on days when there is a “World of Color” show.
  • Two-minute ride with views of the boardwalk, the bay, and Incredicoaster and accompanied by the theme song from Woody’s Roundup.

The newest Disneyland Resort carousel is Jessie’s Critter Carousel, located on Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure (DCA). After a soft opening in late March 2019, Jessie’s Carousel officially opened on April 5, 2019. This carousel is a re-themed version of the attraction formerly known as King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea on Paradise Pier. 

From the Disney press release:

 “…mosey on over to a classic carousel starring Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl. 
Hop aboard a sweet woodland creature inspired by the vintage television 
show Woody’s Roundup from Toy Story 2 for a rootin’, tootin’ romp that’ll 
have you yelling ‘giddyup’!”

Courtesy Disney

Jessie’s Critter Carousel maintains the layout of 56 animals from King Triton’s. The whimsical desert critters from Woody’s Roundup include snakes, armadillos, turtles, rabbits, skunks, buzzards, deer, raccoons, rams, and two cozy logs inhabited by owls.

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The attraction completes the “Toy Story” neighborhood of Pixar Pier, which also includes Toy Story Midway Mania, Poultry Palace, and Buzz Churros. Pixar Pier is divided into four neighborhoods inspired by Disney-Pixar films: Incredibles Park, Toy Story Boardwalk, Pixar Promenade, and Inside Out Headquarters.

Triton’s Carousel – previously at DCA

• Park:                         Disney California Adventure
• Location/Land:      Pixar Pier
• Opening Date:        February 8, 2001
• Theme:                     The Little Mermaid
• Closing Date:          March 5, 2018
• Details:
  • King Triton is Ariel’s father, a character from The Little Mermaid.
  • Featured 56 sea animals and two water chariots.
  • Two-minute ride with views of the boardwalk, the bay, and California Screamin’ and accompanied by King Triton’s organ music.
  • Replaced by Jessie’s Critter Carousel.

Disney California Adventure (DCA) has undergone several changes since it opened in February 2001, including a name change (formerly Disney’s California Adventure) and a retheming of Paradise Pier and its carousel. When DCA first opened, the carousel was a Little Mermaid theme and its full name was “King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea”.

King Triton’s was newly built for Disney and DCA by D.H. Morgan Manufacturing. The 47-foot carousel had 56 animals and two chariots with the classic appearance of those built in the early 20^thcentury, which was the golden age of carousels with decorative scrollwork, fanciful trimmings, and vintage-style glowing light bulbs. The carousel featured sea animals, such as sea horses, flying fish, whales, dolphins, sea lions, and otters. 

On the canopy above the carousel, there were 16 shields, each representing a California amusement pier, or boardwalk, along with its opening year between 1904 and 1958. Sadly, most of these places are gone, but a few of them still offer rides on vintage attractions for their guests. One example is Belmont Park in San Diego that opened in 1925 and is home to a classic wooden roller coaster, Giant Dipper, as well as a traditional carousel.

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Disney California Adventure underwent major park renovations from 2008 to 2009 and the carousel was closed until May 2009 for new canopies. There were plans for a new architectural feature to house it, which would have better matched the early 20^th century seaside boardwalk style theming. These plans were eventually cancelled, and King Triton’s remained an integral part of Paradise Pier until it closed in March 2018.

King Arthur’s Carrousel 

• Park:                          Disneyland
• Location/Land:       Fantasyland
• Opening Date:         July 17, 1955 (Original Ride)
• Originally Built:      1922 by the Dentzel company
• Theme:                      King Arthur/Camelot and Sleeping Beauty
• Details:
  • 4 rows, 68 horses and one chariot beneath a medieval-style tent with more than 3,000 lights.
  • All-wood composition. Original frame replaced with Brass Ring Entertainment frame.
  • Ride time is 2 minutes and is accompanied the Sleeping Beauty Waltz (aka Once Upon a Dream).
  • Originally located in Toronto, Canada from 1922 to 1955, the carousel was bought by Walt Disney. During Disneyland’s construction, it was moved it to Anaheim where it was extensively refurbished.
  • Every horse on the carousel has a name. 
  • King Arthur’s Carrousel closes before and during the fireworks.

King Arthur’s Carrousel is one of Disneyland’s original rides from when it opened in July 1955. Although the carousel is named after King Arthur from Camelot and sits beneath a medieval-style tent, the theme of this ride is Sleeping Beauty, which is appropriate with its proximity to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

Originally the carousel was a three row Dentzel and featured horses, giraffes, deer, other animals, and train cars. It was located in Toronto from 1922 to 1955. When Walt Disney bought the carousel, he wanted every rider to have a horse, so the other creatures were removed. Horses from other carousels took their place and it was also converted to four rows. The horses are a mix from the original Toronto Dentzel, Ward’s Kiddyland Carousel in New York, a Looff carousel in South Carolina, and other Dentzel carousels in San Francisco. The original frame was replaced with a new frame from Brass Ring Entertainment. The train cars became part of the Casey Jr. Circus Train. 

During the refurbishment, even though horses from other carousels replaced the original animals, this wasn’t enough for Disney. He wanted them all to be “jumpers”. The Disney imagineers made it so by repositioning their legs into the air to mimic galloping. There are three basic stances for carousel horses: “standing figures” (all four legs on the ground), “prancers” (two back legs on the ground and two in the air), or “jumpers” (all legs in the air and the horses also move up and down). 

Initially, the horses on King Arthur’s carousel were painted in various colors. In 1975, the horses were painted all white and remain that way today. Every horse on the carousel has a name and each one has a uniquely painted saddle and bridle. The Disneyland maintenance crews touch up the horses’ paint daily when the park is closed. Every year each horse undergoes a complete refurbishment. Although their bodies are white, it takes more than 30 colors to paint all the saddle and bridle details.

The lead horse is named “Jingles” (for the bells around its neck and on its sides). As the story goes, Jingles was Walt Disney’s favorite horse. During Disneyland’s 50^th anniversary (July 2005) celebration, this horse was painted gold. In April 2008, Jingles was rededicated in a ceremony to honor Julie Andrews for her 50 years of contributions to the Walt Disney Company and for her service as an Ambassador during the golden anniversary. There are nods to Mary Poppins and the 50^th anniversary on its saddle.

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Sleeping Beauty is featured in King Arthur’s Carousel in both the inside scenery panels and the music that accompanies the ride. The center section has nine hand-painted vignettes showing scenes from the classic 1959 Disney animated film. The Sleeping Beauty Waltz, also known as Once Upon a Dream, is played over and over with different instruments in an organ-like tone.

Griffith Park Merry Go Round – Walt Disney’s inspiration

• Park:                          Griffith Park
• Location/Land:       
  • Los Angeles, CA – Park Center between the Los Angeles Zoo and the Los Feliz park entrance
  • 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. (zip code 90027)
  • Phone: 323-665-3051
• Opening Year:         1937 in Griffith Park
• Originally Built:     1926 by Spillman, Looff/Carmel
• Theme:                      Classic Carousel
• Details:
  • 4 rows, 68 horses
  • Open: Every weekend from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and select weekdays during Christmas/winter break, Easter/spring break, and summer break.
  • Tickets $2.00 per ride/ each person, cash only
  • Parking: Parking Lot
  • Follow Griffith Park MGR on Facebook for updates
  • Party space available for rent

The Griffith Park Merry Go Round in Los Angeles, CA may be 35 miles from Anaheim, however it is considered by many Disney fans as the birthplace of Disneyland. As the story goes, Walt Disney lived in the Los Feliz area and frequented the carousel on weekends with his young daughters, Diane and Sharon. The idea for what would later become Disneyland – a place with rides for adults and children – was imagined here as he sat on a bench watching them. 

The historic carousel was built in 1926 by the Spillman, Looff and Carmel company. After operating in San Diego at Mission Beach, it was brought to Griffith Park by the Davis Family in 1937. The carousel features 68 intricately carved horses in 4 rows with every horse a jumper. It has an elaborate ceiling kit and the largest band organ on the west coast. The Stinson 165 Military Band Organ accompanies the carousel and plays over 1,500 selections of marches and waltz music. This vintage carousel is the only remaining existing four-abreast Spillman merry go round and is known for being a fast and fun ride for people of all ages.

Even though many people, including some dictionaries, consider carousel and merry go round to be synonyms, some sources indicate there is a difference. According to amusement ride manufacturers, carousels turn counter-clockwise, while merry go rounds turn clockwise. Other research states that the difference is the types of animals on the attraction, with carousels having only horses and merry go rounds having assorted animals. You’ll find that most people use the terms interchangeably.

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In addition to the park bench where Walt Disney first dreamed of Disneyland, there is a second bench that was dedicated to Walt, Diane, and Sharon Disney in December 2014. The original bench sits on display behind a protective fence at the rear of the carousel. On July 17, 1955, the place Disney envisioned for families and guests of all ages became real when Disneyland opened.

Do you enjoy riding on carousels or merry go rounds? Which of the 
Disneyland Resort carousels is your favorite? Looking forward to
 hearing from you in the comments!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”