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The Disney Dish with Jim Hill
The Disney Dish with Jim Hill
Learn more about the latest doings at Disney with TouringPlan's Len Testa & Jim Hill of JimHillMedia.com as they talk about upcoming projects as well as look back at Mouse House history.
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May 31, 2015

Storybook Land’s Tiny Details and Big Unbuilt Ideas (Ep. 80)

Storybook Land’s Tiny Details and Big Unbuilt Ideas (Ep. 80)

Recorded live at Disneyland, Jim and Len trace Storybook Land’s miniature worlds, Walt’s exacting details, and the grand finales that never reached the canal.

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Jim Hill and Len Testa sit down in Disneyland’s Fantasyland after riding the Storybook Land Canal Boats. Jim traces the attraction from its unfinished opening-day form to the miniature fairy-tale landscapes that became one of Walt Disney’s favorites. Along the way, they explore abandoned ride concepts, intricate design details, and the newly added Frozen scenes.

Original Air Date: June 1, 2015 (estimated; recorded May 2015)
Original Title: Disneyland’s Storybook Land Canal Boats - Live!

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Walt’s miniature-building hobby and the unbuilt Lilliputian Land concept in the original Disneyland proposal.
  • How Canal Boats of the World became Storybook Land after a rough opening in 1955.
  • Tiny windows, working lights, miniature landscaping, and the details Walt insisted guests should see.
  • The proposed sleeping giant finale and the careful relationship between Storybook Land and the Matterhorn.
  • The additions of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, and the response to removing Toad Hall.
  • Arendelle, Elsa’s ice palace, and the Frozen update to an opening-day attraction.
  • The unbuilt Big Rock Candy Mountain and Wizard of Oz scenes intended for the boats and Casey Jr.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

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Recorded live at Disneyland, Jim and Len trace Storybook Land’s miniature worlds, Walt’s exacting details, and the grand finales that never reached the canal.

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