Fans of all things Disney will no doubt know of the importance of the 1964 New York World’s Fair on the Disney Theme Parks. It is at this fair, for which Disney created 4 shows, that the “Audio-Animatronics” and “People Mover” ride systems were designed and perfected.
The fair opened 50 years ago, April 22nd.
When I saw this children’s book at the Flea Market a couple of years ago, I picked it up, curious to see if any of the Disney pavilions would be included.
.
By Mary Pillsbury, illustrated by Catherine Barnes. Published by Spertus Publishing Company in 1964.
Lovely illustrations. Still trying to find some Disney.
And there it was, a piece of Disney history illustrated in this great book.
Ford Motors
presented “Ford’s Magic Skyway” a WED (now Imagineering) designed
pavilion. It included an early prototype of what would become the People
Mover ride system. The ride moved the audience through scenes featuring
life-sized audio-animatronic Dinosaurs and cavemen.
Indeed, the book even refers to this as “a Walt Disney wonderland of Past, Present and Future”.
These same Dinos can still be seen today in Disneyland’s Railroad Primeval World diorama.
But wait, there’s more!
Next came a look at “Small World”!
At the Pepsi
Pavilion, “Pepsi Presents Walt Disney’s It’s a Small World – a Salute to
UNICEF and the World’s Children” (whew!) was featured. I think we are
all familiar with “It’s a Small World”, but if not, it features animated
dolls representing the world’s children and animals, and a song by the
Sherman Brothers which, if you’ve started to hum it will be stuck in
your head all day now.
“In each
country they passed, thanks to Walt Disney, they saw animated figures of
children dressed in picturesque costumes-and there were even the right
animals for each country!”
And how much did I pay for this little “time machine”? $1.00!
That is an awesome piece of history. Love the illustrations! What a great find and a great price as well.
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