To compare the classic Disney theme park attractions to the Disney standard, we first have to outline what the classic attractions are. To do this, we really have to go back to the beginning of Disneyland itself.

Opening day Disneyland attractions that still exist (in some form or another) include the Jungle Cruise, the Mark Twain, Snow White’s Adventures, King Arthur Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Casey Junior Circus Train, and Autopia.

To understand how these attractions compare to what I have defined as the Disney Standard (from Part I of this series), you really have to understand how things were back in the beginning. At the time Disneyland was created, there was no Disney standard for theme park or attraction design. Those first Imagineers wrote the book as they went along. But what they created wowed audiences young and old alike.

The attractions listed above are not anything spectacular by today’s standards, yet these attractions still prevail. The darkrides like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Snow White’s Adventures and Peter Pan’s Flight were nothing but dressed up funhouses that were found all over the seedy amusement parks of the day. The difference was that Walt saw the inherent ability to tell a complete story using these ride systems and used his animated features as the subjects. Obviously, the ride vehicles were in turn themed to the various stories being told. Really, the only thing that was innovative about these rides was in Peter Pan’s Flight were the vehicles were suspended from the air rather than on a track along the ground. The other attractions such as the carousel, Dumbo, and the teacups were nothing more than themed-out carnival rides.

Attractions that may have been unique on opening day would include the Jungle Cruise, the Mark Twain, and maybe the Autopia cars.

The difference back then was that no one had ever assembled these attractions before in a totally themed environment. This was a brand new concept that no one had ever seen before. Walt, in building Disneyland set a precedent that all future Disney parks would be compared against. It is no longer acceptable to just go with the status quo, Disney is expected to go beyond the ordinary.

But there are a few Disney attractions that are not from opening day that I feel should be on any list of classic attractions. The Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World, and even the Matterhorn and Space Mountain.

In the case of the Matterhorn and Space Mountain, Disney again delivered a new twist on an already proven concept. Roller coasters were not anything new when Disneyland opened. However, up to that time, roller coasters were built solely out of wood. The Matterhorn was the first coaster-type ride that utilized a steel track. Space Mountain was the first coaster to use computerized ride controls that allowed for complete control of multiple cars on the track at the same time. Not to mention that both of these coasters were totally themed out – the Matterhorn is not a roller coaster, rather it is a wild ride in a bobsled down the side of the most famous Swiss mountain. Space Mountain is not a roller coaster ride, but rather a high-speed race through the galaxy!

The attractions that I will refer to as “Epic Attractions” include the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. These attractions serve no purpose other than to completely immerse the riders in a story. There are no sharp turns, sudden drops, or high speeds. Instead, riders suddenly find themselves in the midst of some of the best special effects the Imagineers have ever created. And the stories that are told are among the most beloved of the Disney theme park attractions. Obviously their success can be attributed to the two recent films that were produced from these successful attractions.

But what about entire Disney theme parks? I will define “past” Disney parks as anything built before 1984 – the year that Michael Eisner and crew came in and took over the mouse house.

Obviously, Disneyland in Anaheim California was the first park to open on July 17, 1955. Although many thought the park would be a complete failure, it proved to be a tremendous success. The smart design and the enchanting environments served to transport guests to places that, up to that time, they could really only dream about!

Next came the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. Following in the successes of Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom offered the same basic layout and design (with a few notable changes) and the same details that help to transport people into the various realms represented. Today, the Magic Kingdom is still the busiest park at Walt Disney World.

The next theme park to open was Epcot on October 1, 1982. Epcot was a departure from the tried and true designs of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. Epcot was a prime example of the Imagineers really stepping beyond their boundaries to try and create something new and innovative. Although the park struggled in the early years, today it is gaining ground with the addition of some of the newest and high-tech attractions that WDI has ever created (which we will cover later in the series.)

Finally, the last theme park to open during the defined time period was Tokyo Disneyland on April 15, 1983. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney theme park built outside of the United States, and drew on the best features of Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom to create another Disneyland-style park.

So how do these theme parks and classic attractions measure up to the Disney Standard? Well, in my assessment, everything that has been mentioned here measures up pretty well, at least in the context of the time period in which they were developed. The proof is in the fact that although many of these attractions are decades old, they still draw a crowd. Although parts of the attractions and parks have been improved and modified over the years, they have endured the passage of time and are still among the most popular attractions and parks.

I really feel that these classic attractions and original theme parks are some of the best work that the Imagineers ever did. Granted, many of those early attractions are not advanced by today’s standards, but in their day, they were more advanced than anything that had ever been created.

Next week, we’ll take a closer look at some of the more recent attractions and parks to have been built, and start to determine if changes in the quality being delivered are noticeable.

Until then, I’ll see ya real soon!