The Crystal Arts shop on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom Park was recently expanded. As part of that effort, a new story line was incorporated into the location, telling a tale of the American Dream.
It's the story of the Ferrante family, who immigrated to the United States from Spain in the 1800s, establishing their first glass-blowing business in New York City. On one of the walls of the Main Street shop can be found a framed photo of that first location, as well as pictures taken of the family's arrival at Ellis Island.
Proudly displayed around the corner is Tomas Ferrante's official Certificate of Citizenship, along with the first American dollar he earned.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the story behind Crystal Arts, though, is how much of it is based in fact. Crystal Arts is what is known as an Operating Participant location. That is, it is owned and operated by a company other than Disney. In this case, the company is Arribas Bros.
The Arribas brothers, Tomas and Alfonso, were chosen by the Spanish Cultural Ministry to represent Spain at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. It was there that they met Walt Disney, who was impressed with their skills and invited the brothers to come to the states and practice their craft at Disneyland. The first Arribas Bros. glass shop and studio opened at Disneyland in 1967. Today, the company has expanded to host locations in all five Disney resorts around the world.
To learn more about the Arribas brothers and their beautiful creations, visit Crystal Arts on Main Street, U.S.A. or their website: www.arribas.com
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