On a recent visit to Disneyland, I found myself in the Central Plaza, pausing as I often do to say "Thank you" to Walt Disney for everything he's given us. I love the "Partners" statues of Walt and Mickey in the Disney Parks. Walt probably would have hated them, though. He was a very humble person.
The statue stands where it does in Disneyland today thanks to sculptor Blaine Gibson, a team of Imagineers and a couple of odd special events held back in the '80s. At that time, celebrations like State Fair and Circus Fantasy involved placing such things as a Ferris Wheel or Globe of Death (that sphere with the motorcycles inside) in Central Plaza... right in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. To keep such things from ever happening again, "Partners" was given the place of honor in the middle of the Hub.
Moving beyond the Central Plaza toward Fantasyland, I was admiring the perfect placement of King Arthur Carrousel as a visual draw, when a pair of Cast Members informed me that the Disneyland Band was about to play. Next thing I knew, they were marching across the drawbridge, joined soon after by a host of Disney characters. With all the music and dancing, it was as if a Disneyland TV special from days gone by had come to life right before my eyes!
The set included a number of favorite Disney tunes, and then finished with Bandleader Ray's sincere remarks that "We're proud to welcome you to Disneyland, the only Disney Park in the world in which Walt Disney actually set foot." With that, the voice of Walt Disney himself was heard, as the 1955 dedication of the Park was replayed for the gathering crowd. It was a perfect moment on a perfect Disneyland day.
Huh! Interesting stuff! I can't imagine them putting stuff in front of the Castle! Wow!
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