King Arthur's Carrousel of Progress

Last week, we took a look at the architecture of Fantasyland and how dramatically it had changed since Walt's Disneyland of the 1950s. While the renovations of 1983 replaced most of the Medieval fair look with a charming storybook village, the story that the castle village is hosting a grand celebration remains intact. It's carried out in the tents, flags and banners of establishments like the courtyard merchandise carts and the King Arthur Carrousel.

King Arthur Carrousel is a Disneyland original, having been at the park since 1955. From the gold crown at its peak to the flags and shields adorned with family crests of the Knights of the Round Table, it looks better today than it ever has. That's even more impressive, considering just how old the carrousel really is.

This classic carrousel was built by the Dentzel family of Philadelphia in 1875. In 1954, it was found in Sunnyside Park in Toronto, Canada, where it was targeted for demolition. Walt's Imagineers purchased the carrousel for Disneyland, transported it to Anaheim and set about the careful work of restoration.

While decades of dirt and paint were removed to return the carrousel to its original beauty, not everything was kept the same. In addition to horses, the Dentzel had also featured sleighs and figures of giraffes, lions and a giant rabbit. These were all replaced with carved horses from a retired Coney Island carrousel, ensuring that King Arthur's herd would be comprised entirely of galloping steeds. (1956 photo below from Daveland)

Other changes came to King Arthur Carrousel over the years. In 1975, all the horses were painted white (initially, the only white horse was Jingles, considered the "lead horse"). Painted scenes from the Disney classic Sleeping Beauty were also added to the carrousel, replacing some of the mirrors on the interior.

With the 1983 renovations to Fantasyland, the carrousel was actually picked up and moved. Once squeezed into the courtyard immediately behind Sleeping Beauty Castle, the carrousel was shifted back to the former site of Dumbo in an effort to ease traffic flow through the land. (Meanwhile, Dumbo took residence where the Chicken of the Sea pirate ship once stood.)

Even with all the changes, King Arthur Carrousel still stands as a classic treasure in the heart of Fantasyland and one of those quintessential Disneyland ride experiences.