Legends of the West

Pecos Bill Cafe had been part of the Magic Kingdom landscape since 1971. A much-needed expansion effort in 1998 incorporated the adjacent Mile Long Bar (once located behind the blue facade) and added indoor seating, bringing the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe to Frontierland.

Pecos Bill made his Disney debut in the 1948 package feature Melody Time, in which Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers told the story of the King of Tall Tales. Legend has it that Bill was raised by coyotes, once rode a twister like a bucking bronco and dug a path to create the Rio Grande.

Pecos Bill could draw faster, shoot straighter and ride a horse harder than any man alive. There's a picture of Bill and his trusty pal Widowmaker just above the fireplace inside.

According to the Imagineering story line, Pecos Bill was encouraged to settle down and open his own watering hole right here in Frontierland. The Tall Tale Inn & Cafe quickly became a popular hangout for Bill's legendary friends, each of whom would leave a little something behind once they paid him a visit.

In the main room, you can find a pair of Buffalo Bill's boots and one of Paul Bunyan's giant axes. Buffalo Bill was best known for his Wild West Show, which toured the US and Europe and has been recreated in Disney Village at Disneyland Resort Paris. The tale of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox was told in a 1958 Disney cartoon featurette.

The various dining rooms of the Cafe showcase some of the other artifacts Pecos Bill has collected from his friends over the years. Also from Melody Time comes the tale of Johnny Appleseed, who left Bill the pot he wore as a hat as he wandered this great land planting apple trees.

John Henry was a legendary African-American folk hero, whose man versus machine tale demonstrated the power of perseverance. John Henry (in the form of actor Roger Aaron Brown) was seen with Pecos Bill (Patrick Swayze) and Paul Bunyan (Oliver Platt) in Disney's 1995 live action feature Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill. He also appeared in animated form in the short film "John Henry," created by the animators at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2000.

Jim Bowie, known for his prowess with a knife (later popularized as the Bowie Knife), was one of the heroes who fought at the Alamo. He was portrayed by actor Ken Tobey in Disney's "Davy Crockett" TV serial and the movie Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

Naturally, there are several items here from Davy Crockett himself, including a satchel and a detailed drawing of Ol' Betsy, his favorite rifle. Like many of the individuals represented at the Tall Tale Inn & Cafe, Crockett was a real person whose legend seemed to grow with each retelling of his story. Many of those exaggerated accounts were crafted by his buddy George Russell, who left behind for Bill this hand-written version of Davy's encounter with Big Foot Mason:

Tucked away in one of the back dining rooms is this mysterious mask and silver bullet, presumably left by the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger, a fictional western character popularized in radio and TV serials, has yet to star in a Disney production, although a film is currently in development with some of the team behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. So just who is that masked man? Perhaps Pecos Bill knows, but he's not telling. The identification plaque has been left blank.

Apart from the artifacts left by Pecos Bill's legendary friends, there are plenty of other details to appreciate inside the Tall Tale Inn & Cafe. One of my favorites is the plaque on this fire box. Of course, it houses modern fire extinguishing equipment, but the sign on the outside gets its message across by depicting a period fire wagon.

One of the largest dining rooms is actually designed to look like an outdoor courtyard beside a Spanish hacienda. Take a few moments to admire the wrought iron, beautiful tile work and punched tin lanterns.

Back to the real outside, the exterior of this building presents several facades that further flesh out the town of Frontierland and make it look and feel like a real place. Details like serapes, flower pots and bird cages help tell the story of the people who might live here. The Town Hall has a bell tower for calling folks in for important meetings.

There's even a Chinese Laundry. Chinese immigrants played an important role in the American west, particularly in the California Gold Rush and in the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The western end of Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn & Cafe brings Frontierland out of fantasy and into the more realistic settings of Texas and the Southwestern United States. Here, desert-influenced architecture and landscaping create a smooth transition north toward Big Thunder Mountain and south into Adventureland's Caribbean Plaza, with its adobe walls and Spanish tile roofs.

Those Silly, Singin' Country Bears

Howdy, folks! It's time for a performance of the one and only, original Country Bear Jamboree, now playing at Grizzly Hall in Frontierland. Grizzly Hall is designed as a Northwoods union hall, like one that might have been found anywhere from Colorado to Oregon. It's a place where traders, trappers and loggers would gather to meet, organize or just be entertained. Judging by the pelts hung on the upper walls of the building, though, the bears in the show may be performing for more than just the fun of it.

Inside, the lobby decor features portraits of some of the stars of the show. There's master of ceremonies Henry, swingin' Teddi Barra, piano-playing Gomer, and of course the Five Bear Rugs: Zeke, Zeb, Ted, Fred and Tennessee (don't forget little Oscar).

There's also a clear indication that the Country Bears' show plays to more than just human audiences. The floor of the waiting area is all scratched up with claw marks:

Take your seats in the theater, but before the show gets started, look around at some of the details. Above the proscenium is a tribute to Ursus H. Bear, founder of Grizzly Hall and originator of the first group of Country Bears. The carvings surrounding his portrait include an owl, a squirrel with a nut and two cherubic bears. Also note the fish jumping in the stream and the beehive filled with honey, heavenly symbols for an ursine audience.

Bears aren't the only critters we find in Grizzly Hall. Melvin the moose, Buff the buffalo and Max the deer have been hanging around here for nearly forty years, too. In fact, one of the greatest delights in the entire show is watching the faces of children who've never seen the Country Bear Jamboree light up when these three come to life.

The biggest star of the Country Bear Jamboree has to be Big Al. Al likes staying close to home. His cabin is just across the street from the theater. Since he's busy performing at the moment, he's trusted some folks to house sit for him. Looks like they're taking advantage of the crowds coming by for the show and have put out all sorts of goods for sale or trade.

Refreshment, Supplies & Mo'

The Frontier Trading Post is just the first of several detailed spots in Frontierland, and not the last to include a touch of Hidden Disney. Westward Ho Refreshments, operated out of a settler's shack along the riverbank, may offer corn dogs and frozen lemonade, but it also serves up a nod to the 1956 Disney film Westward Ho the Wagons!, starring Fess Parker and several of the original Mouseketeers.

Across the way are facades for a local hardware store and the general store, Prairie Outpost & Supply.

Inside, it's primarily a candy store, but there are plenty of other props, from a watering can to flour and sugar, on display to help flesh out a richer story.

The oil lamp chandeliers in the Prairie Outpost further help establish period and setting. Of course, they're really electric, but be sure to admire how these and many of the lamps and lanterns in Frontierland flicker as if they sported real flames.

Back out front is a familiar "porch magnet," the Cigar Store Indian. We already saw his twin (albeit with a different paint job) over on Main Street U.S.A. in this post. Here in Frontierland, he fits right in and also reminds us of the days when tobacco products were readily available throughout the Magic Kingdom.

There's another tobacco reference nearby. This one just cropped up recently. A crate outside the general store is labeled Davis Tobacco. Some have attributed this as an homage to legendary Imagineer and Animator Marc Davis. Between the Country Bear Jamboree and his unrealized concepts for a Western River Expedition, Marc certainly had connections to Frontierland.

Then again, maybe this is a small tribute to big contributor at Imagineering, Marvin Davis. Marvin was the architect and art director credited with creating the overall layout of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. During his Disney career, Marvin Davis also designed sets for Davy Crockett and Zorro, connecting his legacy to Frontierland.

In the end, I suppose it could be an homage to both... or neither. Anyone who knows for sure, feel free to chime in with a comment.

A Far Cry from St. Louis

Throughout Frontierland are period graphics that help set the scene. Many are advertisements for carriages or horse auctions. The ad in the photo above, found near the Trading Post, is one of my favorites.

The term "Wild West" didn't just refer to untamed wilderness or the threat posed by outlaws. It also came from the fact that on the American frontier, pioneers were forging a new way of life apart from the sometimes rigid social mores of the east. There were indications of this "loosening up" at the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon, inspired by St. Louis and the "Gateway to the West," where mildly risque entertainment like the Can-Can Girls performed in what was still a rather formalized setting.

Once past the Mississippi and into Frontierland, though, all convention is discarded. The ad for the fictional Dawson's Barbary Coast Saloon actually plays on this idea, enticing patrons by promoting the "scandalous" nature of the place.

These tactics are still used today. An "R" rating on a film both restricts children from viewing its content as well as gives adults an idea of what they can expect. FOX Television and others use the slogan "Viewer Discretion Is Advised" to similar effect. It lets people know that a show may feature violent or otherwise objectionable material, providing both a warning and a draw.

Frontier Trading Post

Trading posts were an important element in many frontier towns of the Old West. Here, items would come by stagecoach or train from other towns or across state lines to be bartered for local goods and services. Trading posts also served as gathering places in the community, where folks could come to socialize and learn the news of the day.

The Frontier Trading Post in Frontierland is operated by one "Texas" John Slaughter. The name of this trail boss is actually a bit of Hidden Disney. "'Texas' John Slaughter" was a series that ran on the Disneyland TV anthology show from 1958 to 1961. Tom Tryon portrayed Slaughter, a Texas Ranger, in a total of 17 episodes, making it the longest-running Disneyland series.

The Trading Post offers a wide variety of products for the citizens of Frontierland, from soap and animal feed to spindles of thread and bolts of fabric (see the props in the photo below). Several years ago, however, Slaughter turned over the majority of his establishment to the trading of a most popular item... Disney pins.

Although pin shops can be found all across the Walt Disney World Resort, the Trading Post is chock full of details that make this location uniquely Frontierland. Of course, there are the interior furnishings and "gas" lanterns, but also notice the tin star sheriff's badge pin used in the marquee and the brands "burned" into the top of each wall bay. Even the instructions on "How to Pin Trade" have been given the Frontierland treatment:

While pins may be the main item available for actual sale, props throughout the shop indicate some of the other merchandise offered by the Trading Post, like the saddle and stock of flour and sugar seen here:

Lest we forget the social aspects of the Trading Post, notice the "Wanted" poster for Br'er Fox (a bit of Hidden Disney to tie the Splash Mountain story to the rest of the land) and the barrel table (below) set up for a friendly game of Tic-Tac-Toe.

In order to accommodate theme park-size crowds, facilities like the Frontier Trading Post have to be much larger than what would actually be appropriate to the period. Just as we've seen in other areas of the Magic Kingdom, a solution is provided by breaking up the facade of the shop, making it look like a series of storefronts and even a hotel.

Additional details like raised wooden sidewalks and cold blast lanterns (with the side pipes to circulate fresh air) help to further set the stage for the Frontierland story.

Take Your Best Shot

The Frontierland Shootin' Arcade offers a place for local lawmen and other citizens to practice their sharpshooting skills. Step up onto the porch, though, and you'll find that the arcade actually looks out across Boot Hill cemetery toward a distant ghost town, complete with jail, hotel, and bank.

The Shootin' Arcade employs a row of replica .54-caliber Hawken rifles, a kind commonly used on the frontier in the early to mid-1800s. When the attraction opened in 1971, the rifles actually shot pellets at their targets. For reasons of both safety and maintenance, they were converted in 1982 to the infrared beam versions seen today.

Throughout the Arcade, there are nearly 100 targets, each of which triggers a bit of animation. Buzzards flap. Coyotes howl. A ghost rider floats through the sky, and invisible footprints creak across an old bridge.

The epitaphs on the tombstones in Boot Hill, some of which change or are further revealed when targeted, are written in a humorous style much like those at the Haunted Mansion. Each one gives an indication of just how the poor soul landed six feet under:

"He loved to dance / He drank his fill /

He drinks no more / He dances still"

"Six Gun Tex lies in this grave /

used his gun for a closer shave"

"A carpenter trapped /

when in his coffin he napped"

"Ol Tom Hubbard died with a frown /

but a grave can't keep a good man down"

"Butch was nervous / his hand did shake /

He drew on Luke / his last mistake"

Getaway Stagecoach Line

Disney Vacation Club information kiosks appear throughout the Disney Parks. While the content may be ubiquitous, each installation is uniquely designed to mesh with the storytelling of its surrounding area. One of the best examples is right here at the edge of Frontierland in the form of the Getaway Stagecoach Line.

Wherever you're headed, the Getaway Stagecoach Line can take you there. Just step into their offices and check with the Station Master for information on the next run.

Plenty of fun details like the lanterns, jugs and potbelly stove help set the scene, but some of the best storytelling is found in the graphics. So many folks pass right by this office on their way out to Grizzly Hall or Chickapin Hill, but there's lots to see for those willing to take the time to look.

Take this poster, for example, laying out the policies of the Line. It seems mighty fine, until you notice that the text gets smaller and smaller to the point where it's plum near unreadable. That last paragraph..?

"WE WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTS BY HIGHWAYMEN, SAVAGES, BEING BROKEN DOWN OR ANY UNFORESEEN CONDITIONS THAT MAY RESULT IN BEING DELAYED OR NOT ARRIVING TO YOUR DESTINATION. WE CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO NOTIFY NEXT OF KIN IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHIC OCCURRENCE OR UNEXPECTED FATALITY."

The map along the back wall identifies our location at Homestead Pass, not far from the Trading Post. It also reveals other points in the Western Territory, including Fort Wilderness and Big Thunder Mountain.

Of course, most of the destinations mentioned in the literature are locations of Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World and elsewhere. The majority of coach service is east of the Mississippi to places like Saratoga Springs, Hilton Head and Vero Beach. The arrival/departure board has a couple interesting mentions, though:

There's Disneyland, where a new wing of Disney Vacation Club villas recently opened as part of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. But there's also an indication of Tokyo Disneyland. To my knowledge, no Disney Vacation Club property has been announced for that resort, but as the board says, "Soon... Hopefully!"