This post is part of a series that tours the Magic Kingdom from A to Z. For other posts in this series, click here.
Following our stop in Mickey’s Toontown Fair, we head to Fantasyland to visit Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel. You might notice that the word Carrousel is spelled differently than it is in the attraction Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. The Imagineers chose the old-fashioned spelling of the word as they felt it better suited the nostalgic charm of the attraction.
Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel’s history dates back to 1917, when, under the name The Liberty Carousel, it was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company for the Palace Gardens in Detroit, Michigan. After being refurbished in 1928, the attraction was moved to Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey, where it remained until the park’s closing in the 1960s.
In 1967, while scouting for the new Magic Kingdom, Disney Imagineers discovered the attraction and saved it from being demolished. The original 72 horses were meticulously restored and four chariots were removed, allowing for the addition of 18 antique horses, giving all riders the opportunity to ride a horse. When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel wasn’t in exactly the same spot it is now. Roy O. Disney noticed that the attraction wasn’t centered when viewed through the archway in Cinderella’s Castle, so he had it moved into its current location. During a 1997 renovation, one of the original chariots was added back, bringing the number of horses down to 86.
Each horse is painted in its own color palette and no two horses on the attraction are carved in the same way. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the outside horses (the ones most visible and, thus, most critical to the show) are more ornate than those on the interior. Another interesting feature added by Disney Imagineers is that Cinderella’s horse is the only one with a golden ribbon on its tail. While the carrousel spins, guests are treated to classic Disney music, including Heigh-Ho, When You Wish Upon a Star, Chim Chim Cher-ee, A Whole New World and Be Our Guest.
Related posts:
{ 1 trackback }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I love that Roy moved it so that it would be centered. Talk about detail! Great post, Tim.
You have a fun and informative site! Is there a horse for Prince Charming too? Keek up the good work.