In a world where you can sail for hours and a round trip on the Monorail System is a 5 1/2-mile journey, attention to even the smallest detail has made Walt Disney World a never-ending series of visual pleasures. Just off bustling Main Street in the Magic Kingdom is a quiet courtyard and old-fashioned barber shop at the end of Center Street. Brown used brick, for the decorative serpentine wall bordering Liberty Square, was purchased from buildings being torn down in central Florida. The A-shape roofs of seven "longhouses" and the Great Ceremonial House at the Polynesian Village hotel, are formed of steel that weathers to a rich "rust" color--giving them an appropriate island "tin-roof" effect. "It is the hotels, shops, beaches and other recreational facilities at Walt Disney World," wrote Time Magazine, "that really set the new complex apart .. ,"--p. 45 The Story of Walt Disney World
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We have two completely different shots of construction at Walt Disney World. The first picture was taken during the construction of Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom. By today's standards, it is a very non-Disney photograph but it does show the general construction that was going on. Also, anyone that knows me is aware that Adventureland and Liberty Square are my two favorite Magic Kingdom lands.I love the Polynesian construction photos. It is such a contrast to what you see today. This shot even shows the property before the additional four longhouses were built. The change over time, is palpable.
Looking back at what the Disney Company has been able to do over the past 40 years in Florida is quite amazing. Moving dirt, creating canals and building a vacation kingdom--from Florida swamp land.
5 comments:
I know there are people out there who hate to see how the World was created, but I'm not one of them! Seeing these old photographs made me do a little dance in my chair this morning, and made me want to go out and start doing some more digging of my own.
Awesome job George!
I'm also a person who likes to see photos of the parks being built. But I'm also a fan of This Old House and other home renovation shows. I like to see how things come together.
Here's a shot from June of 1973 taken by my mother (I was a touch young, about 2 1/2, at the time). They'd drained the Rivers of America in order to finish the construction of Tom Sawyer Island (which wasn't open when WDW's Magic Kingdom opened in '71). You can see the rail that keeps the Mark Twain from accidentally hitting the sides.
Thanks for the comments.
Ryan--can't wait to see what you find.
Ray--you like TOS, too?
Joe--Great picture. Do you have any more you can share?
Keep the construction pictures coming.
Joe, that picture is cool.
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