The attraction was designed over a number of years by WED Enterprises and originally slated to be installed in 1976 in what was then the Mickey Mouse Club Theater in Disneyland. The cars were first designed as replicas of Geppeto’s carved toys. For a variety of reasons the plan was put on hold and not revived until April 1983 when the attraction appeared for the opening of Tokyo Disneyland. On May 25, 1983, six weeks later, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey opened in Disneyland.
New Fantasyland
Based on Walt Disney’s second feature length animated film, Pinocchio, the attraction opened as part of the new Fantasyland that saw the restructuring of most of the land. Pinocchio’s Daring Journey’s exterior has a Tyrolean theme with a steep Alpine roof and a puppet show motif over the entrance. Atop the roof are weather vanes depicting Monstro the Whale and a stork, believed to be good luck.
Carved Cars
Inside guests climb into cars designed to look like they had been carved out of wood and decorated with Pinoc’s conscience, Jiminy Cricket, Cleo the goldfish and Figaro the cat. A richly painted mural of Pinocchio’s meeting with the villains Gideon, Honest John and the Coachman, covers the wall where the guests load.
Pinocchio’s Adventures
Located on the west wall of Sleeping Beauty Castle’s interior just north of Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the Pinocchio attraction is a three-minute ride through the tale of the puppet who wanted to be a real boy. Beginning in Gepetto’s workshop, with Jiminy Cricket as guide, guests travel through the noise and glitz of Pleasure Island, then emerge on seamy Tobacco Road after which they watch naughty boys being turned into donkeys, escape from Monstro the whale and witness the appearance of the Blue Fairy and her changing of Pinocchio into a real boy.
Holographs and Special Effects
This attraction was the first to benefit from holographic technology which is seen in the Lampwick-changing-to-a-donkey poolroom scene. The special effects used for the disappearance of the Blue Fairy are the same as those used for the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion. The figures inside are meticulously crafted and stand out far better than the two dimensional characters in some of the other dark rides.
Disneyland Paris
A similar attraction opened in April 1992 in Disneyland Paris and is called Les Voyages de Pinocchio
Postcards
Shown are two of the Disneyland postcards available. While there are a few cards showing the Pinocchio characters there are none showing the attraction itself.
- 00141-27024 – Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and Gepetto
- 0100-11619 – Pinocchio with friends and foes
For more Disneyland Attractions on Postcards see Casey Jr Circus Train or Alice in Wonderland
Bibliography
- Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever – Bruce Gordon & Tim O’Day – 2005
- Disneyland 1986 – Steve Birnbaum – 1986
- Disneyland: The Nickel Tour – Bruce Gordon & David Mumford – 1995
William Silvester - Most of Bill's writing over the past few years has been for the philatelic press and consists primarily of columns and articles about the ...
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