Belle and Beast on King Arthur's Carousel in Disneyland.
Julie TremaineBelieve it or not, there was a time when Disneyland wasn’t a deeply ingrained part of California’s culture. Back then, in the 1930s and '40s, the idea of the theme park was very different. A few rides, some popcorn, maybe a performer or two — but nothing like the pixie dust-filled, hidden Mickey questing, exploring the castle experience we have today.
In those days, what Walt Disney and his kids did for fun was what any other family would do: They went to the park on the weekends, and enjoyed the scenery and the small entertainment opportunities it offered. Only Walt Disney’s park was Griffith Park in Los Angeles, near his Los Feliz home. And in Griffith Park, there’s a carousel where his daughters Diane and Sharon Disney would ride and ride and ride.
Griffith Park Carousel in 1967.
Sulfiati Magnuson/Getty ImagesIt was at that precise spot, on a bench watching his daughters on the carousel, that Walt Disney dreamed up Disneyland.
“As I’d sit there and watch them go on the merry-go-round,” Walt said, “I’d sit on a bench eating peanuts, and I felt that there should be… some kind of amusement enterprise built where the parents and the children could have fun together.”
You can watch the original footage below of Disney explaining the moment himself:
That carousel, because of the joy it brought his children that he could only watch but not participate in, became the inspiration for the centerpiece of the original Disneyland, which opened in 1955: King Arthur's Carousel.
Today, it’s still there, illuminated at night and always playing Disney music. It's in the middle of Fantasyland, where you can ride fantasy horses and try to pull the enchanted sword from the stone in front, and where once in a while you might spot a Disney character taking a ride.
King Arthur's Carousel in Disneyland.
Julie TremaineThe Griffith Park carousel was built in 1926, according to Carousel News, but spent some time in San Diego before coming to Los Angeles in 1937. It has 68 horses that move up and down, and a custom organ that can play over 1,500 songs. It also has its own magic: The Griffith Park carousel is the only full-size carousel from that manufacturer that’s still in operation today.
The carousel has become an important part in the Disney mythology, a popular spot with Disneyphiles for whom it isn't enough to just experience the park. Right now, the carousel is closed to riders. But if you have a Disney+ subscription, you can see a special moment on the show Prop Culture, which digs into the physical history of Disney lore. Host Dan Lanigan takes actor Karen Dotrice to the carousel, more than 50 years after she played Jane Banks in "Mary Poppins." There, she sees the original costumes she wore in "Mary Poppins" at the place that inspired some of the film's scenes. The magical carousel horses that Mary, Burt and the kids ride in the movie take a page from the real one in Los Angeles.
The original horses ridden by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in "Mary Poppins."
DisneyWhen theme parks reopen in California, you’ll be able to see that moment of Disneyland history for yourself. Inside the park, the original bench where Disney dreamed up the park that would become a worldwide endeavor is on display. It's housed within the Opera House that’s home to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, underneath a photo of Walt Disney walking through Sleeping Beauty's Castle in his brand new park.
He says it all started with a mouse, but maybe, just maybe, it started with two little girls on carousel horses.
Fantasyland with a view of the carousel in Disneyland.
Julie TremaineThis is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Griffith Park Carousel in 1967.
Sulfiati Magnuson/Getty Images
