The 2013 D23 Expo was three days of information, events, and experiences covering all aspects of the Walt Disney Company. And scattered throughout were some interesting tidbits about The Happiest Place on Earth. Here are my Top 5:


1. The concept drawings for Disneyland started in 1951 as drawings of a “Mickey Mouse Park.” The one that was used to sell the idea of Disneyland to the investors, though, was drawn by Herb Ryman over a weekend in 1954 with Walt Disney at his side the entire time. Herb started it on a Friday and it was on a plane with Roy Monday morning! In the “Journey into Imagineering pavilion,” we got to see this original drawing! 


2. On that map, Adventureland moved was on the right side of the park. When construction began, though, they realized there was a natural stand of trees right behind where City Hall would be. Those trees would provide a natural break and backdrop for the Jungle Cruise, and since they were already there and mature, it made more sense to move Adventureland than to uproot and replant the trees, so that’s why Adventureland is now on the left side of Disneyland. (You can still see the trees if you look behind City Hall today.)


3. Humor originally had virtually no place in Disneyland. According to Imagineer Dave Fischer in the “Leave ‘Em Laughing” presentation, Walt took his park very seriously. It wasn’t until he brought in Marc Davis in the early 1960’s. Marc had wrapped up work on 101 Dalmations and Walt asked him to take a look at the park and see what they might be able to do to refresh and plus the parks. That’s where the gags like the elephant bathing pool, the lost safari, and more came from.


4. Walt Disney had a penchant for saying “things.” If you go back and watch the old Disneyland TV show, you’ll hear him say it several times as he describes models for Main Street U.S.A., the audio animatronics in Pirates of the Caribbean, and even when he first introduces this new and magical place. As a tribute, remembrance, and inside joke, one of the Main Street shops, a jewelry store that had been given a couple of different names up to that point was renamed “Rings & Things” in 1970. It kept that name until 1986, when it was renamed “Disneyana.”


5. In “The Disney Songbook” concert Saturday night, Richard Sherman (one half of the legendary Disney songwriting duo The Sherman Brothers) told a story about visiting Disneyland, spending the day there with his wife, Elizabeth. It was a most wonderful day, and at the very end of the night, after they’d lingered for as long as they could, they walked down Main Street to leave. As they did, Walt Disney happened to be walking towards them, so Richard and his wife went up to Walt and shared with him how much they’d enjoyed their day. Richard told Walt that as he stood and watched the fireworks, “I just started to cry like a baby. They were happy tears, but they were coming out of my eyes.” Walt responded, “You know, I do it every time.”

You can read more from Randy on his blog, Faith and the Magic Kingdom and listen to his unofficial Disney podcast, Stories of the Magic. Find him on Twitter (@Belgarion42) and on Facebook.