Thursday, September 16, 2010

Disneyland - That Empty Place Behind the Matterhorn

It is one of those places within the Park (and there aren't many) where things get a little drab.
Mundane.
Flat.
Nondescript.
Ho hum.
Everyday.
Not much happening.

Yes, I am speaking of the walkway directly south of the Matterhorn.
Tucked between the back side of what used to be the Circle Vision theater, and is now Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, is a little stretch of nothingness.
To your left (as your approach the Submarine Lagoon from Main Street) rises the Matterhorn, with its wrought iron fence and various flora. The Monorail track runs through here on its final leg into the Tomorrowland station.
To your right...
...a wall.
And some tables that seem to have lost their way (they appear to have a distant connection to the Tomorrowland Terrace).

There is just not much happening here.
Not sure what they could do to spruce it up.
A mural maybe?
Mary Blair, wherefore art thou?
Some benches?
A character greet location? (I know, Tinkerbell's "Pixie Hollow" is but a stone's throw away).
A Swiss Chalet alpine painting?

From the time Walt decided to build a mountain on an old hill in this spot, the area between the back side of Tomorrowland and the southern base of the Matterhorn has always been kind of a "limbo."
Not quite Fantasy, not yet Tomorrow.
It is a thoroughfare.
Pedestrian.
Utilitarian.
Functional.
A place to pass through.
A corridor.

It is a fairly nice spot, though.
Usually shaded.
Consistently breezy.
I really haven't the foggiest idea what I'd put there, but it seems to beg for something more than presently exists.

I'll leave the floor open for comments, suggestions, observations, etc.
Subjects like this can get all four (4) of our readers into such a froth that their simultaneous postings almost crash the primitive server here at "Jungle is 101."

Something's going on up ahead!
Oooh! It looks VERY dangerous!
Lets get CLOSER!

---Mike

6 comments:

Chris M said...

Subjects like this can get all four (4) of our readers into such a froth that their simultaneous postings almost crash the primitive server here at "Jungle is 101."

...better crank up the water on the coconut-go-round!

How about a fountain that follows the wall along the pathway -- some sort of cascade over tilework that goes from whimsical at the Fantasyland end to more futuristic/high tech as you get to the Tomorrowland edge?

They could kill the water flow at night and include some fiber optic lighting inlaid to give the pathway a little extra sparkle and character at night.

C

Connie Moreno said...

Chris, reading your post made me think of the old fountain/Dancing Waters show at the Disneyland Hotel...an homage to that might be nice.

I don't know why this popped into my head but a small Lost & Found Area might be nice...

JG said...

OK, i'll be a grump. I like it empty. We were talking the other day about a lack of areas in the park where you can just "be" without having to "do".

This place qualifies as that. I have used it as a meeting place for separated family members because it is uncrowded and so we are easy to spot. Look for me there. Or in Snow White's Grotto.

Sometimes prefer to "be" instead of to "do"..."do-be-do-be-do"...

Hmmm, sounds like Sinatra....

JG

Unknown said...

I'd say a cool meet and greet would be awesome for some character that has yet to be discovered. The interesting junction between Matterhorn and Tomorrowland would need a certain type of character to fill that void. Like a robot in liderhosen? Just an idea.... ;)

Unknown said...

Hmm, I'll have to take a closer - no, wrong word - more attentive - peek when I go back.

Anonymous said...

I love the fountain idea from Chris M. Moving water keeps it a little cooler, nice sounds, an a plus idea.