Today will be a little bit different, as I’m actually posting 4 days at once, since I won’t be at or near a computer for those days, and certainly don’t want to “deprive” you all of your Disney trivia! 😉
JUNE 4
If You Had Wings, sponsored by Eastern Airlines (the official airline of Walt Disney World) opens in Tomorrowland, across from Mission to Mars. The ride takes guests on a journey through some of the airline’s favorite tourist destinations, including New Orleans, Mexico City, and the Bahamas.
Walt Disney World formally announces a fourth theme park, Animal Kingdom, will be added to the expanding Vacation Kingdom. It is further announced that construction will begin just two months later, in August.
JUNE 6
Disneyland: June 6, 1959
The park’s biggest expansion since Opening Day debuts – but won’t be officially dedicated until 8 days later. This $15 million expansion (nearly as much as the original $17 million it took to build Disneyland in the first place) forever linking (and providing quick and easy access between) Fantasyland and Tomorrowland with the debut of the Matterhorn Bobsleds and the all new Fantasyland Autotopia (both considered to be inside Fantasyland – the new Autopia is intertwined with the existing Tomorrowland Autopia), and the introduction of the first daily-operating Monorail in the western hemisphere, and the famed Submarine Voyage, (both inside Tomorrowland) inspired by the 1954 Disney film “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”. The 8 submarine vessels (which are not actual submarines since they do not actually submerge) are named Nautilus, Seawolf, Skate, Skipjack, Triton, George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Ethan Allen. Each submarine includes portholes, one for each guest, to view the various undersea scenes. Both the Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Submarine Voyage become the first ‘E’ ticket attractions.
Similar to it’s Anaheim counterpart, Mission to Mars (developed in conjunction with NASA) debuts in Tomorrowland. It replaces the Flight to the Moon attraction (which opened in December 1971).
Walt Disney World announces that the apartment located on an upper floor inside Cinderella Castle, originally designed for the Disney family’s use, will be completely renovated, decorated and upholstered as a ‘royal bedchamber’ for up to four people. A single overnight stay in the luxurious suite will be awarded to a guest at any of the four Walt Disney World theme parks each day during the “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration taking place at all eleven Disney theme parks around the globe.
