King Arthur Carrousel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| King Arthur Carrousel | |
 |
|
| Location | Fantasyland |
| Opening Date | July 17, 1955 |
King Arthur Carrousel is a ride in Fantasyland at Disneyland park. Walt Disney felt that no park was complete without a carousel. Therefore, an 1875 Dentzel park model carousel which had operated since 1924 at Sunnyside Amusement Park in Toronto, Ontario was taken from Sunnyside and moved to Disneyland in 1954. The ride was originally called the "Derby Racer", consisting three rows of 40 horses on a 22 meter diameter platform. The attraction was developed by Thomas Prior and Fred Church during World War I. The ride was refurbished, and turned into a 4 row unit, (thus increasing ride capacity) by adding additional animals that came from various other carousels from around North America.
The carousel has been significantly altered since then. The original chariots were removed and used as cars on the "Casey Jr. Circus Train" attraction. A Wurlitzer #157 band organ is on the carousel, but does not operate. Motifs from The Sword in the Stone were used in 1955 to replace elements of the carousel. Original inner rounding boards were replaced with mirrors, and the jester and princess head shields on the outer rounding boards have also been extensively altered.
The carousel has seventy-two horses, carved in Germany in the late 19th century. Some of the horses were taken from a Stein and Goldstein carousel and another carousel in 1955 to add a fourth row, completely made of jumpers and operated by a custom-built crankshaft. Standers on the original three rows were converted to jumpers in 1955. Because of the overwhelming popularity of the carousel's single white horse, all horses have been painted white since 1976.
King Arthur Carrousel reopened in February 2003 after extensive renovations. These renovations included an entirely rebuilt turntable, a new computerized operating system that stops the carousel in the same spot every time, and the replacement of about half of the mirrors with scenes from Sleeping Beauty.
[edit] Attraction facts
- Grand opening: July 17, 1955 (Opened with Disneyland Park)
- Designer: WED Enterprises
- Total horses: 72
- Required ticket: "A"
- Show length: 2:18
