Transition from Main St, USA to Adventureland...

Each of the seven themed lands in the Magic Kingdom
are so well transitioned that most guests don't ever
think consciously that a transition is in fact occurring.
Using gradual changes in architecture, music, and
plantings, guests will go from Main Street, USA to the
untamed territory of Adventureland without making the
connection that these two lands are in fact neighbors.
Main Street, USA to Adventureland...

The transition begins with the Crystal Palace
Restaurant. This building is at home on both Main
Street and Adventureland (think English Colonization of
the mid-late 1800's in Africa and Asia).
Crystal Palace...

Imagineers used Kew Gardens in
England, the San Francisco
Conservatory of Flowers, and the
Crystal Palace in New York as
models for this building. (courtesy Magic
Kingdom: An Imagineer's Eye Tour)
Transitional Foliage...

While crossing the bridge from
Main St., notice how the trees
and plants gradually begin to
change from more typical North
American foliage to thick, broad
leafed plants.  
Adventureland Bridge...

While the bridge serves a real purpose, it's height was
exaggerated for the purpose of the transition.
Imagineers knew that when people walk up, they look
up, thus distracting them from the final transition into the
new land. When guests look back down, the transition is
already complete.

Also on the bridge, you can pick up the first sounds of
the atmosphere music which changes from American rag
style to jungle style drum beats. Within seconds, music
from Main St. Disappears. By the time guests have
stepped over the bridge, the transformation is complete.

Bridges and arches are commonly used throughout the
property to make similar transitions to the one in
Adventureland. Look for them in other places such as
Pirates of the Caribbean and  It's a Small World.
The Look of Adventure...

Parts of Asia, the Caribbean,
and Africa are the areas of the
world that Adventureland is
based on.
Copyright 2007, DisneyWorldSecrets.net. All rights reserved.
Jungle Cruise...

Water for the Jungle Cruise comes from a canal behind the Magic Kingdom. A large pipe
carries the water to the mote surrounding the castle. From there it flows into the JC.

The water is dyed green to hide the track work and monitoring systems and to provide
atmosphere. The dyes are natural and biodegradable.

Don't miss... the Jungle Cruise cue area radio broadcasts,  this is where the story
for the attraction is set. Also, many of the props add to the story too.

Jungle Cruise boats are on a guided rail system throughout the attraction. This is most
evident when they are taking turns. Skippers don't control where the boats go but they do
have forward and reverse capabilities. They are powered by compressed natural gas.

The boats all had pristine paint jobs until an overhaul in 1998 when Imagineers made them
look old and weathered, more appropriate for the jungle.

You can find this printed on the wooden planters just outside of the Jungle Cruise. It's a
reference to Imagineer Bill Evans who designed the landscaping for Disneyland.the Jungle
Cruise cue area radio broadcasts,  this is where the story for the attraction is set. Also, many
of the props add to the story too.the Jungle Cruise cue area radio broadcasts,  this is where
the story for the attraction is set. Also, many of the props add to the story too.the Jungle
Cruise cue area radio broadcasts,  this is where the story for the attraction is set. Also, many
of the props add to the story too.

Don't miss...the cue area for the Jungle Cruise, it's filled with references to
Imagineers, Disney Legends, and sight gags. Look for E.L. O'Fevre (Yellow Fever),
the Employee of the Month.

Walt had so much success with his True-Life Adventure films, films featuring non-animated
subjects, that he wanted real animals in the Jungle Cruise attraction. Imagineers advised
against it because real animals can be unpredictable and interrupt the overall story of the
attraction.

The True-life Adventure African Lion was set in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Almost as a tribute to
Walt, Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 using his concept of live animals. The headliner
attraction: Kilimanjaro Safaris. Imagineers have often said, good ideas never go away.
Swiss Family Tree House...

The only Magic Kingdom attraction that flies a non-American flag. The Swiss Flag is flown here of
course.

The tree that the Swiss Family Tree House is perched on isn't real at all. It is however, based on the
tropical Banyan tree which, is famous for growing long vertical supports down to the ground to support
it's large branches.

Disney's version are made of concrete and steel. Disney's tree is 60 ft. tall, 90 ft. in diameter. There
are 116 steps and 300,000 vinyl leaves. Each leaf was handmade and cost $1 each to make.(courtesy
Magic Kingdom: An Imagineers Eye Tour)
Magic Carpets of Aladdin...

Watch for the spitting camels near the
Aladdin attraction. Don't worry, it's only
water coming out of their mouths. Real
camels use bile from their stomach to
spit which is their only defense against
predators.
Themed pavement...

Look for the jewels
embedded into the
pavement around the
Aladdin attraction.
HIDDEN MICKEY ALERT

In the Swiss Family Tree House
look for the place setting on
the dinner table. You'll see a
plate and two cups.
Enchanted Tiki Room...

The original Enchanted Tiki Room was one of Walt Disney's favorite attractions. He got
the idea on a trip to New Orleans when he saw a mechanical bird in a cage. He purchased
the bird and had his Imagineers study it. From that bird, the very first Disney Audio-
Animatronics were born but Walt had already been tinkering with the concept on his own.

A decline in show attendance caused Imagineers to revise the attraction in 1998
becoming the Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management.  Removing or replacing it
was not and option because of the attraction's personal connection to Walt Disney.
Adding characters from recent movies such as Zazu (Lion King) and Lago (Aladdin)
appeal to a new audience.

An early concept for attraction was drawn to be a restaurant for a Chinatown section on
Main St., USA. The Audio-animatronics birds would entertain guests while they dined.

Notice the rooftop of the Enchanted Tiki Room. The animals on the roof can be seen
from both, Adventureland and Frontierland. On the Adventureland side the animals
appear as Asian water buffalo but from Frontierland they are recognized as western
longhorn cows. This way the theming of Frontierland is not interrupted. We'll ignore the
fact that the Contemporary can be seen from Splash Mountain!
Courtesy of MousePlanet.com
Courtesy of mouseplanet.com
HIDDEN MICKEY ALERT

In the enchanted Tiki Room, look
for the red parrot. On his perch,
several HM's can be found.
Pirates at the Movies...
At 30 years old, the first movie based on Pirates of the Caribbean was introduced as a box office
record holder. The attraction was later updated to include a few characters in the movie
including the star, Jack Sparrow.
Below: Prior to the attraction update, the pirate
featured in the center of this Main St. attraction
poster could be found in the battle scene on
the ship. This 30 year old animatronic has
since been replaced by Captain Hector
Barbossa from the feature films.
Pirates of the Caribbean...

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction had not been built on opening day in 1971. Imagineers originally thought that Florida's proximity
to the Caribbean would be of disinterest to it's guests. It was finally added in 1973. The Disneyland version, completed in 1967, was the
last attraction Walt supervised before his untimely death.  

Pirates was originally designed as a walk-through attraction with wax figures. Walt changed the idea to have guest ride boats in the
middle of construction.

Don't Miss... the pirates playing chess (found in the queue) are locked in a no-win situation. Either player's turn would
result in a never ending series of moves.  Show designer Marc Davis designed the board this way so that guests might
infer that this was the cause of their demise.

While most people enjoy the drop in Pirates, the purpose is to get guests (and their boats), under the Walt Disney World Railroad tracks.
The massive attraction building is primarily located on the other side of the tracks (pardon the pun). That's why as guests exit, they travel
back up on a Goodyear Speedramp. After letting guests off, the boats then make a steep incline of their own to return to the loading area.

The flickering lights are actually an invention by Imagineer Roger Broggie (remember, he's the one with a locomotive named after him).
Some of the lights have the "MAPO flicker". MAPO stands for Manufacturing and Production Organization. The acronym is also short for
Mary Poppins, the film that provided funding for this Imagineering organization. The MAPO flicker refers to electric lighting that simulates
the flicker of a candle flame.

Lights with the MAPO flicker can be found throughout Walt Disney World. Look for the mission-style lanterns at Disney's Wilderness
Lodge, Splash Mountain queue and several other attractions.

The MAPO light is quite simple. It's basically a florescent light starter wired to a low voltage incandescent bulb. More modern versions are
controlled by lighting computers.
HIDDEN MICKEY ALERT
Pirates...just before the treasure
room (the last room), look up at
the lanterns. In the scroll work,
you'll find them.
HIDDEN MICKEY ALERT
Pirates...There is a corridor leading to the
restrooms along the right side of the
attraction. Just before entering the building
look up to find a series of birds carrying
hidden Mickeys in their beaks
Right:  Music comes from the orange
basket over the bridge.
Above: The steel structural
supports of Swiss Family Tree
House mimic the way Banyan
trees grow to support their
massive branches.
Looking out over Main Street, USA from the
Swiss Family Tree House.
From Adventureland we see water buffalo on
the peaks. From Frontierland, the same
animals appear to be western long horn.
Hidden Mickey shown in the edge of roof at
Pirates of the Caribbean
The grounds of Disney's Polynesian Resort are
themed to represent Adventureland.
Water from a backstage canal is carried via
an  underground pipe to this outlet between
Cinderella Castle and Tomorrowland. Water
then flows over to the Jungle Cruise.
Left: An often
overlooked
shortcut to
Frontierland
located behind
the Magic
Carpets of
Aladdin.
Above: The Crystal Palace Restaurant
begins the transition from Main St., USA to
Adventureland
Left: Plantings begin
to change from
typical trees and
shrubs to thick
jungle cover plants
as guests approach
the Adventureland
bridge.
This sign was installed after the first Pirates of
the Caribbean film. The attraction received
other film related updates as well.
As guests walk up the bridge, a very
intentional transition from Main St., USA
occurs. By the time guests reach the other
side, they practically forget they were just in
Main St., USA.
Foliage gradually changes as guests
approach Adventureland to wider, thicker
leaves -- more commonly found in jungles.
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