Disney World Secrets.net: Frontierland

Transition from Adventureland...

		The transition begins around the Pecos Bill Café.
		Notice the roof line begin to change gradually right on the corner. It's often overlooked (as it should be) but a testament to the amazing work the folks at Imagineering do to transition lands.

Frontierland & Liberty Square...

		Both lands were designed together.
		Liberty Square's setting is on the East Coast. When there, walking towards Frontierland symbolically creates the westward expansion from the colonies. Major design contributions came from Imagineers Bill Martin and Sam McKim.

The River in Frontierland...

		Near the Diamond Horseshoe Review you can find a "river" that
		serves as a feed to the Rivers of America. Symbolically speaking, it's supposed to be the Mississippi and once you've crossed it, your officially in the West. Notice how the pavement changes too. This makes Frontierland west of the "Mississippi" and Liberty Square, east.

Song of the South...

		The 1946 film now out of print. A popular rumor is that Disney discontinued the movie
		because of the way it portrays African-Americans in the pre-Civil War era. The film combined both, live and animated characters.

		Disney has not re-released the film because of a decline in demand for it. Not being a
		classic like Snow White and Peter Pan, there was little incentive for Disney to justify the expense to put it back on shelves. It's rumored that there are plans to remake the film using better technology and a modified plot.

		Don't Miss...several quotes from Joel Chandler Harris' stories can be found
		throughout the attraction, especially in the queues. One quote is "Ain't no point in runnin' from trouble....ain't no place that far."

		Visit http://www.songofthesouth.net/ for a a comprehensive look a this Walt Disney film.

The addition of Splash Mountain in 1992
also meant building a new Frontierland
Station for the WDW RR.

Splash Mountain...

		Most of the attraction takes place inside a massive ride building that looks similar to a
		giant warehouse or airplane hanger, no special theming on the outside.

		Some of the Audio-animatronics are recycled from Disneyland's America Sings
		attraction. The two vultures that greet you just as you leave the Laughin' Place, were the Boothill Boys. The geese were known as the "Geese Quartet" and the musical crocodiles were the Swamp Boys.

		Splash has a 52 ft. drop. The attraction is approximately 11 minutes long and can run 50
		"logs" at once. It was designed using the latest technology available to Imagineering. First a full 3D scale model was built and then scanned using CAD software. From there, the steel beams were set into place as with most buildings and rebar was bent by computerized benders to make cages for the rock work. From there, concrete and plaster were applied to give it a "mountain shape" Most of Splash Mountain takes place inside a massive building behind the mountain facade.

		Splash was built in 1992, 21 years after the Magic Kingdom opened and is based on
		Disney's 1946 film Song of the South.

		"Brer" is a southern term meaning "brother" that author Joel Chandler Harris used to
		name his characters. Brer Rabbit was the main character of most stories and was always finding himself in trouble. The lessons he learned served as the moral for each of the stories.

		Imagineers have made it near impossible to view the "outside world" from within the
		Magic Kingdom. Due to the height of Splash Mountain, the Contemporary Resort can be seen. Conversely, guests staying in Magic Kingdom view rooms at the Contemporary can see guests riding Splash Mountain.

		The setting for Splash Mountain takes place in the Southern Mississippi region of
		Frontierland. It had to be painted however to match the rock work of Thunder Mountain Railroad because the two exist side by side. The color of the rock work for Splash mountain is geographically incorrect but doesn't interrupt the story of the overall of the land.

Brer Frog...

		Brer Frog speaks with the wisdom of Uncle Remus (and
		sounds like him too). Uncle Remus was the main character of the Brer Rabbit stories in the 1946 film, Song of the South. Brer Frog will also come on the PA system if there is "some kind of commotion down stream" meaning that the ride needed to temporarily stop.

Big Thunder Mtn. Railroad and Splash Mtn.
represent two different geographical settings but
are blended to co-exist side by side.

Frontierland Fries (McDonald's)...

		Notice the theming around this wagon as you enter Frontierland from Adventureland and you'll see that there is more than just frontier
		propping, there's also a story...

It all started back in 1849 when the Gold Rush drew minors to Big Thunder Mountain. This particular minor, who now owns the fry wagon, tried
his hand at panning for gold up on Big Thunder. Soon after reaching the cursed mountain he was met with misfortune and decided mining
wasn't for him. After selling his tools to the others, he quickly found that there was money to be made in selling supplies to minors and he set up
a supply cart near the mountain. The great earthquake (believed to have resulted from the mountain's curse on minors) rocked his supply cart
all the way down hill, crashing through the fence to where it is today. Being and honest man, he changed his sign from "Same location since
1853" by crossing it off and adding '55.

The McDonald's Fry Wagon in Frontierland
has a story.

The broken fence shows where the wagon
rolled through during the great earthquake
in 1855.

The updated sign after the wagon came
crashing down the hill.

Splash Mountain attraction sign

The transition from Adventureland to
Frontierland is completed just after the Pecos
Bill Café seen here. Note the "Western Longhorn
on the distant roof of the Enchanted Tiki Room.

Disneyland's Boothill Boys are now used in
Disney World's Splash Mountain

"One fourth" of Disney World's Splash
Mountain's Geese Quartet.

Disneyland's Geese Quartet animatronics now
reside in Disney World.

Brer Frog
takes on the
roll of Uncle
Remus from the
Song of the
South film.

The Contemporary Resort can be seen
from Splash Mountain. This is one of very
few views of the "outside world" for guests
inside the Magic Kingdom.

The passage between Frontierland and
Adventureland (seen from the Frontierland side).

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad...

		One of the tallest mountains in all of Florida, it stands at 197 ft. tall and is about 2 acres wide.
		Trains ride on a half mile of track.

		It was built in 1980, 9 years after the park opened and 1 year after Disneyland got the first
		Big Thunder Mtn.

		The mine trains run at about 30 mph but are capable of going 40. If a train exceeds the set
		speed, breaks in the tracks are applied to slow it down.

		Most people agree that the back of the train is the best seat. As the front of the train crests
		the hills, gravity becomes a factor and the rear of the train seems to get pulled over. That said, sit in the front for a slightly milder experience.

		There are 6 mine trains in all and each have a different name (look on the sides of the
		locomotives for the name). Names include: U.B Bold, I.M. Fearless, I.M. Brave, U.R. Courageous, U.R. Daring, and I.B Hearty

		The mountain itself is modeled after Monument Valley in Utah. Imagineers specifically chose
		this area to keep with the frontier theme of the land.

		Big Thunder Mountain sits on the west side of the Rivers of America, and is located west of
		Liberty Sq. so the idea to choose Monument Valley as a model came naturally.

Authentic mining equipment was brought in to theme the attraction.

		Look for a few sight gags Imagineers intentionally placed around the attraction.

One of several sight gags in the attraction as
guests climb the entrance queue.

Big Thunder Mtn. is modeled after
Monument Valley in Utah.

Track work was designed to appear as though
it was added to the existing mountain.

Mine trains can reach speeds of over 35
mph. For a wild ride, sit in the rear.

Big Thunder Mountain was carefully themed
to match its surroundings.

The symbolic
Mississippi
river is under
this bridge
near the
Frontierland
Shootin'
Arcade

Liberty Square to Frontierland...

		Notice the dated cleverly placed on signs and buildings in both Liberty Sq. and Frontierland. They tell the story of America's
		westward movement. In Liberty Sq. we see dates in the 1700's and as guest literally walk west toward Splash Mountain, the dates become more recent. Look carefully because dates are found throughout these two lands. Below are some examples.

Cleverly hidden in this sign for Trail Creek
Traders we see that at this moment, we
are in the year 1771

In Frontierland, guests are a full 100 years
into the future from when they were at the
Hall of Presidents, the year there is 1776.

Another reminder of the setting guests are
in discreetly placed by Imagineers.

Frontierland Lanterns...
This sign serves as a credit to R.E. Dietz who started
a successful oil lantern manufacturing business in
1840 and produced lanterns for homes and for street
use (as seen in Frontierland). Dietz lanterns can be
found throughout Disney property as well as those
from other manufacturers. This is not a reference to
Disney animator Frank Dietz.

Country Bear Jamboree...

		Opened in 1971 and based on the Disneyland version. It was the first attraction to appear in both parks. In Disneyland, the show was
		housed in the Country Bear Playhouse but in Disney World, Grizzly Hall is home to the bears. The show no longer exists in Disneyland, it was replaced by Winnie the Pooh.

The show was originally planned for a ski resort Disney had in the planning stages.

The animatronic bears make subtle movements to appear to be alive and real though out the show.

This is only show on property where guests are entertained by the same set of animatronics for 16 minutes.

		The three animals mounted on the wall are Buff (buffalo), Max (deer) and Melvin (moose). Max used to wear a green John Deere ball
		cap but after an attraction refurbishment in the late 1990's, the hat was removed.

		Big Al is based on the appearance show writer Al Bertino (courtesy Magic Kingdom An Imagineer's Eye Tour)

Tom Sawyer's Island...

Completed 2 years after the Magic Kingdom opened.

		Fort Sam Clemens was named after Mark Twain (pen name) who wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Sam Clemens grew up in the
		south where the inspiration for both his books and the island came from. Clemens later moved to Hartford, CT to raise his family.

		After a refurbishment to the island in the mid-1990's, Fort Sam Clemens was renamed Fort Longhorn. Langhorne was Clemens' middle
		name.

		The rafts that take guests to and from the island are not on a guided track, but rather free floating. Like the boats on over at the Jungle
		Cruise, they are powered by natural gas motors.

		Don't miss...on Tom Sawyer Island, Aunt Polly's Dockside Inn that serves snacks and beverages. It's a great place for
		parents to relax while the kids explore the island.