I climb aboard my majestic steed
and scenes from my life begin to circle around me
one by one
blurry but visible between the lines
Pulling desperately on the sword forever in stone,
believing
this time
it might just grant me a crown
Racing from exit to entrance
splash after splash
again and again
carefree and wild
Eating endless kernels
and mickey-shaped delights
in pineapple heaven beneath the tikis
Watching the swans glide by
with effortless elegance
while the turret looks on
a silent sentinel to the magic
I wear like a familiar blanket.
The music changes
I turn around and wave
with childhood and child-at-heart giddiness
to dazzling princesses
and dreams coming true
before stepping out with trepidation
into my own heroic tale
Screaming in exhilaration
conquering my fear of the unknown
and arriving at the end
Stronger
with an image to prove my bravery
or lack thereof.
Then
in the night sky
a rumble in my chest and a burst of joy in my soul
the wonder of it all
that it could be
and maybe I could be, too.
Slowly time returns
signaling a change of rider
I descend from my elegant mount
giving it a gentle pat in thanks for the journey through what once was
my life in Disney
written in every turn of the carousel
waiting to be remembered
again
and again
and again
If only I am willing to ride.
All these pieces that made me
captured in one place
circling around and around
forever.
These words were written in tribute to Walt Disney’s inspiration for Disneyland, the beloved carousel. Here is the story of how Disneyland came to be, inspired by a carousel, in Walt’s own words:
The idea for Disneyland came about when my daughters were very young and Saturday was always Daddy’s day with the two daughters. . . and as I’d sit while they rode the merry-go-round . . . I felt that there should be something built where the parents and the children could have fun together. So that’s how Disneyland started. [I]t all started from a daddy with two daughters wondering where he could take them where he could have a little fun with them, too
King Arthur Carrousel – Disneyland Park
This carousel nestled in the heart of Fantasyland in Disneyland Park is the “hook” you see as you stand in the hub and look through the castle entrance. It’s what draws you into the land, and rightly so! The beauty and elegance of the 68 horses are hard to resist, every one painted white in 1975 (because more people wanted to ride the “hero” horses instead of the black “villain” ones). The carousel was originally from Sunnyside Beach Park in Toronto, Ontario, and has been making the rounds since 1922. It was moved in 1954 to Disneyland and refurbished, removing the wooden chariots. Their ornate woodwork was repurposed for the calliope cars on the Casey Jr Train!
The most famous and sought-after horse is the lead one, named Jingles. She was Walt’s favorite! You can find her by looking for an ornate horse with jingle bells hanging from her breast collar and the talking-parrot umbrella head of Mary Poppins fame on her quarter sheet. She was ceremoniously dedicated to Julie Andrews in 2008, and you can see the initials “JA” with a silhouette of Mary Poppins on the saddle flap, along with the number 50 representing the attraction’s 50th anniversary.
While all the horses may be painted white, none are identical. Each horse has its own name, and Imagineers named them for their personalities. You can ask for a complete list of names at City Hall on Main Street U.S.A., or simply visit findingmickey.com for all the names and photos!
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel – Magic Kingdom
The Prince Charming Regal Carrousel was originally built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917 and was known as “The Liberty Carousel” in its first home in Belle Island Park in Detroit, Michigan. After a brief stint in Maplewood, New Jersey, Disney purchased the carousel in 1967 and shipped it to California to be restored by the same company that worked on the King Arthur Carousel (Arrow Development).
When the work was complete, the carousel was sent to Florida and installed in 1971. As it was being installed in Fantasyland, Roy Disney noticed it was slightly off-center compared to the breezeway and had it moved eight inches to rectify the problem.
This carousel is the largest in North America, at nearly 60 feet in diameter with 99 white “jumpers” (horses that go up and down as opposed to stationary). Most of the horses are hand-carved from maple wood, but a few of them are fiberglass replicas. You tell which kind you are riding on by giving it a gentle thump!
Contrary to popular belief, there is no “official” Cinderella horse, though it is rumored to be the one with the golden bow on its tail in the second row. According to the 2010 Disney backstory, however, there is no mention of a Cinderella horse:
Following their fairy-tale romance and happily-ever-after wedding, Cinderella and Prince Charming took up residence in Cinderella’s Castle. With peace throughout the kingdom, Prince Charming had time to practice for jousting tournaments. In the countryside near the castle, he built a training device of carved horses, on which he could practice the art of ring-spearing, a tournament event in which a knight rides his horse full speed, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb, with the object of spearing the ring. This event was known by various names throughout the lands, but generally came to be called “carrousel.” The carrousel device drew the attention of the villagers, who wanted to take a turn on this amazing spinning contraption. So Prince Charming had a second carrousel constructed closer to the Castle, where everyone could take a spin on this wondrous invention. Instead of a working knight’s training device, however, this new carrousel is more befitting its regal location in the Castle Courtyard – its rustic training horses replaced with ornately decorated prancing steeds adorned with golden helmets and shields, flower garlands, feathers, and other festoons. Prince Charming invites one and all to test their horsemanship skills and to enjoy their own happy ending.
Next time you sit atop a noble steed in the castle courtyard, take a few extra moments to remember Walt, his legacy, and all the history in motion around you. Disney may have all started with a mouse, but the parks themselves started with a horse.
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