The Secrets of Disneyland

LashStoat · 02-15-2009, 03:44 AM

Most people are familiar with the “Official” version of how Space Mountain came into being, particularly if they’ve read such books as “The Disney Mountains – Imagineering at its peak” by Jason Surrell, but the actual inspiration behind the design for this attraction is slightly humbler than Disney would have you believe.

It is true that John Hench came up with the original concept drawings for Space Mountain in the mid 60’s, however the final designs for the famous white building housing the attraction were not inspired by nature with its "cartilaginous" forms as is often told; they were in fact inspired by a lampshade. That’s right, a lampshade.

Here’s where:

Recognise this room? Yes, it’s Walt Disney’s private apartment over the Fire Station on Main St USA. Hench had been meeting with Walt to discuss the original concept in this very apartment in 1964, but it wasn’t until the green light for the attraction was given in the early 70’s, together with the urgent need to broaden the base of the show building in order to accommodate the ride structure proposed by Arrow, the shape of Walt’s lampshade (seen far right ) popped back into Hench’s mind and the entire final form for the Space Mountain Building started to gel right then and there.

The rest, as they say, is history.

02-15-2009, 03:44 AM	#34
LashStoat There's a hole in the Bin Liner... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Merry Old Land of OZ. Posts: 428	The Truth About Space Mountain Most people are familiar with the “Official” version of how Space Mountain came into being, particularly if they’ve read such books as “The Disney Mountains – Imagineering at its peak” by Jason Surrell, but the actual inspiration behind the design for this attraction is slightly humbler than Disney would have you believe. It is true that John Hench came up with the original concept drawings for Space Mountain in the mid 60’s, however the final designs for the famous white building housing the attraction were not inspired by nature with its "cartilaginous" forms as is often told; they were in fact inspired by a lampshade. That’s right, a lampshade. Here’s where: Recognise this room? Yes, it’s Walt Disney’s private apartment over the Fire Station on Main St USA. Hench had been meeting with Walt to discuss the original concept in this very apartment in 1964, but it wasn’t until the green light for the attraction was given in the early 70’s, together with the urgent need to broaden the base of the show building in order to accommodate the ride structure proposed by Arrow, the shape of Walt’s lampshade (seen far right ) popped back into Hench’s mind and the entire final form for the Space Mountain Building started to gel right then and there. The rest, as they say, is history. __________________
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