This July, Walt Disney will realize a lifelong dream, when the fabulous wonderland he is raising out of the dust of a 160-acre tract in the heart of California's orange-growing country opens to the public. The 5 million young in heart who are expected to visit it annually will know it as Disneyland – "a place where you can leave Today, with its cares and worries, behind and enter a world of of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy." This $9,000,000 combination world‘s fair, amusement park and playground, just 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, has been three years in the making, will have 100 acres of parking space for 10,000 automobiles. The other 60 acres are divided into four major areas: Fantasy Land, Tomorrow Land, Adventure Land and Frontier Land. On those four pages Disney artists present an exclusive preview of Fantasy Land, where the beloved characters of animated cartoons are now being brought to mechanical life.
Disney magic provides tow special thrills. On the Dumbo flying-elephant ride (left) passengers can help "steer" by manipulating the elephants' ears, while Timothy Mouse conducts the aerial circus from his center perch.
Water-chute ride (right) lets voyagers ascend the interior of Monstro the Whale, menace of Pinocchio, enjoy a breath-taking slide down his tongue into a pond
With Dopey and the others dwarfs acting as escorts (above), passengers in mining carts will meet all the characters from Snow White on adventure ride (left). As they enter the diamond mines visitors can hear other dwarfs singing "Dig. Dig. Dig," see all the things that terrified Snow White and be tempted by the old Witch, who pops out of her cottage offering a poisoned apple. High points: pursuit of the Witch, and Snow White riding off on a white charger with her Prince
Even author James M. Barrie would be thrilled to ride the Peter Pan fly-through (right). Fantasy-lovers who want to fly like Peter, Wendy and Tinker Bell and see the sight they saw con do so in the comfort and safety of a pirate ship (above) suspended from a monorail. Taking off from the Darling house, the ship flies over the city of London, Big Ben chimes and Nelson tips his hat as travelers sail to Never Land and Mermaid Lagoon, narrowly escape Captain Hook's cutlass.
A ride in this vintage automobile will enable visitors to relive the experiences of Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows
Huge table in Wonderland makes one feel as Alice did after the potion made her tiny
On the duck-bumps ride (left), inspired by Donald Duck, seagoing visitors can be captains of their own electric-powered boats in the shape wash tubs. Inflated inner tubes encircle each craft to absorb the shock of collisions. The old Dutch mill in background is Disney version of the Ferris wheel, with wooden shoes replacing conventional cages
Dizzy as the delightful scene in Alice in Wonderland is the Mad Hatter's tea-party ride (below). As guests go spinning around in teacups they are entertained by large, animated figures of the Mad Hatter and the March Hare engaging in furious debate. A gigantic teakettle calliope provides music
