16 August 1999
Iago: Hey Zazu, it's almost dinnertime. I want you to check out my date.
Zazu: Oh, for heaven's sake, Iago, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't give a fig about your exotic dried fruit?! I realize that you spent a lot of time in the desert, but what is the fascination with shriveled-up produce? I am quite sure this particular date doesn't look like Bob Hope or Richard Nixon or --
Iago: I'm not talking about fruit! I'm going to dinner and then to Pleasure Island tonight with a lady I met on the internet. She said she would meet me at one of the attractions, so I suggested the carousel.
Zazu: My, you picked an old one.
Iago: How do you know how old she is? You've never even seen her.
Zazu: I'm not talking about the lady. I'm referring to the carrousel. It's the oldest attraction in the park, dating back to 1917.
Iago: Zazu, I think you're dyslexic. The park opened in 1971.
Zazu: Ah, but the carrousel was actually built in 1917.
Iago: Wow, those Imagineers really got the attractions ready ahead of time in those days, didn't they? Now it seems like they're all late.
Zazu: No, no, no, the carrousel wasn't built by Imagineers. It was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
Iago: Why would a toboggan company build a carousel? Are you sure they didn't build Blizzard Beach?
Zazu: Quite sure. You see, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company was founded in 1904, and they started out building roller coasters, which, in those days, were called toboggan slides. They also manufactured fun houses, arcade games, and various amusement park structures, but they are best known for their beautiful carrousels. By the 1930s, they had built 75 of them. Some of them included animals other than horses.
Iago: Oh, right. Those are technically called Caro-Seuss-els.
Zazu: Who told you that?
Iago: Some cat in a funny hat.
Zazu: No, those are commonly called merry-go-rounds.
Iago: Cats in funny hats are called merry-go-rounds??
Zazu: No! The carrousels with different animals are called merry-go-rounds. The guy in the funny hat was Seussian.
Iago: Geez, no wonder he wouldn't tell me his name. I'd be embarrassed if my name was Susan. Anyway, can you lecture me on the way over to Fantasyland? I don't wanna be late.
Zazu: Well, yes, but why do I need to go with you?
Iago: Because I'm a little nervous about this, and I want you to check out the goods for me. She agreed to wear a red feather in her hat. Heh. I said I had a thing for red feathers. If you say she looks okay, then I'll go ahead and meet her. But if she's got a face that belongs on the carousel, I'm gonna get the heck out of there as fast as I can, and cancel my AOL account.
Zazu: Oh, all right, but I think you should stick to more conventional methods of meeting women.
Iago: Yeah, like I'm gonna take advice from a guy who spends Saturday nights dusting his glass menagerie. By the way, I hope the Sultan gave you a good deal on those.
Zazu: As a matter of fact, he did, thank you very much. And that reminds me, the earliest carrousels built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, from 1904 to 1907, were designed in the menagerie style. That period of design was followed by the "high-eye" style of horses, from 1908 to 1916. And finally, there was a naturalistic style, from 1917 to 1933. Therefore, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, here in the Magic Kingdom, is in the naturalistic style.
Iago: Cinderella doesn't seem very naturalistic to me. Now Pocahontas, there's a Nature Girl! Does she have a carousel?
Zazu: No, of course not. Did you see any horses in Pocahontas?
Iago: Well, no, but that didn't stop them from making the rest of the story up!
Zazu: <ahem!> Be that as it may, there is no Pocahontas carrousel. In Tokyo Disneyland, Cinderella once again claims ownership of the 90 prancing horses. In Disneyland, the 72 jumpers belong to King Arthur, and in Disneyland Paris, the carrousel, with 86 horses, truly lives up to its name. You see, another definition of carrousel is "a tournament in which horsemen perform elaborate exercises," and the Paris attraction is named "Le Carrousel de Lancelot," after the memorable knight of the Round Table.
Iago: I spent a memorable night on a round table once. Boy, they make strong drinks at that Mannequins Dance Palace!
Zazu: That was carousal, not carrousel.
Iago: It sure was. I get dizzy just thinking about it.
Zazu: You get dizzy thinking, period!
Iago: That's why I let you do all the lecturing. I don't wanna hurt myself. So, tell me more about the ponies.
Zazu: Cinderella's Golden Carrousel started off as Philadelphia Toboggan Co. # 46, which was originally in operation at Palace Gardens in Detroit, Michigan, until 1928. It was moved to Olympic Park in Maplewood, NJ that year, and remained there until 1965. In 1971, it was in operation for the Magic Kingdom's opening day. The sound system has been modernized. It is my understanding that the Disney tunes heard, such as When You Wish Upon a Star and Chim-Chim-Cheree, were produced on a synthesizer and are now played back on a CD player.
Iago: What about those Cinderella pictures going all around it?
Zazu: Those 18 scenes were hand-painted, replacing the orignal landscape paintings. The location of this is called the "rounding board." The carrousel has a 60 foot diameter platform, and 5 rows of horses. The steeds were converted to all jumpers, and some of the original wooden pieces were replaced with fiberglass. The original four chariots were removed, making room for 90 horses, but one of the chariots has just recently been re-installed, dropping the number of steeds to 84. Believe it or not, all of the figures are maintained by one woman, Isle Voght.
Iago: Ya gotta admire a gal who maintains her figures. So, does Disneyland have one of them Jamaican Bobsled carousels, too?
Zazu: No, horsefeathers, the bobsleds are on the Matterhorn! And it's Philadelphia Toboggan! In any case, Disneyland's carrousel was made by Dentzel.
Iago: Dentzel Washington??
Zazu: No, not Denzel. Dentzel! The carrousel was built in 1875, and, prior to its arrival in Disneyland, it operated in Sunnyside Park in Toronto, Canada, from 1922 to 1955. It was originally a 3 row carrousel, which was converted to 4 rows. And each horse was given a name by the Disney designers. Due to maintenance problems, the carrousel's original Wurlitzer 157 band organ was recorded, then the workings were removed. What we see now is simply a pretty facade for a pair of good speakers. As lovely as this attraction is, it once only rated an "A" ticket, according to a 1972 ticket guide. Since 1976, all the horses have been white, just like our carrousel in Florida. Every guest in a Disney park is a good guy, so each one gets a white horse.
Iago: Too bad. It would be cool to ride a mean-looking black horse with attitude.
Zazu: Sorry, but that privilege is reserved for Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame stage show. But here's another interesting tidbit regarding Disney and carrousels. A carrousel at Griffith Park, across the river from the Disney Studios in Southern California, was one place Walt liked to take his two daughters on "Daddy's Day." The boredom he suffered on their account was one of the big reasons he designed Disneyland to be a place for the whole family to enjoy.
Iago: Speaking of baby-sitting the kids, how come Disney didn't build a Mary Poppins carousel?
Zazu: The lines would be horrendous for that one, since there are only four horses on Mary's carrousel! But you can take a look at Mary's horse in the queue for the Great Movie Ride at the Disney Studios. Speaking of which, did you know that the films The Sting and The Net, both featured the famous Santa Monica Pier Carrousel?
Iago: Never mind the carousel. The Net featured Sandra Bullock! I hope my date is that hot. Here we are now. I can't bear to look. Do you see her, Zazu?
Zazu: No, I don't see a feathered hat. I tell you what. We'll board the ride, and you sit on an inside horse, and I'll sit on the outside, and I'll look for her as we spin around.
Iago: Good idea.
Zazu: So, what do you know about her?
Iago: Well, I think she's French. Her screen name is Marionette1940. I'm hoping that's her name, her age, and her top measurement.
Zazu: Sounds promising. And what did you tell her about yourself?
Iago: Well, my screen name is LoveBird, and I described myself as an "SWF." You know, "Single Wild Fellow."
Zazu: Is that what "SWF" stands for? I would never have known.
Iago: That's because you don't do anything on the computer except catalogue your butterflies. Anyway, she described herself as an "SWM." I'm guessing that's "Single Wild Mademoiselle"! She lives with her father, and she has a pet cat and a goldfish.
Zazu: Oh! Iago I see the feathered hat! There she -- oh my.
Iago: What? What?
Zazu: Uh ... Iago, you know how people can lie about themselves on the internet....
Iago: Whatsa matter? She doesn't look French?
Zazu: Actually, I think Italian is more like it. The nose is rather ... long.
Iago: Okay, big deal. She's got a Roman nose. I've got quite a beak myself. What about the rest of her? She said she's got finely sculpted legs and she likes to wear shorts.
Zazu: Oh, the legs are definitely sculpted. And the shorts thing is true.
Iago: Great! I just hope she doesn't expect a serious relationship. I told her I wanted to have fun, with no strings attached.
Zazu: No strings? I don't think that will be a problem. Just don't be disappointed if the personality is a bit wooden. I'm not so sure that Pleasure Island is a good idea, either. And I think I know the true meaning of "SWM" now.
Iago: Well, I don't really mind if she's a bit of a stiff. After all, I hang around with you all the time. Oh, this is gonna be great! Just like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in that movie where they meet on the internet. What was the name of that one?
Zazu: Er ... you've got male.
The music chosen to accompany this page is "Blazing Saddles" by Mel Brooks and John Leonard Morris.
