The heart of DISNEYLAND has truly always been Fantasyland. When Walt Disney began planning out this part of the park, he knew he had to make some budgetary decisions. Scaling down the park's centerpiece- Sleeping Beauty Castle- was NOT an option. The castle had to be the building of Walt's dreams- so rather than build a substandard castle, Mr. Disney chose to leave the inside unfinished. The European influenced village behind the castle would have to wait; instead, the Fantasyland village itself would look like a medieval circus.
The buildings began taking shape behind the castle. While the exteriors were getting framed and built, the magical interiors were taking shape in Burbank, being personally supervised by Walt Disney. Imagineers knew they'd pleased him when he jumped off the test attractions with a childlike giggle.
While the carousel horses that would take their places on King Arthur's Carousel were vintage carvings, the carousel itself would be an entirely new construction, a beautiful, dazzling creation.
As the castle began taking shape, it was obvious that this magical place would be something special. A labor of love that would put smiles on the faces of millions.
