Featured Attractions

Monday, April 24, 2017

It Didn't Work Out Week! Wally Boag's DISNEYLAND TV show


 

When DISNEYLAND first opened, Walt Disney had big plans for the Opera House on Main Street. He wanted to establish a weekly variety show that would air coast to coast on ABC, hosted by Wally Boag. Wally Boag would spend the rest of the week at the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland.

However, as DISNEYLAND's construction costs spiraled ever higher, it became obvious that Walt wouldn't have enough cash to build a state of the art broadcast studio. Since he was loathe to spend that much cash on something that wouldn't directly improve the guest experience, the outside facade was completed, but there was nothing inside for guests to see. By the time the park found massive success, Mr. Disney's thoughts had moved on to bigger and better things. The building would remain vacant for many years, sometimes holding temporary exhibits. The DISNEYLAND Opera House would eventually get built the way Walt Disney had originally dreamed, only it would become a home for Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.