Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round - Walt Disneys Inspiration for Disneyland - Adventures By Disney

980 Views · Posted 6 years ago

The Griffith Park Carousel served as Walt Disney’s inspiration for Disneyland. When his children were young, Walt took them to the merry-go-round on weekends. During one visit, while sitting on a bench watching his kids circle round, he was inspired to create a large scale gathering site that the whole family could enjoy. His dream was realized on July 17, 1955, when Disneyland opened to the public.

The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company. Commissioned by the Spreckels family, it was originally housed at the Mission Beach Amusement Center in San Diego but was moved to its current location in 1937. The merry-go-round is comprised of 68 hand-made horses, all of which jump, and a custom-built Stinson 165 Military Band Organ that plays more than 1,500 songs. It’s the only full-size Spillman carousel still in operation today.

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