Disney's 1964-65 World's Fair Innovations: Magic Skyway, Carousel of Progress, and It's a Small World

Disney's Impact on the 1964-65 New York World's Fair

• 💡 The 1964-65 New York World's Fair, though not officially sanctioned by the BIE, served as a crucial platform for Disney's innovations, allowing Walt Disney to showcase and develop new technologies.
• 💰 The success of the movie "Mary Poppins" provided the necessary capital for WED Enterprises' animatronics and technology arm, MAPO, which was essential for creating the fair's attractions.

Ford's Magic Skyway and Automotive Innovations

• 🚗 The Ford Wonder Rotunda featured the Magic Skyway, where attendees experienced moving Ford vehicles, including the Mustang, and traveled through time, encountering dinosaurs from Disney's "Fantasia."
• 🚀 This attraction also introduced the concept of the PeopleMover system, a precursor to Disneyland's popular transportation rides.
• 🐎 A specific Ford Mustang model from the fair, ordered by attendees, was highlighted as a rare early production model, with 44,000 Mustangs sold at the fair.

General Electric's Carousel of Progress

• 💡 The Carousel of Progress, sponsored by General Electric, revolutionized audience engagement by moving the viewers through different time periods rather than moving the stage.
• 🎶 The attraction featured the iconic song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" and showcased advancements from the 1900s to the 1960s.
• 🤖 Costumes for the animatronic figures were meticulously designed by Alice Davis, and the show's technology included rotating stages and innovative lighting effects.
• ⚛️ A simulated nuclear fusion demonstration was also presented by General Electric.

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and It's a Small World

• 🇺🇸 Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was another significant attraction, featuring a lifelike animatronic Abraham Lincoln that was so convincing, visitors threw ball bearings at it to test its authenticity.
• 🕊️ "It's a Small World" was inspired by a conversation between Walt Disney and Joan Crawford, evolving into a boat ride featuring animatronic children singing in various languages.
• 🎶 The Sherman Brothers composed the iconic song "It's a Small World (A Prayer for Peace)" to avoid a cacophony of national anthems.
• 🌍 The attraction's design, including kinetic sculptures like the Towers of the Four Winds, was a collaborative effort by Imagineers like Mary Blair and Rolly Crump.
• 🚢 "It's a Small World" and "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" were later brought to Disneyland, with "It's a Small World" opening in a distinctive clock building.

Legacy and Walt Disney's Passing

• 💔 The fair's attractions laid the groundwork for future Disneyland additions, but the era concluded with the passing of Walt Disney on December 15, 1966, following a battle with lung cancer.
• 🌐 While Disney's presence at modern expos is uncertain, the company continues to engage with audiences through various conventions and events, adapting its outreach strategies.