resented here, for your enjoyment, is a magical and musical virtual Audio tour of the Happiest Place on Earth, both past and present. From this comprehensive collection of rare Audio recordings, the stay at home listener is granted their very own 'E' Ticket to adventures that recreate the ambiance and simulate the you-are-there sensation of an actual trip to the park. Just close your eyes and let your mind run free. It won't be hard to imagine you are really inside the Magic Kingdom for an exciting day at Disneyland, the place where dreams really do come true...

• FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL AVAILABLE TRACKS & NEW ADDITIONS:   CLICK HERE • A COMPLETE CHAPTER DIRECTORY IS LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE • CH 7 - New Orleans Square <   Prev   •   Next   > CH 9 - Rivers of America • SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF PAGE TO HEAR TRACKS IN CONTINUAL LONG-PLAY MODE •

1 - Walt Disney Takes You to Frontierland  07:27   Walt Disney welcomes us to Frontierland, a land celebrating our founding forefathers, our frontier heritage and our historic past. In this wilderness of the wild frontier we are transported back to a time of myth and legend, reliving those romanticized days of brave pioneers, rugged cowboys, proud natives, ruthless outlaws and fearless lawmen.

2 - Your Trip to Disneyland on Records - Frontierland  01:55   This rare recording was part of a set of short playing cardboard picture discs positioned within an accordion booklet with a colorful map of the park. Released shortly after the 1955 opening of Disneyland, it provided children with a narrated tour of Disneyland, land by land, including Frontierland, with Tinkerbell, Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

3 - Disneyland Song Parade - Frontierland  11:50   These songs, encapsulating the pioneering spirit of the wild frontier, come from a vintage children's album produced by Golden Records in the 1950's. This was one in a series of four albums, each containing a special song to introduce youngsters to one of the four themed lands found within Disneyland, including this musical salute to Frontierland.

4 - Frontierland Attraction Preview - Jack Wagner  02:29   The voice of Disneyland, Jack Wagner, provides an orientation and preview of this land of the western frontier, from its pioneer village and dance-hall saloon, to its wilderness trails and runaway mine trains, to its rafts carrying guests to an island of boyhood adventure, and its Mississippi paddle wheeler that plies the banks of a mighty river.

5 - Frontierland Gateway - Calvary Gun Salute  00:41   The stockade fortress serving as gateway to Frontierland reminds park visitors of the brave soldiers of the U.S. Calvary who tamed the wild west, and several 19th century military relics are on display throughout these regimental barracks. This has also been the setting for many official presentations of arms ceremonies held by the Armed Forces.

6 - Fife and Drum Corps  12:07   Frontierland is perhaps the most patriotic of all the lands in Disneyland, even rivaling Main Street USA as the most fervidly American section of the park. On rare occasions, especially in the park's earlier days, a traditional fife and drum corp would perform near the stockade entrance, recalling the revolutionary period of our founding fathers.

7 - Frontierland Stockade Entrance  03:39   Millions of Disneyland guests have passed under the Frontierland sign and through its stockade gate entrance. For decades, the stage for pioneering adventure was musically set with this upbeat western banjo tune playing on a continuous loop, underscored by the nearby sound of steamboat whistles, arcade rifle blasts and runaway mine trains.

8 - Frontierland Stockade - Area Background Music  05:27   Within the wood logged fortress at the Frontierland portal, and around the adjacent pioneer trading post and Davy Crockett western mercantile, guests hear a selection of traditional patriotic songs from the nineteenth century. These musical variations were originally featured in the award-winning Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War."

- Frontierland in TV Land -   Frontierland first entered the American consciousness through a pioneering new medium called television. On Walt Disney's weekly anthology program he introduced TV audiences to this land of American heroes, including Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier. He also never missed an opportunity to show off his ever growing park to his TV viewers, and over the decades Frontierland took center stage on the small screen.

9 - The Disneyland Story - Frontierland  03:16

10 - The Ballad of Davy Crockett  11:38

11 - Disneyland Pre-Opening Report - Frontierland  07:45

12 - Frontierland Dedication - Bang Goes Old Betsy  06:54

13 - Hudson Motors - Disneyland Davy Crockett Giveaway  02:51

14 - Disneyland USA - Frontierland  07:39

15 - Mickey Mouse Club - Songs of the Wild Frontier  21:06

16 - Mickey Mouse Club - Wally Boag  06:00

17 - Disneyland the Park - Frontierland  04:59

18 - An Adventure in the Magic Kingdom - Frontierland  08:09

19 - The Sounds of America - Frontierland / Bessie and Tessie  11:43

20 - Walt Disney's Legends of the American West  2:19:10

21 - Davy Crockett Frontier Museum  04:53   Located immediately to the left, as you enter Frontierland, is a popular gift shop known today as Pioneer Mercantile. Back in 1955, this was a museum and arcade, displaying artifacts from the old west and featuring coin operated mechanical amusements,as well as wax statues of Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen in their Davy Crockett attire.

22 - Frontierland Shootout - Black Bart and Sheriff Lucky  02:19   Early Disneyland featured walk around Disney characters on special occasions only. The characters found on a daily basis were live actors portraying roles that tied into the park's various themed areas. A popular pair were Frontierland's gun slinging lawman and bad guy known as Sheriff Lucky and Black Bart, who battled it out all day, every day.

23 - Frontierland Square Dance Events  38:37   The popularity of square dancing as a recreational activity surged in the 1950's, and Disneyland frequently invited local square dancing organizations to entertain guests along the Frontierland promenade. These talented dance teams hearkened back to the fun of an old down-home barn dance from the pioneering days of the American west.

24 - Zorro Days Celebration  08:40   Zorro was a highly rated TV program produced by the Disney Studio in the 1950's. During the run of this popular series, actual stars from the show made frequent guest appearances in Disneyland, including the masked avenger portrayed by Guy Williams. These events always included dramatic sword fights staged throughout Frontierland.

25 - Pendleton Woolen Mills - Dry Goods General Mercantile  00:58   Pendleton Woolen Mills, makers of fine blankets and woolen clothing, began their long time partnership with Disneyland in the 1950's, sponsoring and overseeing the largest shop in Frontierland into the 1980's. The company's roots actually stretched back to the days of the wild frontier, having been founded in Salem, Oregon in the year 1863.

26 - Silver Spur Supplies - Nelson Wiggen Orchestrion  39:55   When Disneyland was at the height of construction, Walt Disney took time to personally attended various auctions and estate sales to purchase various antiquities for display in his park, including several mechanical music machines. One of these acquisitions, a Nelson Wiggen Orchestrion, can still be found in a Frontierland gift shop to this day.

27 - Woody Dance Machine  00:37   During the early planning of Disneyland, Walt and his team developed a mechanical dancing figure. This was a primate attempt towards what later became known as Audio-Animatronics. In the park today, guests can operate a few of these dancing machines at the drop of a coin, including a Woody figure found inside a Frontierland gift shop.

28 - Pioneer Mercantile - Projection Screen  36:55   At the back corner of the Pioneer Mercantile in Frontierland, affixed to the wall, is what appears to be a stretched out animal skin. In actuality, this is a projection screen used to showcase memorable moments from classic Disney films that tie into the Frontierland theme. These include scenes from Old Yeller, Davy Crockett, Pocahontas and more.

29 - The Petrified Tree  03:58   Often cited as the oldest attraction in Disneyland, this petrified tree is estimated to be over 70 million years old. It was purchased by Walt Disney in 1957 during a visit to the Pike Petrified Forest in Colorado. He presented it as an anniversary gift to his wife Lillian Disney who soon thereafter donated it to the park where it remains to this day.

30 - Frontierland Shootin' Exposition  01:43   Frontierland's shooting gallery first opened in July of 1957. In 1985 it was refurbished, and thereafter called the "Frontier Shooting Exposition," using newly available infrared rifles, synthesized digital sound effects and amusing animation, thus eliminating not only the hazardous lead shots and lead dust, but the need for nightly repainting.

31 - Frontierland Shootin' Exposition - The Sounds of Boot Hill  04:02   Just as Disneyland is no mere amusement park, Frontierland's Shootin' Exposition is no mere target range. As gunslingers successfully hit targets, a series of amusing animated sequences with comical sound effects respond in turn. The many targets include desert varmints, grave markers, whisky bottles, cacti, ghost town rooftops and a moving train.

32 - Miniature Horse Coral  05:16   The early Frontierland included a small petting farm where guests could get acquainted with the specially bred miniature horses that pulled many of the wagon type vehicles on Main Street and Frontierland. This was also used as the backdrop for a special opening day hoedown with Davy Crockett during the live 1955 opening day broadcast.

33 - Disneyland Railroad - Frontierland Depot  01:54   The original Frontierland train depot was modeled after the train station used in the 1949 Walt Disney motion picture "So Dear to My Heart." Although this structure is still in the park today, it is no longer accessible to guests. It moved to a new location on the other side of the train tracks in 1962, when New Orleans Square began construction.

34 - Mickey Mouse Newsreel: Disneyland R.R. Through Frontierland  01:40   The classic 1950's children's television series, "The Mickey Mouse Club," featured a segment which mirrored the theatrical newsreels from that period. These news reports were for kids, and by kids, often covering stories about Disneyland, including this informative segment about the Disneyland Railroad and Native American village.

- Frontierland Promenade Atmosphere Music -   Just like all areas in Disneyland, Frontierland is no exception when it comes to providing the perfect background musical atmosphere to set the tone and mood for its themed setting. Naturally this means that the music heard in this land of the old west is a blending of folk songs and cowboy ballads from America's past, down home country tunes, and the epic themes from the many great western dramas of the silver screen.

35 - Frontierland Area Music - The Jack Wagner Collection  43:36

36 - Frontierland Promenade 1992 - Area Background Music  57:40

37 - Frontierland Promenade 2012 - Area Background Music  1:05:08

38 - Westernland: Tokyo Disneyland - Area Background Music  59:42

39 - Frontierland: Disneyland Paris - Area Background Music  59:03

- Promenade Performances -   Throughout the Frontierland promenade, live entertainment has always been found among its wood planked walkways and sun-drenched southwestern scenery. America's historic past is indeed on full display here in this pioneer settlement of the wild west. The distinctive twangs of banjos, fiddles and guitars bring guests a daily festival of folk tunes, bluegrass, cowboy crooner classics and Dixieland jazz standards.

40 - Coonskin Trio  12:40

41 - Disneyland Band - Frontierland Performance  07:08

42 - Calvary Band  14:22

43 - The Straw Hat Strutters  19:53

44 - Dixie Marching Band  18:26

45 - The Bluegrass Boys  12:20

46 - Farley the Fiddler  06:21

47 - The Laughing Stock Company  14:03   This wacky troupe of comedians performed in front of the Golden Horseshoe saloon for many years, entertaining passersby with various sketch routines. From 2001 until 2003 they also appeared on the Golden Horseshoe stage in a show called, "The Little Town That Could," which retold the supposed history of the founding of Frontierland.

48 - Frontierland Sponsor - Nesbitt's Orange Soda  02:04   Today, one would be hard-pressed to find any sort of beverage for sale in Disneyland that is not manufactured by the Coca-Cola Corporation. But prior to the 1980's, Coke did not have such a monopoly imposed upon Disney theme park grounds. An early Frontierland sponsor was Nesbitt's, makers of orange and other fruit flavored soft drinks.

49 - Casa de Fritos - Frito Kid and Klondike  03:05   Frontierland's popular Mexican restaurant was originally sponsored by the Frito-Lay Corporation, and thus, it was called Casa de Fritos. A unique, if not unusual, feature of this establishment was a coin operated chip dispenser, in which the Frito Kid, and his trusty horse Klondike, distributed Frito's corn chips to guests at the drop of a coin.

50 - Casa de Fritos - Birthplace of the Dorito  00:31   Few realize that the actual birthplace of the world famous Doritos corn chip was at the Casa De Fritos restaurant in Frontierland. Rather than letting them go to waste, a clever chef began repurposing stale tortillas by serving them fried with nacho flavoring. They were so popular that they were eventually rolled out nationally by Frito-Lay in 1966.

51 - The Gonzales Trio  28:22   Another favorite feature at the Casa de Fritos restaurant was the sound of live Mariachi bands that performed traditional Mexican music at a bandstand located in the patio area adjacent to the outdoor dining area. A popular in house group who appeared regularly at this Latin American themed venue was a family act known as the Gonzales Trio.

52 - Tacos for Two  02:42   The novelty number "Tacos for Two" became the signature tune of the Gonzalez Trio, performing it several times daily for many years at the Casa de Fritos bandstand. This satirical song was a comical take on the well-known Big Band standard "Cocktails for Two," complete with humorous new lyrics applicable to a Mexican-American eatery.

53 - Los Mariachis De San Marcos  30:34   Another popular in-house Mariachi group, known as Los Mariachis De San Marcos, began regular performances in Frontierland in the 1970's. They inspired the formation of a similar group that began playing at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in 1982. The original ensemble remained a staple of Disneyland entertainment well into the 1990's.

54 - Casa Mexicana Background Music - Jack Wagner Collection  11:21   In the 1980's Casa de Fritos became Casa Mexicana when Frito-Lay ended its long time sponsorship. At the time, Jack Wagner, the official announcer of Disneyland, was also charged with curating appropriate music for the many themed environs throughout the park. At Casa De Fritos one would here musical variations from South of the Border.

55 - Casa Mexicana Area Background Music  57:45   When Casa De Fritos became Casa Mexicana, the menu and atmosphere changed little, still offering typical Mexican/American dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and plenty of refried beans. In 1992, the area music was updated, borrowing the same music initially recorded for the new Pecos Bill Café located in Euro Disneyland's Frontierland.

56 - Rancho Del Zocalo - Area Background Music  1:01:13   When Frontierland's Mexican eatery underwent a major refurbishment in 2001, it was renamed Rancho Del Zocalo. This was in homage to the patio area where this restaurant now sits, as it was originally known as El Zocalo Plaza in the park's earlier days. The eatery's Latin American theme evokes the legendary tales of Zorro and Don Quixote.

57 - Calamity Jane  10:26   Celebrated Hollywood set designer Harper Goff created an elaborate old west saloon set for the 1953 Doris Day musical, "Calamity Jane." One year later, when Walt Disney obtained the services of Harper Goff as a head designer for Disneyland, he asked him to build an exact duplicate of this set for Frontierland's Golden Horseshoe saloon.

58 - Golden Horseshoe Revue Sponsorship - Pepsi Cola  06:16   Nowadays, there isn't a single Pepsi product sold inside any Disney theme park in the U.S, but at one time, both Coke and Pepsi existed in the Disneyland together. Pepsi had exclusivity to the western side of the park, and Coca-Cola had exclusivity to the east side. Pepsi was also the long time sponsor of the original Golden Horseshoe stage show.

59 - Slue Foot Sue's Golden Horseshoe - Stage Show Announcement  00:50   Frontierland's Golden Horseshoe was the longtime venue to the Golden Horseshoe Revue, a top notch stage production hearkening back to the days of western dance halls. Premiering in 1955, it ran consecutively for over thirty years, entering the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running live stage show in recorded history.

60 - Slue Foot Sue's Golden Horseshoe Revue  27:05   The original Golden Horseshoe Revue was a Disneyland must-see. It starred Betty Taylor as saloon proprietress Slue Foot Sue, comedian Wally Boag as a nonsensical traveling salesman with a bag of tricks, and Donald Novis as the genial Irish tenor. The show always concluded with song "Pecos Bill" and beautiful Can-Can dancers.

61 - The Golden Horseshoe Revue - The Wonderful World of Color  36:22   To commemorate the 10,000th performance of the famed Golden Horseshoe Revue in Frontierland, the complete stage show was filmed for a 1962 episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color TV series. The program featured the entire Disneyland cast as well as special guest appearances by Ed Wynn, Gene Sheldon and Annette Funicello.

62 - Mr. Piano Man  01:26   Everyone's favorite former Mouseketeer, Annette Funicello, recorded a chart-topping studio version of the song "Mr. Piano Man" which had originally been featured in the 1962 Golden Horseshoe Revue episode of The Wonderful World of Color. This catchy tune was written by the legendary Disney tunesmiths Richard and Robert Sherman.

63 - Donald Novis Medley  20:41   Donald Novis was known as that "silver toned tenor" during the seven years he led the talented cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue, and nobody could belt out an Irish lullaby with as much pure charm as he did. His work for Walt Disney goes even further back, as his distinctive vocals can be heard in both "Bambi" and "Lady and the Tramp."

64 - Fulton Burley - Clancy Lowered the Boom  03:00   When Donald Novis retired from the Golden Horseshoe in 1962, Fulton Burley became his permanent replacement. His unique brand of humor and authentic Irish brogue made him an audience favorite for over 25 years. He also lent voice to Michael the bird from the Enchanted Tiki Room and provided colorful narration on the Sailing Ship Columbia.

65 - The Ward Gospel Singers  38:22   The Clara Ward Singers were a regularly featured gospel group that appeared at Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe stage in Frontierland throughout the 1960's. Their repertoire consisted of traditional hymns, songs of faith and rousing negro spirituals. An often requested number was their definitive rendition of "Down By the Riverside."

66 - Golden Horseshoe Stage - The Firehouse Five Plus Two  40:53   During what was a mid-century Dixieland musical revival, The Firehouse 5 Plus 2 were a highly popular jazz band comprised entirely by animators from the Walt Disney studio staff. Over the years they would sell millions of records, and performed regularly at Disneyland. In 1962 the recorded an album live from the Golden Horseshoe stage.

- Golden Horseshoe Revue - Magic Lantern Picture Show -   Magic Lantern shows were a phenomenon of the mid 19th century and were a precursor to motion pictures. Still images were projected on screen by lamp light for the purposes of theatrical entertainment. The Golden Horseshoe Revue hearkened back to this all but forgotten Vaudevillian anomaly with a comical preshow that counted down to the start of the show with visual gags, corny one-liners and silly musical accompaniment.

67 - Golden Horseshoe Preshow 1973  09:48

68 - Golden Horseshoe Preshow 1974  09:22

69 - Golden Horseshoe Preshow 1976 - 1876 Centennial Version  08:18

70 - Magic Lantern Picture Show - Pecos Bill  22:51

71 - Golden Horseshoe Coinola  10:29   As Disneyland was being built, Walt Disney obtained several antique music machines at auction. One of these was a Wurlitzer LX Coinola which is prominently displayed inside the Golden Horseshoe. For years it was located outdoors, and due to weather damage it is mostly decorative, but on rare occasions it will seemingly play pre-recorded music.

72 - Welcome to the Golden Horseshoe  01:53   The Golden Horseshoe Revue had many original songs written just for the show. Probably the best known among these is the theme song, "Hello Everybody," which became the opening number for every performance. In later years a lesser known yet similar song, with an identical message, temporarily replaced the famed original.

73 - The Golden Horseshoe - Chris Calabrese Ragtime Medley  04:20   This upbeat medley of catchy tunes is performed by ragtime virtuoso, Chris Calabrese. It is evocative of the style of music one would hear during a live performance of the Golden Horseshoe Revue, and features instrumental interpretations of many of the original songs written and performed for the classic stage show over its thirty-one year run.

74 - Golden Horseshoe Ragtime Pianist  46:15   When Billy Hill and the Hillbillies relocated to The Big Thunder Ranch, the Golden Horseshoe would continue to provide fast food service during peak attendance periods. During this time, it became a regular occurrence to have a live pianist perform honky tonk style old western saloon numbers to entertain meal time guests.

75 - America Sings - Bill Bailey  04:00   Walt Disney's favorite moment from the Golden Horseshoe Revue was Betty Taylor's stellar performance of "Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home." It was ultimately a no-brainer that she would be asked to reprise her signature number for America Sings. Heard here are three versions of the song, spanning from the 1950's to the 1970's.

76 - The Muppet Show - Wally Boag  14:01   On a season five episode of Jim Henson's classic Muppet Show, Disneyland's own Wally Boag was the special guest of the week. Wally joined the crazy cast for a Vaudeville style revue, featuring his famous balloon act and bagpipe routine. The program concluded with the famous Pecos Bill sketch from the Golden Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland.

77 - Disney Family Album - The Golden Horseshoe Revue  26:58   The Disney Family Album was a half hour documentary series presented on the Disney Channel, originally airing between 1984 and 1986. For one of these episodes, the world famous Golden Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland was given the spotlight, featuring interviews with longtime cast members Betty Taylor, Wally Boag and Fulton Burley.

78 - Golden Horseshoe Stage - The Class of 1927  28:45   The main show at the Golden Horseshoe was performed five days a week. On off days, special musical guests would be invited to perform live. Then in the 1970's, a second scripted production was created to fill that void. This very popular show was a laugh-a-minute roaring twenties revue complete with the Sheik of Araby and Betty Boop.

79 - Golden Horseshoe Stage - The Rhythm Brothers  23:00   This ensemble had the unusual distinction of performing as two other live bands in Disneyland during a simultaneous period, and were also known as The Main Street Maniacs and The Big Thunder Boys. When the cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue took a day off, they often appeared at the famed Frontierland saloon as the Rhythm Brothers.

80 - The Golden Horseshoe Jamboree  28:32   The original Golden Horseshoe Revue lowered its final curtain in October of 1986, after thirty-one years of continuous performances. In November of that same year, an all-new show heavily inspired by the original production, but with an all-new cast and all-new songs, attempted to fill the very big shoes of the original show. This show closed in 1994.

81 - Sgt. Preston's Yukon Saloon & Dancehall - Yukon Follies  16:55   Disneyland Hotel founder Jack Wrather was also a prolific producer of hit TV westerns. One of his most successful series was "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon," chronicling the adventures of a heroic Royal Canadian Mountie. This memorable character was later the star of a live dancehall style revue featuring Klondike Kate and Yukon Klem the Bear.

82 - Golden Horseshoe Variety Show  04:58   A smaller scale show replaced the elaborate Golden Horseshoe Jamboree in 1995, featuring Vaudevillian style comedy and the impressive prestidigitation of magician Dana Daniels. The show was presented on days when the main act, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, were not performing. The final performance was on October 8th 2003.

83 - Golden Horseshoe Stage - Dixieland in Disneyland  27:05   After Billy Hill and his gang left the Golden Horseshoe, a rotating roster of live in-house musicians began appearing on the Frontierland stage. This included a ragtime piano player, and a dixieland jazz band called The Silver Dollar Six. In 2019 a new show called, "Dueling Pianos," featured two pianists who traded quips while trying to outdo the other.

84 - Golden Horseshoe Stage - Billy Hill and the Hillbillies  27:13   When the Golden Horseshoe Jamboree retired in 1994, the famed Frontierland venue became the permanent home to a musical act known as Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. This troupe of highly talented and highly comical bluegrass musicians performed daily at the Horseshoe stage for over twenty years, developing a fan following among local guests.

85 - The All-New Woody's Roundup  09:41   In 1999, Billy Hill temporarily relocated to a stage at Big Thunder Ranch, when a new stage show featuring the popular characters from the animated Disney/Pixar Toy Story franchise took center stage at the Golden Horseshoe. Much of the show was cleverly presented in black and white, to a appear as a vintage 1950's television broadcast.

86 - Riders in the Sky - Disney Medley  23:30   For the sequel to the blockbuster Pixar hit, "Toy Story," producers teamed up with the cowboy-centric musical troupe, Riders in the Sky, to provide music for the fictionalized, "Woody's Round-Up" TV show featured within the film. Their inclusion in this project proved a massive success, and before long they were performing live in Disneyland.

87 - The Painted Desert - Frontierland Suite  07:08   This instrumental suite from the 1956 theatrical documentary Disneyland USA is comprised of several western themed musical vignettes that would be featured again and again in various Walt Disney studio productions over the years. It brings us on a musical tour of Frontierland as it was in the 1950's, with its fondly remembered painted desert.

88 - Frontierland Pack Mules  04:08   This classic Frontierland attraction premiered on Disneyland's opening day in 1955. Hearty pioneers traversed the scenic painted desert astride teams of trained pack mules. The trail was rerouted twice, once in 1956 for the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train addition, and again in 1960 for Nature's Wonderland expansion. The attraction closed in 1973.

89 - Frontierland Stage Coach  02:13   Another classic opening day Frontierland attraction were its fleet of authentic old west style stagecoaches pulled by teams of four horses along the scenic shores of the Rivers of America and though the romantic painted desert. The attraction closed permanently in 1959 to make way for the Nature's Wonderland expansion of the mine train attraction.

90 - Westward Ho! Conestoga Wagons  02:24   In addition to its fleet of stagecoaches, the Frontierland livery also included buckboard surreys and Conestoga wagons reminiscent of those used to blaze the Oregon trail by hearty pioneers during America's storied era of westward expansion. These various conveyances were retired in 1959 to make way for the Nature's Wonderland attraction.

91 - Rainbow Caverns Mine Train - Ticket Announcements  03:22   The original Frontierland mine train opened in 1956. It was inspired by Walt Disney's Oscar winning True-Life Adventure documentary, "The Living Desert." Guests traveled through the scenic wonders of a cactus and sandstone laden painted desert, and then explored the amazing fluorescent waterfalls inside the Rainbow Caverns mine.

92 - Rainbow Ridge - Area Background Music  16:11   The themed queue for the original Rainbow Caverns Mine Train ride, as well as the pack mules, Conestoga wagons, and stagecoaches through the painted desert, was located within the little mining town of Rainbow Ridge. Guests experienced the many sights and sounds of this charming little old west community as they awaited their journey.

93 - Rainbow Ridge - Town Chatter  04:31   The Rainbow Ridge queue area offered a real taste of daily life in the wild wild west. Here guests would overhear the many sounds made by the town residents, including a snoring guest at the El Dorado Hotel, a raucous bar fight at the Last Chance Saloon, the painful screams from a dentist's office and the reverberating anvil clang from a blacksmith shop.

94 - Rainbow Ridge Barber Shop - The Dapper Dans  01:52   The Dapper Dans were a traditional barbershop quartet that began performing in Disneyland in 1959. One year later they were called upon to record a set of traditional four-part ballads for the Rainbow Ridge mining town, after it was expanded to include an old fashioned barbershop when the attraction became Nature's Wonderland in 1960.

95 - Mineral Hall  01:22   Disney Imagineer Claude Coats perfected special fluorescent dyes, illuminated by black lighting, to create the ghostly glow of the Rainbow Caverns. A gift shop located near the exit to the mine attraction offered glowing gems and other assorted fluorescent glow in the dark souvenirs, and was well-stocked with black lighting fixtures for the home.

96 - The Painted Desert Theme  02:36   As mine train passengers traveled deep into the outer reaches of Frontierland's colorful painted desert they saw such sights as the giant saguaro cactus forest, bubbling paint pots, "Old Unfaithful" geyser and balancing rock canyon. If they listened closely they might have heard this haunting piece of music as it echoed faintly in the distance.

97 - The Rainbow Caverns  02:37   The stunning Rainbow Caverns served as the climactic finale to Frontierland's original mine train ride. Walt Disney commissioned background animation artist Claude Coats to create the cavern's colorful waterfalls. Through special illuminated dyes, and under black lighting, the cascading waters would take on an impressive iridescent glow.

98 - Mickey Mouse Shorts - Nature's Wonderland Song  03:28   In a 2018 installment of the new series of Mickey Mouse shorts, Mickey and Minnie visit Disneyland's Nature's Wonderland, when they accidentally board a runaway mine train. After careening through a series of mine shafts, an explosion sends them hurtling down into the Rainbow Caverns where they take a romantic ride though its colorful caves.

- Walt Disney's True Life Adventures -   In 1960, Frontierland's mine ride underwent an extensive refurbishment to become The Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland. The expansion included several new scenes and a stunning assortment of realistic audio-animatronic wildlife. These additions were inspired by Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure films, including "Beaver Valley," "Bear Country," "The Olympic Elk," "The Vanishing Prairie" and "The Living Desert."

99 - Walt Disney's True Life Adventures - Theatrical Trailers  09:23

100 - Beaver Valley - Musical Score  04:44

101 - The Olympic Elk - Musical Score  05:34

102 - Bear Country - Musical Score  06:46

103 - The Living Desert - Musical Score  13:58

104 - The Vanishing Prairie - Musical Score  19:53

105 - All Aboard the Mine Train  03:21   "All Aboard the Mine Train" marked the first time, of many, that the Sherman Brothers composed an original song for Disneyland. The catchy tune was written for a 1961 episode of the Walt Disney TV program. It musically points out all the sights along the recently expanded, all-new Mine Train Though Nature's Wonderland attraction.

106 - Nature's Wonderland Cast Member Training  18:13   This is a rare training tape used for Nature's Wonderland. Those who worked on the mine ride became known as "The Order of the Red Handkerchief," likely because of the red bandanas they displayed around their necks as part of their official costume. For many years, the attraction spiel was delivered live by one of these proud cast members.

107 - Mine Train Though Nature's Wonderland  08:38   In 1961, Walt Disney expanded his mine train ride with several additional scenes that incorporated dozens of realistic Audio-Animatronic animals, including prairie dogs, beavers, grizzly bears, rattle snakes, coyotes, fighting elk and mountain lions. Disney vocal artist Dal McKennon provided on-board narrative as a lovable old prospector.

108 - Sounds of Nature's Wonderland  13:30   There were many unusual sounds heard along the route of the Nature's Wonderland train ride. As guests passed various scenes they heard croaking bullfrogs, chirping prairie dogs, an old hoot owl, growling grizzly bears, fighting elk, snarling wild boars, roaring mountain lions, a pack of howling coyotes and the ferocious wails of a grinning bobcat.

109 - Nature's Wonderland Narration - Dal McKennon  05:15   Dal McKennon was a character actor and voice-over artist that was a fixture of the Disney Studio, providing voices for dozens of animated characters and multiple on screen performances. His various roles as cowboys, gold miners and old prospectors would eventually lead to him narrating the Mine Train attraction in Disneyland.

110 - Disneyland Railroad - Big Thunder Mountain Preview  01:08   The Disneyland Railroad provided a stunning view of the Nature's Wonderland Living Desert panorama. So when Big Thunder Mountain was under construction, it was quite evident to train passengers that changes were on the way. For a time, the recorded narration aboard the trains provided some insider details of this coming attraction.

111 - Big Thunder Mountain Preview - Jack Wagner  08:17   When it was decided to replace Nature's Wonderland with Big Thunder Mountain, Disneyland's "Showcase of Coming Attractions" located in Town Square, displayed concept art and a large scale model of the runaway mine ride. A slide show presentation, narrated by Jack Wagner, provided a detailed description of the future attraction.

112 - Big Thunder Mountain Commercial  00:30   When Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was ready for passengers back in the autumn of 1979, a major television campaign was launched throughout all western markets. This commercial emphasized the attraction's thrills with the tagline "Big Thunder Strikes!" and its unparalleled adventure with the tagline, "it can only happen at Disneyland."

113 - Big Thunder Mountain Grand Opening Ceremony  08:31   The Grand opening ceremonies of Big Thunder Mountain featured an elaborate song and dance routine with the Disney characters and citizens of Big Thunder Ridge, with narrative provided by Jack Wagner as the voice of an old prospector. After Mickey unlocked the mine with a giant key, the whole gang climbed aboard to enjoy the ride.

114 - The Big Thunder Boys - Bluegrass Band  37:03   When Big Thunder Mountain premiered in 1979, a popular Bear Country musical group known as The Bluegrass Boys migrated to Frontierland and were officially renamed The Big Thunder Boys to usher in the new 'E' ticket attraction. They specialized in traditional bluegrass music, cowboy classics, and standard country and western tunes.

115 - A Day at Disneyland - Big Thunder Mountain  01:20   In 1982, Walt Disney Home Entertainment released a special tour of Disneyland exclusively for sale in the park as a take home souvenir, but soon was available for rental at video stores nationwide. It included an exciting ride aboard Frontierland's latest 'E' ticket thrill attraction, the runaway mine train through Big Thunder Mountain.

116 - The Ballad of Big Thunder Mountain  03:05   An original theme song was written for the grand opening ceremonies of Big Thunder Mountain. The lyrics recount the legend of a frightful earthquake and a band of gold miners who mysteriously vanished within an abandoned mine shaft. Today there are many tall tales of runaway ghost trains that careen around these mountain buttes.

117 - Big Thunder Mountain Suite - Kinect Disneyland Adventures  04:58   Kinect Disneyland Adventures is a 2011 open world video game developed for the Xbox 360. Inside a virtual Disneyland, players tour the park while experiencing various attraction based games along the way. Adding to this experience, while setting the proper mood, are various musical interludes tying into these themed experiences.

118 - Big Thunder Mountain - Area Background Music  18:22   The Wild West became a whole lot wilder in 1979 when the Big Thunder Mountain runaway mine ride replaced the Nature's Wonderland mine train. Its towering desert buttes have since become a Disneyland landmark. A collection of cowboy folk songs and showtunes from western themed Walt Disney films provide its musical soundscape.

119 - Big Thunder Mountain - Songs from Disney Classics  32:19   Many of the instrumental tunes heard within the area loop created for Big Thunder Mountain, in both the American and overseas parks, originally were written for various Walt Disney TV shows and motion pictures of year's past. These were mostly produced during the -Old-Western pop culture entertainment craze of the 1950's and 60's.

120 - Big Thunder Town Chatter - Barbershop  06:29   Many remnants can be found today from the original Nature's Wonderland attraction. Most notable is many of the structures that were once part of the mining town of Rainbow Ridge. When Big Thunder Mountain opened, the town was renamed Big Thunder Ridge. Like its predecessor, music and sound effects resonate from many of the town windows.

121 - Big Thunder Town Chatter - Big Thunder Saloon  18:51   At the end of their runaway mine ride, Big Thunder passengers pass through a small mining community. Resonating from some of the shop windows guest overhear comical conversations typical of an old west town. From the town saloon, a series of corny one-liners are delivered by a dancehall waitress, the piano man and the raucous patrons.

122 - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad  04:27   Hold onto your hats and glasses for the most rip-roarin', white knuckle runaway mine train ride in the entire wild western wilderness. Brave passengers race through dark bat caverns and mine shafts, over rocky desert mountains and fossilized sand buttes, and straight though an active earthquake, before splashing down in a frontier boom town.

123 - Big Thunder Mountain Safety Spiels  01:02   "Hang onto them hats and glasses!" Legendary Disney vocal artist Dal McKennon was the amiable old prospector who provided recorded narration for Nature's Wonderland. When Big Thunder Mountain replaced the original mine train attraction, he returned as the same character to provide its iconic boarding and safety announcements.

124 - The Sounds of Big Thunder Mountain  05:22   The sounds of Big Thunder Mountain are distinctively the sounds of Big Thunder Mountain. There is no mistaking its unique sound effects, from a bleating cry of a dynamite consuming goat, the yipping of canyon coyotes, the grinding of rusty old mine equipment and the fast passing chugs, bells and whistles of the runaway main trains.

125 - Oh Big Thunder Mountain (On Top of Old Smokey)  01:24   To the tune of the popular American folk song, "On Top of Old Smokey." talented guitar man John Charles spoofs Disney's famous runaway mine train with "Oh Big Thunder Mountain." This live performance was recorded at the Walt Disney World version of Disneyland's Frontierland saloon known as the "Diamond" Horseshoe.

126 - The Disneyland Hotel - Big Thunder Mountain Suite  11:08   The Disneyland Hotel offers six unique themed luxury suites to its guests, each tied to an attraction or themed area found within Disneyland. These special rooms blend five-star hospitality with the impeccable attention to detail that Disney is famous for. Included is a special Big Thunder Mountain Suite, festooned in the trappings of the wild west.

127 - The Disneyland Hotel - Frontier Tower  42:29   Upon a major renovation spanning from 2010-2012, the three towers of the Disneyland Hotel were each extensively refurbished to represent three of the themed realms inside Disneyland the park. The updated Frontier Tower lobby is filled with Frontierland memorabilia, and the music of Hollywood westerns provides appropriate ambiance.

128 - Big Thunder Ranch Introduction - Jack Wagner  01:32   The northernmost section of Frontierland, in an area once occupied by the Painted Desert segment of Nature's Wonderland, was a working horse ranch and petting farm open to Disneyland visitors. Originally, this area was once slated for a major expansion which included a themed area to be called Discovery Bay which was never realized.

129 - Big Thunder Ranch - Animal Petting Farm  01:45   Known as the home of the "Happiest Horses on Earth," this functioning ranch once served as the living quarters to the many horses that serviced Disneyland guests. Also within the grounds was a recreation of an 1880's farm house, a blacksmith and harness maker at work, and a petting farm with chickens, cows, pigs, goats and sheep.

130 - Big Thunder Ranch Blacksmith  00:54   A popular feature of Big Thunder Ranch was the opportunity to get up close and personal with the beautiful horses employed by Disneyland to pull its Main Street trolley cars. A working blacksmith was located near the stables, and guests could watch as an old time smithy crafted iron horseshoes just as it was done in the days of the wild west.

131 - Mickey Moo  01:31   Mickey Moo was a white Holstein cow who was fortunate enough to be born with natural black spotting that formed the recognizable tri-circle Mickey Mouse shape on her side. She became a crowd-pleasing oddity for many Disneyland guests when she was brought to the park in 1988. Here she lived out the rest of her days at Big Thunder Ranch.

132 - Disneyland State Fair - Pigmania  13:50   The Disneyland State Fair was a seasonal event that ran from 1987-1988. As part of the festivities, Big Thunder Ranch hosted a pig racing event called "Pig Mania" several times daily, The show starred the Three Little Pigs and the future members of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, who made their Disneyland debut at this unusual exhibition.

133 - Festival Arena - Hunchback on Notre Dame Festival of Fools  26:48   In 1996, Big Thunder Ranch was transformed into the Festival of Fools Arena. Here, an outdoor musical production brought to life the story of Disney's latest animated feature, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," as presented by a band of traveling Gypsies through the music by Oscar award winning composers Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz.

134 - Big Thunder Ranch - Little Patch of Heaven  05:41   The 2004 Disney animated feature, "Home on the Range," brought about changes to Big Thunder Ranch as a tie-in with the new theatrical release. After a long time closure, the petting farm reopened with new signage based on the movie and the ranch's log cabin became Pearl's cabin, named after the owner of the Little Patch of Heaven dairy farm.

135 - The Happiest Turkeys on Earth  05:32   From 2005 through 2009, the day following an official ceremony in Washington DC, the pardoned presidential turkey would appear in Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day parade as a special Grand Marshal. They would then live out the rest of their days at the Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland, promoted as "The Happiest Turkeys on Earth."

136 - Big Thunder Ranch Celebration Barbecue - Area Music  31:10   In 2009, Frontierland's popular outdoor eatery reopened as "Big Thunder Ranch Celebration Roundup & Barbecue." The refurnished eatery included a new stage area where a live show featuring Miss Chris, Sarsaparilla Sam, Tex Tumbleweed and a cast of characters from Pixar's "Toy Story," provided down home meal time entertainment.

137 - Big Thunder Ranch - Woody's Celebration Roundup  16:17   For many years, a series of ongoing seasonal festivals were held at Big Thunder Ranch, centered around the characters Woody, Jessie and Bullseye from Pixar's "Toy Story" films. Here one would find live entertainment, character meet and greet opportunities, and other various holiday themed crafting activities geared toward younger guests.

138 - Big Thunder Ranch Celebration Roundup - Area Music  29:35   The Big Thunder Celebration Roundup not only included the outdoor dining area and its adjacent stage, but the entire ranch was a part of this ongoing festival. Alongside the "Toy Story" cast, other Disney characters, dressed in their western attire, would visit guests, and each season would bring special holiday themed entertainment.

139 - Big Thunder Ranch Halloween Roundup - Area Music  51:45   During the fall months, a Halloween festival was held at Big Thunder Ranch. This event centered around the characters Woody, Bullseye and Jessie from Pixar's "Toy Story" films. Here one would find live entertainment, pumpkin carving, Disney characters dressed in their Halloween attire and other activities geared toward younger guests.

- Festival Arena Stage -   After the closure of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools," the staging area erected for this live production remained in place, but for years it was used exclusively for large corporate events. In 2012, it reopened to all park guests for a continuous new entertainment event called "Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree," hosting both in-house performers and community groups participating in Disney's Performing Arts program.

140 - Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree - Sarsaparilla Sam  15:48

141 - Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree - Tex Tumbleweed & Miss Chris  12:52

142 - Big Thunder Ranch - Billy Hill and the Hillbillies  20:56

143 - Big Thunder Ranch - The Mariachi Divas  29:24

144 - Big Thunder Ranch - The Music of Nashville  37:03

145 - Big Thunder Ranch - Celebrate Gospel  21:25

146 - Big Thunder Trail  02:24   For decades Frontierland was a dead end, with no passage to the east side of the park without returning to the central hub. When Big Thunder replaced Nature's Wonderland, a new wilderness trail was included, finally allowing passage to Fantasyland. Many remnants of the original mine attraction could be seen along this scenic pathway.

147 - Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue - Area Background Music  59:48   Adjacent to the Big Thunder Ranch, surrounded by pine trees and a split rail fence, this outdoor barbecue specialized in hickory smoked dishes served chuck wagon style. The atmosphere was filled with the romantic glow and crackle of a campfire as well as the sound of chirping crickets, howling coyotes and the fabled cowboy songs of the old west.

 

 

• Special thanks to RocketRodsXPR for his many invaluable contributions to this page and to this site.