5 Behind-the-Scenes Ride Secrets From a Former Disney Imagineer

Have you been watching shows like The Imagineering Story and Behind The Attraction on Disney+?

Well, if you have, we bet you’re pretty interested in Disney ride history, right? Recently, Imagineer and Disney Legend Bob Gurr has been sharing a ton of behind-the-scenes stories about some FAMOUS Disney rides, and we’re going to share them with you!

First, if you’re not familiar with Gurr, he’s a Disney Legend. He spent nearly forty years creating with Disney’s Imagineering team and is the man behind a lot of your favorite Disney transportation vehicles, including the double-decker buses on Main Street, U.S.A., the original Skyway, Haunted Mansion’s Doom Buggies, and more. He also helped design the first Audio-Animatronic figure, Abraham Lincoln, which can be seen in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in Disneyland.

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in Disneyland

Yes, Gurr knows his stuff, and he loves sharing stories about his time as an Imagineer. For example, the Disneyland Monorail was the first working Monorail in the entire Western Hemisphere and was dedicated in 1959. You can still see artwork in Disneyland based on Gurr’s original sketch.

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A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

Let’s talk about that double-decker bus, a.k.a. the Omnibus. Gurr was inspired by the double-decker buses that his father used to drive on Sunset Blvd. So he designed one for Disneyland, and Imagineers built it! The vehicle made its debut in the park in 1956.

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A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

Gurr also likes to talk about rides no longer located in Disneyland, including the Disneyland Motor Boat Cruise. The boats were unique in that the propellers were in the front of the boat. The boats were inspired by Admiral Joe Fowler, another Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend.

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A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

It may be Adventureland Treehouse now, but at one point, this Disneyland attraction was the Swiss Family Treehouse. Did you know that the treehouse is not even made of wood? Yes, it’s made of steel, which makes sense because it has to be sturdy enough to support guests climbing up and down it. Gurr actually goes into how Imagineering designed the original structure.

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A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

We were also today years old when we learned that there’s a tunnel in Disneyland’s Frontierland that goes…nowhere. It’s from an older attraction that once existed in Disneyland.

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A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

Gurr is always sharing Disney history on his Instagram account, so we highly suggest you give him a follow. Plus, the man is like pure JOY and will put a smile on your face, no matter what.