Former Disney Imagineer Reveals New Behind-the-Scenes Secret on Social Media

One of the fun things about being a Disney Parks fan is learning about all the Easter Eggs, secrets, and history of rides.

Maybe that’s why we’re obsessed with The Imagineering Story and Behind The Attraction on Disney+. We also love when Disney legends share stories and behind-the-scenes details about rides. That’s why we love Disney Legend Bob Gurr because he’s always posting some new detail or story about the parks — and we learn a LOT.

If you’re not familiar with Bob Gurr, you are certainly familiar with his work. He is responsible for the design of some of Disney’s most ICONIC ride vehicles, including those in Autopia, Haunted Mansion (he designed the Doom Buggies!), the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, and more.

Bob has been working as a Disney Imagineer since 1964, so you can imagine he knows a LOT about most Disney rides, and has a lot of great stories to tell. Recently, Bob took to his Instagram account to talk about a retaining metal wall in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort. It turns out those walls have a story that dates back to World War 2. We’ll let Bob explain it:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bob Gurr (@bobgurrofficial)

So, yes, basically, those retaining walls are actually landing pads that World War 2 troops would put together on sandy beaches for planes to land on. The more you know! They were called “Marston Mats” and were used mostly for the rapid construction of temporary runways and landing strips because they could be put together quickly.

So, yes, you can see a World War 2 landing mat in Disney California Adventure in Grizzly Peak, which used to be Condor Flats, an area themed as a desert airfield and testing facility (so it makes more sense for those walls to be there).

Bob is always sharing these wonderful tidbits of knowledge on his social media, so we highly recommend following him. He also often tells stories about working with Walt Disney, which are always fascinating.

Interested in more Disney history and secrets? We’re always posting things we find in Disney Parks, as well as secrets you may not know about, so keep following AllEars for more.