Ford's Magic Skyway News & Updates

Disney At The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair: Ford’s Magic Skyway

April 29, 2024 by Chuck Schmidt

Right from opening day at the New York World's Fair, Ford Motor Company's Magic Skyway attraction was among the most popular shows on the Flushing Meadow, Queens, fairgrounds. To accomplish this, Disney had to come up with dozens of realistic-looking and moving dinosaurs and cavemen, as well as a new, innovative way to move automobiles along a constantly moving track.

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Disney’s Enduring Legacy At The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair

March 4, 2024 by Chuck Schmidt

“The World’s Fair was really a big lesson, a big proving ground in many ways for us,” Marty Sklar, former head of Walt Disney Imagineering and a Disney Legend, said in 2010. “The main thing we learned was that the audience was there for Disney-style entertainment.”

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Welton Becket and Disney’s Use of Streamline Moderne Design

February 5, 2024 by Chuck Schmidt

Even though Streamline Moderne architecture peaked in the 1930s, it lives on at several Disney properties – as does the design influence of Welton Becket.

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The Complete History of the PeopleMover at Walt Disney World

February 7, 2021 by Nathan Schmidt

We're looking at the history of one of Magic Kingdom's most beloved attractions: PeopleMover!

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Omnimovers: How Disney Revolutionized Theme Park Rides

October 4, 2020 by Nathan Schmidt

Ever wonder what makes rides like Haunted Mansion and Journey of the Little Mermaid work? Find out all about how the omnimover changed the way Imagineers designed dark rides.

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Ford’s Magic Skyway at the 1964-1965 N.Y. World’s Fair Was a Breakthrough Achievement for Disney

July 6, 2020 by Chuck Schmidt

The Ford Motor Company’s Magic Skyway attraction was among the five most-attended shows at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. The attraction was conceived and created by some of the most talented people working for WED Enterprises, the forerunner of Walt Disney Imagineering. It combined a compelling story – a motor tour through the story of man, from primeval times to a glimpse into what the future might hold – with a new ride system which allowed nearly 2,000 guests to enjoy the experience every hour. It also was among the first attractions to feature game-changing Audio-Animatronics technology.

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From the Tickle Trunk – Audio-Animatronics

September 13, 2015 by Gary Cruise

On a recent trip into his wife's Tickle Trunk, blogger Gary Cruise came across an article on Audio-Animatronics from the Summer 2003 issue of Disney Magazine. The article described how the Enchanted Tiki Room, with its exciting new technology, created a sensation more than 50 years ago.

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