This brand-new exhibit located on Main Street, U.S.A. is your chance to step back in time and see original artwork from Walt’s early films and Disney Imagineers’ creations.
There’s so much to see at Disneyland Resort during the Disney100 Celebration! While the new attraction, fresh nighttime spectaculars, and sparkling decor are capturing most Guests’ attention, there’s another event that you absolutely don’t want to miss: a brand-new exhibit hosted by The Disney Gallery inside the park.
Step onto Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland, and you’ll find a special limited-time exhibit available inside The Disney Gallery. This exhibit, titled The Disney Gallery Presents: Disney 100 Years of Wonder is filled with incredible history and plenty of animated wonders. You’ll want to spend some time wandering through the images, original artwork, and equipment (yes, there are models too!) that helped bring Walt Disney’s vision to life both in animated works and in the theme parks.
What, exactly, will you find at The Disney Gallery Presents: Disney 100 Years of Wonder? Here’s a sneak peek.
Explore the Earliest Days of Disney Animation
The new exhibit inside The Disney Gallery was inspired by Walt’s original vision for Disneyland. He wanted it to be a place where his films could come to life in the real world. So, each special piece inside the exhibit pays homage to this idea, showing Guests how Disney animated films transitioned from screen to Disneyland Resort attractions, park experiences, and rich traditions.
And it all starts with artwork, of course! Step into The Disney Gallery, and you’ll have the chance to see artwork from original Disney animators created just for classic films. You can see drawings that drum up the images that would become some of Walt’s early films, along with concept artwork that ultimately grew into the stories and images you know so well today.
Here’s a look at some of the special artwork you’ll find on display in this special exhibit.
Disney’s multiplane camera, which was used to create many animated classics. Photo by Danny Shuster
A look at a Disney animator’s desk, with illustrations in progress. Photo by Danny Shuster
In addition to the animations and artwork, you can also check out some of the key equipment and spaces with which Disney animators worked in the earliest days of the studio. The Disney 100 Years of Wonder exhibit includes an animator’s desk, a model of the innovative multiplane camera used for countless Disney films (all starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs).
Learn How Animators and Imagineers Brought Disney Classics to Life
Alongside the artwork, cameras, and even desks involved in creating the first Disney animated films, you’ll also be able to walk through the process of taking concepts from drawings to theme park reality.
Throughout the Disney 100 Years of Wonder exhibit within The Disney Gallery, you’ll be able to see how original animations and concept artwork grew from pen and paper to real-life theme park attractions, landscapes, and interactive experiences. You can see, for example, the inspiration of Sleeping Beauty Castle start with animators and develop into the physical Disneyland landmark with the ingenuity of the Imagineers.
Here’s a look at some of the animation-to-theme-park development that’s on display.
A look at attractions of Disneyland’s past. Photo by Danny Shuster
New attractions are also covered in this 100-year exhibit. Photo by Danny Shuster
Take Your Time Inside The Disney Gallery for the Full Experience
There’s so much to see inside this new Disney100 exhibit at Disneyland! Make sure to save some time during your next visit to wander through the many photos, artifacts, and other key pieces of Disney history living within this show at The Disney Gallery.
While the typical exhibit inside The Disney Gallery features about 35 artifacts and pieces to explore, the Disney 100 Years of Wonder is much more expansive – there are 135 different items to check out! You’ll be able to walk through history, from the earliest days of Disney animation and Disneyland attractions to the present. Take your time so you can catch every special snippet of this exhibit; there’s plenty you won’t want to miss.
Thanks to Disney for hosting us on a 3-day Disney 100 Press Preview at the Disneyland Resort where we we able to learn about the magic behind new offerings like World of Color – ONE, Wondrous Journeys, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, food and merchandise for the celebration. #Disney100 #DisneyParks #Disneyland
