Yep, there was once a bank inside Disneyland, but it’s long gone. Here’s why it was there and what happened to it…
If you had the privilege of going to Disneyland before 1993 you might have noticed the bank on Main Street, this bank was more than just any old bank. It helped build the Disney dream. If it weren’t for this partnership between Bank of America and Disney the park probably would not be there today, at least not the extravagant park we all know and love.
On Main Street, you can see that Disney has its own mail service and you can send a letter right from the park. Before 1993 you could also cash a check, exchange currency, and take out cash at the park bank.
Read more to learn the rich history of this bank on Main Street and how the relationship between Disneyland Bank of America was imperative to the Disneyland we all know and love today.
Is There a Bank in Disneyland Now?
Photo courtesy of Amazon
The bank on Main Street Disneyland opened on July 17th, 1955, and lasted until July 28th, 1993.
It was one of the longest-running participants at Disneyland and one of the only banks to be open on Sundays and Holidays in accordance with the park. This bank was crucial to the funding for several attractions such as “It’s a Small World” from 1966 to 1992.
The bank is no longer in Disneyland but closed on good terms. A spokesperson from Bank of America; Adrian Rodriguez said that the decision was a mutual one but the relationship Bank of America has with Disney is still solid and will continue to be. There was some talk of another bank potentially re-opening in Disneyland in the following years. However, unfortunately, that idea never came to life and there is still no bank in Disneyland.
Funding Walt’s Hollywood Dream
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Bank of America become part of the Disney family due to a deal made by Walt’s financial genius brother, Roy Disney. But long before then Bank of America and Disney had a relationship.
In the 30s Walt made a proposal to the bank to borrow money when he was short on money for the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs movie. The bank agreed after hearing his proposal. Walt was great at showing people how he could make magic come to life.
After this, Bank of America helped fund several more Disney movies such as Fantasia, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Bambi. This started the foundation of the relationship between the Bank of America and Disney and what gave the visionary who is Walt Disney the tools to build “The Happiest Place On Earth”.
Why Bank of America?
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Why bank of America? Out of all the banks to have at Disneyland why did Walt choose this one?
By the time Walt needed funding for Disneyland they already had a positive financial relationship because Bank of America helped him fund his movies. Also, this was personal to Walt as Bank of America was the bank he had used for his personal endeavors long before any business relationship with the company.
They had a good level of trust with one another and Walt also probably felt emotionally tied to the bank as this company finally took a chance on his dream. Before Bank of America, Walt was turned down by 300 different banks when he was trying to get funding for the Mickey Mouse dream. Due to these factors, Bank of America and Disney Corp became a fine duo for years to come.
Saying Goodbye to the Bank on Main Street
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
After 38 years of partnership, the 1900s-style Bank of America closed in Disneyland.
What we know is that the closing was a mutual decision on behalf of both Bank of America and Disney. Representatives from both sources never cared to elaborate on why the bank was closing but stated that in doing so the relationship between Disney and Bank of America is still strong and that the separation did not indicate any bad blood whatsoever.
Prior to the closing of the bank, the move was under discussion for several years, so in no way was it a spontaneous decision. In the same year BankAmerica Corp (the bank’s parent company) had closed down hundreds of branches in California in that same year due to its 4.5 billion acquisition of Security Pacific Corp.
Because of this, it wasn’t too odd that the Disneyland branch closed down. My guess is that the branch was simply no longer worth the profit it was bringing in and for Disney, well it was a large enough corporation at this point and no longer needed financial assistance from the bank to promote and fund magical endeavors.
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Today in Disney History: April 12, 1992: Disneyland Paris Opening Day
