O.K. Oldies, it’s time to recall something we all enjoyed as kids and something we can enjoy again as bigger kids. I’m talking about the Prince Charming Regal Carousel which I think should still be called Cinderella’s Golden Carousel but they didn’t ask my opinion or give me a vote. Actually it’s Carousels in general or Hobby Horses or whatever your particular regional term was for these attractions. Although they don’t take your breath away with thrills they do provide a pleasant diversion while at the Magic Kingdom while bringing back some wonderful childhood memories.
I’m going to be giving you a lot of facts that you can use to impress your grand kids and blow them away with your vast knowledge. I do want to credit a couple of sources that helped me put together and organize the facts. These sources are: The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness and The Walt Disney World Trivia Book both Volumes 1 and 2 by Lou Mongello. These are great resources for studying Walt Disney World. Let’s start with the carousel itself and then progress on to the horses:
- It was originally built in 1917 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and served the guests of two amusement parks before being discovered and purchased by the Imagineers in 1967.
- During it’s complete restoration there were 18 hand painted wooden panels added telling the story of Cinderella. Make sure you look for them next time, they are beautiful.
- There are 2325 lights on the carousel.
- There are 26 different songs played on the carousel, all except 2 of them came from many of Disney’s animated features. The 2 that didn’t come from the animated films are “Chim Chim Cheree” and “Feed The Birds” both from Mary Poppins.
Now a little bit about the horses:
- There are 90 hand carved horses, 72 of them were salvaged from the original carousel and Disney worked their magic to supply the rest.
- There are five concentric circles of horses (18 horses in each circle) and they go from larger ones on the outside circle to smaller more kiddie accessible ones on the inside circle. Cinderella’s horse is in the second circle from the outside and has a golden ribbon on its tail. All 90 of the horses are different.
- Each of the horses took at least 48 hours of work to repaint ant the paint jobs were embellished with real silver, bronze, and 23 carat gold leaf.
- Just one more, there is a special group of cast members whose sole job is to polish the brass poles that support the horses – every single day!!
Now you know as much as I do about Cinderella’s (SORRY) The Prince Charming Regal Carousel and you are now certified to amaze your family and friends with your vast knowledge. All kidding aside, take a couple of spins on the carousel and remember what life was like in a slower less complicated time. I promise you it will renew a lot of the most pleasant memories of your childhood and give you a chance to relate to your grand kids on an entirely different level. As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!
Ken
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