Photo by Fred M. Nelson, Sr., 1959

Cinderella’s Castle and the Skyway

Here at Yesterland, there’s a ride that provides an overhead view of the intricate miniature buildings and landscapes of Storybook Land—not the water-level view from the Storybook Land Canal Boats or the slightly elevated view from the Casey Jr. Circus Train enjoyed by Disneyland guests.

There are actually two such Yesterland rides—if you count the Skyway to Fantasyland and the Skyway to Tomorrowland separately.

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Casey Jones Jr. R.R.

Welcome aboard Yesterland’s Skyway. Frankly, you won’t see much of the little cottages from up here, and Cinderella’s Castle loses much of the forced perspective that makes it look bigger than it really is from down below. But you’ll get a great overview of Storybook Land as a whole—and the backstage areas behind it.

Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1959, courtesy of Robin Runck

Circle D Ranch, backstage beyond Storybook Land

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Cinderella’s Castle at the northern edge of the park

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

A closer look at Cinderella’s Castle

Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor

Cinderella’s Castle high atop a mountain

You can also take in the view beyond the berm of the park. This park is located in an area that’s primarily agricultural. There are residential areas to the north. Good luck finding anything more that two stories high—unless you want to use “stories” to measure the height of the eucalyptus windbreaks that separate the orange groves to the east.

Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1959, courtesy of Robin Runck

The French village at the base of Cinderella’s Castle

Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor

Crazy Quilt Country

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Another look at Crazy Quilt Country

Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1959, courtesy of Robin Runck

A different angle on Crazy Quilt Country

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Storybook Land and rural land to its north

Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1959, courtesy of Robin Runck

Storybook Land and beyond

There’s a good view of the queue for the Storybook Land Canal Boats from up here.

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Monstro the whale, who swallows canal boats

Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor

Another look at Monstro the Whale

Guests who don’t have a “D” ticket left in their ticket books can buy their ride tickets at a ticket booth that looks like a traditional red-and-white-striped lighthouse. Then they board a boat right in front of the gaping mouth and menacing teeth of Monstro the Whale from Pinocchio.

Photo by Paul Groves, 1958

Fantasyland Station (top) and Storybook Land Canal Boats queue (lower right)

The little yellow barn near the canal is part of the Midget Autopia. If they ever get rid of the Midget Autopia, that might be a good place for the Storybook Land Canal Boats queue.

At Disneyland, the Storybook Land Canal Boats and the Skyway had a lot in common. Both opened within days of each other—June 18, 1956 for the former and June 23, 1956 for the latter.

The Spring 1958 issue of Disneyland’s promotional Disneyland Holiday magazine used these words to describe the finished product:

Storybook Land, inside Fantasyland, is one of Disneyland’s finest examples of the Disney magic in artistry and the creation of unique and entertaining attractions.

A kingdom in miniature, Storybook Land presents life-like re-creations of villages, castles, houses and other buildings from the pages of fabled stories—scene after scene of painstakingly detailed settings.

If you’ve ever wanted to actually see, from close up, Geppetto’s Village high in the snow covered Alps; Kensington Gardens from the story of Peter Pan; the straw, stick and brick houses of the Three Little Pigs; and the Crazy Quilt Country from “Wynken, Blinken and Nod,” they’re all there—along with many more—in Storybook Land.

Gaily painted, picturesque European canal boats take visitors through the mouth of Monstro the Whale into this wonderful world.

The same Disneyland Holiday article even mentioned the Skyway above Storybook Land:

Fantasyland is literally alive with activity. From the Swiss Chalet, the exciting Skyway carries its passengers high above Disneyland to Tomorrowland. Below, the unique cars of Casey Jr. train huff and puff up hills and down, over bridges and through valleys.

The Skyway carried its final guests on November 9, 1994, but Storybook Land continues to delight guests five decades after it opened. Landmarks from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Frozen have joined the classic miniatures that received Walt Disney’s personal attention.

But why are the village and the Beast’s castle from Beauty and the Beast missing?

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Storybook Land, Class of ’55 Skyway to Tomorrowland Home

© 2015-2020 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks

Updated January 3, 2020.