Lost Disneyland: Critter Country Characters Part 2: Turtle Talk

Back in 2009, I wrote a blog post about Lost Disneyland: Critter Country Characters.  It is now 2024, and a lot has changed in regards to Critter Country in Disneyland.  For one, Splash Mountain is no longer  in the United States.  Which is something I predicted would happen back in 2014 (I guessed it would become a Woody's Roundup theme).

Sometimes it takes me a LONG time to find something, as is the case with the plush Turtle that Disneyland sold as part of the launch of Critter Country back in 1989.  There was an entire line of plush Critter Country toys designed for the park, and I remember reading in Disney News Magazine that a Saturday Morning cartoon was also planned.

I grew up in Alabama, so Disneyland in California was not my usual stomping grounds.  But I was able to go in 1989, and I was hoping to visit Splash Mountain on this trip.  Of course, it wasn't open yet, as the ride was delayed due to technical issues.  But I did get to visit the shops near Splash Mountain, The Briar Patch, and Crocodile Mercantile (I'm kicking myself for not buying the Wooden Splash Mountain Yo-Yo they sold there).  I did get a plush, the Critter Country Mouse, which I don't have anymore (visit my link above to see a picture of him).

The Turtle plush sticks out in my mind because I remember children carrying this specific toy around Disneyland.  I've been searching for it for years and just found it on eBay a few days ago.

While I didn't get to ride Splash Mountain in 1989, I was able to return in 1990 to finally ride it.

The announcement of the Rufus the Turtle character for Tiana's Bayou Adventure really reminded me of this Critter Country Turtle.

Disneyland Tomorrowland McDonald's Happy Meal

In 1998, Disneyland park in Anaheim, California got a "New" Tomorrowland.  The area got a bronze "steampunk" look, with inspiration from the Jules Verne feel of Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris that opened in 1992.  Disneyland's new Tomorrowland even got a new "fast" ride called Rocket Rods that took over the old PeopleMover attraction track.  McDonald's promoted the new Tomorrowland, but not in the United States.  This Disneyland Tomorrowland McDonald's Happy Meal was released in Asia.  This particular set is from Thailand.  The four toys interlock to become a little version of Tomorrowland.

The anchor piece of this set is a balancing toy called Minnie's Space Station.

This is marketing at work, as there is no "Space Station" ride in Tomorrowland.  This appears to blend the land's Observatron sculpture with the Astro Orbiter rocket ride.

Here, the Astro Orbiter gets a new name, "Mickey's Astro Rocket."

At Disneyland in California, the Astro Orbiter is at ground level.  In Florida, it is high in the sky on top of the roof of the PeopleMover load station.

Donald's Spinning Saucer is based on...I'm not sure what, actually.  The Flying Saucers ride that existed at Disneyland from 1961 to 1966?

There is a Jet Packs ride at Shanghai Disneyland's Tomorrowland (opened in 2016) and an Alien Spinning Saucers ride coming to Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida (in 2018).

One of the most heavily promoted aspects of the new Tomorrowland was a new "thrill ride" called Rocket Rods.  Here it is called Goofy's Rocket Racer.  This ride took over the old PeopleMover track and was supposed to pop a wheelie and race around Tomorrowland.

Rocket Rods closed for good in 2001, after facing all sorts of technical problems and disappointments.

The "New" Tomorrowland quickly became something in the past.  The concept of Tomorrowland has changed quite a bit at the Disney Parks over the years, and continues to do so.

The Wizarding World Of Six Flags Magic Mountain: A Troll In The Park

In 1971, Magic Mountain amusement park opened in Valencia, California.  In its first year, the park enlisted the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes to greet visitors.  By 1972, Magic Mountain had its own unique mascots, the Trolls.

In addition to the Trolls, there was also a Wizard.

The Wizard was kind of a jerk.

Magic Mountain is a big, beautiful mountain of fun!

The mountain Trolls were mere minutes away from Hollywood.

And yes, you could meet the Wizard and the fuzzy Trolls in person.

Magic Mountain's mascots look a little bit like the love children of The Muppets and H.R. Pufnstuf.

The 1970s were a groovy time to be a long-haired, hippie Troll.

As time marched on, Magic Mountain added more and more thrills.  And the Trolls were everywhere.

This monstrosity is a Magic Mountain Troll Snow Globe that also tells you what day it is.

The Orange Troll is named Bloop and the Girl Troll is named Bleep (I think).

There was also a "teeter totter in a bottle" for Magic Mountain.

This type of gaudy souvenir still exists today---just visit any big tourist trap shop in Florida.

Let's check out what is new in 1974.

Wait an Internet Trollin' minute!  Bloop had his own ride!?!

Yup, the wonderfully named Big Bloop!

Bloop the Troll was the focus of much of the merchandise.

Cuddle with a cute (?) plush Bloop, lovingly made with features applied using a hot glue gun.

Being so close to Hollywood, Magic Mountain has been used in countless movies and TV shows.

The funniest use of Magic Mountain was probably in the 1991 opening credits for the ABC show Step By Step.  The show's creators turned the parking lot into a (very fake) lake.

Magic Mountain was also the star of National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983.

If you want to go to the real Walley World, go to Magic Mountain.

The Wizard and Bloop enjoy Magic Mountain's rides, most of which were made by Arrow Development.

Bloop the Troll has a certain charm to him.

Are you a member of the Troll Patrol?

Bloop is adorable, in a blobby sort of way.

The hills are alive with the sound of screaming (people on roller coasters).

Biker Gang Troll Bloop wants you to drink beer from a Magic Mountain Stein.

It'll put hair on your chest and everywhere else.

Is the Wizard supposed to be a good guy or a bad guy?

The Wizard is kinda creepy.

Bloop is a mellow sort of fellow.

Have you ever heard of a pizza restaurant called Mellow Mushroom?  I feel like Bloop could get a job there.

Magic Mountain was developed by Newhall Land and Farming Company.

In addition to rides, Magic Mountain became famous for its shows.  In the early days, the park's amphitheater hosted performances by Jimmy Durante, Helen Reddy, and Rich Little (if you are young and reading this, you may not know who these people are, but they were all big in the 70s).

I know that Aerosmith played at Magic Mountain at some point.  They mention it during the "Back in the Saddle" song on their "A Little South of Sanity" Live Album.

In 1979, Magic Mountain was sold to Six Flags.

The park became "Six Flags Magic Mountain" in 1980.

The Trolls survived the takeover---for a few years.  Then their world was turned upside down.

In 1985, the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters became the mascots for Six Flags parks.  The Trolls and the Wizard magically vanished.  It is rather ironic that the Looney Tunes were at Magic Mountain in the first year of the park's operation.

The rise and fall of the Trolls at Magic Mountain is not an unusual story in the world of amusement park mascots.  In the recent past, Hanna Barbera and Nickelodeon characters were evicted from the former Paramount Parks chain (Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, California's Great America, and Canada's Wonderland).

As it turns out, the sneaky Trolls weren't completely evicted from Six Flags Magic Mountain.

As of May of 2013, this Troll continues having a magical time on the exit sign for Magic Mountain's Bumper Cars.  Thanks to TokyoMagic! at MeetTheWorldInProgressland.blogspot.com for the picture!

Before Toy Story 2: Knott's Berry Farm in California

The Prospector!  He'll wanna meet ya!

Yodel-ay-hee-hoo!

Oh, that's funny, Bullseye!

What the Pixar?!?

Before Stinky Pete, Jessie and Bullseye, there was Knott's Berry Farm.

Knott's Berry Farm is an amusement park in Buena Park, California.  It started out as a farm selling----yep, berries, in 1920.

The stinky Prospector here is named Whittles.

So how did a berry farm become a theme park?  Why did the chicken cross the road?  It was running for its life to get away from Knott's Berry Farm.

By 1934, Knott's was selling chicken dinners on property.  The dinners were extremely popular.

More diversions were built to give diners something else to do.

In 1952, a replica of a Ghost Town was created to entertain people waiting for the restaurant.

The Ghost Town turned into a Boom Town.  The park also started adding rides.  The Calico Mine Ride opened in 1960 (and still operates today).

Knott's added shops and more attractions over the years.

Would you like a hand-made souvenir to remember your visit?  I would!

Legend has it that these wooden toys were actually made at The Woodcraft Shop at Knott's Berry Farm in the 1940s.

These are amazing!

Playing with these toys will make you think about Knott's Berry Farm or the old Purina Chuck Wagon dog food commercials.

By the 1969, Knott's Berry Farm had become a much bigger destination experience.

This plate has an error, so maybe it is a big collector's item.  It identifies the Timber Mountain Log Ride (from 1969) as the Calico Mine Ride (which opened in 1960).  Oops!

It is souvenir mash-up time!!!  Universal Studios, Knott's Berry Farm, and Magic Mountain together at last!

...AND Busch Gardens!

Things were looking good for Whittles.  Until something big happened.  Something that starts with "S" and is associated with a flying dog.

Sputnik?  No.  Snoopy!

The Beagle had landed.  In 1983, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang set up Camp Snoopy at Knott's Berry Farm.

Knott's Berry Farm gained one of the most popular cartoon characters of all time, kicking the characters from Toy Story 2---I mean the early Knott's Western characters---to the curb.

Today, Snoopy is Top Dog at most Cedar Fair amusement parks (owners of Knott's Berry Farm).  Snoopy rules his own worlds at Planet Snoopy lands at parks like Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds. Cedar Point, Worlds of Fun, Canada's Wonderland, Dorney Park, Valleyfair, and California's Great America.

Aww, look, a cute Knott's Teddy bear.  Or is that a Teddy-berry?

Say, doesn't this look a bit like Duffy, the Disney Bear?

Disney's Jungle Cruise Through Adventureland: Please Exit Through The Gift Shop

The Jungle Cruise attractions at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland don't empty into a big shop selling Jungle Cruise souvenirs, but maybe they should.  After all, the robotic creatures that can be seen on this adventure have become iconic Disney theme park characters.

The Jungle Cruise first opened at Disneyland in Anaheim, California in 1955.  Over the years, it has seen many changes and additions.

This Jungle Cruise map is from 1990.  A big change occurred in 1995 with the opening of Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye (check out the link).

Your Jungle Cruise includes a (hopefully) entertaining Skipper piloting the boat.

The sights and sounds on the Jungle Cruise are unreal.  Literally.

Is that bathing elephant smiling?  Yes, many of the animals are caricatures of the real thing, courtesy of designs by legendary Disney artist Marc Davis.  Davis also brought life to characters in the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Country Bear Jamboree.

Artist Jody Daily brilliantly captures the essence of the Jungle Cruise in miniature pewter form.

When I found this set deep-discounted years ago (over half off the original price!) I did not think twice about purchasing one.

Jody Daily also worked on pewter miniature sets of Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, and they are also incredible.

Watch out for hitchhikers on the Jungle Cruise!

Artist Chris Peterson created a comical Jungle Cruise Harmony Kingdom Box.

Tinkerbell has always been good at multitasking.  She frequently spends time in Adventureland, so she knows her way around the Jungle Cruise.

Minnie, Daisy, Clarabelle and Grandma Duck enjoy "The Scary All-Girl Safari."

When I read this, I imagine Cloris Leachman as the voice of Grandma.

Grandma was a big comic book character in the 1970s.

"That Clarabelle is such a cow!" said Daisy to Minnie, and it could not be taken an insult.

Be sure to see Minnie Moo and Clarabelle Cow at Walt Disney World (check out the link).

True to the Jungle Cruise attraction, the inhabitants of this jungle are a mix from different parts of the world.

The Natives in this story seem to be women from the Amazon by way of Beverly Hills.

I don't want to spoil the end of the story, but I bet nobody sees the plot twist ahead:  All the animals and natives in the jungle are robots!

Not really, but that would have been a nice twist, don't you think?

The Jungle Cruise animals also appeared in coloring books for Disneyland.

The crocodiles want you to give them a hand.  They won't give it back, though.

The elephants enjoy bathing in the river when Jungle Cruise boats pass by.

It's OK to take pictures.  The elephants aren't shy.  They've got their trunks on.

Look out for the charging hippos!

The hippos are only dangerous when they open their mouths and wiggle their ears.

An earlier version of Disneyland's Jungle Cruise Gorilla is famous because it looked a bit like someone created an animatronic gorilla without using a photo of a real gorilla as a reference.

This Gorilla is from a 1983 Disneyland coloring book, but it reminds me of the original gorilla.

Disneyland Guidebooks from 1990 had some great watercolor illustrations, including some colorful Adventureland animals.

Here we see Disneyland's Adventureland before Indiana Jones and Tarzan moved to the neighborhood.

Look, it's an Adventureland Pen and Pin set!  The Bobblehead pen was part of a 50th Anniversary Disneyland set that included the Abominable Snowman from the Matterhorn, Tinkerbell, a Haunted Mansion Ghost, and a Hula Girl from It's A Small World.

The pins depict some of the art and signs that have been found at Disneyland's Adventureland.

Let's discover a 1983 map of Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida.  The Adventureland logo features Shere Khan the Tiger from The Jungle Book, but you won't find him here.  There is a store called Colonel Hathi's, though.

To see Adventureland in Japan (Shere Khan appeared in the Adventureland logo there, too), check out A Tokyo Disneyland Guide To Fun (Circa 1990).

You'll find the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland.  But you'll no longer find the Barker Bird macaw at any of them.  He was positioned outside to draw curious visitors to the show.

All together!  In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room!

The Tiki characters were designed by artist Rolly Crump.

The Disney Catalog sold some nifty Tiki stuff (and Jungle Cruise items) circa 2005.

The Tiki Room Attraction Host Shirt is a work of art.

Jody Daily created an amazing version of the Tiki Room's Tangaroa Treee.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to snack on a tasty, cool Dole Whip under the Tangaroa Tree on a warm summer night.

You won't find the Jungle Cruise or the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland Paris in France.  That's because it gets really cold there.  Someone would have to break the icicles off the necks of the giraffes, shake the snow off the elephants and crack the ice around the hippos every day in Winter.

You know how difficult it is to start your car in the morning on a cold day?  Imagine starting up a bunch of mechanical elephants that squirt water!*

*That's not really the reason why they aren't in France.  Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.  Bonjour!  Another theme park in France adapted the Jungle Cruise concept as a ride before Disneyland Paris (then called Euro Disneyland) opened in 1992.

This concludes the Jungle Cruise.  If you would like to sponsor an animal on the Jungle Cruise, please donate $1 a day to the Jungle Cruise Maintenance Fund.  Your donation will supply an animatronic animal with oil needed to keep its mechanical gears in good working order.  Thank you.