With all the rides and attractions at the Disneyland Resort, there are a lot of secrets that come along with them. Today I would like to talk about the attraction that I have enjoyed since it opened in 1983. This attraction is Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.
5 Secrets of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
History
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is a dark ride at Disneyland. What this means is instead of using traditional lighting to light up the scenes, they paint the scenes with blacklight reactive paint. This illuminates in the dark to help make you feel immersed in the story. I like when all the white in my clothes and shoes glow.
This attraction is based on the second Walt Disney animated classic movie, Pinocchio, that came out in 1940. It is a story about an old woodcarver that carved a puppet out of wood and then he wishes the puppet was a real boy. The Blue Fairy comes and makes Pinocchio animated, but not a real boy.
Yet…
First, he has to prove himself to be brave, honest, and unselfish. Then trouble ensues.
If you haven’t seen this animated classic film, you should! It is a wonderful film full of lessons.
First Secret
While Fantasyland still has the most opening day attractions in operation today, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is not one of them. It was not added until the redesigned Fantasyland opened in 1983. It replaced the Mickey Mouse Club theatre that had been occupying that spot previously.
If you are interested in finding out more about the opening day attractions that are still open, you can find it in a recent article I did called 12 Opening Day Attractions that Still Exist Today in Disneyland.
Second Secret
Another secret or a fact that you may not know about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is regarding the song “When You Wish Upon a Star”. It was written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington. This song (which is in the attraction), won an Academy Award for Best Song in 1940. In addition to the song being used in the movie and the ride, it was used in countless Walt Disney Television shows in the ’50s and ’60s.
Third Secret
The third secret you may not know about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is that it is the first attraction in Disneyland to use holographic material. During the scene in Pleasure Island when Pinocchio and his friend turn into donkeys, Lampwick is holding a mirror. The holographic material is the mirror part. He looks normal in the mirror but when he turns toward you, he is a donkey. It is a very cool and effective illusion.
Fourth Secret
The next secret about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is regarding the characters inside of this attraction. There are 32 animated characters. It also has 29 unique props throughout the attraction. There is so much to see during this adventure!
Fifth Secret
Finally, while this post is about the secrets of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, incidentally with this next one, it is probably not much of a secret. Maybe more of a did you notice this before?
Each ride vehicle has carvings on the side. They are of Cleo, Figaro, and Jiminy Cricket. If you haven’t noticed, (or even if you have), be sure to take a look at the carvings. It is pretty amazing all the details that go into the attractions at Disneyland.
In Conclusion
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is a lovely ride that opened in 1983. Beloved characters from a classic animated movie with an award-winning song. This attraction has a lot of details for you to discover.
Questions or Comments
I hope that you enjoyed today’s post. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
For the most up to date information on the Disneyland Resort, check out the official Disneyland website here.
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