Jump to content

Frontierland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kycook (talk | contribs) at 19:17, 26 June 2010 (Undid revision 370262296 by 69.119.147.233 (talk)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the closed theme park in Morecambe, England, see Frontierland, Morecambe.
Frontierland
File:Disneyland Frontierland.png
Ride statistics
Theme1800s American West

Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Magic Kingdom-style parks run by Disney around the world. Themed to the American west in the 1800s, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and pioneers, saloons, red rock buttes and gold rushes. Every instance of Frontierland has a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and a stretch of riverfront. Other attractions sometimes found in this land include Splash Mountain, the Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer Island, and a steam-powered riverboat.

Disneyland

Frontierland

Frontierland first appeared in Disneyland as one of five original themed lands. Conceived by Walt Disney, the land did not initially contain many attractions, but centered on open expanses of wilderness which could be traversed by guests via stagecoach, pack mules and walking trails. The Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland opened in 1960, consisting of a sedate train ride around various western landscape dioramas. The Mine Train closed in 1977 to make way for a new attraction; the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which opened in 1979.

Disneyland also once had a Marshal's office, honoring Waillard P. Bounds, Walt's father-in-law, who was actually a U. S. Marshal. Disneyland's Frontierland gateway is constructed of ponderosa pine logs. The land's long shoreline along the Rivers of America is considered a prime viewing location for the nighttime Fantasmic! show. The docks to both the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Sailing Ship Columbia, (a replica of American explorer Robert Gray's 18th century ship that circumnavigated the globe) are located here, and Tom Sawyer Island in the river's center is also considered a property of Frontierland

Frontierland's buildings have lots of detail too. On the roof of the Westward Ho Trading Co., there are elk or deer antlers. Elk antlers were commonly placed on general stores in the old west so cowboys coming into town immediately knew where to get supplies. Also in Frontierland is a building that has a large sign that says "Laod Bhang Co. Fireworks Factory". Plus, at the storefront marked "Crockett and Russel Hat Co.", you'll find a window honoring Fess Parker, who played Davy Crockett in Walt Disney's Davy Crockett. Frontierland borders Fantasyland (via the Big Thunder Trail), New Orleans Square and Adventureland, and connects to the Central Plaza through an iconic set of fort-style gates.

Attractions

Dining

  • The Golden Horseshoe Cafe
  • Stage Door Cafe
  • Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante
  • River Belle Terrace
  • Conestoga Fries

Shopping

  • Bonanza Outfitters
  • Westward Ho Trading Company
  • Pioneer Mercantile

Former Attractions

  • Mike Fink Keel Boats
  • Golden Horseshoe Saloon
  • Davy Crockett Museum
  • Mule Pack
  • Stage Coach
  • Conestoga Wagons
  • Rainbow Caverns Mine Train
  • Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland
  • Mineral Hall
  • Indian War Canoes
  • Indian Village
  • Little Patch of Heaven Petting Farm

The Magic Kingdom

Frontierland
Magic Kingdom's Big Thunder Mountain

See also: Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history

Walt Disney World opened its Magic Kingdom in 2010, complete with Frontierland. This instance began with only three attractions; the Walt Disney World Railroad station, Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes which operated until 1994 and the world debut of the Country Bear Jamboree. Tom Sawyer Island opened two years later in 1973. The northwestern end of the park was supposed to receive a massive, pavilion-style "E ticket" attraction, which was never built. (See also Western River Expedition) The area sat empty until Big Thunder Mountain Railroad made its debut in 1980.

Little change would be made to the land for the next eleven years. In 1991, construction began on Splash Mountain, and the western end of the land with the exception of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was demolished and rebuilt from scratch, including the existing Walt Disney World Railroad station and parade access road. Splash Mountain (and the new two-story Railroad station) opened in September 1992. Frontierland borders Adventureland on the south, Liberty Square on the east, and the Rivers of America on the north.

Attractions

Dining

  • Golden Oak Outpost
  • Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café
  • Westward Ho
  • The Diamond Horseshoe

Shopping

  • Big Al's
  • Briar Patch
  • Frontier Trading Post
  • Prairie Outpost and Supply
  • Splash Mountain Shop

Tokyo Disneyland

Westernland
See also: Tokyo Disneyland attraction and entertainment history
Big Thunder Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland

Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America. Other than differences in placement, and minor variations in color, theming and name, the land is very similar to the Frontierland and Liberty Square areas of the Magic Kingdom.

Attractions

Dining

  • Plaza Pavilion Restaurant
  • Slue-Foot Sue's Diamond Horseshoe
  • Pecos Bill Cafe
  • Mile Long Bar
  • Hungry Bear Restaurant
  • Lucky Nugget Cafe
  • The Canteen
  • Chuck Wagon

Shopping

  • Frontier Woodcraft
  • Western Wear
  • General Store
  • Westernland Picture Parlour
  • Trading Post
  • Country Bear Bandwagon

Disneyland Park (Paris)

Frontierland
File:FL Paris.jpg

Located in the area that is traditionally occupied by Adventureland, Frontierland at Disneyland Park opened with Euro Disneyland in 1992. Unlike all of the other instances, this instance has an elaborate backstory concerning the town of Thunder Mesa, founded by Henry Ravenswood to support the mining of Big Thunder Mountain. This backstory also serves as the foundation for several of the attractions, such as the Phantom Manor. The land is the largest of all of the Frontierlands thus far, containing the entire Rivers of the Far West within its borders.

Two riverboats circle the river here, the Molly Brown and the Mark Twain. Critter Coral was an old area of the land coverted into Woody Roundup, a meet and greet area with Woody from Toy Story and Jesse from Toy Story 2. The land is converted into 'Halloweenland' in October, with many pumpkins and other scary characters lurking around every corner. Frontierland borders Adventureland and the Central Plaza of Main Street USA via Fort Comstock.

In October 2008, for the first time in Disney history Jack Skellington and Sally from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas made appearances as meet and greet characters in Frontierland's halloween overlay. They were situated outside Phantom Manor.

Attractions

Dining

  • Silver Spur Steakhouse
  • The Lucky Nugget Saloon
  • Cowboy Cookout Barbecue
  • Fuente del Oro Restaurante
  • Last Chance Cafe
  • Mrs Winner's Hot Dogs

Shopping

  • Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building
  • Big Thunder Photographer
  • Tobias Norton & Sons
  • Bonanza Outfitters
  • Eureka Mining Supplies
  • Legends of Hollywood

Former Attractions

Hong Kong Disneyland

Grizzly Gulch

Hong Kong Disneyland does not have a Frontierland or Critter Country, although there will be a similar land that is planned in construction called "Grizzly Gulch" that will open up not before 2012. The path along the themed land offers high-spirited frontier fun in an abandoned mining town called Grizzly Gulch, set amidst mountains and woods. The town was founded August 8, 1888 – the luckiest day of the luckiest month of the luckiest year – by prospectors looking to discover gold. Bears have now started causing havoc at the Big Grizzly Mountain Mining Company.

Attractions

Dining

  • The Salon

Shopping

  • Bear Necessities
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frontierland&oldid=370290781"