Disneyland Turns 70: Last Living Original Builder Bob Gurr & Others Share What It Really Took to Build the Park (Exclusive)
Once upon a time, a genius by the name of Walt Disney had a dream … it was called Disneyland. In celebration of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary — the park opened on July 17, 1955 — ReMIND Magazine talks with the only living original builder himself, Bob Gurr, along with several other Disney legends, who give us a rare look inside how the park started, evolved and thrived for the past seven decades.
Walt Disney certainly left us with an extraordinary gift of what has come to be known worldwide as “The Happiest Place on Earth” with Disneyland.
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Renowned Disney-themed book author Dave Bossert sums up the magical place like this: “Disneyland is so much more than just an amusement park; it was meticulously designed as a dreamscape that reflects American values. Walt Disney created a living, breathing storybook version of America based on fantasy and nostalgia within a vision of optimism — the optimism of hope.”
The maker of this globally popular resort had a lot of help “imagineering” what has touched the hearts of millions for three quarters of a century. Among them were Roger Broggie, the first Disney Imagineer; Disney Legends Bob Gurr and Rolly Crump; and Margaret Kerry-Boeke, Disney’s original Tinker Bell.
Gurr, Kerry-Boeke, Broggie’s grandson Steve and Crump’s son Chris, along with Bossert (who also served as head of special projects at Walt Disney Animation Studios), share their experiences here.
When Michael Eisner said, “Without him, Disneyland wouldn’t have happened,” he was referring to Roger Broggie, who was running the machine shop building things for Disney Studios and for Walt’s new “park.” “People shooting TV shows and movies on the lot used to complain about all the racket of this Disneyland business going on!” Steve Broggie, Roger’s grandson, interjects.
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“When people came over to Walt’s house [on Carolwood Drive in Holmby Hills], he wanted them to have something to do and everybody else had these little railroads. His friend Ollie Johnston had one and Ward Kimball [who originally piqued Walt’s interest in trains] had a full-size one in his backyard, so Walt said, ‘Well I want one too!’” Disney had concepts; Broggie made them a reality. “Walt knew he wanted a railroad to go around the perimeter of his new park; my grandfather made it happen,” Steve explains. “A lot of the parts for the steam engine Walt wanted were not available, so it was up to Roger and his crew to build them at the studio. The railroad tracks for Disneyland were always in the way because they were being stored on the soundstages!”
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There weren’t high hopes for the park surviving at first …
Bob Gurr, now 93 and the only living builder of the park left, was the first one hired to work on building Disneyland.
“There were only seven people from outside the company and 11 from inside reassigned to Walt’s private WED Enterprises,” he shares.
Disney put Gurr in charge of building Autopia, an attraction still popular today. Did he think Disneyland would be celebrating 70 years? “Not at all!” Gurr exclaims. “A lot of things broke down during that first month. I was there seven days a week, working with my own tools until we got more mechanics to help.”
Bob Gurr, age 93, is the only living original creator of Disneyland. Credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
It was at that point Gurr began to think Disneyland was not going to make it. “The alligators died of sand in their bearings that first week on Jungle Cruise … Out of the 37 vehicles in Autopia, only three were left running by Friday!”
Kerry-Boeke recalls similar feelings: “At the time Disneyland opened, the board didn’t think it was going to be a success, so you didn’t see Mickey, Minnie or any of those characters at Disneyland.” She was there, however. “You only saw Jiminy Cricket and me greeting people as Tinker Bell.” Disney finally made the decision to have people from the amusement park industry come in, which Gurr refers to as “a bunch of mom-and-pop places and Coney Island types.” The Phantom Boats in Tomorrowland’s lagoon failed, more room was needed for Autopia, and Stage Coach Frontierland, deemed too dangerous, was replaced with the Rainbow Mountain Stage Coaches.
Hope restored …
In the fall of 1956, Disney came into Gurr’s office and casually announced, “Bobby, this is the first year we didn’t go bankrupt.” Gurr explains, “In the movie business, you make a lot of money and then the money disappears when you’re making your next film. Every year, Disney Studios lost money. Walt took a chance and added Disneyland, which actually made 1956 successful even though a lot of money was spent!” Confidence rose, which led to the next wave of attractions. “In 1959, Walt was able to have a second opening with Submarine Voyage, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Fantasyland Autopia and the Monorail that really elevated the significance of the park,” conveys Bossert, whose recent works include Claude Coats: Walt Disney’s Imagineer and 3D Disneyland.
Continued innovations …
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“The Enchanted Tiki Room” featuring talking birds emerged in 1963, debuting a whole new concept. “Audio animatronics were created in my grandfather’s shop,” Steve Broggie recalls. “It began with those birds.” Roger Broggie was also asked by Walt to bring a revered president to life for one of Disney’s four exhibits at 1964’s World’s Fair, Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln; afterwards, it moved to Disneyland and made permanent. Dozens of audio animatronics were also implemented into the final attraction Walt provided complete supervision for, Pirates of the Caribbean.
It’s a Small World was another exhibit Disney hosted at the World’s Fair and moved to Disneyland, where its 14K gold facade still glistens today; it was designed by Rolly Crump. According to his son Chris, the interior of It’s a Small World was his dad’s favorite. “His contributions to that ride are what he called ‘the toys.’ Dad was in charge of all the things that didn’t move and made many of them himself. They are still in there today!”
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The Haunted Mansion, also designed by Crump, debuted in 1969 and featured yet another invention: the Omnimover, more commonly known as the “Doom Buggy.” Steve Broggie said, “This was another one of my grandfather’s contributions to the park. Bob Gurr designed the outer part of the ride vehicle, but the undercarriage and electronics, that’s Roger and his team!”
Disneyland’s longevity …
Steve Broggie believes his grandfather Roger would be surprised that a lot of things have lasted this long. “It shows how important maintenance and upkeep really are. He knew Disneyland was special back then, but if he could see how Disneyland has become such an insane cultural phenomenon, [how] it has practically become part of our DNA, he would be like, ‘Whoa!!’” Then he adds, “I love walking into Pirates and seeing my grandfather’s name on the rededication plaque for the engineers who built that ride for Walt.” His family’s legacy continues at Disney. “There is still a Broggie at the studio shop; my cousin Garry was the head of it last time I checked!”
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Disneyland was always Rolly Crump’s favorite park, according to his son Chris. “Dad always believed there’s an intimacy to Disneyland unlike other parks, including the other Disney parks. For example, the castle at Walt Disney World in Florida is much higher than Disneyland’s; the smaller size of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle has a certain emotional charm to it.”
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Gurr, the only living builder of the park left, says the Disneyland Fire Engine on Main Street is what he treasures most. “One day I jokingly said, ‘Walt, we don’t have a fire engine on Main Street anymore.’ He paused and said [doing his best imitation of his boss], ‘Nooooooo, Bobby, we don’t!’ About 20 minutes later I get a call from accounting giving me the project number for the new fire engine. We built it at the Disney Studios, I drove it down the 5 freeway, delivered it to Disneyland in July 1958, and it’s been there ever since. That’s MY fire engine!” With tears in his eyes, he adds, “The last photograph of Walt at Disneyland is in that fire engine in front of the castle with his friend Mickey Mouse.”
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