Mickey's Toontown

This article is about Mickey's Toontown in Disney resorts. For the online game, see Toontown Online.
Mickey's Toontown

The entrance sign at Disneyland in California
Magic Kingdom
Status Closed
Opening date June 18, 1988
Replaced by New Fantasyland
Disneyland
Status Operating
Opening date January 24, 1993
Tokyo Disneyland
Status Operating
Opening date April 15, 1996
General Statistics
Theme Town themed off of classic Disney cartoons

Mickey's Toontown is a "themed land" at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, two theme parks operated by The Walt Disney Company. At Tokyo Disneyland, this land is named Toontown. A similar land existed at the Magic Kingdom until 2011 and was named Mickey's Toontown Fair.

The attraction is a small-scale recreation of the Mickey Mouse universe where visitors can meet the characters and visit their homes which are constructed in a cartoonish style. It was inspired by the supposedly real-world location of "Toontown" from the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) in which cartoon characters live apart from humans.

History and concept

Downtown Toontown in Disneyland, California.

Roger Rabbit was recognized as a lucrative character by Disney after the release of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and an ambitious set of attractions based on the movie was developed for Disney theme parks. Roger Rabbit was even set to be the star of his own land, behind Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland, called Hollywoodland. Meanwhile, at the Magic Kingdom, a new land behind Fantasyland was being developed in honor of Mickey Mouse's sixtieth birthday, aptly named Mickey's Birthdayland. There were also set to be attractions based on Roger Rabbit, Judge Doom, and Baby Herman opening in a major expansion at the Disney's Hollywood Studios and Tokyo Disneyland, but after the financial disaster of the Euro Disney Resort, plans were dramatically cut back.

Hollywoodland was combined with the concept of Mickey's Birthdayland, as well as a concept found in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, to form Mickey's Toontown, which opened in 1993 behind Fantasyland at Disneyland. The attractions at Disney-MGM Studios were canceled, but an exact replica of Mickey's Toontown opened at Tokyo Disneyland in 1996. Disneyland Paris features a similar 'Toon Studio'. Walt Disney World and Hong Kong Disneyland are the only Disney resorts to have neither a Toontown or Toon Studio.

Magic Kingdom

At the Magic Kingdom, Mickey's Toontown Fair (now Storybook Circus) initially opened as Mickey's Birthdayland on June 18, 1988. It became Mickey's Starland on May 26, 1990, and was briefly renamed Mickey's Toyland in late 1995.[1] The land was closed in early 1996 for an extensive refurbishment, and on October 1, 1996, it reopened as Mickey's Toontown Fair for the park's 25th anniversary. Its storyline portrayed the land as the holiday home for the characters who reside at Mickey's Toontown in California.

Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed on February 11, 2011 in order to build the Fantasyland extension. Some elements of Mickey's Toontown Fair have been demolished and others have been re-themed to a new Storybook Circus area. The Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride was removed from Fantasyland and rebuilt in Storybook Circus, the new version doubling the capacity of the old ride and incorporating an interactive queue. The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm has been re-themed to The Barnstormer featuring Goofy as the Great Goofini. The first half of Storybook Circus opened on March 12, 2012, which included the newly themed "The Great Goofini", the Storybook Circus train station which was completely rebuilt and also one half of the new Dumbo ride. The second phase of Storybook Circus, including the second half of Dumbo, the indoor queue area, and the Casey Jr Splash 'n' Soak Station opened on July 2012.

Former attractions and entertainment

Former shops

Disneyland

Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland

Mickey's Toontown opened in Disneyland on January 24, 1993.[2] The area is inspired by Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and resembles a set from a Max Fleischer cartoon. The buildings are stylized and colorful. There are several attractions involving classic cartoon characters, such as the houses of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and a small children's coaster. There are a few interactive gags. Compared to other Disneyland areas however, there are few large or technically complex rides or shows, and the houses themselves appeal primarily as play areas for small children.

An early entry event called Toontown Morning Madness was held here for guests booking travel with the American Automobile Association (AAA) or book a vacation package with the Walt Disney Travel Company. However, Morning Madness has been discontinued as of 2013 as Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning are now offered.[3]

Attractions and entertainment

Former attractions and entertainment

Restaurants and refreshments

Shops

Tokyo Disneyland

Toontown at Tokyo Disneyland

Toontown (Japanese language: トゥーンタウン) opened in Tokyo Disneyland on April 15, 1996. It is essentially a copy of Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland, with a mirror image of its layout.

Attractions and entertainment

Former attractions and entertainment

Restaurants and refreshments

Shops

Disneyland Paris

In the Walt Disney Studios Park, there is a mural partially based on Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Toontown called Toontown Studio.

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mickey's Toontown Fair Train Station at Yesterland. Yesterland.com. Retrieved on September 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ Mickey's Toontown - Disneyland Park California. Wdwinfo.com. Retrieved on September 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ Early Admission Options | Disneyland Resort. Disneyland.disney.go.com. Retrieved on September 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ Narrow gauge, "other" section
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