“Blue Sky and Preliminary Cartography”

Mapping Disneyland has been a tradition since the earliest planning and developmental stages of Walt Disney’s magic kingdom. Some of the first illustrated “maps” were prepared by subcontracted architectural firms as William Pereira and Charles Luckman Were among the first to draw Disneyland. However, Walt never got cottoned to the idea of using outside “experts” to dream up his park.

In 1952, Walt Disney soon founded Walt Disney Incorporated which would be the design firm for Disneyland, Inc.

The following year of 1953, Walt Disney Inc. became WED Enterprises, after the initials of Walt’s name — Walter Elias Disney. The future site of Disneyland was like “a piece of clay” and Walt’s team of artists were soon to lay their first indelible impressions into it, and start forming a magic kingdom!

In May 1953, Walt hired 20th Century Fox Art Director Marvin Aubrey Davis, who joined the team, creating many fresh concepts and innovate designs. Master planning began, and Marvin worked alongside other individuals like J.E. Thomasson (e.g. who drew the Site Work Plot Plan for Fire Protection Utilities).

Marvin Davis completed the plot plan (below) which contains many unique features. The Opera House is labelled “motion picture exhibit building”. Snow Mountain towers over Holiday Park, Fantasyland has an “Archery Range” to the East, and the Band Stand is near the Root Beer Garden. Backstage East, there are a few “temporary construction buildings” near the Administration Building”. Lastly, there is a “Temporary Heliport” outside the periphery (close to its “permanent” location), near the Richfield property.

Below, is another “Disneyland Plot Plan” drawn by Marvin Davis, and completed by June 14, 1955.

Next, there was the talented Herbert Ryman. Herb had originally joined the Disney Studio back in 1938, after Walt saw a public show of his work in New York. (At the time, Herb's paintings were being exhibited with those of another up and coming artist, Andrew Wyeth.) Herb Ryman acted as art director for such films as Fantasia and Dumbo, but had left Walt Disney Studios in 1946, and by 1953, was employed by 20th Century Fox.

However, in September 1953, Walt reached out to Herb and during one weekend a historic drawing of the Park was produced. Some of these very concepts and influential thematic elements of other contributing artists can be seen in the first “Aerial View Over Disneyland” drawing produced by Herbert Ryman in 1954. The latter was published in a number of publications (like Popular Mechanics Magazine of December, 1954) and its brown lines were reproduced in T/O (brownline or translucent ozalid) form.

Fellow 20th Century Fox Art Director Stan Jolley was recruited by Herb Ryman and helped “map” Disneyland. He and a team of artists were assigned to work on True-Life Adventureland, and these ones “toiled over their drawing boards from dawn until sundown, creating thousands of sketches” in order to pitch their countless ideas to Walt.

Above, the name Ronald A. White appears on a Plot Plan of Disneyland. Ronald and others helped to plan and “map” Disneyland before ground was broken and were instrumental to the construction that would make Walt’s dream a reality.

“Aerial Over Disneyland (Daytime)” by Peter Ellenshaw, 1954.

In 1954, Peter Ellenshaw painted the two maps (pictured above and below) which introduced television audiences to daytime and nighttime views of Walt Disney’s Disneyland.

“Aerial Over Disneyland (Nighttime)” by Peter Ellenshaw, 1954.

Within these colorful representations were the originally intended cardinal lands and landmark attractions, along with the peripheral groves and parking areas.

Soon Ellenshaw’s work appeared in several pre-opening, newspaper excerpts and magazine articles, which gave readers a preview of Disneyland.

Peter Ellenshaw’s Aerial Over Disneyland was published in inserts that promoted Walt Disney Productions’ newest form of family entertainment.

Another pre-opening advertisement published Spring 1955 showcased Peter Ellenshaw’s black-light painted map of Disneyland Park, that was featured on Walt Disney’s Disneyland television anthology series. These were mailed to area residents of “the site”.

Ellenshaw’s images continued to be referenced for licensed merchandise (like post cards), which were manufactured even after Disneyland debuted and welcomed its first visitors.

After all, by September 16, 1954, Walt could excitedly wrote to his sister Ruth Beecher in Portland, Oregon, briefly describing the development of his park : “ADVENTURELAND will be a tropical setting -- fish, flowers, birds, water, and other things associated with the Tropics. An Explorer's Boat will take you on a journey to some of the remote corners of the world darkest Africa included… I am scheduled to be in New York at the end of the month.”

That last part of Walt’s letter referred to his trip back East in which he presented a portfolio (prepared for Dick Irvine and Nat Winecoff) full of colored sketches by Herb Ryman, Bruce Bushman, Harper Goff, with the intent to sell the Disneyland concept to prospective licensees. Yes, some of these maps were used to create expectation and sell the idea of Disneyland to potential investors.

“Architectural Plans Continue to ‘Map’ Disneyland”

After July 1955, members of WED Enterprises, Inc. and Walt Disney Productions continue to perform the creative and design work of Disneyland. Plans were created, depicting the site and surrounding plots of land, but these were prepared by a variety of individuals.

A decade later, maps were still being used to plan Disneyland. In Walt Disney’s Working Office is a large-scale Bulletin Board which showcases an impressive “blow up” of a 1966 aerial photograph depicting New Orleans Square under construction at Disneyland Park.

Looking over it you note the land parcels around its periphery and other areas coded with yellow and red placards, which were under development. The red identified “recently opened” attractions like the Swiss family Robinson Treehouse and Tahitian Terrace, while the yellow represented “future attractions” like the New Tomorrowland and the Haunted Mansion.

This “map” was instrumental to Walt when he planned his final expansions for Disneyland.

“A Guide Map to Disneyland”

In July 1955, The Guide Map to Disneyland was introduced to guests as an indexed guide to all the attractions, exhibits and shows in Disneyland. These were originally “double-gatefold” or “accordion fold” and were administered at the Main Gate, as complimentary gifts to guests of Disneyland. Pictured below are some of those maps.

“Your Personal Guide to Disneyland” Map, published 1955.

The 1955 “Welcome to Disneyland” Map — The left block contains a portion of Walt’s Dedication speech. The location of Restrooms and Personal Services are identified. While it labels the cardinal lands - Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Main Street, it also distinctly points out the Main Entrance & Exit, and The Plaza. As this is a one-color illustration, a special message at the bottom encourages guests to “Take home this map and color it after your visit to Disneyland.”

“Your Personal Guide to Disneyland” Map, published 1956.

“Your Guide to Disneyland” Map, published in “Your Personal Guide to Disneyland”, 1957.

The “Disneyland’s Five Lands” Map published in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, 1958.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” published in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, 1960.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” published in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, 1961.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, published 1962.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, published 1963.

Another “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, published 1963.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, published 1964.

The “Map of Disneyland, U.S.A.” in “Your Guide to the Magic Kingdom”, published 1965.

“Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland Convenience Maps”

The very first souvenir books about Disneyland were titled “Your Guide to Disneyland”. These featured one of the first informational maps of the park called “Your Guide to Disneyland” Map Drawn by Michael Harvey. This full page map titled “Your Guide to Disneyland” was published inside of “Picture Souvenir Book of Disneyland in Natural Color“. The 24-page keepsake was not complementary, but sold as merchandise at kiosks and shops.

The “Your Guide to Disneyland” map (below) depicts the five cardinal lands and outstandingly showcases a sixth - the short-lived Holidayland and its candy-striped circus tent (in the top right corner). The illustration uniquely features a credit to the artist, with the words “drawings by Michael Harvey” (in the lower right). Later maps of Walt Disney’s Disneyland would omit this practice.

“Your Guide to Disneyland”, a map by artist Michael Harvey, published in the “Disneyland Souvenir Book in Natural Color”, 1955.

There was nothing like the “Disneyland Guide Map” utilized an alphanumeric grid map system with location codes corresponding to places on the map. It was published in “The Story of Disneyland with A Complete Guide”, which was billed as a “permanent souvenir of your day at Disneyland”, sold at the Newsstand and kiosks, and was given as gifts to guests who purchased a Tour of Disneyland, within its first year.

Each further installation of Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland featured a “Convenience Map” (sans grid), usually in the middle of the publication. These new maps were mid-century masterpieces, “popping” with vibrantly colored, stylized artwork inspired by the fabulous adventures of Walt Disney’s magic kingdom.

Below is some of the original artwork created for one edition.

“Promotional Souvenir Maps of Disneyland”

Some maps were prepared as promotional souvenirs of exhibits which were presented by Disneyland Participant sponsors like Bank of America, Eastman Kodak and Hills Bros. Some of these maps were published as brochures while others were printed on placemats that guests dined upon at table service restaurants. Some promotional maps were published as newspaper inserts.

A Disneyland Map in a complimentary souvenir of Bank of America, 1956.

Above: Bank of America Complimentary Map of Disneyland; 1955

Above: Disneyland First Anniversary Souvenir Pictorial Map was a newspaper supplement published in 1956.

Above: The “Disneylandmarks” Map Was a supplementary newspaper insert that highlighted corporate participant sponsors of Disneyland in 1959.

Above: The Disneyland Map Placemat by Hallmark (published from 1959 to 1963), showcases six spectacular new adventures that were added to Disneyland in 1959. This colorful, stylized, map was acquired from the Hallmark Card Shop on Main Street, USA and depicts the four cardinal lands radiating from the hub of Disneyland. The map features die-cut edges and can be “punched out” from the rectangular paper placemat.

“A Kodak Camera Tour of Disneyland”, C-38; 1963

Above: Map of “Kodak Picture Spots” in Disneyland, c.1959-1960.

A Hills Bros. Coffee House Menu featured the recent Monorail System extension of 1961.

Above: The “Map of Disneyland USA” by Hills Bros. showcased the newly extended monorail route, during the early 1960s.

“Souvenir Fun Maps”

The very first Fun Map of Disneyland was included within the pages of a Guide to Disneyland. The Fun Map of Disneyland was not individually sold as souvenir until the second year of operation.

The “Fun Map of Disneyland” published in a souvenir book.

Herbert Ryman was first considered for the task of completing the first souvenir map of Disneyland, but Sam McKim (who began began working for Walt Disney's W.E.D. Enterprises in 1954), was assigned to complete the concept drawing. Finally by 1957, the first Disneyland Fun Map was available for individual purchase as a souvenir of Disneyland. Perhaps you recall mounting one of these to your wall at home.

By the 1958 season, the original map was available for purchase both in shops, and through mail order catalogs. The map measured approximately 30” x 45” and was originally sold rolled up and inside a tube, until Merchandising Department decided that it was better to sell the map folded and measuring approximately 8” x 15”.

“The Official Map to Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, U.S.A.” was a promotional offering through Sunkist in 1960.

As Disneyland continued to grow and expand, Sam McKim kept pace, creating new editions of Disneyland Fun Maps, with each passing year. Sam created more maps from 1958 to 1964. However, in 1966, McKim was busy with other projects and Collin Campbell began creating the Disneyland Fun Maps.

The Disneyland 50 - “Happiest Homecoming on Earth” Fun Map.

“Walt Disney’s Dial Guide to Disneyland”

Walt Disney’s Dial Guide to Disneyland was an interactive map. By setting the dial at the bottom to the selected number and location, the location would “appear in violet” within a punched circular hole. The cutout window on the back would give a brief description of the attraction selected.

Above: The 1974 Walt Disney’s Dial Guide to Disneyland — This map includes outstanding features America Sings in the Carousel Theater and no mention of the Santa Fe when it labels the “Railroad Train Tour Around Disneyland”.

Above: The 1975 Walt Disney’s Dial Guide to Disneyland — The map included the additions of The Walt Disney Story Featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and Mission to Mars.

Above: The 1983 Walt Disney’s Dial Guide to Disneyland — This map included Fantasyland’s newest adventure Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.

“Disneyland Maps on Licensed Product”

Since 1955, maps of Disneyland have been the subject of licensed products spanning tin television trays to coloring books.

A map of the Magic Kingdom is featured on the game board of “Walt Disney’s Disneyland Game”, published 1965 (below).

“The ‘On Stage’ Maps of Disneyland”

On Stage Maps of Disneyland point the way toward attractions or services and help Guests make their way around Disneyland. Guides to Disneyland always featured a map inside. Grad Nite programs may contain maps which show the locations of the evening’s entertainment.

Below, is a Disneyland Railroad Map which is mounted in the Main Street Station and identifies the four depots. This map was prepared for the new grand circle tour that debuted in 2017.

The Disneyland Braille Map (below) aids those who may be visually challenged or impaired. Braille Guidebooks and Audio Tours further enhance the magical experience!

“The Secret Backstage Maps of Disneyland”

Maps of Disneyland were also prepared specifically for Cast Members of Disneyland Resort. These often present On Stage and Backstage Areas of the Park, and were usually created for the purposes of Operation, Construction and Maintenance, Safety and Security, Traffic, and Show.

As to “Operation Maps” – Orientation guides like “Your Role in the Disneyland Show” occasionally contained simplified maps that highlighted aspects of the On Stage and Backstage Areas. The Jungle Boat Cleats, the Disneyland Railroad Block System, the Enchanted Tiki Room Theatre Exits, the Disneyland Hotel Shuttle Headquarters – these were all pointed out through informational maps issued to Cast Members. Foods, Merchandise or Attractions Hosts and Hostesses would often receive maps of the attraction or area they were trained for.

Good examples of “Show Maps” are Parade Route Maps. Some Show Maps detailed staging information for private parties, like the “Fantasyland Party Lighting Plot” Plans for Elizabeth Taylor’s 60th Birthday Party Celebration in 1992.

Some Show Maps detailed locations of temporary facilities for Media Events at Disneyland, like the Tomorrowland Media Opening Map below.

“Safety Maps” may identify emergency services or detail Resort Evacuation Routes.