Enchanting Details About an Original Disneyland Attraction

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King Arthur's Carousel Fantasyland

Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Disneyland has been doing a lot of prep work in anticipation of its April 30 grand reopening. They have reimagined Snow White’s Scary Adventure into Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. They have also shared refurbishment work that has been taking place on The Haunted Mansion.

snow white's enchanted wish
Credit: Disney

On April 13, Disney Parks Blog shared the beautiful upgrade that was being given to the Fantasyland attraction, King Arthur Carrousel, which originally opened with the theme park in 1955.

King Arthur Carrousel
Credit: Disney

The blog stated:

While we have been preparing for the reopening of Disneyland Resort’s theme parks, Walt Disney Imagineering recently completed an extensive refurbishment of this fan-favorite attraction. When we open our park gates on April 30, you’ll be delighted to discover a brightened version of the carrousel, sparkling with 14k gold leaf accents, vibrant details and bold colors. 

Well, Disney has now released even more details about the refurbishment that went into the lead horse, Jingles. Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine spoke about the focus and hard work that went into Jingles.

Just for #LegacyPassholders — take a look at an extended clip of Kim Irvine sharing fun facts about Jingles, the lead horse on King Arthur Carrousel! Learn more: di.sn/6018H2oLg

Irvine describes the lead horse:

It’s the fanciest. It has the most trappings on it. And the carvers spent the most time on that horse.

Jingles’s name suits her, as she has bells hanging from her saddle and cantle. She also has flowers in her mane and was known to be Walt Disney’s favorite horse on the whole Carrousel.

King Arthur Carrousel
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

This is not the first time that work has been done on King Arthur Carrousel and Jingles. In 2008, there was a special ceremony, and Jingles was dedicated to Julie Andrews, who famously rode carousel horses in the 1964 film Mary Poppins. According to Disney Wiki Fandom:

 For Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration, she was repainted gold from nose to tail, trimmed in 18k gold leaf and set apart as a photo opportunity near the Dumbo Flying Elephants queue. When she was reinstalled as lead horse after the Year of a Million Dreams campaign, major portions of her were painted over, except where the gold bells and trim are showing through, with exceptionally striking translucent treatment of the rosettes on her head. Decoration detail was painted on her saddle blanket representing the talking parrot-handled umbrella from Mary Poppins, and in four quarters as a crest upon her kneepad – the monogram “JA”, a robin perched upon high button shoes, the silhouette of Mary in flight and a number 50 representing the 50 Magical Years anniversary of the carousel – all showing through in gold with blue outline.

Julie Andrews Mary Poppins
Credit: Disney

Have you ridden Jingles on King Arthur Carrousel? Let us know in the comments!

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