This week at Disneyland Resort, excitement is in the air as the walkway between Critter Country and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has reopened. With just a few months until the grand opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, this seamless pathway allows guests more opportunity to soak in the enchanting ambiance of Star Wars while strolling through the park.
While the park has grown immensely since its debut on July 17, 1955, much has changed within its classic areas. Main Street USA, for instance, might seem timeless, but one of its initial attractions was the Main Street Shooting Gallery, a surprising inclusion for many. This attraction quickly gained popularity among guests, requiring additional setups to handle demand, such as the Frontierland Shooting Gallery established on July 12, 1957.
The Frontierland Shooting Gallery, replacing the Miniature Horse Corral, became a beloved feature where guests could test their aim with real pellets, necessitating nightly repaints—a notion unthinkable today! Similarly, across from the gallery, the Davy Crockett Arcade offered a blend of traditional arcade games and retail space, contributing to the lively atmosphere of Frontierland.
When the Main Street Shooting Gallery shuttered in January 1962, its legacy lived on through the Big Game Safari Shooting Gallery in Adventureland. Debuting on June 15, 1962, this safari-themed gallery allowed guests to hunt down animatronic animals for just a quarter. Despite its name changes and modest costs, the attrition ended in January 1982 to make way for new shops but not without leaving a memorable mark.
Lastly, the Frontierland Shooting Gallery transitioned to the safer, more eco-friendly Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade in September 1984, eventually becoming known as the Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition in 1996. It remains open today, though with Walt Disney World’s shooting gallery closing earlier this year, its future remains uncertain. These attractions, once pivotal as leisurely diversions, now stand as nostalgic milestones in Disneyland’s storied history.
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Source: LaughingPlace.com
