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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 |
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It’s said that Walt Disney was inspired to create Disneyland while sitting on a bench watching his young daughters ride the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. Walt wanted a park filled with things the whole family could enjoy together. |
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But, even in Walt’s park, some attractions would be for a limited age group. The King Arthur Carrousel, with 72 leaping horses, was essentially a better version of the Griffith Park ride. The Midget Autopia was for children too small for the other Autopia rides. At Yester Magic Kingdom, there’s an attraction designed just for 2-to-5-year-olds—with benches for their parents. It’s Pooh’s Playful Spot. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Hundred Acre Wood |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Crawl-through tree trunks and tree trunk slides |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Honey—or “hunny”—pots with spilled honey (yellow surface) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Floody Place with spurting fountains |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Pooh’s house in and behind a large tree |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Piglet “upstairs” |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Somewhat weathered Piglet, after a few years of leaning out from the tree |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Name above the door |
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You might wonder about the name above the door. It’s from the book, Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne: Once upon a time, a very long time ago now, about last Friday, Winnie-the-Pooh lived in a forest all by himself under the name of Sanders. (“What does ‘under the name’ mean?” asked Christopher Robin. “It means he had the name over the door in gold letters, and lived under it.” “Winnie-the-Pooh wasn’t quite sure,” said Christopher Robin. “Now I am,” said a growly voice. “Then I will go on,” said I.) |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Wobbly spelling |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 More Wobbly spelling |
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Once again, the book provides the answer: “Because my spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.” |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Pooh’s house, attached to the base of the tree |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Inside |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 What’s on the beam above the arch? |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Captain Nemo’s submarine, the Nautilus! |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Good night, Pooh. |
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Pooh’s Playful Spot isn’t for everybody—but for its target guests, it might just be the second best attraction in the whole park. The best attraction, of course, is anyplace in the park with a family of ducks. Quack, quack. |
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Pooh’s Playful Spot opened at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World on September 1, 2005. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 1983 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
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The site of the playground had originally been part of the lagoon for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (October 14, 1971 to September 5, 1994), the Florida counterpart of Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage. After the ride closed—“for repairs,” until it became clear it would never reopen—the lagoon sat idle for ten years before being removed and filled in. As the replacement for one of the park’s biggest E Ticket attractions, Pooh’s Playful Spot was exceedingly modest. It served its purpose—a place for 2-to-5-year-olds to release energy under the eyes of their parents. There was good design work. And it probably generated some merchandise sales at the nearby Pooh’s Thotful Shop. Pooh’s Playful Spot did not last five years. It closed permanently April 11, 2010. The next attraction on the site would be much more elaborate. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016 Seven Dwarfs Mine Train |
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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, a family roller coaster with a dazzling show scene, officially opened May 28, 2014. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Original façade of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016 Newer façade of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh |
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Part of Pooh’s Playful Spot lives on. About a month after the playground closed, Disney brought in a crane to move the impressive 120-ton tree a short distance to become part of a new exterior for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The ride lost its old tournament tent façade and traditional Fantasyland queue. Its noisy interactive queue is either fun or annoying, depending on your point of view. |
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© 2022 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated April 29, 2022 |
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