Today, March 31, 2012, marks the 54th anniversary of one of the most imaginative theme park attractions created. The Santa Fe Railroad at Disneyland, California, opened in 1958 with the unveiling of the Grand Canyon Diorama. This realistic rendering of the Grand Canyon was painted at Grosh Studios by artist Delmer J. Yoakum.
The Diorama spans an impressive 306 feet wide and 34 feet tall and required 300 gallons of paint. The inspiration for this giant artwork came from the short film, Grand Canyon by James Algar who also directed Disney classics Bambi and Fantasia.
To this day, passengers are amazed as they ride by on a moving train getting the feeling of being there – at one of the great wonders of the world. With this ride, Disney achieved the visionary concept of making moving 3D images. Walt Disney has been quoted, “I believe in being an innovator” and he certainly has succeeded.
Today, 3D film is commonplace, but still feels amazing every time we watch a new release. Disney’s Pixar has done it again with Brave hitting theaters this summer. Oh, the excitement of innovation in art!
Find out more about the film here
