Disneyland Resort Has a Sound All its Own

Michele Himmelberg

by , Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort

Recognize these sounds?

Since the opening of Disneyland park in 1955, the strategic and clever use of sound has transported guests from frontier America to the jungles of Africa; from turn-of-the-century America to edge-of-the-galaxy Tatooine. We’ve been haunted, romanced, humored, enchanted, and sung to, with the many and varied sounds of the theme parks. And it’s not just about music.

Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Resort

Joe Herrington is a Principal Media Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and a big advocate of sound, as was Walt Disney. According to Joe, the role of sound at the Disneyland Resort, or any Disney park for that matter, tells half the story of any land, attraction or entertainment you experience.

“Walt understood that,” says Joe in a Disneyland Podcast interview. “Walt incorporated sound and always tried to find new ways to use it. He was so proactive in sound technology, and in all kinds of ways, to utilize sound.”

Which distinctive Disneyland Resort sound transports you to another place?

Look for an upcoming post with more sounds from the parks.

Comments

  • Speaking of the podcast, I really wish it hadn’t ended! Please tell whoever is in charge to call Mr. Goheagen back and record some more “behind the scenes” sounds of Disneyland!

  • That sound clip was so cool. I love Disneyland and I’m counting down the days until my next trip to Disneyland in June.

  • how did you get the star tours chime a ringtone?

  • I love the way the sounds and music transition from one land (or in the case of World Showcase, country) to another. Genius!

  • Almost every time I go to Disneyland, I stop by the Locker section just out side of the park to put things in a locker. While I’m there I usually hear a tune that is being broadcast over the PA system. I’m not sure what it’s called, but for me, it’s magic !

  • Some may think I’m crazy but the sounds of crickets in the courtyard at the Grand Californian Hotel (under the Mono Rail) sound like Disney Magic to me!! The sound always takes me back (60 years) to my childhood in Kansas. The cast members at the hotel won’t say for sure but they always have a twinkle in their eye when I ask them about it!! Any chance Mr. Herrington will comment????

  • The Tomorrowland Transit Authority ride! The featured voice is hard to forget! I’ll always be able to recognize it! Love it.

  • Hearing the sounds of Disneyland makes me want to go even more then usual. Oh how i miss you Disneyland.

  • There are so many! I love the monorail schpeal, the queue music to Soarin’ the sounds from different nations in World Showcase, the Jungle drums all over Animal Kingdom and the whistle from the Magic Kingdom Railroad. Just to name a few.

  • The plaintive cry of the Mark Twain’s steam whistle is my favorite. No matter where I am on property, be it the Mickey and Friends parking structure, Downtown Disney, or even in Tomorrowland, I hear that distant sound and a flood of nostalgia hits me and makes me smile.

  • LOL. I think this entire bit was taken from the “Remember…Dreams Come True” show.

  • This reminds me of Remember…Dreams Come True fireworks! I miss that show, it was my absolute favorite Disney fireworks show ever!

  • Speaking of sound, when can we expect the Disneyland stretch elevator and doom buggies to get the same sound enhancements that Orlando has? I’m not too thrilled by the new Hitchhiking Ghost effect, but the sound effects were incredible when I got to experience them in 2009.

  • This is from the DL Podcast with Michle Goheagen when they were talking about the sounds of the Twilight Zone and how they can make sound come alive.

  • that sound clip is like a million memories in 25 seconds of sound!

  • I love hearing the train even before I get through the gate! I also love hearing the music playing on Main Street. These 2 things always let me know I’m at the start of a great adventure! Whenever I want to get away from the crowds and “escape”, I love going to the Tiki room where you can hear the random bird while waiting in the queue.

  • La La LOVE THIS!!

  • I happen to love the sounds of the areas and rides of the parks that have to do with pixar. They transport me to a new place. Also, all of the sounds in the video were from Remember…Dreams Come True.

  • That’s Easy
    1 Disneyland Railroad
    2 The Haunted Mansion
    3 The Pirates Of The Caribbean
    4 The Please Be Seated Announcer
    5 Star Tours
    I Love all of them

  • My favorite line in the Haunted Mansion stretch room monologue is “Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis.”

    Paul Frees’ delivery is priceless, as evidenced here:

  • The Fountain of Nations loop background music does it for me. I also have SpectroMagic as my ringtone.

  • Wasn’t this the opening to one of the Disneyland Resort audio podcasts?

  • I love all of Disneyland’s sounds!

  • The Star Tours boarding chime is my ringtone!

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