More Behind the Scenes Stories

A Look at Silly Symphony Swings

Heather Hust Rivera

by , Vice President, Consumer Products

Silly Symphony Swings
Many people have posted photos online of Silly Symphony Swings, a new attraction coming to Paradise Pier in Disney’s California Adventure park later this year. Today we’re giving you a chance to see how some of the magic happens behind the scenes. The photo above shows Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Dimensional Designer Steve Cotroneo sculpting a four-foot tall Mickey Mouse that you can now see at the very top of Silly Symphony Swings.

We’re also showing footage you’ll only see here on the Disney Parks Blog because only our cameras are allowed in the park at night to capture these close-ups of Mickey being placed atop the attraction.

For those of you who many not be familiar with the attraction, Silly Symphony Swings is a classic swing attraction, and it’s themed to Walt Disney’s animated short, “The Band Concert” (1935). In the musical cartoon, Mickey Mouse is trying to conduct a presentation of the “William Tell Overture” by Gioachino Rossini, but Donald Duck interrupts him and chaos follows. When Mickey finally regains control of his orchestra, they are all swept up in a passing tornado.

In the attraction, guests will see Mickey conducting the barnyard orchestra, and as a tornado passes through the Park, the central tower begins to rise and spin, and Mickey’s band concert really swings into high gear.

Comments

  • wow looks great wish i lived closer

  • “Stacey on March 2nd, 2010 at 9:21 pm
    I just wonder how the seats are? I used to love riding at our local fair, but I have gotten to wide. .. Would be thrilled if I could take a spin on Mickey’s swing!”

    We were at CA last April (and going again in May!!) and rode the Orange Stinger (Silly Symphony Swings). I am very wide and had no problem riding.

  • “I just wonder how the seats are? I used to love riding at our local fair, but I have gotten to wide.”

    If the new seats are similar to the old seats (this “new” attraction is actually the old Orange Stinger ride, just peeled and rethemed) then you shouldn’t have any problems. I’m fairly wide myself and never felt constricted on the Orange Stinger. 🙂

  • Charming! I love classic Mickey, before he got eyes, and this looks like a cute way to dress up a fairground ride. My next trip, I may actually go into Paradise Pier!

  • I’m very excited for this. I’m a huge fan of Silly Symphonies and it warms my heart to see more Classic Disney coming back to the parks. Thanks for the update!

  • I just wonder how the seats are? I used to love riding at our local fair, but I have gotten to wide. :(.. Would be thrilled if I could take a spin on Mickey’s swing!

  • Nice! I’ll be lookin’ forward to seeing how that tornado effect works out. 😉

  • While swing type rides are relatively simplistic, I love them! Hey any chance we can fit this in the Dumbo area in the upcoming Fantasyland expansion in WDW?

  • While swing rides in general terrify me, I’m beyond thrilled that something is going to be themed to my first Disney love of Silly Symphony. This is gonna be sweet.

  • I’m really pleased that California Adventure is integrating more of a classic Disney feel. I’ve heard that the whole park is undergoing a similar transformation to Paradise Pier. Is that true?

  • Are there any plans to hopefully see some of these classic characters as walk around? Some of the changes being done to the pier have included characters from classic Disney cartoons. Has the entertainment department considered bringing to life these characters to add live atmosphere to an area of the park that lacks it. Also could we hope to see merchandise that is relevant to these characters and attractions finally sold at the nearby Paradise Pier shops?

    Finally has any dates been set for the opening of the Silly Symphony swings and is it possible to see on future updates artwork of what the final queue structure will look like?

  • It looks like a very nice “Waveswinger” attraction, with some wonderful Disney touches, but is the ride experience itself any different?

  • Cool video.
    Thanks for the update Heather!

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