The roaring success of Disneyland through the 1950s and 1960s didn’t prepare them for the downfall they were about to have in the next 2 decades. Disneyland has seen many changes over the decades, while having to preserve the same magic that Walt intended when the park was being created. New Imagineers were brought in every once in a while for inspiration and new ideas for the park, people like Tony Baxter. It was the work of these Imagineers and trial and error to get the park back on its feet after the difficult years it faced.

Bear Country, America Sings, and other additions (1970 - 1974)

Before these difficulties occurred, Disneyland added 4 new major elements to their park. In 1972, they added Bear Country to their map. Bear Country included the Country Bear Jamboree, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, the Mile Long Bar, and Teddi Barra’s Swingin’ Arcade. Just a few months later, they added the Main Street Electrical Parade, which would be held close to guests hearts for decades, even after it’s closure in 1996.

In 1973, Greatest Moments with Mr. Lincoln was changed into The Walt Disney Story, to honour Walt after his passing a few years earlier. This change only lasted 2 years, but was a significant change at the time. And finally, in 1974, America Sings opened at Disneyland to replace the Carousel of Progress, which was moved to Walt Disney World. America Sings eventually closed in 1988, to make room for the new space age coming through.

Star Wars and the Space Age

Through the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s, the Walt Disney company was hitting a dry spell. The movies weren’t doing so well in the box office, there was nothing new coming to Disneyland since Imagineers were so focused on EPCOT, and kids started to become fascinated in other developments in technology. When Disneyland first opened, the idea of adventure, jungles, animals, and frontiersmen were popular with the generation. But in the 1980s, things like Star Wars, space adventures, and more advanced technology was more appealing. Lucas Films was producing content that Disney couldn’t anymore, and they even were thinking about selling the company and the parks as a whole.

Big Thunder Mountain vs Space Mountain (1974-1979)

In the early 1970s, Tony Baxter began development on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, the attraction that was replaced by Thunder Mountain, saw a declining attendance. His inspiration was Marc Davis’s work on Western River Expedition, a ride that didn’t come to fruition at the Magic Kingdom due to costs and the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. Image from: https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Mine_Train_Through_Nature%27s_Wonderland

In 1974, even though the ride was making good progress, Big Thunder Mountain was shelved. This was Disneyland’s real life Woody versus Buzz situation, where the space rangers were dominating the pop culture scene. Space Mountain in Disneyland began development as the one in Walt Disney World opened in 1975. It would then be ready to open in May 1977, and marked a new beginning to Disneyland attractions. But the one ride wasn’t enough for guests, and since Big Thunder Mountain was already well under way, they picked the project back up and opened it in September 1979.

Videopolis and Captain EO (1985-1986)

To further get passed this obstacle and cater to what the kids wanted, Disneyland opened Videopolis and Captain EO. Videopolis opened in 1985 and stayed open for 10 years until it was renamed Fantasyland Theater. It served as a teen club where music, dancing, and snacking ensued. George Lucas agreed to direct a new film to be shown in the park, Captain EO, featuring Michael Jackson. These two attractions tied over Disneyland while EPCOT was gaining traction, and helping the company make back the money they had lost.

Indiana Jones and Splash Mountain (1984-1995)

Before former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Ron Miller (also Walt’s son-in-law), left the company in 1984, Tony Baxter and other Imagineers made suggestions for the park to add elements of the new pop culture age, bringing George Lucas into a meeting to pitch Star Tours to them. Indiana Jones was also brought up around this time. 6 months later, Michael Eisner stepped up as the CEO, and Tony brought the ideas for Splash Mountain and Star Tours to him. Instead of having Michael approve them, Michael had his 14-year old song Breck approve them, as it was his demographic that would be riding these attractions. Breck was sold on Star Tours right away, and was convinced on Splash Mountain after hearing about the big drop.

Splash Mountain ended up opening in 1989, and Indiana Jones later in 1995. These additions as well as the beginnings of the changes to Tomorrowland changed the perspective of the guests coming into the ever-growing park.