Mickey's conducting and Donald's disrupting - until a tornado hits the orchestra! Swing through the air in your musical chair as Mickey's barnyard orchestra plays William Tell's "The Storm"!
When the tornado takes hold, your seat rises higher, the carnival top tilting this way and that to give you a unique view of Disney California Adventure Park. For a minute and a half, your feet dangle free as the swings fly through the air around the tower topped by the Maestro Mickey himself! Scenes from the short painted on the ride's tower transform from still to storm as the central tower telescopes upward.
The ride was inspired by the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon short, "The Band Concert." Released in 1935, it featured a frazzled Mickey trying to conduct an outdoor orchestra as Donald Duck becomes a sort of Pied Piper, leading the strings astray with his flute to play a more patriotic tune. But it all goes haywire when they strike up William Tell's "The Storm." In the mistral of minstrels, Mother Nature ties the tune in knots with her winds, landing the ever-so-dedicated players in a tree. Somehow, Donald manages to get the last note.
Themed to Disney's The Band Concert conductor Mickey Mouse conducts the attraction from high atop, synchronized with the music. Although "The Band Concert" was not part of the 'Silly Symphonies' film series, the name was applied to the attraction due to its apparent symphony storyline. Closely following the plot of "The Band Concert" the main column of the ride rises revealing a tornado which spins the riders to the tune of the William Tell Overture and William Tell's "Storm". Once the tornado safely passes, the music comes to an end and the ride slows and lowers riders to the ground. It is speculated that the new voice of the Silly Symphony Swings is that of the fictitious Mr. Tinkershmidt, the supposed new owner of Paradise Pier. Tinkershmidt and the Silly Symphony Swings update is part of the multi-year, $1.1 billion (US) expansion plan for Disney's California Adventure Park. Previews of the attraction are offered at California Adventure's Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar.
Ride Experience
The Queue for Silly Symphony Swings is outdoors, though most of the queue is covered and shaded. Guests will climb a flight of steps up to the boarding area, though an elevator is available for anyone who needs it.
Riders sit in swing chairs - there are 32 single chairs and 8 tandem chairs. Tandem chairs are intended for kids and an adult companion - the smaller yellow chair may only be used by riders less than 48" tall. Adult riders who are by themselves may sit in the red chair of a tandem chair. To enter the swing chair, lift the horizontal silver bar, sit in the chair, and then lower the bar. Secure the bar by attaching the clip that is on the end of the black strap.
Silly Symphony Swings is inspired by the 1935 Mickey Mouse cartoon "The Band Concert", in which Band Leader Mickey attempts to conduct an orchestra in the middle of a tornado. On this 90-second ride, the William Tell Overture starts to play as riders are lifted off the ground, and then the ride starts to spin around as everyone is caught in the tornado. The tornado is visible in the artwork on the central column. The ride spins faster as it rises higher, the central tower goes up and down and the roof canopy tilts so the swings rise up and down as they whirl around. Though the swing chairs appear to be close together, once the ride begins centrifugal force takes over and there is no danger of colliding with another chair. At the end of the ride riders are lowered gently to the ground.
Touring Tips
- This ride is not recommended for those who are afraid of heights or prone to motion sickness. Because of the spinning, many people experience mild disorientation at the end.
- Riders are not allowed to carry backpacks or bags on the ride - these items may be stowed during the ride in baskets that are provided for this purpose. Those wearing flip-flops or slide-on shoes may also be required to stow them.
- Twisting in the chair or holding hands with someone in another chair is not allowed.
- All children should be accompanied by an adult. Riders must be 48" tall to ride by themselves; those who are 40-48" tall may ride with an adult in a tandem chair.
- Under the platform of Silly Symphony Swings a wooden deck goes all around the base - this provides a nice shady spot to relax for a while. There are a few benches to sit on, as well as some ceiling fans to circulate the air. The World of Color show can be viewed from there - the fountains are visible, but not the projection screens.
Facts
- The attraction was originally slated to replace the Orange Stinger on May 28, 2010. Although the attraction soft opened on May 28, 2010, it had an Official Grand Opening on June 11, 2010.
- Silly Symphony Swings opened on June 11, 2010. It replaced another "swing" attraction in the same location, The Orange Stinger.
- Band Leader Mickey (or Mouse-tro Mickey) stands on top of the canopy. Mickey wears a very colorful band uniform - The Band Concert was the first color Mickey Mouse cartoon.
- Walt Disney Imagineering compared the design of the attraction to "an antique tin toy coming to life."
History
The Orange Stinger, the predecessor of "Silly Symphony Swings", was an off the shelf Zierer Wave Swinger enclosed in a large orange and themed as bees. Riders swung on suspended seats inside the enclosure which offered views of nearby Paradise Pier and Paradise Bay through large openings in the walls. These openings were made to look like peeled sections of an orange peel. The original bumblebee seats were removed on February 10, 2001 due to damage during use. After removal, the seats were unthemed swing seats. Initially an orange scent effect was introduced into the attraction giving it the smell of a 'real' orange, but was later removed because it attracted real bees. The giant orange was a tribute to the orange fields that Disneyland was built on, as well as Orange County, where the Disneyland Resort is located.