A Frontier of Infinite Detail

Frontierland at Disneyland Paris (just like every other area of that park) is full of incredible details that work together to weave a rich storytelling tapestry. We've seen many of those in the past few weeks here on the blog, but as we wrap up our exploration of Frontierland, I have a few more favorites to share with you.

Pictured above is the Frontierland dedication plaque, the sort of thing you don't typically see much of in Disney Parks. It's mounted just inside the land, after you pass through Fort Comstock. Be sure to click on the photo to read the inscription... in English or French; your choice.

Walking through Frontierland, there are so many little moments like the well pictured below. The land would have been pretty spectacular with just the main attractions and other facilities, but it's small details like this and the horse and wagon tracks in the ground, that fill in the gaps and make Thunder Mesa feel like a real place.

Popcorn wagons get the story treatment, too. Check out the props and the reference to the Thunder Mesa Mercantile. There's even a little gauchito turning the crank inside to "make the popcorn."

The Mexican culture we saw at Fuente del Oro carries over to the nearby guest restrooms, with the same sort of adobe construction. As always, I really appreciate a level of storytelling detail that even reaches the point of the identifying signs for the men's and women's restrooms.

Just like Main Street before it, Frontierland at Disneyland Paris displays a variety of period-appropriate ads, including this one for the Thunder Mesa Barber Shop where you can get a shave and a haircut for two bits (that's 25 cents to you and me).

There's even a touch of Hidden Disney in a corner of Frontierland. Beneath the sign for Huntington Mill is a reference to a Jack O'Ferges. Well, it turns out Jack Ferges is one of the legends of Imagineering, who happened to work in the model shop at WDI around the time Tony Baxter and several other members of the Disneyland Paris design team got started with the company. This is their tribute to one of their early mentors.

The Wheels of Progress

Tomorrowland is a sci-fi community inspired by past visions of the future. The principal design aesthetic for the land is rooted in the Machine Age, a period in the early 20th century during which incredible progress was made in areas like mass production, radio technology and electric motors.

Gears and other mechanical elements figured heavily in the technology of the Machine Age, and they're prevalent in the design of Tomorrowland as well, from the logo for the Tomorrowland Public Works (above, as seen on trash cans in the area) to the hardscape under foot on the Avenue of the Planets (below).

The wheels of progress turn swiftly here.

The Machine Age roughly covered the period between World Wars I and II. This was a time when transportation design was coming into its own, following the streamlined look of aircraft. It was also the age of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, who delighted audiences in comic strips, radio programs and film serials.

The influence of these science fiction adventures is felt throughout Tomorrowland, in the architectural elements and in the multitude of rocket ships and flying saucers which have touched down in this spaceport of the future.