When you’re at a Disney theme park, everything around you really does seem magical, from the mechanical rides to the animatronic figures to the real-life people dressed up as Cinderella and Goofy. We rarely get a glimpse at how things really work, which is what makes this collection of behind-the-scenes Disneyland photos so cool. Shot by a cast member, they include backstage peeks at iconic rides like Pirates of the Carribbean, the Haunted Mansion, the Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder Mountain. They also capture Splash Mountain mid-construction, a gorgeous view from the top of the Matterhorn, and a ton of hilarious off-hours cast moments. Slashfilm, which pointed us to this treasure trove of shots, estimates they date from the 1980s or ’90s. (We’d say ’80s, because Splash Mountain opened in 1989.) See some of our favorite photos, and click here to view the whole collection.
On the pirate ship, Pirates of the Caribbean
The Haunted Mansion’s “endless hallway” with the lights on
‘
The construction of Splash Mountain
Pirates of the Caribbean control room
View of Disneyland from the top of the Matterhorn