As many of you know, the Carnation Plaza Gardens hosted its last dance last weekend, as it is being closed and converted to a new Princess Meet and Greet area. I try to roll with the punches when it comes to Disneyland refurbishments. I know that everything wont stay the same forever, and while Im not a big fan of change in general, I understand that bringing fresh ideas and inspirations to the Parks is typically a good thing. I am, however, adamantly opposed to this refurb.

There are certain elements of Disneyland that make it distinctly, Walts Park. Unlike Disney World, Walt actually walked here, this was his playground. There is a sense of nostalgia and history present in Disneyland that no other Park can replicate. While I love Disney World, Disneyland just feels like going home to me. The Carnation Plaza Gardens is one of those elements that makes Disneyland uniquely beautiful.

Looking back on Disneyland TV specials, hosted by Walt himself, you can see what an integral part in theming that the Gardens played. From Date Nights to Dixieland bands, the stage and dance floor, tucked beside the castle, were the hotspots for nighttime entertainment for years after Disneylands inception. While many would argue that this type of venue is no longer relevant in an ElecTRONica age, spending a little time on a Saturday night watching swing dancers of all ages float around the dance floor makes a strong argument for the relevancy of this classic icon.

Despite my opinions to the contrary, the Carnation Plaza Gardens is now walled off and set for refurb, but the essence of this little piece of non-marketing driven magic lives on in memory as a reminder of Walts vision for a family theme park experience for children of all ages.

Thanks to Focused on the Magic for hosting the Disney Flashback Friday blog hop! Be sure to stop by and check out all of the great memories!

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