The experience: Gorgeous Tea Cups that thankfully have brakes (now)

The trick: Turning breakneck speed into vertebrae-intact speed

Image: DisneyWhile modern versions of the Tilt-A-Whirl include additional ride elements, it really hasn’t changed much in almost a century. The basis of the concept dates back to 1926 and was familiar to anyone in the amusement park industry. Nearly 30 years later, Walt Disney wanted a cheap flat ride that would lure traffic.

His Imagineering team modified the premise the same way that they did with most attractions. Disney added theming to function as the proverbial fresh coat of paint to make something seem different and better.

This small gesture symbolizes the way that Uncle Walt fundamentally altered an entire industry. Where some people saw duplicate carnival rides, he had the inspiration to add in Lewis Carroll’s shenanigans to elevate the experience.

Image: DisneyThe earliest days of Mad Tea Party were a bit messy, though. I’m not talking about the Code V protein spills, either. Disney didn’t add brakes or speed limits to the turntables. I’m not sure Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride earned its name as much as Mad Tea Party did back in 1955. The latter attraction was undeniably the wilder ride.

Guests at the time suffered mightily, I’m sure. Imagine the most obnoxious kid that you’ve ever seen on Mad Tea Party spinning a Tea Cup that doesn’t have any brakes. It’s the stuff of nightmares. Of course, those sorts of horrors are perfectly thematic for Alice in Wonderland.

During the early 21st century, park officials stepped on the neck of this particular problem. They added slowing methods to ensure that the Tea Cups never spin beyond a certain speed. Amazingly, so many guests complained that park officials relented a bit and increased the speed limit on Mad Tea Party.

The experience:  Looking at a gorgeous tea set…that will may make you vomit

The trick: Mary Blair magic and tripy stoner styles

Image: DisneyEven in the Disney musical movie version of Carroll’s tale, bedlam is ubiquitous. The ride aptly captures that sensation on its own, but the theming takes it over the top. In the earliest days, Imagineers decorated half of the Tea Cups with stylish, almost hypnotic colors and designs.

Mary Blair, she of It’s a Small World fame, had a hand in the Tea Cup paintings. For some reason, Disney only styled half of them at first before realizing the obvious. Settling for less isn’t the Disney way. The color schemes in place reflect that a celebration is underway. It’s an unbirthday party!

The Magic Kingdom and later versions of the attraction feature even better theming. A Tea Kettle sits in the middle of the attraction. The original Disneyland designs called for this ornament as well. Due to the tight spacing at Fantasyland and the turntable location, it proved too difficult, though. This setback is a frustration since the Dormouse pops up in the Tea Kettle at the parks that have it.

Image: DisneyThe primary theming in play during the formative years of Mad Tea Party largely involved the psychedelic prints. The center of the main turntable features a trippy spiral that would seem right at home at 1960s concert/group LSD experience. Carroll became a strong influence in that particular counterculture, after all.

Over the years, the Tea Cups have gotten a bit classier. They now seem stately rather than stoner. Disney’s tied the theming to the characters a bit more, too. It’s not unusual for Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, and the Cheshire Cat to jump on the ride to experience it with guests. These lucky theme park tourists get to live out their fantasy of tripping balls with actual Alice in Wonderland characters!