Then & Now Pinvestigation: The Orange Symphony Swings

The Orange Stinger opened with Disney’s California Adventure as one of the only attractions in the park, on February 8, 2001. It 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 10th, 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 peel was a tribute to the orange fields that Disneyland was built on.

     

Closing in mid-2009, the Orange Stinger was overhauled as apart of the ‘California Adventure Expansion/Re-Do’. Many ideas were thought of to re-theme the Orange Stinger, like a Gepetto Puppet attraction, or Little Green Man Claw attraction, but still keeping the swings. The final theming settled on was the Silly Symphony Swings, inspired by the Disney Short, ‘Band Concert’.

  

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 expansion plan for Disney's California Adventure Park. Previews of the attraction are offered at California Adventure's Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar.

    

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.

 

Pictures and Information from MiceAge, Yesterland, and PinPics