By Michael Landis, Ph.D.
Oct. 1, 2021 is the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, and Saratoga Springs, N.Y. has been a significant part of that history since Day One.
In fact, the very first thing guests saw when they arrived at the Magic Kingdom in 1971 was a stunning replica of the Saratoga Springs Delaware and Hudson Railroad Station.
Labeled the “Main Street Train Station,” the imposing grand Victorian structure is still the primary depot for the Walt Disney World Railroad and the only entrance to the Magic Kingdom. Guests (who arrive either by bus, boat, or monorail) must pass under the train station to enter the park. First at Disneyland (1955), then at Disney World, Walt Disney sought an immersive experience, wherein guests become part of the animated and live-action magic he created for them on screen. In both parks, the Main Street Train Station serves as the gateway from reality to fantasy. The station blocks excited guests’ views of the world within; guests must be transported literally and figuratively into the “show.”
And, of course, the most iconic form of transportation in US history is the railroad (it didn’t hurt that Walt and his “Imagineers” were avid train enthusiasts!).
After guests walk through darkened tunnels underneath the train station, they emerge into Town Square and onto “Main Street, U.S.A.” Only then do they get their first glimpse of the castle and the many adventures that await. Main Street, U.S.A. is also connected to Saratoga Springs, as the avenue is modeled after northeastern small towns, a style Imagineers dubbed “eastern seaboard Victorian,” made famous in Saratoga. Main Street serves as a subtle time machine, taking guests from the late 19th century into the early 20th.
Town Square is dated 1871, which is the year the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Station opened.
As guests proceed down Main Street, they travel forwards in time, ending in 1910. The architecture, designs, and businesses evolve accordingly (impressive details missed by most guests, whose eyes are transfixed by the soaring castle).
The 1871 Delaware and Hudson Railroad Station was located right in the middle of downtown Saratoga Springs, along Railroad Place between Division Street and Church Street, where the Price Chopper and Bow Tie Cinema are today. Built by Cummings & Birt of Troy, the station featured a Mansard roof, a tower in the center, and four towers in each of the corners. Inside was a spacious arcade and beautiful black walnut wainscoting. It replaced a much smaller structure and befitted a resort town on the make. Though Saratoga Springs had been a popular vacation destination since the antebellum era (especially among Southern enslavers eager to escape malarial lowlands and their aggravating human property), it was not until the late 19th century, after the construction of the Saratoga Race Course (1863) and the expansion of the railroads, that the town began to really grow and flourish.
The Delaware and Hudson Railroad Station was a symbol of that newfound prosperity, and its grandness best represented that ornate “eastern seaboard Victorian” that Imagineers sought. Sadly, the building burned in 1899 and was quickly replaced by a less decorative depot.
Saratoga Springs is also the inspiration for a major resort at Walt Disney World: Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. The largest Disney Vacation Club resort, it was completed in May 2004 and is located across from the Disney Springs shopping and dining district on the former site of the Disney Institute. The luxury resort is divided into several sections named for familiar Saratoga haunts: Congress Park; The Springs; The Paddock; The Carousel; and The Grandstand. Built by a Massachusetts firm, the architecture is loosely based on the Saratoga Victorian style of gingerbread trim, pastel colors, verandas, porches, turrets, and towers. Interior and exterior decorations all reference Saratoga Springs in one way or another, from the “Health, History, & Horses” motto to Race Course memorabilia to horse statues to red and white awnings.
Moreover, the dining and recreational options, including The Turf Club Bar & Grill and The Backstretch Pool Bar, are named and designed after the Saratoga Race Course.
The resort, the train station, and Main Street, U.S.A. are a testament to the public’s enduring fascination with Saratoga Springs. Disney Imagineers had seemingly endless design options to choose from, yet they decided to replicate the look and spirit of Saratoga again and again. The millions of guests who pass through the entrance tunnels, ride the Walt Disney World Railroad, walk down Main Street, and stay at the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa all get a taste of where many of us call home.
Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary is reason to celebrate, especially if you’re from Saratoga Springs.
Dr. Michael Landis is a trustee of the Saratoga County History Center. He has published articles and op-eds on the Walt Disney Company, and is the author of Northern Men with Southern Loyalties: The Democratic Party and the Sectional Crisis (Cornell University Press, 2014). Social meda: @DrMichaelLandis
