Viva Fairyland!

Part of the local folklore here in the East Bay is that our own little ramshackle kiddie park, Children's Fairyland helped to inspire Disneyland.

Well, that's kind of true, probably. Walt Disney and his minions borrowed ideas from amusement parks all over the country, including some of the tacky seaside tourist attractions out here.

And one of the reasons Walt decided to build the Happiest Place on Earth in Anaheim was that it was far enough inland he didn't have to worry about people showing up in swimsuits.

And at Fairyland there's signs everywhere telling you not to wade in the decorative water features. Coincidence? I think not.

Also you can appreciate the way Fairyland explores the boundary between cute and disturbing, kind of like Skull Rock and the General Electric Carousel of Progress.

Kurt "big daddy" True
17 march 2008