Voyage to 1939

Benson Myers boards the Queen Mary for a Disney celebration

- Benson Myers, February 17, 2011

In 1936, the Cunard White Star company constructed a pair of luxurious ocean liners to provide twice-weekly trans-Atlantic passenger service. They were named the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary, after two members of the British royal family.

For today's column, we'll focus on the Queen Mary and her relationship with the Walt Disney Company.

The Queen Mary

In the 1930s and 1940s, ocean liners provided cutting edge transportation. The Queen Mary had luxurious fittings, and a trans-Atlantic crossing aboard her was a must-do for the society-minded traveler. Even Walt Disney was one of the many famous passengers.

However, the Queen Mary, or QM for short, had a short life as a passenger ship. When World II began in Europe, the QM was pressed into service as a troop transport. With her fast, steam-powered engines, the QM transported tens of thousands of American troops safely to Europe and back.

After the war, the QM returned to passenger service for another fifteen successful years. But, by the 1960s, jet airplane technology had greatly advanced. A person could fly from New York to Paris in sixteen hours, compared to five days aboard a ship like the QM.

By 1967, the QM and other passenger ships were operating at a financial loss, and the decision was made to retire them from service. The QM was moored in Long Beach, California. She was stripped of her engines and other mechanical equipment, and became an exhibit and museum.

During the 1970s, the QM was home to a variety of tenants. Jacques Cousteau, the famous oceanographer and diver, operated some exhibits aboard the QM. The Hyatt Corporation operated a hotel aboard the QM in the original state rooms. Sadly, none of these were successful, and they had closed by the early 1980s.

But that same year, Jack Wrather, the same man who had partnered with Walt Disney to open the Disneyland Hotel, signed a 66-year lease with the city of Long Beach to operate not only the QM, but also Howard Hughes' 'Spruce Goose' airplane which like the ship had 'retired' to Long Beach.

Walt Disney and the Queen Mary

Fast forward to 1988. Jack Wrather had passed away, and Disney had purchased his company, the Wrather Corporation, which still owned and operated the Disneyland hotel. As part of the deal, Disney also assumed management of the leases on the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose.

Disney created a subsidiary company, WCO Port Properties, to oversee the lease. Those who worked for the company were given their own special WCO Port Properties nametags.

To promote the Long Beach properties, Disney created a year-long event to promote the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose: The Voyage to 1939.

Disney's Voyage to 1939

The Voyage to 1939 celebrated the last trans-Atlantic voyage of the Queen Mary before she became a World War II troop transport ship. Disney put on a nostalgic recreation of the era with Cast Members roaming the ship in period costumes and interacting with guests in the personas of 1939 passengers. Big bands played the popular music of the day, and a special club, Club 39, was established to showcase the popular nightclubs of the era.

A car show was also held, featuring luxurious examples of the makes and models from 1939. Beautiful girls in period swimwear modeled the cars, and the cars were even auctioned off to the public. An air show also thrilled guests, with Captain Cloud and the Royal Flying Circus performing acts of aerial artistry. A recreation of an English carnival was created close to the Queen Mary docks, complete with authentic English food and drink.

The Queen Mary herself was restored to her former glory, and its staterooms opened to the public as a hotel. Harrod's, the famous London department store, established its first American location on board the Queen Mary. Prince Michael of Kent, the grandson of the real Queen Mary of England (for whom the ship was named), dedicated the new store.

Both Cast Members and guests were given special nametags to wear while aboard the Queen Mary for Voyage to 1939.

An Unhappy Ending

Although the Voyage to 1939 was an initial success for Disney, the overall lease on the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose was not. Entrance to the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose were included as a bonus with every paid admission to Disneyland. However, even with free admission, most Disneyland guests simply ignored the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose entirely and did not make the trip to Long Beach.

In 1993, Disney opted out of the lease with Long Beach, and the properties reverted to the city. That same year, the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum bought the Spruce Goose and moved it up the Pacific coast to a new hanger. The Queen Mary remained in her dock, but the state room hotel rooms were closed to the public for many years.

As of 2010, the QM's fate remains uncertain. Several companies have bid for control of her, but so far, they have all been unsuccessful. Hopefully, the grand Queen Mary will find some nice benefactor to preserve her for the future, as she so richly deserves.

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