The Main Street Shooting Gallery (1955–1962) was a lively, interactive attraction on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., where guests could take aim at Wild West-themed targets in a 1920s-inspired setting. As one of the park’s opening-day offerings, it brought a touch of frontier sharpshooting to the elegant Main Street before moving to Frontierland and eventually being replaced by the larger Big Game Safari Shooting Gallery in Adventureland.
Here are 10 fun facts about this short-lived sharpshooting gem:
- Opening Day Trigger: The Main Street Shooting Gallery debuted on July 17, 1955, as part of Disneyland’s inaugural lineup, nestled in a cozy spot on Main Street’s west side, near the Penny Arcade and Swift’s Market House, per a 1955 park map.
- 1920s Western Vibe: Despite Main Street’s 1890s aesthetic, the gallery leaned into a 1920s frontier theme, with targets like cowboys, bandits, and saloon props. The decor evoked a Wild West carnival, blending Main Street’s polish with gritty sharpshooting flair.
- Lead Pellet Action: Guests fired .22-caliber rifles loaded with lead pellets at moving and static targets, aiming for tin cans, swinging doors, or pop-up outlaws. The satisfying “ping” of hits drew crowds, though pellets sometimes ricocheted.
- Ticket to Shoot: A round cost a “B-ticket” (about 25 cents) in 1955, affordable but pricier than “A-ticket” rides like the Horse-Drawn Streetcars.
- Small but Busy: The gallery was compact, with 10–12 shooting stations, limiting capacity to about 200 guests per hour. Long waits (up to 30 minutes) were common, prompting its relocation to handle bigger crowds.
- Relocation to Frontierland: In 1957, the gallery moved to Frontierland, where it became the Frontierland Shooting Gallery (later Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition), fitting better with the land’s Western theme. The Main Street space was repurposed for shops like the Emporium.
- Safety Concerns: Lead pellets posed risks, with occasional ricochets nicking guests or littering Main Street’s pristine sidewalks. By 1962, the park shifted to safer BB guns in Frontierland, and Main Street’s gallery was phased out.
- Big Game Successor: The Main Street gallery’s closure paved the way for the Big Game Safari Shooting Gallery in Adventureland (1962–1982), which offered a larger, jungle-themed experience.
- Magically New: The gallery’s targets were repainted nightly to cover pellet dings, a maintenance chore that kept Main Street sparkling
- Nostalgic Legacy: The gallery’s brief run left a mark, inspiring Disneyland’s later shooting arcades. Can you imagine… guns in Disneyland?
