The World Beneath Us (1955–1960)

The World Beneath Us (1955–1960) was a walk-through attraction in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, opening on July 17, 1955, and closing on September 6, 1960. Sponsored by Richfield Oil, it featured a 12-minute CinemaScope film and animated dioramas exploring Earth’s geology and humanity’s quest for energy, with a focus on fossil fuels. Located near Autopia, it offered an educational look at the planet’s past and energy resources.

Below are 10 fun facts about The World Beneath Us:

1. Opening Day Exhibit: The World Beneath Us debuted with Disneyland on July 17, 1955, as a free A-ticket attraction in Tomorrowland, designed to educate guests about Earth’s geological history and the extraction of oil and gas, aligning with Richfield Oil’s sponsorship.
2. CinemaScope Film: The 12-minute film, shown every 15 minutes in a small theater, used wide-screen CinemaScope to depict Earth’s formation, from its explosive birth and rising continents to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and the rise of dinosaurs, ending with humanity’s use of fossil fuels.
3. Animated Earthquake Diorama: A key diorama featured a large model of the Earth’s crust beneath Los Angeles, with tectonic plates and a mechanical arm that periodically simulated earthquakes, captivating guests, especially children, with its dynamic motion.
4. Fossil Fuel Focus: The attraction highlighted Richfield Oil’s role in extracting oil and gas, with displays explaining how organic material transformed into fossil fuels through heat, pressure, and geological folding, tying into the sponsor’s “New Richfield Ethyl” gasoline. The attraction’s exit featured a display of Richfield Oil products, including a model oil derrick, subtly reinforcing the sponsor’s brand while guests returned to Tomorrowland’s futuristic landscape.
5. Professor Richfield Narrator: The film and dioramas were narrated by a character called “the Professor,” a fictional scientist created for Richfield Oil, guiding guests through Earth’s history with a focus on energy resources, though his exact identity remains undocumented.
6. Geological Dioramas: Beyond the earthquake model, dioramas depicted volcanic activity, fossil formation, and prehistoric life, using vibrant colors and mechanical elements to illustrate geological processes like continental drift and sedimentation.
7. Richfield Sponsorship Synergy: Richfield Oil, which also sponsored Autopia (1955–1970), used the attraction to promote its leaded gasoline, with ads boasting tetra-ethyl lead’s benefits for high-compression engines, reflecting 1950s industry priorities.
8. Self-Guided Experience: Guests could explore the dioramas at their own pace without watching the film, allowing repeat visits to the earthquake simulation, which operated on a timer to draw crowds throughout the day.
9. Closure for Tomorrowland Redesign: The attraction closed on September 6, 1960, as Tomorrowland shifted toward thrill-based rides, with its prime real estate repurposed for new exhibits and galleries, marking the end of many opening-day educational attractions.
10. Prehistoric Legacy: The film’s dinosaur scenes foreshadowed Disneyland’s later prehistoric additions, like the 1966 Primeval World diorama on the Disneyland Railroad, which reused animatronics from the 1964 New York World’s Fair.