Through the forest wilderness

When Fort Wilderness first opened to the public it was billed as ‘The Original, Imaginative, Innovative, Exciting, Relaxing Fort Wilderness Campground Resort.’ The poster advertisement featured alluring wording to entice guests to stay at Fort Wilderness and experience the steam train, Tri-Circle-D Ranch’s trail rides, Bay Lake, and the transportation to and from the resorts and the Magic Kingdom. Although this poster has not been used in a number of years, and predates Fort Wilderness’ famous dinner show the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, it can still be found hanging in the gallery of One Man’s Dream at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The only artwork on the poster is the Fort Wilderness Railroad, which appears to be chugging off of the page and into the real world. Though the train was the centerpiece, the original piece of artwork featured other Fort Wilderness guests partaking in fishing and paddling canoes through the cypress swamps.The piece was created by Collin Campbell in 1972. An artist who worked on layouts for such features as 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp, Campbell also toiled on projects such as Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room and Blue Bayou and Typhoon Lagoon in Florida. While his art can generally speak for itself, in The Wind in the Willows Campbell spoke for the animation when he was cast as the speaking voice for Mole.