Anaheim lumberyard supplies Disneyland timber for 60 years

When construction began on Disneyland in 1954, Walt Disney’s first priority was an industrial lumber mill. That mill stood on the site that eventually became the Main Street Opera House. The park needed a steady supply of timber to raise its structures, and a nearby supplier in Anaheim filled that role. Today, Ganahl Lumber continues to provide the Douglas fir, white oak, and mahogany that Disneyland uses for maintenance, renovation, and repair. This relationship has lasted for more than 60 years.

Ganahl Lumber is the oldest continuously operating lumberyard in California. Founded in 1884, the company moved its base to Anaheim in 1904. It now employs 1,200 workers across Southern California, with about a quarter of that workforce located in Anaheim. Peter Ganahl, the company chairman, described the partnership to the Disney Experiences Blog. He stated that the company can execute woodwork that most others cannot. He noted that Disney functions as a visual artist and that Ganahl helps meet those specific creative needs.

The collaboration typically starts with a joint walkthrough. Disneyland’s engineering services department and Ganahl’s industrial sales team inspect an attraction or land together. They identify the specific materials required for the project. Kevin Johnson, Ganahl’s industrial sales manager, views the park through a practical lens. He looks for Ganahl materials in Fantasyland, Frontierland, Adventureland, and Main Street U.S.A. He sees the company’s products everywhere he looks.

The Main Street U.S.A. horse-drawn streetcars require substantial amounts of Douglas fir and white oak for their wooden seats and running boards. Johnson explained that these components suffer from constant wear and tear. The new Emporium balcony over the corner entrance was constructed with mahogany. All windows along Main Street U.S.A. are also made of mahogany. This includes a new tribute window created for former Disney CEO Bob Iger.

Fantasyland interiors rely heavily on mahogany. The ride vehicles and structures for Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride use the wood. In Adventureland, the Jungle Cruise dock requires a Douglas fir plank with a specific vertical grain. The boathouse calls for cedar siding. At Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, staff sandblast large timbers framing the lift hill. This process gives the mine shaft a weathered, historic appearance. Tony Alvarado, Disneyland’s engineering service manager, said Douglas fir is the only material that themes well through sandblasting. He added that the wood is easy to stain and work with.

The Fowler’s Harbor outdoor dining area features an expansive ipe wooden deck overlooking the Rivers of America. Ganahl also supplies materials for the miniature buildings lining the Storybook Land Canal Boats. The company provides the doors, windows, and tiny roofing shingles for these structures. Alvarado noted with a laugh that the doors are likely only two inches by four inches tall. He explained that Douglas fir is the easiest wood to use for such small parts.

Disneyland plans ahead for large projects and seasonal maintenance, but the 500-acre resort faces unexpected repairs. Alvarado said that things often come up that need immediate fixing. Ganahl usually keeps the necessary inventory at its 20-acre Anaheim lumberyard or at one of its 13 other Southern California locations. Johnson stated that Disney needs things done fairly quickly. Ganahl keeps additional mahogany, cumaru, and ipe on hand specifically for the park. Cumaru and ipe are dense, durable tropical hardwoods native to Central and South America.

The company has built custom milling knives that mount onto woodworking machines. These tools cut specific profiles and shapes for Disneyland projects. Johnson said he does not think any expense or detail is overlooked at Disney. He added that Ganahl does everything it can to fit that expectation. The company is one of 8,500 small businesses Disney works with across the country.

According to an Oxford Economics report commissioned by Disney in 2023, the Disneyland resort had an annual economic impact of $16.1 billion in Southern California. That impact directly and indirectly supported more than 102,000 jobs in the region. Nearly 75% of those jobs were in Orange County. Just over a third of those jobs were at the Disneyland resort itself, which employed 36,000 workers. The report found that nearly 1 in 20 jobs in Orange County can be attributed to Disneyland.