California Man Builds Mini Disneyland in His Backyard Over 27 Years

Have you ever been to Disneyland? I have! I grew up watching Disney movies, so it’s a dream come true to finally see and experience it!

Here are some photos I took last February in Hong Kong Disneyland!

But what if you can’t visit the park? Well, there’s an amazing backyard in Anaheim, California, that brings Disneyland’s magic to life there.

Yep. You read that right!

Meet David Sheegog, an architect who has spent 27 years creating his own Disney-themed miniature railroad called the Castle Peak and Thunder Railroad. 

A miniature railroad is a small version of a regular train. These tiny railways are often used by hobbyists and can be set up inside or outside. 

They usually have small tracks, little trains, and detailed scenes, like houses and trees. 

Did you know that the Castle Peak and Thunder Railroad started back in the late 1990s as a fun project for his kids?

Amazing, right? 

This miniature railroad features famous Disney landmarks, like mini Disney castles, tiny villages, and even a train that runs just like the real Disneyland.

In David’s backyard, you can see famous Disney landmarks like Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and the Haunted Mansion. 

He also built structures like Beast’s Castle and Prince Eric’s Seaside Villa from The Little Mermaid. You can even find a fully functioning aerial skyway that takes you high up above the ground.

If you’ve seen The Lion King, you’ll see the famous scene in the movie where Rafiki lifts and shows Simba on Pride Rock. There’s also Rapunzel’s Tower and Carl Fredricksen’s house from “Up” floating away with balloons. 

Now, you might wonder,  How did he come up with this idea?

It all began when he and his wife, Frances, were homeschooling their kids. David wanted to make their backyard more than just a boring garden. He wanted a fun place for his kids to learn. 

At 70 years old, David found a new hobby called garden railroading. It’s a mix of creating beautiful gardens and having model trains run through them. 

At first, Frances wasn’t so sure about David’s idea for the garden railroad. But David wanted her to see what he had in mind, so he decided to build a small model of how the display could look. 

After he showed her the model, she agreed. Just then, his family also went on a trip to Disney World, and that’s where he got the idea for the design of this garden railroad: Disney theme. David had also worked near Disneyland in California, so he was always inspired by it. 

Most of the buildings were made from scratch. The project became a hands-on learning project for his kids, teaching them about engineering, art, and other important things. 

Every spring and fall, David and his family open their magical backyard to visitors for free. However, reservations fill up super quickly, so you’d better hurry if you want to go here. 

“Last fall, all 2,000 spots were gone in 56 seconds,” David shared. 

They’re also introducing a new show called Pixie Hollow, a water-and-light show featuring 350 independently programmed LED pixels.

What’s next for this miniature railroad? David wants to keep improving his railroad and adding new features over the years. He hopes to keep the magic alive for at least ten more years 

“I’d like to run this for at least 10 years,” he says. “So if I can build it between [ages] 60 and 70 and run it from 70 to 80, then I will have gotten a good run out of it.”