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Make Something Ugly almost Disappear with Disney’s “Go Away Green”

By 09/26/2015February 21st, 201722 Comments

disneylandgreens

I know it seems like I’m on vacation AGAIN! Because I am. . . with my adorable nephews in Disneyland this week. However, this vacation (which included a three day cruise from Vancouver to LA) was booked months ago.

It’s Markus (6) and William (8) first time in Disneyland and Terreeia and I didn’t want to miss it!

mariaandmarkus

Maria & Markus

A while ago, someone sent me this article on Disney’s Go Away Green that I posted on my Facebook page, about how Disney uses several different greens to make stuff they don’t want you to see look like it’s almost not there at all.

Can you spot the green that’s designed to disappear?

prattandlambert

I always bring a paint fan deck with me everywhere I go, this time I brought a Pratt & Lambert deck (where I’m a design guild member) because it’s smaller than the other ones (easier to carry around) and it has lots of good greens to choose from.

lampost

Here the lamp post was a traditional forest green but the rest of the post was painted out a blue green colour.

mistymoors

P&L Misty Moors 19-22

diamond

Again, the greens are split on this post on the right.

firehydrant

Speakers and fire hydrants were also this shade of blue-green throughout the park. I guess Disney employees know where they are so they don’t need to be bright red!

greenfence

We got on the train that goes around the park in Disneyland and I noticed that the fence here was painted a muddy brown/green shade. It draws the eye up to the styled clothesline instead. This shade was all over the park.

otter

P&L Otter 9-17

speakers

What disappears here? It’s very hard to see it.

The garbage cans were painted to coordinate with whatever the theme was around them. Obviously, it’s important to be able to see them so that they can be used!

speakers2

You have to look hard to see these speakers!

forestgreenfence

Here the bridge and fence on either side of the forest green fence were different colours but this fence blended right into the evergreens growing right beside it.

robinhoodgreen

P&L Robinhood Green 21-18

putty

Here the binoculars blend in with the stone wall. It’s hard to say if these were designed to disappear but they certainly don’t stand out.

bayberry

P&L Bayberry 14-23

traditionalhome

Here’s a similar colour on a brick wall. A lovely neutral backdrop against the green ivy and trees.

jacobsfamily1

spalshmountain

And here’s the Splash Mountain picture! You don’t see me here because I opted out of this one, Terreeia’s in orange at the top, she loves anything to do with water (Pisces baby), then Elizabeth holding onto William who never wants to go near this ride again! Bill, holding onto Markus who loved it and is going back today!

goaway

Alright my lovelies, who is going to the paint store ASAP for some go-away green and what on the exterior of your house needs to be painted so that it disappears?

Related posts:

Do All Greens Go Together?

The Difference Between Fresh Greens and Yellow Greens

2015 Trend Alert: Olive Green from High Point

If you would like help creating a beautiful and classic exterior, we have e-design exterior consultation packages available here.

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22 Comments

  • Susan S says:

    And a fun time was had by all! Markus is the only one who kept his eyes open! And who volunteered to go back to Splash Mountain with Markus, eh?

  • Claudia says:

    Leave it to you, Maria, to see Disneyland in a whole new way. I’ve been there numerous times, and never really paid attention to the colors on the fences, gates, and lamp posts, but now I see how they were carefully chosesn to blend in or disappear. I would have never seen those speakers! Glad to see you and your family enjoying themselves.

  • Claudia says:

    Leave it to you, Maria, to see Disneyland in a whole new way. I’ve been there numerous times, and never really paid attention to the colors on the fences, gates, and lamp posts, but now I see how they were carefully chosen to blend in or disappear. I would have never seen those speakers! Glad to see you and your family enjoying themselves.

  • Lucy Haines says:

    What a fun time you are having. You must be exhausted after coming back from a three week trip to Italy and now Disneyland! I admire your stamina. I too have never even given it a thought that Disney would try to hide something that otherwise could be ugly. Of course they would because they are master illusionists.

    Thanks for the pictures and enjoy the rest of your trip!

  • LaJuana. says:

    I wish a trip to the paint store would magically turn my “pearl” colored house into that lovely Bayberry. Alas I’m stuck with siding and it’s only a dream!

    Love the article! Glad you are all having so much fun!

  • Ken says:

    Interesting. When I was Chevron, we had a similar palette of “go away” colors for storage tanks — various blues and grays that tended to blend into the sky and clouds. I guess they were too tall (when viewed from ground level) to blend in with the landscape.

  • I absolutely loved seeing this side of Terreeia , such a fun photo! You’ll remember this trip for a lifetime!

  • So fun to see you having such a good time. Funny as we were just trying to plan a trip there this year too. Even though I think of Disney as having clean colors (costumes) in reality most of the park is dirty colors, don’t you think? Have a wonderful trip!

  • carolanne says:

    amazing post ! thanks for doing the work for us, I so love Disney parks, I might have to go to one for vacation next year…

  • Linda Sewell says:

    Love Splash Mountain, you’re all enjoying special time making memories….enjoy!

  • Helene Belloni says:

    Maria, I really enjoyed your post and I love the family pictures. Thank-you for sharing these personal moments. I love Disney too and splash mountain is a favorite. Don’t miss the seven dwarfs mine roller coaster if they have it at Disneyland.

  • Mary-Illinois says:

    Looks like everyone had a great time. Reminds me of when my parents took me to Disneyland when I was a kid. A long time ago!

  • Polly says:

    The colors of camouflage and Walt was in the military as well as made training films for the military at Disney Studios!!

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  • Barbara Loyd says:

    The paint fan deck along on your vacation came in handy. Thanks for pointing out the “illusions” in the Disney complex. You have a sharp eye. It appears that you and the family had a memorable vaca.

  • I’ve not been to Disney World, but I noticed a similar use of color at Yosemite National Park. All buildings were earth tones, mostly greens, khakis or browns, to blend with the beautiful scenery rather than call attention to themselves.

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  • Keira says:

    Love having behind the scenes design tours! Thanks.

  • Carol J says:

    Wow, that was really interesting.

    Your nephews are adorable! I hope you all had a blast.

  • mrsben says:

    Well, aren’t you ‘the old eagle eye”… ☺. (BTW that is a compliment Maria.) Did you happen to notice the security cameras as according to my Daughter and SIL (who are police officers) they are every where! Ourselves, we’ve never been to Disney in California but every two to three years the whole family gets together and we stay onsite in Disney World/Florida so am glad that you are making memories with yours. Your nephews are so adorable. -Brenda-
    P.S.: Hope you were able to attend Mickey’s (Not So Scary) Halloween Party as I believe it begins around this time of the year on selected nights. Attended it two years ago and yes we all dressed up.

  • Meger Anski says:

    Excellent detective work!
    Have pinned Misty Moors to my LOVE THIS color pallet board, along with this post.

    That is exactly the color I need to paint my conservatory!.

    THANK YOU!!!

  • JaneBIVL says:

    This is brilliant!

  • Connie says:

    What a great reminder of how to “disappear” elements in our homes that are out of synch? (switches, monitors, less than peerfect anything, etc.

  • Susan Telfer says:

    Is there a “go away green” for interiors? (For my husband’s large speakers.) Something like Georgian Green, maybe?

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