Three From Frontierland, 1956
I've always loved the fact that one has to raft over to Tom Sawyer Island. I'm hardly ever on a raft in my day-to-day life! The concept feels like one that Walt Disney would have come up with himself, since I can only imagine that people would have said it was too slow and too inefficient. But it turns out to be juuuuust right! 
Here's a view taken from the Mark Twain looking towards TSI. Some of the slides in this lot say 1956, but I suspect that this might be from '57, since the foliage appears to be more lush than I would expect it to be when it first opened. Anyway, you can see the raft landing to the left, Tom's treehouse (once the highest point in Disneyland), and the dock where you could catch an audio animatronic trout.
And finally, there goes the choo-choo train, chuffing through the wilderness. The E.P. Ripley's li'l moon roof is open, apparently it gets really hot in the cab! 
6 comments:
Mm like the feel of that train pic. The train looks 100% authentic that I'd think you could end up at Silverton or Carson City or something if you got onboard. lil' moon roof hehe
What's that wall on the left in the top pic? In front of the castle.
Rafts. Only. Yup can't imagine that idea poppin' up at some meeting let alone flying. 'scuse me, I's gone fishin'!
Chiana, I think that the wall you mentioned is part of the Casa de Fritos building!
Looks like the cast members working the rafts must have had the most casual costumes in Disneyland. Straw hat, cotton shirt and jeans.
I remember that the raft operator pay was based on difficulty, numbers of passengers, whether the ride was on a track or not, etc. Since the rafts were actually a fully operational, and individually operated, boat that was motor powered; and because the raft carried the most passengers of any single ride under the responsibility of one pilot; the raft operators were the highest paid. Plus; the raft had to cross the paths of both the Mark Twain and the Columbia. EVERYONE wanted to be a raft driver.
Hi Major. Gosh it could be. Didn't seem like the right spot, but it looks like the right color and shape... Things look so different! :)
Always enjoy your comments CoxPilot. Highest pay and a straw hat to boot, no wonder hehe
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