Thursday, September 25, 2008

3 From August 1960

Today we'll look at a few more images from August 1960. This aerial view of the Sub Lagoon shows an extremely crowded Fantasyland (or is it still Tomorrowland at that point?), everybody wants to be the first kid on their block to ride the still-relatively-new Matterhorn, and maybe the Fantasyland Autopia as well (which was also new). It doesn't look like the line for the subs is quite so long! There seems to be something swimming in the lagoon...


Mermaid alert! This one is swimming, too. It must have been fun to be aboard a sub, looking out your individual porthole, only to see a mermaid passing by! I assume that they were only allowed to swim in certain areas for their safety. She left all of her stuff on her rock... the only thing I can make out for sure is a lyre, although it looks like there is a conch too.


This is unrelated except for the fact that it is from the same lot. Ol' Rainbow Ridge and its surroundings are pretty busy on this summer day. I wanna ride the mules (visible up on the hillside). No, the Mine Train! By the way, anybody remember a rumor of a "Mine Car Drop" (this was long ago), sort of a "Tower of Terror", except it went down into the ground? That one had possibilities!!

5 comments:

mr wiggins said...

Great shots, major! That third photo really captures the spirit of the Frontierland of the late 50's/early 60's To me as a kid, the most fun thing about the Mule Pack (besides riding a mule and getting a chance to really look at everything, especially after the Nature's Wonderland expansion) was getting so close to some of the miniature buildings of Rainbow Ridge! Does anyone else remember how the CMs would take guests' camera bags, ladies' purses, shopping bags, etc., and put 'em on the roof of the queue ramada (the freestanding awning of woven twigs on the left side of the photo) before you mounted? Your stuff would stay up there while you rode. When you dismounted, you'd point out to the CM which item was yours, and he'd give it to you -- no tags or claim slips, just the honor system.

TokyoMagic! said...

Major, I remember hearing that rumor about sort of a reverse Tower of Terror with a mine car theme. I think there was supposed to be some geysers involved too and it was supposedly going to be built somewhere behind Big Thunder. I guess instead, we got the Maliboomer in DCA. When are they going to tear that eyesore down?

Major Pepperidge said...

Tokyomagic, isn't the Maliboomer slated to be removed? I believe that you will get your wish fairly soon. My brother is disappointed though, he liked that ride.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Can't go wrong with Mermaid's! All three of these are super photo's. Even though the Froniterland one is in August, it looks very "fall" to me. Mr. Wiggins, amazing about the personal items, some non-disney parks make you rent a locker now for each ride where you have to store you goods!

Anonymous said...

Neat Rainbow Ridge pic! Somehow I thought the mermaids just waded out to their rock to tan their chlorine shocked skin till it peeled and bleach out their merpants. But they actually swam around a bit to be seen swimming from the subs...real cool.