Tomorrowland '72
It's time to visit yesterday's future! Tomorrowland 1972, to be exact. As I have said (over and over, endlessly, until each of you can hardly stand it...), this was the Disneyland of my childhood; and many of my fondest memories of visiting the park were forged during this time.
This guy didn't succumb to the temptation to grow his hair long and forgo bathing like those darn hippies! Who knows, maybe he had served in Vietnam. As you can see, the Autopia cars now look like Corvette Stingrays - - I believe that this model was introduced in 1967, and they were in service until the attraction received a major overhaul in 2000. Love the extra large, plaid bell bottoms on the young woman to the right!
Here's the classic Rocket Jets platform, you were already a good 25 feet (or so) above the ground before your rocket took off! And once you got going, THAT was fun! The level below the Rocket Jets was the circular load area for the Peoplemover. What I wouldn't give to bring that ride back...! At the top of the elevator gantry are what look like two television cameras covered with tarps. Is that what they are?
12 comments:
Those are probably follow spots, but I can't imagine what they'd be fore.
Also, note the construction in the Tomorrowland Terrace.
The place enjoyed a great maturity, a beautiful bright spot in that tacky decade.
That guy in the Autopiaray looks exactly like a mechanic I know here does now! He also seems to be stuck in the 70s in many ways. Maybe that guy found pixie dust there at the park and has been ageless since. :)
Tomorrowland...the most important part of Disneyland for me. you have captured two of my favorite things today....70s clothes and signage!!
our friend in the plaid could have joined The Partridge Family, finally giving Laurie someone to hang with when Keith was busy chasing the girls.
the image of the Rocket Jets could only have been better had they been in flight, tho i do like this one because they are not (does that make sense??). three great signs on that one, and i wonder what those eye-shaped things are there on the right side there under the stair area? no matter what, i LOVE this one...
thanks as always for a nice start to my Tuesday! :D
Boy, you said it. Disneyland was at it's finest in the early seventies, especially Tomorrowland. Being from San Diego, I was practically raised at Disneyland, and it certainly made an impact.
Major, I believe the covered equipment on top of the gantry were spotlights for the nighttime shows on the Tomorrowland stage.
Nancy, those eye-shaped objects were advertising displays for Goodyear and they were on either side of the speedramps. They contained flat "cut-out" kind of graphics with limited animation. These were removed at some point in the 70's. I would LOVE to see some close-up shots of these......do you happen to have any, Major???
P.S. Major, this is the Disneyland that I grew up with also.....and the Tomorrowland that I miss so much! I wish they would just give up on trying to find a new look for Tomorrowland and bring this version back. They will never be able to do anything better!
I would have loved to have seen Disneyland back then. As it is, Disney World of the seventies was my growing up time--although I only visited once as a kid. My favorite memories were amazement at the Tiki Room (Tropical Serenade, I suppose) and at the Country Bear Jamboree. I LOVED how they used to have animatronic heads on the wall of the restaurant next door. That memory STILL is carried with me.
I never experienced the Peoplemover, but I love Tomorrowland Transit Authority and just hold high hopes that one day the Peoplemover will return. That area really needs a good people-eater.
Brer Dan
The construction is probably the terasso(sp) floor replacement that happened in the 70's, as it is the roof for the basement that leaked after the earthquake in the early 70's.
A different anonymous here. I confirm that those were spotlights on the top of the gantry. And yes, this was the best design version of Tomorrowland for me. So much of it seems a vast wasteland today. Hummm, maybe it should be renamed. I was lucky to work attractions back in the 70's. Nearly all of it in Adventure/Frontierland.
Spotlights, of course! I feel pretty dumb, ha ha.
bearride, I didn't know that there was an underground area in Tomorrowland. Kind of like an early utilidor, I suppose?
Thanks as always to everybody for their great comments!
thanks, tokyomagic, for that valuable info! one thing that could have made this a really excellent shot would have been a bluer sky :D
all day long ive been trying to recall what it is that this picture reminds me of, and ive finally thought of it. anyone out there who may be a fan of Godzilla movies, which i am, with the jets down this rocket reminds me of the P-1 that Glen and Fuji flew to Planet X in 'Godzilla vs Monster Zero' ;)
Hey, great site! Just an FYI - the body style of the Corvette Stingray that Disney was copying in this photo was often known as the "Shark" and was introduced by GM in 1968.
Post a Comment