Friday, November 07, 2008

America the Beautiful, May 1968

Today's first image was a fun find; a scarce photo taken in the pre-show area of "America the Beautiful"! Overhead are colorful banners with the names of (presumably) all 50 states. I vaguely remember seeing this pre-show, and the thing that impressed me the most is that the hostess could tell everyone in the audience what their area code was no matter where they lived.


From the same lot is this fun "POV" shot on the Tomorrowland Auto-topia (as my grandma called it). I'm putting the pedal to the metal! I'm disabling the engine's governor! Ramming speed! It'll be just like "Red Pavement".

7 comments:

spajadigit said...

Oh, that first one is awesome.

TokyoMagic! said...

I love your pre-show pic, Major! I seem to remember some sort of electronic Tic Tac Toe game on one of the walls in this room in the mid-seventies. Does anyone else remember this? I also remember the post show where you could talk on the phone with your favorite Disney character or the Disneyland Operator (but what kid would want to talk to her?) and they were all shown on a large wall mural riding various rides throughout the park.

Katella Gate said...

Is the flag at front and center the "state of confusion" banner that was always good for a laugh?

Honesty, I never thought I'd see this room again. Pretty rare.

Anonymous said...

I remember the Tic-Tac-Toe in the wall at the pre-show. It was behind glass with the bank of decision making relays on view. This was very futuristic in the days before microchips. There was always a group around the display waiting a turn to play. About the only way to get a turn was to wait for the theater doors to open and the pre-show area to clear out.

TokyoMagic! said...

Thanks for confirming that, graffer. I have a pretty good memory, but sometimes I have trouble getting friends to remember the same things, so then I start to question it myself.

Unknown said...

Beautiful, beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Never saw the preshow! Or don't remember... groovy.

And metal pedal to da metal Maj! That pic is a good 'un of those "so much like being there" captures you have.