Monday, March 02, 2009

Main Street at Sunset, 1970

1970 is probably right around the time that I was getting pretty interested in Disneyland. Of course I liked going there, but I also wondered about how the place was built, how they did the effects in the Haunted Mansion, what the rides looked like with the lights on... stuff like that.

This is an unusually vivid and colorful picture of the Opera House taken as it is bathed in the last brilliant golden rays of sunshine. I like the way the reflected light on the street shows in hues of red/violet while the shaded areas are cobalt blue. Makes me wish I was there!


This picture was probably taken mere moments later (it's 7:26!), but the sun has already dipped so low that only the topmost peak of Main Street Station is still directly lit. You can see that the lights have come on, including the small rows of lights that outline the eaves of the station. This is always my favorite time of day... the park cools down, some people head for home, and the whole place takes on a different atmosphere.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pretty! Bet that light really "popped" on that slide. Looks nice yup.

Hm wonder how much longer it'd be open past 7:26 pm in 1970... other than the food often being better nowadays (tho' ya pays a-plenty for it) and a few attractions that are new or improved today (the castle walk thru) I think the main grouse if I went back to then would be wishing it were open longer. It's not a place I wanna hurry to leave y'know. :)

Would just need to avert the eyes from some of the "fashion" and perhaps avoid them teens on the bench in the top pic!

Thufer said...

if only real life was this perfect. really really nice shoots. i so love town square/main street at anytime of day but i agree, this is probably about the best. one of my favorite things to do is be in town square as the lights come on. just something special happens.

PTA Transit Authority said...

Fantastic RR Station pic.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

A couple of real beauties here! THANKS! That magic moment between night and day just makes Disneyland even more surreal. 1970 was the year I started to ask questions too "Dad, how come I can see the floor & wires on ATIS"?

I hear Mr. Lincoln will be back this fall!!!!!!!

Nancy said...

one of my favorite times to be there is near dusk, when the lights come on and its still a little light out...makes them that much prettier!

thanks for the very nice pictures today :)