Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Monorail! July 25, 1961

Here's one for all you parking lot fans! Remember that we are parked in section "H"; that's H for um... something Disney starting with H? We've seen the lad to our right in several previous photos, but this is the first time he's worn a civil war kepi (not to be confused with a "keppy kap"!). He looks to be in the confederate army, and instead of a rifle, he is carrying a striped cardboard tube that I believe held a rolled souvenir map (the one with the pink border - I have a rolled copy!). By tomorrow the map will be on his wall with thumbtacks in each corner.

You can only have one of the cars in this photo, so please choose your favorite and it will be delivered to your home.


This photo might have actually been taken upon arrival... looks like there is a crowd waiting to board a tram. Quick Henry! Take a picture of the Monorail! I always like these early shots, when people dangled their hands, arms, and other assorted appendages out the open windows.

9 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Major...you are more generous than Oprah! I'll take the red one, thank you very much.

Don't worry, maybe the kid didn't use tacks. Maybe he hung his map on the wall with lots and lots of Scotch tape. Who knows, he could still have that map today. I still have my very first wall map from 1974.

"H" could be for Happy. I'm going to go to bed now and hopefully dream about the old parking lot. It was much more fun than what sits there today.

Anonymous said...

Third car back, thanks! =)

DCA rant warning. I'd rather have DCA than the parking lot in my humble, no offense meant to anyone. But the wisdom of doing DCA there, that's another matter. The parking lot didn't need replacing... Expand Disneyland into some of the lot to plus the park, perhaps.

When Walt wanted to plus the park or make a new attraction, he did. When he was pretty much done for the time being he thought, let's make a new park. Not marketing California in California, a new park. He didn't go look at his parking lot. He didn't spend a ton buying out everyone for blocks around and even more building a parking structure to replace a parking lot he already had. He went out and started building a whole new park in a new place!

His way has been making fortunes for decades. Still is. The new way... many years later and fortunes are still being invested trying to make it passably resemble what Walt set up.

Anyway back to 1961! What a sight - Monorail sails over the cars. A Victorian era train station and... the Matterhorn Mountain? Brilliant! Outta my way hehe

Yea I'd like that classic car, and classic poster, and a day there...

The Viewliner Limited said...

I'll take the Red Rambler Super Cross Country Sedan for 1961. Great pics Major.

Thufer said...

very nice. your so right, that first shot from just getting out of the car after a long ride was always of a passing monorail. just wonderful memories that are buried under DCA. uggg and grrr

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Awesome shots! Hey Viewliner too my Red rambler, oh well, I'll take the Blue Rambler Wagon, I just need to add some flames on the side! The 3rd one looks like a Chrysler product, cool looking, but its probably rusting away even in this vintage photo....

Thanks Major, this Monorail shots rock!

Katella Gate said...

Hey, I remember when kids were skinny like that!

And I'll take the two VW Bugs one row back. Thanks.

Unknown said...

+1 on the VWs.

Nancy said...

the monorail...what a way to travel! ; )

Anonymous said...

I want the kid's hat. I had one of those when I was about his age (at about that time). I wonder whether I got it at Disneyland...