Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Fantasyland 1958

At one time Disneyland was known as "The Happiest Place on Earth". You don't really hear that anymore, do you? Anyway, I'd say that Fantasyland was the happiest place in Disneyland. So colorful and varied, allowing you to fly with Dumbo, ride one of Mr. Toad's cars, soar over London with Peter Pan; and jazz like that!


Many people know about Walt Disney's apartment over the Fire House on Main Street, but most don't know about his secret rocket ship. The tallest spire of Sleeping Beauty Castle could blast off in case of an emergency (if the commies attacked, for instance), sending Walt to safety on Mars.

9 comments:

Connie Moreno said...

In the first photo, you can see a man on the Skyway and he taking a picture of the people in the other bucket...but the lady isn't looking at him, LOL.

In the second photo two things caught my eye. First of all, a sidewalk by the castle? Looks weird and glad it's gone! Also, what is that tiny teenie flag flying on the castle?

Both pictures are gorgeous and might venture over to my screen saver!

Steve Tanner at Magical Trash said...

Let's hear it for trash cans!

Anonymous said...

@Connie, that sidewalk is weird, I don't ever recall that...could this be before Snow White's grotto?

Anyway, beautiful pics Major, Happiest Place on Earth, in any time.

(No profile today, log-in problems)

JG

Orange Co Native said...

The Dumbo attraction definitely looks better today. I think back to when I was a kid in the early to mid 1960's. Things were not a fine tuned in appearances as they are today. That goes for everything, not just Disneyland. Everything back then was clunkier.

It is too bad they were not able to save Skull Rock and the pirate ship. In my opinion, that large tented area for meeting the princesses could be a place to rebuild Skull Rock and the pirate ship. However, a dark attraction will probably reside there sometime in the future.

CoxPilot said...

That sidewalk was there when I worked there (1959 to 1966), even though the grotto was built later. The little street was the rout for the Omnibus that (in those days) went through to the edge of Tomorrowland.

Katella Gate said...

'At one time Disneyland was known as "The Happiest Place on Earth". You don't really hear that anymore, do you?'

A Major piece of sarcasm. Shere Khan would say "Delightful"

..I think back to when I was a kid in the early to mid 1960's... Everything back then was clunkier.

@Orange Co Native... If I wasn't on the lamb from the cops, I'd tell you how astute that point is.

JG said...

@CoxPilot, thank you. Do you remember when the grotto was built? It would help me date a memory.

JG

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, the grotto was added in 1961

Jim said...

The weirdest thing to me is no little fences around the grass areas!

How cool would it be to have a picnic in on the grass in front of the castle, the ants would probably be singing to ya.