Sunday, October 03, 2010

Last Damaged Slides!

I'm presenting the last of my lot of damaged Disneyland slides from 1956.


I never get tired of looking at the sturdy li'l Mine Trains, particularly from the early days. The attraction had opened this year, and as you can see, they are in their dark-green plumage. That's right, they are covered in feathers. See what you can learn on this blog?


There's Toad Hall, from Storybook Land. It sure looks swell! I especially like the tiny topiaries on the front lawn, shaped like an airplane and an automobile. As you know, Mr. Toad was obsessed with cars, and then planes. And Japanese monster movies.


And finally, a not-especially-exciting view of the shore of Tom Sawyer Island, with a raft at rest at the dock. It looks so deserted here (never mind the guy with the cudgel hidden behind the sign to the left)... the Island needs to be crawling with kids!


11 comments:

Chiana_Chat said...

Driver of that adorable train looks a bit young - letting a kid sit in the cab, talk about a cool way to experience it. Hope he isn't allergic to feathers. ;-) They're parked in front of the Rainbow Ridge Clarion (must be the newspaper). Also on the sign I can just make out: "Notary" and "Letters Written." :)

Wonder if they used that model as the template for the remodeled Toad Hall - sure caught the spirit of it anyway.

Maybe pipples noticed all the red explosives barrels lined up on that raft and are staying clean away. ;)

Really enjoyed Maj, and appreciate your efforts to scan and, where practicable, fix 'em a bit. "Damaged" and all, I'm gonna miss this series all the same.

Nancy said...

any picture of Rainbow Ridge is fine with me...:D

it almost looks like the Island is closed, doesnt it? hard to tell what time it was but the shadows seem to suggest that it was not too early :(

i agree with Chiana, thanks for all your time in making them look pretty good :)

Connie Moreno said...

IMHO no picture of Disneyland is lackluster. There is something in it for someone out there. Keep 'em coming!

I need to talk to you about some slides I found yesterday.

Orange Co Native said...

In the picture of TSI. The raft in the picture is where the mill is located today. They moved the mill from the front of the island (where the Fantasmic stage is today) to this location sometime in 1989 or early 1990. I don't think that small pier is there anymore either. The building in the back is the restrooms which are still there today. Just some observations. I always look at the people in the pictures as well and wonder where they are today (Obviously the ones who are the children because the elderly adults are not here anymore),

Rich T. said...

I never noticed the tiny topiaries! I wonder if they're still there in the Hall's new location. Thanks for posting these, Major!

Major Pepperidge said...

Chiana, the best thing about the explosive barrels is that you were supposed to sit on them! My memory of Toad Hall from "The Wind in the Willows" is foggy, I wonder if it looked like the Storybook Land version?

Nancy, it is possible that Tom Sawyer Island had not opened to the public just yet. Hard to say.

Connie, I want to hear about your slides!

Orange Co Native, thank you for your insight; my friends and family always assume that I know everything about Disneyland, and I barely know anything!

Rich T., I am hoping I can answer your question about the tiny topiaries next week!!

TokyoMagic! said...

Just out of our view in that Toad Hall pic, is a very large topiary of Mothra.

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, that is GENIUS! I want a topiary of Mothra, at least when she was a larva (yes, Mothra was a girl)! That would be so cool; maybe the two tiny fairies would come to visit me.

JG said...

@Chiana, I think the model of Toad Hall definitely figured into the remodeling of the full-size ride facade. I noticed that connection fairly soon after the F'Land remodel.

I don't know if the movie version resembles the canal miniature, but it seems likely it would, given the attention to detail elsewhere (for instance Cinderellas house and castle).

Major, I have a pretty good set of pics of the recent Storybook Land, i'll send them if i can find them. might be interesting to compare.

I love Storybook Land.

Thank you.

JG

Chiana_Chat said...

@ JG Yep and I just checked the film: both are after the Toad Hall in the film to a remarkable degree. One thing I love about the '83 FL remodel is that it brought more of that intricate detail of the Storybookland attraction to the whole land in full size, they go so well together. :)

PS - I dub this post, Damaged's Last Stand.

Major Pepperidge said...

I know myself well enough to know that when I go to Disneyland on Thursday, I won't take many photos. So JG, I'd love to see your photos!