Friday, April 22, 2011

Skyway, 1961

Here's a terrific (and unusual) view of the Tomorrowland Skyway station as seen from one of the old buckets. We're heading towards Fantasyland; our photographer is facing backwards in order to see the fella in the red shirt. The Space Bar is to our right, and the Autopia is to our left.


I love this shot, passing through the caves of the Matterhorn with Fantasyland below us! One thing puzzles me though. The man in the red shirt, in bucket # 15 now seems to be heading towards Tomorrowland. Or am I completely discombobulated? I knew I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue.

19 comments:

D ticket said...

They must have gone once around. Blue 15 is always behind the photographer, the bucket on the right is always coming towards you, whichever way you're facing. So we see them leaving TL, and then we see them returning from FL.

TokyoMagic! said...

This can only mean one thing....there's a sale at Penny's!

Graffer said...

According to More Mouse Tales by David Koenig, in the early years, guests had the option to use two tickets on the Skyway to receive a continuous round trip. Maybe this is the case here.

This policy was discontinued because it greatly increased the wait time. From then on, passengers wanting a round trip had to unload and get in line again.

Nancy said...

as Colonel Klink would say
...."very interesting"

the Skyway sign always puts me in mind of Tower Of The Four Winds. there was such great signage back in the early days

thanks for the colorful snaps this morning ;)

Connie Moreno said...

Very cool pics. Oh and it's obvious to me that they merely switched buckets while going through the Matterhorn. I used to do it all the time.

Thufer said...

Interesting to see the placement of a working fire hydrant in that top picture .... andddddddd ... yes an unsafe vine in the lower picture.

Wait; someone said there is a sale at Penney's?

Good pictures, views from the Skyway always bring smiles.

Heidi Ann said...

Thank you for sharing these photos - I miss the Skyway SO much!

Jason Schultz said...

I want to know what the "Sorry" sign in the lower right of the first photograph is apologizing for.

Major Pepperidge said...

Well, D ticket and Gaffer, your explanation is the only one that really makes sense, so I'm going with that one!

A sale a Penny's? I do need new socks!

Nancy, I have also made the Tower of the Four Winds connection, but I don't think that Rolly Crump had anything to do with the Skyway's kinetic sculpture.

Connie and Heidi Ann, I'm glad you liked these! Thufer, you do occasionally see exposed fire hydrants like that one in older photos - maybe it was a building code thing.

Progressland, I'm pretty sure that the sign says something about how the Skyway can't accommodate strollers and wheelchairs.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Checkout that line for the Skyway! That fire hydrant sure does stick out, like a hat or a brooch....

Great post, thanks!

Yendorb said...

If this is after the discontinuance of the 2 ticket round trip option, another possibility, is that due to some sort of maintenance going on at the FL station, a round trip was mandatory.

CoxPilot said...

Graffer is absolutely correct about the round trip thing. I remember it making both riders waiting in line, and ride operators having to deal with watching out for cheaters saying they had a round trip, but the tag had blown away during the ride.

The same problem was happening with the Omnibus and a few other main street vehicles, so they just decided that everyone had to get off, and then get on again.

SundayNight said...

That first pic is great. Wonder what that empty sign frame was for (at the left)? Maybe it was one of those land maps they had in the early days.

Nancy said...

SundayNight, I was wondering what that was on the left; i sorta thought it was some kind of bench tho it did seem out of the way there

D ticket said...

It's a bench with canopy, check it out:

http://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html

SundayNight said...

Indeed it is. Thanks for the identification D Ticket.

Major Pepperidge said...

Thank goodness for D ticket, because I never would have come up with that answer, even though I had the photo to prove it! Interesting.

Unknown said...

I LOVE that second photo! What a great view!

John Guill said...

Wonderful series, Major. Prime stuff.

JG