Thursday, May 05, 2011

Castle and Entrance to Tomorrowland, 1956

I have a small bunch of slides that I am guestimating (for a variety of reasons) as being from around 1958. However, the two you'll see today must be from a few years earlier. Sometimes it can be hard to tell, but in each of these you can see the short-lived signs that showed guests the layout of the "land" they were about to enter.


First up is Sleeping Beauty Castle. Nary a hint of Barbie pink or baby blue to be seen! Even the medieval banners are a soft shade of gray; looks classy if you ask me. Today we apparently need to be bludgeoned with a rainbow. There's the sign I mentioned earlier, over to the left. Check out the kid in his cool checked jacket. A few tasteful Christmas decorations are the only hint we get to let us know roughly what time of year this was.


I would be unable to resist this entrance! I have a friend who told me that he never went into Tomorrowland in the 50's because there was practically nothing to do. ZOIKS! I can think of at least a dozen things I would want to do!!


11 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

"Bludgeoned With A Rainbow"....that would be a good name for a band.....or maybe a shop in a mall from the seventies that sells rainbow pillows, candles, posters etc.

Nancy said...

i dont ever remember seeing those maps at the entrance before....those are beautiful!!!

the pic of Tomorrowland is primo for me....yeah, what was wrong with that guy?!

fine start to a finally sunny morning here, tho its cold at 37 degrees :(

Unknown said...

These are fantastic!

Thufer said...

'..nothing to do..' why, isn't the Bathroom of the Future just around the corner? BASH! nothing to do, indeed!

Connie Moreno said...

Excellent photos! I especially love the first one. The woman's dress reminded me of mom *grin*.

I love Tokyo's idea for a store!

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

Two beauties! Those signs/maps things are too cool and a sure way to know these are OLD! Looks like a windless day in Tomorrowland with all the flags standing still...

Orange Co Native said...

We are looking at photos taken over 50 years ago. It would be interesting to see how Disneyland will look in the year 2061.

Yes. There is no snow on the castle rooftop. Things sure were simple back then. I think Disney should go back to the grey on the castle. but I think overall Disneyland has improved tremendously since the 1950's and early 1960's. Especially in the area of landscape. More attention today to details.

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, I still think that rainbow suspenders look good no matter the occasion.

theelfqueen... thanks, your majesty!

Thufer, that is definitely one of the places I'd visit, even if I didn't have to "go"!!

Connie, maybe it IS your mom!

VDT, there was wind, but it was a high-gravity day too.

OC Native, I certainly love many things about the later Disneyland, for sure. But I strongly feel that the color palette used today is generally not good compared to the old days.

Katella Gate said...

I can only speculate (after all, this is the internet) that those interesting "land" signs had not been painted in fade-proof paint and were staring to show their age.

There was probably a classic repair/replace/remove decision, and they were removed. Perhaps they weren't really used often enough to justify a re-paint.

Major Pepperidge said...

Katella, it seems that signs changed fairly frequently in the old days; I wonder if they figured they didn't really need the signs anymore, with the gate handouts - each with simple maps that would help orient anybody who managed to get lost?

But you're right, it would also negate the need to repair or refurbish those signs as well!

steve2wdw said...

I like the well placed trash can in front of Sleeping Beeuty Castle...haha. I do like the grassy area on each side of the entrance to the castle.