Friday, December 02, 2011

Beautiful Fantasyland, 1956

The "Old Fantasyland" might not have been as fancy as the current incarnation (which I do like), but it had an awful lot of charm! This first photo was taken on a busy, busy day (did I mention it was busy?). Folks are packed like drupelets ("any of the small individual drupes forming a fleshy aggregate fruit such as a blackberry or raspberry"), on a beautiful sunny day with a cloudless blue sky.


No drupelets this time, only a little pink castle; in spite of its fanciful appearance, it has been built atop a formidable stony mountain. Gotta keep those peasants away!

11 comments:

David said...

I say it every time I'm there: "Look, it's Camelot. Camelot."

"Meh, it's just a model."

Monty Python forever!

That was a huge crowd in the first picture. Reminds me of every weekend in July. Love the guy on the right with the white socks pulled up to his waist. Classy, that is.

TokyoMagic! said...

Wow, the Skyway and Cinderella's little pink castle would have been brand-spanking new here.

Those are Alice In Wonderland-style knee high socks. Maybe he bought them at the Mad Hatter Shop on the other side of the Carousel. Maybe not.

Katella Gate said...

I don't think it was busy, I think everybody saw the picture of the bunch of grapes over the Welch's Grape Juice Stand and mistook it as an international sign to crowd together and form drupelets.

People were far more obedient in those days.

Speaking of international signs, my red Aladdin's Lamp keeps lighting up on my dash board and a bell rings... but when is the genie going to appear?

Connie Moreno said...

That first photo is awesome. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing when I read David's comment about the socks, LOL.

Katella: Aladdin's Lamp on the dash board...I thought I was the only one who saw the resemblance!

RemainSeatedPlease said...

Oh, Major, I don't think they were trying to keep the peasants away (not primarily, anyway). When you've go a lovely young princess to get married off, you need to advertise where you live. Prince charming's not gonna find your pad if you're in some narrow, dark valley. Build up high so he can see you! And build big!! (And if the peasants can't get close to you, then that's just gravy.)

@Katella Gate, I can't tell you when the genie's going to appear, but I guarantee that when he does appear, it will be in a cloud of smoke ;)

Major Pepperidge said...

David, from now on I'M going to think of Monty Python's "Holy Grail" too! The guy with the socks reminds me of my older brother, who wears white socks with flip flops. Seriously.

TM!, everything was brand-spanking new at Disneyland in 1956! Meanwhile, maybe the guy with the socks is hiding offensive tattoos.

Katella, I never could decipher those international signs. And Aladdin's lamp? Genie? Whaaaaa?

Connie, I hope you have thick carpets so that you don't hurt yourself when falling on the floor. And obviously you, Katella, and RemainSeatedPlease are all noticing something that is going waaay over my head.

RemainSeatedPlease, I guess you are right about the castle. I've been influenced by all this "Occupy Wall Street" stuff!

TokyoMagic! said...

Ha! That's true, Major!

PsySocDisney said...

Here let me help: The low oil level light, right?? It looks like Aladdin's lamp :) I get it, I get it!

If Where's Waldo were to ever hide in Disneyland, that crowd in the first picture would be adequate I think. I'm getting claustrophobic just looking at it.

Snow White Archive said...

Wow! That is packed! But you said it...what a beautiful and charming scene. Happiest Place on Earth.

Nancy said...

i so want to be there!!!

JG said...

Cinderella's castle looks like it has a fence in that last picture.

Odd angle for a picture, but I like it.

JG