On rare occasions I've even had a chance to meet a few of you, as well as my fellow bloggers. Patrick (Matterhorn1959) Dave (Davelandblog), Tim (Vintage Disneyland Tickets), Chris (Meet the World), Jason (Disneyland Nomenclature), Connie (Life Is A Journey), Kevin (Kevin Kidney), Ken (Outside The Berm), and oh jeez, I'm probably leaving somebody out. There are so many other great blogs out there that I read on a regular basis... too many to mention, but they are all appreciated. The Disney blogger community is made up of some wonderful people!
Here's a nice photo of the old bandstand (circa 1955), from the short period when it was just to the west of Sleeping Beauty Castle. I think that the orange roof didn't stay that color for very long, either! A small group of guests has gathered to listen to the Disneyland Band; the small flags and the patriotic bunting might be leftover from the opening day ceremonies.
This is really the only decent photo of a Phantom Boat that I have... but it's a doozy! Calling Batman... somebody stole your boat. I love the big fins and the "jet engine" cowlings, combined with the prosaic outboard motor. Those motors were notorious for overheating and conking out, leaving guests stranded. Eventually a cast member sat in the back and piloted the boats for them. Lame! From this angle, it's as if there was nothing but miles of grassy meadow in the background; just imagine if this attraction had survived to see beautiful mature landscaping.
I have a few images that I have been saving for #2000... photos that I consider to be extra special. Hopefully you'll agree! Like this first picture (undated, but probably 1956 or 1957) in glorious Kodachrome; Black Bart - the scoundrel! - hams it up for a photographer, robbing a group of five girls in front of a colorful Rainbow Ridge.
Here's a closer look. If this picture doesn't make you smile, nothing will! Skinny black pants were "in" for girls that year, apparently. I love the look on Bart's face, and the pure joy on the faces of the girls.
The lovable (and, I am legally obligated to add, "short-lived") Viewliner was a spiffy little train that ran between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland for about 15 months before its demise. Sure, we love the Monorail that replaced it, but if only the two could have lived together in peace and harmony. This terrific shot shows the "fastest miniature train in the world" as it crossed the bridge over Tomorrowland Lake. The ducks are not impressed.
Here's a closer look. If this picture doesn't make you smile, nothing will! Skinny black pants were "in" for girls that year, apparently. I love the look on Bart's face, and the pure joy on the faces of the girls.
The lovable (and, I am legally obligated to add, "short-lived") Viewliner was a spiffy little train that ran between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland for about 15 months before its demise. Sure, we love the Monorail that replaced it, but if only the two could have lived together in peace and harmony. This terrific shot shows the "fastest miniature train in the world" as it crossed the bridge over Tomorrowland Lake. The ducks are not impressed.
Here's a nice photo of the old bandstand (circa 1955), from the short period when it was just to the west of Sleeping Beauty Castle. I think that the orange roof didn't stay that color for very long, either! A small group of guests has gathered to listen to the Disneyland Band; the small flags and the patriotic bunting might be leftover from the opening day ceremonies.
This is really the only decent photo of a Phantom Boat that I have... but it's a doozy! Calling Batman... somebody stole your boat. I love the big fins and the "jet engine" cowlings, combined with the prosaic outboard motor. Those motors were notorious for overheating and conking out, leaving guests stranded. Eventually a cast member sat in the back and piloted the boats for them. Lame! From this angle, it's as if there was nothing but miles of grassy meadow in the background; just imagine if this attraction had survived to see beautiful mature landscaping.
Well, that about does it for today! I am sorry to say that there definitely won't be a 3000th post, because I am very nearly out of slides, and will almost certainly run out sometime this year. At that point... who knows. I've got some thinkin' to do. Meanwhile, thanks once again to all GDB readers for your support!
Congrats on #2000-! And thanks for all the wonderful pics you've shared. (You can't stop until you surprise the both of us with a pic of yours truly).
ReplyDeleteDon't Stop! We wants the 3000!
ReplyDeleteGorillas Don't Blog but to the sheer delights of many, Pepperidge is a Major blogger!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 2000th (the mind reels like a kids' new Disneyland ViewMaster reel). Hope you don't rule out at least some rescans, 'cause I'd be delighted to review 'em, I kid you knott.
Yes it is all about the pipples er, people. And peoplemovers. And things. Happy times, happy places.
Speaking of - this post is a knock-out package of that. Are those girls a performing group or something? What a bunch. Boy is Black Bart happy to be hamming it up for the girls. Even if they are too young. The cad!
Great pics of folk enjoying the early bandstand, the greatest model-train-tacular pic ever of the Viewliner and the Phantom Boat? *rubs eyes* Whoa...
2,000 awesome.
(CAPTCHA is "damsher"!)
Congratulations, Major! What else can I say that I didn't already say after your 1,000th post? I think you know what a huge fan I am.
ReplyDeleteAre you now nearing the end of all of your slides, or just the Disneyland images? I have enjoyed your "Anything Goes Saturdays" and your "Souvenir Dungeon" installments as alternatives to vintage DL slides. I wouldn't mind seeing more items from your collection!
As for today's pics, I was wondering the same as Chiana....if maybe those girls were part of a dance group or something like that. Even the Mine Train operator in the background seems amused. The girls and Bart all appear to be looking in the direction of the photographer on the far left of the pic. I wonder if the person that took this photo even knew them?
That's an odd looking speaker (if that's what it is) on the roof of the bandstand? It looks like it belongs more in Tomorrowland!
Congratulations on the milestone post. Thanks for all the hard work, it's very much appreciated! And today's photos are indeed a stand-out bunch.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 2000! Hopefully many many more.
ReplyDeleteScore with the best picture of the Viewliner to be ever seen and 'Bat-Boats'.
Welcome to the 2000th club! Thanks for all the great photographs and also the chuckles and laughs on a daily basis! You know I appreciate your humor and of course your fantastic collection!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I discovered you back in 2010 (I think). Wish I had some slides I could pass on to you but my Dad for some unknown reason didn't take any at Disneyland! He used Kodachrome for his vacation pics but I guess because Disneyland (and Knotts, Marineland, Santas Village, etc) was nearby he didn't consider it. I do have home movies though :) I keep hoping I'll see myself in the background of one your treasures.
ReplyDeleteKeep going as long as you can and visit those thrift stores (or wherever you get these from). You are a daily fix for me now.
Congrats - Not only for 2000 posts, but for a very cool trio of shots today!
ReplyDeleteWay to go!!! See, it's shots like these that make this site so enjoyable. I've never seen a pic of the viewliner going over the Tomorrowland lake. There's nothing cooler in my mind than to look at 50's-60's era Disneyland photos. There's just something about them...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, stop now and we'll hunt you down... :)
Keep up the good work. And, where in the heck do you get all of these photos?
Thanks so much and congrats on the milestone. Here is to 2000+ more!
ReplyDeleteThank you Major for all the great photos. They have brought back memories for me and let me see Disneyland in the 1950's and early 60's before my memory kicked in as a kid in about 1965.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of the teenage girls. You can see the joy on their faces and their smiles are absolutely wonderful. Of course they are standing in what is now Thunder Mountain.
The Tomorrowland lake. The body of water for the Phantom boats and the bridge for the Viewliner which would all eventually become the pool for the Submarines, the Motor Boat Cruise and more for Autopia.
It is too bad that Disneyland doesn't have room for a bandstand anymore on or near Main Street. Disney kept moving this bandstand every few years. The pirates finally booted it out when Magnolia Park was taken over by POTC.
Happy 2000th. I think it is great that you shared them with everyone through the internet.
Congratulations, Major, on this significant milestone, celebrated with such rare and unusual pictures.
ReplyDeleteI think I speak for many when I say my life would be much poorer without your blog and commentary, as well as the back-and-forth with your other fans, who now all count as friends. It's a big deal in my often-isolated life. I can't imagine doing without it. If you stopped, I would probably go back to post #1 and read one a day until I had seen them all again, but who would there be to talk with?
I have found a stash of my old photos recently, many of Disneyland, happy to share.
JG
Here's yet another of your many quiet but daily tuner-inners, popping up for a moment to wave a friendly salute your way. And to pass across sincere thanks for offering such a warm and fuzzy 'port in the storm' in what is often a bland internet ocean.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping your blog going, and congratulations on your 2000th post. I don't comment very often, but I check out your site every day without fail.
ReplyDeleteDitto what everyone else said! This blog is a virtual treasure trove of amazing and rare images (today's photos are a perfect example - that Phantom Boat picture is unbelievable!)
ReplyDeleteI've said it before, when you run out of new material start to run repeats. Your readers either have not ready the old posts or (like me) tend to forget things from three years ago so it will seem new all over again!
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, these posts don't create themselves, I know its a lot of work and you should know you are truly appreciated here.
Congratulations Major! Don't stop now. Hum! I wonder which picture is my favorite. That Viewliner is awesome. Thank you for all you have done to make our days a little more brighter.
ReplyDeleteThanks, everybody!
ReplyDeleteMajor, Major, Major! I can't think of anything else to say because everyone has already said it! So I'll repeat, LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks for everything you do. Not only do you blow me away with the incredible photos you post but also your commentary. Like others have stated, I look for it daily. It's become like crack, ya know?
No 3,000th? Hogwash. We will start sending you copies of our personal photos for you to use. Besides, you would probably write much better captions! ha ha
Thank you for the mention - it was quite an honor to meet you as you were (still are) one of my idols, hee hee. I mean that sincerely.
As for today's photos, wowie kazowie, Batman, they are INCREDIBLE!!
Congrats on 2000! As a recent fan of this amazing group of blogs I can honestly say yours is top-notch! Thank you for your dedication and yes these pics are fantastic! That Viewliner shot is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the 2000. I hope for another 2000 or so. That Black Bart photo is one of the greats!
ReplyDeleteKeep them coming.......!
ReplyDeleteWhile I've been only looking at this blog for a short time, I've loved it and look forward to coming here every day!
ReplyDeleteA question though. The women being "held up" appear to wearing Capri pants. While I know they were introduced in 1948 in Italy, it was not until the 60's they became popular here. I could be wrong, but does anyone know if this is true?
More amazing images from one of the most amazing blogs out there. Congratulations, David - with much appreciation.
ReplyDeleteAs far as getting to 3000 posts... heck, you could couple shadow puppets with your keen wit and I'd come back every afternoon for a chuckle.
Thanks again.
Ditto to all the dittos
ReplyDelete--Tarzman
2000 thanks for each and every one of your posts. An amazing accomplishment that will be valued by zillions for years to come.
ReplyDeleteAnd that photo of Black Bart and the young ladies -- one of the best ever! It's everything Disneyland is all about, I think.
A "Major" accomplishment! Kudos to you for keeping it up and running for so long... and thanks for all your wonderful photos and stories. You’re an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteMahalo,
Mark Hickson
The images that you post are so beautiful and today’s are no exception. That Viewliner shot is classic. I know you go to a great deal of trouble to rescue them from fading and dirt. They always look great. Happy 2000. Perhaps when you run out of pictures you will start sharing images from your collection of beanie babies, Hummel figurines, and items from the Franklin Mint as you promised back in May. :-)
ReplyDeleteEven if you actually did that, I would still check in just for the commentary.
Congrats!! A great blog I check frequently to bring back my own memories as a CM. And that bandstand got booted all the way to Roger's Gardens in Newport Beach.
ReplyDeleteI'm late to the congrats party, but I'm out of town and just catching up today. Way to go on 2000 posts...not to mention the record-setting 30 comments about your 2000 posts!
ReplyDeleteHey Folks,
ReplyDeleteJust thought I would add some general notes in response to your wonderful comments!
I am not opposed to rescanning old slides, particularly the ones from the first six months or so, when my scanner REALLY SUCKED. We'll see!
I'm sure the girls are merely a group of friends, and not performers! The skinny black pants must have been back in style in the mid-1950's, but I can't say for sure.
The speaker on the bandstand was clearly an afterthought!
For those who said "Here's to 2000 more".... AIEEEEE!
SundayNight, how about my collection of matchbooks featuring scantily-clad hula girls?
jedblau, I think the actual record was way back on November 9, 2007, when the discussion about a Knott's Berry Farm slide reached 44 comments! Some of those are mine, so we'll put an asterix next to it.
Major --- Yours is truly the gold-standard of blogging-dom!
ReplyDeleteI follow daily, go back through if I've missed any, and smile/laugh after every post. No idea how you do it, especially on a daily basis.
THANK YOU !!!
Happy New Year to you and to one of my fave daily stops on the interwebs. Today's Kodakchromes are packed full of happy colourful imagery, what a way to celebrate the occasion!
ReplyDeletei was here yesterday as usual but got distracted and did not get to post....shame on me!
ReplyDeletecongrats, David, on making so many people smile, laugh and remember good times every single day for these past ? YEARS now....
i so much appreciate all you do for us, the time you take to bring those smiles and laughter is priceless.
here's to you! Nancy :-)
You make blogging fun. Congratulations and please, keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Major - epic posts (and stamina)!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I enjoy this blog with all the interesting photos and information! I was to Disneyland once, in 1995. When was the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse built? What attraction would have been under construction in the park around June 1970?
ReplyDeleteGojira, The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse was opened in 1960. I'm not sure what if anything was under construction in 1970.
ReplyDeleteC'mon people. A few more comments and we'll set a new GDB record :)
ReplyDeleteTo make this comment legit:
That is a mighty fine shot of a Phantom Boat, probably the best I've ever seen. Long Live Kodachrome!
The Viewliner sure looks like a model train come to life in that shot, despite the model set being unfinished. :) Even the overpass behind the corner of Disneyland (seems so far removed from the park now!) is under construction with fresh dirt all over.
ReplyDelete@ David of the Capri Pants Inquiry: you now have proof they were popular here in 1956/57. Also popular: stylish white and black purses in the form of picnic baskets (being straddled by stripe girl). :)
Never noticed the sign in front of the Last Chance Saloon of Rainbow Ridge: "Professional Entertainment." You bet...
Keep your arms and legs inside the Viewliner at all times. Or not. I know that it was powered by an Oldsmobile, and was soon replaced by the Monorail, but it still looks like a sweet ride.
ReplyDeleteBelated congratulations!
ReplyDeleteJust catching up.
Eric
Holy moley, your 2000th post! Quite a STAGGERING accomplishment, and even more so when you tally up the hours you've invested in collecting, scanning and writing all your content that the rest of us takes for granted (Wait, no we don't!). Your blog is a masterpiece of research and eye-candy. Thank you so much from the bottom of MY personal heart for being an inspiration to us all and keeping your scanner blazing hot. I can't think of very many current-day television programs that have kept me as consistently and thoroughly entertained as this feat of fabulousness.
ReplyDelete-Your biggest fan,
Kevin
And P.S.., Major, unless I've missed it somewhere in the past, have you ever explained the story behind your blog's name? There must be some fascinating tale there. :)
Congratulations on your accomplishment! Your blog is so incredibly entertaining, not to mention at times quite funny, and I'm always so happy to visit! And what wonderful pictures to commemorate such an event. Keep up the amazing work!
ReplyDelete~Devyn