Thursday, March 01, 2012

Submarine Lagoon, July 1966

I erroneously posted the dates of these slides as being from 1963, but Jeff Heimbuch's comment made me double check... it is actually from July 1966! Those date stamps can be sneaky sometimes.

Fabulous Tomorrowland, I never get tired of it! Especially when it is seen from the Skyway, above the sub lagoon (gray subs, not yellow toy subs), and with the Monorail at the station. Notice that the sub is heading through clouds of bubbles, an ingenious way to transition from scene to scene.


Mermaids! Three of them, too. Normally they seem to show up in pairs. I am jealous of the fact that they got to swim around in the sub lagoon. Even the lobster in the lower right corner is checking them out.


Here's a closer look! Is that a loudspeaker next to them? If so, the mermaids presumably could talk to guests when they wanted to.

20 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

DIVE! DIVE!

MIKE COZART said...

I do like the gray sub period....it seemed much more "serious future", but the Yellow Submarines were nice too. They were officially painted "National Geographic" yellow.

Thufer said...

Grays

Major Pepperidge said...

TM!, aye aye, Cap'n!

Mike Cozart, I did not know that the subs were painted National Geographic yellow! I think the yellow they use now might be a bit lighter/brighter.

Thufer, I know you love those grays!

Nancy said...

you know that I'm smiling....look at the fabulous Monorails!!

Mine Mine Mine said...

The Mermaids are in Monorail colours. Yellow-Blue-Red.

Connie Moreno said...

I remember hearing the mermaids!!! They didn't say much, at least not to us, LOL. But they waved and said hello.

Nanook said...

That's most-assuredly a loudspeaker. Most likely an Electro-Voice Cobraflex outdoor speaker. "The better to hear you with, my dear..."

Jeff Heimbuch said...

I THINK I know one of the mermaids. Think. I just emailed her the post to see if it was her!

Rick West said...

That's a great series of shots! Never knew the Mermaids had a loud speaker - that's hilarious! GREAT pics!

Anonymous said...

Did the mermaids swim up to the submarines and wave?

Major Pepperidge said...

Nancy, I love the old Monorails too.

Mine Mine Mine, I never thought of that! Coincidence? Or was it done on purpose?

Connie and Nanook, I could be wrong, but I don't ever remember seeing a loudspeaker next to the Mermaids before.

Jeff, that would be cool! It's hard to tell, but I think that I've seen the blond in the yellow outfit in other photos.

Rick, the loudspeaker is a weird idea. I'll bet that the girls didn't like it; they had to watch what they said to each other!

Anon, I am pretty sure that the mermaids did not swim near the subs; but you never know!

David said...

Man, that must've been the easiest job at DL. Wonder what kind of sunblock they had, considering what was available back then! Another aspect of DL I never knew.

Nanook said...

Major-
As far as ever seeing a loudspeaker in the lagoon before - that makes two of us. But that is absolutely a speaker, no doubt about it. (Perhpas this shot was taken during a special occasion for the Submarines...)

Jeff Heimbuch said...

Yup! Confirmed! The mermaid in the middle is Edie, my former mermaid friend.
Though, this pictures were definitely taken later than 1963!

Anonymous said...

Get Edie to share some stories!!!

Jeff Heimbuch said...

Don't mind to whore myself out, but I did interview her awhile back about her time as a Mermaid for MiceChat

http://micechat.com/blogs/mouth-of-the-mouse/3153-disneylands-real-life-mermaid-tales.html

Major Pepperidge said...

David, it sounds like an easy job, but probably pretty boring too!

Nanook, oh I totally agree that it is a loudspeaker. It's just so strange to see it there.

Jeff, I went back and double-checked the slide. Turns out that in the lot of May 1963 slides, there were several sneaky July 1966 slides as well (not ink stamped, but pressure stamped)

Orange Co Native said...

Hey that is my mom in the green mermaid outfit.

Just kidding.

I love swimming and have a pool, but for some strange reason being in the submarine lagoon would creep me out. All the tracks under the water and stuff. It gives me the creeps for some reason. I would have a hard time going in that water. Just me I suppose.

MIKE COZART said...

Maybe the speaker was to broadcast or amplify a recording of the 'Harps" the mermaids are playing.....????