Sunday, March 03, 2013

Sub Lagoon and Monorail, 1959

Google Blogger tells me that Sunday is a day where my readership goes down. Way down. It's OK, I don't take it personally! So in general I've been using Sunday as the day to unload some of my more boring photos. But the presence of the adorkable 3-car Mark I Monorail (in Cool Mint Blue!) elevates this Sub Lagoon image to "above average"! And who can ask for more, really?


This one, however, rates about a 1 on the Richter Scale. 


13 comments:

Nanook said...

You know, if that first photo doesn't make you want to run straight for the queue to the Submarines, I don't know what will. And if that feeling doesn't immediately cross your mind, how's about just wanting to jump straight into that blue lagoon for some cool refreshment, while in search of mermaids-?

Thanks, Major.

Nancy said...

Pics of Monorail Blue (the shy monorail as I call it) seem sorta rare, and the fact that this particular beauty is caught in a gorgeous photo of blues is just perfect!

Monorail Red and Monorail Yellow are equally exciting, but somehow this happy accident makes it extra nice for this Monorail lover :) Next desktop for sure!!

Chuck said...

I think these were taken on a day that Disneyland management was testing color combinations. As you'll recall, the Civil War Centennial celebrations were going to kick off in '61, and they needed plenty of time to determine whether the proposed "Disneyland in Blue and Gray" color scheme would secede.

Chuck said...

Correction - "succeed."

Alonzo P Hawk said...

The blue and gray theme is throughout this whole post. Even the Autopia car is blue. 1 on the richter scale is fine, we don't want to test those new monorail pylons until the concrete has had a chance to cure.

Melissa said...

I love how the color, shape,and angle of the 3-car Monorail echoes the submarine docks below.

K. Martinez said...

The blue and gray almost looks a futuristic silvery blue. Big trees are nice, but I love the unobstructed views of those sleek monorail beams curving here and there. These pics reminds me of the lyrics “Horizons, all shining and new”.

Nanook - As a small kid, I sure wanted to jump into that lagoon. It seemed doable at the time.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, it's funny you should say that… I used to want to swim through the submarine ride!

Nancy, it does seem like the blue Monorail was not seen as frequently as the red. Not sure why. Years later, it was the green Monorail that was so rarely photographed.

Chuck, they had Civil War Fever! Remember when the Ken Burns documentary series first aired and you could not escape books, music, movies, and TV shows about the war?

Alonzo, that's old Tomorrowland for you! Everyone knows the future is cold and dystopian.

Melissa, the tangle of various tracks (which grew even more complex when the Peoplemover was added) was a real design accomplishment. I always loved how various rides went above and below each other.

K. Martinez, are you sure you aren't thinking of the Love Boat being "exciting and new"?

K. Martinez said...

Major - No, it' a reference to EPCOT's Horizons. The pics are 1959 and have that all shiny and brand new look to the area. That optimistic Disney futurism.

210Frwy said...

Someone once did actually jump in the lagoon and swim to the mermaids.

And what's this about Sunday redership being low. All 7 of us are here!

Chiana_Chat said...

Gosh the space between the falls could have been used as a staircase to pose a bevvy of Mermaidens. Think of the revenue they gave up keeping it pure and clean...

That first one is a magnetic image. :)

Major Pepperidge said...

K. Martinez, I know very little about Horizons, except that EPCOT fans miss it terribly.

210Frwy, ha ha! It's true, the gang's all here... but Google tells me that ordinarily there are a lot more people who stop by but never comment.

Chiana, I love your idea! They need to make it happen NOW, if possible. Disneyland can't have too many mermaids.

Anonymous said...

Hello Major, I read the article on Sunday on my Ipad. It's a pain in the neck to comment using that device, so I wait till Monday.

I'm not sure why the future is determined to be dark and dystopian, except that look sells movies. I think there is at least a good chance that some of it will be shiny and bright, like a blue monorail over a lagoon.

Swimming to the mermaids has occurred to me, but I'm too polite to ever try it. Doesn't surprise me that somebody did. Same chuckleheads who spit out of the Skyway and jump cars on the Peoplemover.

Photo 1 on the Richter scale? I have a picture of my Dad taken at about that same spot. It's very precious to me, because now I can compare him to all the other Dads in Disneyland, via the Major's generosity. Ticketbook and fountain pen in shirt pocket, camera case, slacks, loafers, etc. He looks just like he should.

Thanks Major.

JG