Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Two From 1957

This is a fun view of the teacups on a gray winter day. Notice that the teacups are doorless... in those days, people managed to ride this for years without falling out! BUT HOW?!?! The blue cup, powered by three little boys full of Pepsi and hamburgers will be soon spinning like crazy. And see that little boy in the other teacup?


Well, here he is again, standing with his grandma and his best pal (or brother?) in front of Monstro's toothy mouth. I hope he flosses and uses Listerine. The boy, not Monstro - that would be silly.


11 comments:

D-ticket said...

The Mad Tea Party cups had a little rope across the openings when it opened in 1955, they also had no brakes or clutches to limit their spinning speed until 1957. The three of them are in for a fun ride.

Alonzo P Hawk said...

That "other" little boy looks like Vern from Stand By Me.

Anonymous said...

Great shots as always, Major! And you are so right - when little boys are full of Pepsi and hamburgers and they start spinning around, there's often a moment coming when the ride becomes legendary...a bit of their family history to be retold every time the pics are shown. Some memories just keep coming up.

Bill in Denver

Melissa said...

These are just as cool for peoplewatching purposes as they are for the scenery!

At first I thought Mom was fiddling in her purse for tissues or mints or other Mom stuff, but I guess she's probably trying to hook the rope gate. She'll wish she had brought a babushka once they get going.

The center boy in the blue cup is RARING TO GO ALREADY! He's going to spin that cup off its moorings and fly it right over Toad Hall.

Sweater Boy is going to tease Tan Jacket mercilessly for waiting with Grandma while he rode the Gutbuster.

And of course Monstro flosses - with the bodies of unsuspecting children.

JG said...

@D-Ticket. I thought I remembered a rope or chain. I know it was a lot simpler then for sure.

@Bill in Denver, try not to have a submarine sandwich before the teacups, those keep surfacing.

@Melissa, loving the thought of Justin Bieber as whale floss.

JG

Nanook said...

The two young fellas waiting for their Storybook Land boat are in no imminent danger of being accused of wearing the dreaded 'flood controls'. Yes, there's 'plenty of room' in those trousers for at least a couple months of normal boy growth. But then, look out.

Chuck said...

@JG & Bill in Denver - I love it when you guys start pontificating...

CHUCK said...

CURSE YOU, VILE AUTOCORRECT!!! It was supposed to say "puntificating..."

Anonymous said...

Fantasyland's Mad Tea Party vehicle openings were "closed" by a chain not rope just as similar turntable teacup rides were all around the world... at least until the lawyers got involved!

Major Pepperidge said...

D-ticket, man, the last time I rode the teacups I did all the spinning and it was a real workout! I didn't know they limited the speed as far back as 1957.

Alonzo, yes he does look like Vern!

Bill, there is a story by Jean Shepherd about a trip to the county fair in which a kid has a belly full of pickles and soda and hot dogs and popcorn… you can guess how that goes!

Melissa, I often find myself observing the people almost as much as Disneyland. Mom has put her babushka in her purse so that it doesn't fly off. I am glad that I am not near that middle boy on bumper cars, he would be a terror. And I think I see the remains of a child in Monstro's teeth.

JG… Justin Beiber?!

Nanook, why those boys don't have their cuffs rolled up on their pants I'll never know. I thought all mom's did that back then.

Chuck, don't be mad at autocorrect, all it needs is a hug.

Anon, I remember those little chains and the hook thingy. The doors don't really bother me, it's more the principle of the thing

SundayNight said...

The slightly worn teacup rims reminds me of just how much constant maintenance Disneyland requires.