Adventureland Entrance, October 3, 1956
Once you've walked up the charming and amazing Main Street USA, you have to decide which way to go. East, into Tomorrowland? Straight ahead, into Fantasyland? If you go West, you can see Adventureland (and Frontierland eventually), which sounds pretty swell.
I've always been fond of the thatched roof that doesn't have a building beneath it! Maybe it is a home for lizards and crickets. This lady stands patiently while her hubby takes yet another picture… that's what she gets for marrying a shutterbug. But she loves him anyway!
"Gene, where the hell are we?"; two newbies consult a map because they can't find Space Mountain. Little do they know it won't be built for decades. If they looked at the front of that sign to our right, they would see that it has a map on it for their convenience.
9 comments:
I love these early photos and all the little details. Like the flimsy wire edging they used around the planters for instance. Lighter crowds and better manners would allow this to work back then.
Now they have to have heavy wrought iron around everything to keep it from getting trampled. I guess crowd control is a progressive science. I hope the Havercams figured out where they are going.
When I was a kid, we always, ALWAYS turned left into Adventureland. Even the time my pants were falling down and we had to dip into the leather shop on the border between the entrances to Adventureland and Frontierland to buy me a belt, we immediately went back into Adventureland. Even as an adult APH, the urge was almost overpowering. To turn left, I mean - not to drop my pants.
Strange, but I'd never noticed there wasn't a building under that spectacular roofline. Going to have to look a little more closely at the rest of the GDB collection to see if there aren't more wall-less roofs hiding in plain sight. I'd be floored if I found another iconic structure like, oh, say the Tomorrowland Train Station or the Plaza Gardens were nothing more than a shaded, open air space.
1.
If I looked all fetching with my fluttery summer skirt swirling around my legs in the breeze like that, I don't think I'd have a hard time mustering up patience for a shutterbug husband to get one more flattering shot of me!
2.
If they looked at the front of that sign to our right, they would see that it has a map on it for their convenience.
"Gene, where the hell are we?"
"Jumpin' Jehosaphat on a red bicycle, Clara! We just looked at the ding-dang map a few seconds ago, about four paces back and to the port side! They got 'er up on a big stick there in the posy bushes."
"Sweet bejeezus, Gene, didn't you see that big, red, arrow with 'You are here' written on it? Well, we're not THERE now; we're over HERE. So, how the blazes is what we read on THAT map gonna help us?"
"I swear, Clara, bein' married to you is like one loong day in Adventureland."
3.
At WDW I go right; at DL, left. Must be some kind of sideways Coriolis Effect.
Alonzo, those little wire fences are a good indicator of an early photo. Nowadays they would just be something to trip over. It is too bad that wrought iron is required today.
Chuck, I don't know if my family had a routine… my guess is that I would have voted for Tomorrowland first, not that my dad was asking!! Meanwhile, I think it is some kind of genius to make shaded, open-air spaces into "attractions".
Melissa, there were two blurry shots of this same lady, so her hubby was not exactly Alfred Eisenstaedt. I need to work Jumpin' Jehosaphat into my daily conversation ("Jehosaphat"??). And you get a gold star for the Coriolis Effect reference!
All I can think of, while looking at these photos, is: "No tiki room."
Our family are "left into Adventureland first" people too. It just makes sense.
Right at opening or rope drop, we always headed towards where the newest attraction was located to avoid the long line it would quickly develop after opening.
After that, we would criss-cross the park to ride all the popular 'E' ticket attractions that we could before it got crowded. Leisurely strolling and visiting less popular attractions was reserved for the afternoon when the lines were long. My visits to Disneyland have always been strategic in the morning and evening and random in the crowded afternoon. I have never done a clockwise or counter-clockwise tour of the Park. I'll probably have to try it out sometime.
That second photo is just adorable! We don't really have a routine at DL... last time our first attraction was Captain EO for some reason. I think that was my husband's idea haha! It's honestly different every time, which I think is kinda fun.
Also, a belated Happy New Year, Major, since I've been absent the past few days! :)
"Jumpin' Jehosaphat" was one of Grandpa's favorites.
Tom, at least we know that the Tiki Room was on its way in a few years, and that we still have it today!
K. Martinez, I don't think we were even that organized. It seems to be that we always just sort of meandered. Your way would have been much more efficient.
PsySocDisney, you have me beat, as I still haven't seen Captain EO - and at this point, I probably never will. Happy New Year to you too!
Melissa, your grandpa must have been a cool dude.
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