Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Fantasyland & Carrousel, 1956

Here are two slides from Fantasyland - both from 1956, though from different days.

This first one looks very wintery (by SoCal standards), with overcast skies and guests bundled up in coats and sweaters. One lady is even prepared for rain! In spite of  the gloom, Fantasyland is bustling with a pretty good crowd. I would love to head over to the Mickey Mouse Theater to see the 3-D movie that played there, starring Jimmy Dodd and the Mouseketeers; I am very curious to know if this film survives. 


Next, it's a sunnier day, and we get a nice look at King Arthur's Carrousel back when there were horses of a different color. I think it was in 1983 when somebody had the theory that everyone wanted to ride a white horse; nobody consulted me!


6 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

I know as of several years back, the studio most-assuredly had copies (if not the original negatives) for Mouseketeer 3D Jamboree.

And based on the signage outside of the Mickey Mouse Theater, it pre-dates the screenings of "3D Jamboree", which apparently started screening on June 16, 1956.

Love the images from early Fantasyland.
Thanks, Major.

Nancy said...

Wow, it does seem busy for a chilly day! I cant quite get my bearings in this picture; what is where the Mickey Mouse Theater was now?

K. Martinez said...

Not sure of the year when somebody had the theory that everyone wanted to ride a white horse, but it was in 1975 that the horses went all white.

I love the Carrousel shot with the old Fantasyland façade peaking through. I still ride King Arthur Carrousel every time I visit Disneyland. It's a classic! Thanks, Major.

Melissa said...

Great vintage clotheswatching in the first picture - totally coveting the saddle shoes on the gray-coated little girl at center.

And I love the tent-shaped lids on the trash cans. It's the little things!

Anonymous said...

Interesting Item from the '83 Fantasyland rebuild: When they tore down the theater, they paid a steel scrap company to haul away the big steel beams from the theater's roof. THEN, someone realized that those beams would be usable for the Pinocchio building, so they paid the steel scrap company to bring the beams back.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I wish they would release that film in some manner; maybe it was on that Mickey Mouse Club "Treasures" set? Probably not. And you're right, these must be from very early '56, as the Skyway is also not present yet (evident in another image).

Nancy, I think the Pinocchio attraction is now in the area where the Fantasyland (or Mickey Mouse) Theater was.

K. Martinez, ah, 1975. I could have done some research, but that would have involved effort!

Melissa, those old wool overcoats look kind of neat. And saddle shoes must have only been fashionable for a brief while longer - seems like they don't show up much after 56. And those tent-style trash can tops are unique!

Anonymous, wow, what a blunder. I assume it was still more cost effective to get the scrap back rather than order brand new beams.