That Mighty Matterhorn!
Today I have two very nice Kodak Instamatics featuring the Matterhorn.
What a beautiful day it was, with that deep blue sky and brilliant sunshine; attendance looks light. You can see some people on the aqua Peoplemover train, so it was "open for business". The square Skyway buckets are color-coordinated in hues of yellow and aqua. The slurry doesn't look very blue here, but that might have to do with the fact that these images are from scanned negatives; sometimes you have to do some creative adjustments when scanning those.
This next one must have been taken at around the same time as the previous photo. As I learned a few months ago, the Peoplemover passed right above the Skyway station, so that's how we get this neat view.
FYI: I am moving to a new apartment today, so I will be unable to respond to comments for a day or so. In theory my internet will be up and running by tomorrow, but "stuff happens", as you know. Hopefully I will be back in action soon - in any case, there will be new posts every day, as usual!
11 comments:
Nice! And there's that multi-trunked Senegal Date Palm in the second pic. I have to find the book that gave the description of it and it's age. According to JG, it was over 70 years old, so if it does still exist somewhere, then it would be over a 100 now. Disney management probably chopped it up and threw it in the trash along with the last surviving Mark III Monorail car.
TokyoMagic!, Is this the same Senegal Date Palm in this Tomorrowland photo from 2012? It sure looks like it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenjavier/6786178829/
TokyoMagic!, Also, are you sure the palm that you're referring to isn't the 119 year old Canary Island Date Palm also known as the "Dominguez Tree" that still exists in Adventureland today?
Even though this is one of the most photographed areas in the park these are far beyond the so called "Cavalcade of Mediocrity". I never tire (sponsored by Goodyear)of old new tomorrowland and or the matterhorn.
The energy of the this area (at this time) always reminds me of the Progress City model as they would light it up and start all the parts moving. Something very attractive about the way it all moved together.
I hope if and when they redo tomorrowland they can recapture some of that feeling.
A-ha! K. Martinez, that does appear to be the same muti-trunked palm tree. I looked at a satellite view and it appears that the borders of the Autopia attraction were brought out in it's remodel to incorporate the palm. Since you can no longer walk all the way around it, I guess I haven't paid too close attention to it. And no, I wasn't referring to the Dominguez Palm in Adventureland. I need to dig out my Disneyland souvenir book that gives the description and age of this tree. JG, chimed in late on this post from last month and confirmed that he remembers reading the same thing about the Tomorrowland palm tree: http://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2015/06/instamatics-beautiful-tomorrowland.html
Major, I forgot to wish you luck with your move......I hope it goes smoothly!
TokyoMagic! - I FOUND IT!
From "Walt Disney's Disneyland" by Martin A. Sklar - copyright 1969
New Tomrorowland chapter:
"(One additional centerpiece in Tomorrowland is "the single most spectacular tree in all of Disneyland" according to landscapers. A 19-trunk Senegal Date Palm, it has seen all the years of this century and more. It's age is estimated at more than 80.)"
You got me so curious that I dug through my own collection of books of which I have several versions of the Marty Sklar book. I figured you were talking about the Sklar book after reading the earlier comment you linked to. So I guess that makes it at least 126 years old, 7 years older than the Dominguez Tree.
@K Martinez and Tokyo Magic.
Yes, the palm in the Flickr photo has to be the same tree. How recent is that picture? I guess I did just like Tokyo, when the tree stopped being a island, I tuned it out.
I don't have any of the guide books you reference, but I recall reading the story on a plaque in the Park, probably right in the tree planter. I distinctly remember the reference to multiple trunks. Pretty sure that was in the early '70's. I was bugging my companions with the trivia fact I discovered that day and no one cared. Much like my life now.
At that time, I didn't know the story of the Dominguez palm. They are definitely two different trees, Dominguez is "native" to it's location, i.e. planted where it is now and the Tomorrowland tree is an import.
These are great pictures, makes me want to be there again then. Terrific energetic place.
Thanks, Major. Hope the move goes smoothly and may you never lose connectivity, LOL.
JG
JG - the photo is from 2012.
K. Martinez, I'm glad you found it! Now I won't have to go looking for mine. Thanks!
TokyoMagic!, I learn something new every day. If you hadn't brought it up, I would've had no idea that Disneyland had not one but two trees that old. Thanks!
@Ken, thank you. It looked very recent.
JG
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