Even More Walt Disney World, November 1974
It's time for some more Walt Dizzy World! Let's start with this nice photo of Winnie the Pooh just before his doomed run for President (remember "Hunnygate"?). I've always liked this version of Pooh, with the Hunny jar (and bee) atop his head. Everybody else looks like extras in a very special episode the The Brady Bunch.
In the distance is "It's a Small World"; To our left is the Troubadour Tavern (sponsored by Welch's Grape Juice). Does anybody know what attraction is to our extreme left?
Next, we're aboard the Skyway looking down upon Cinderella's Golden Carrousel. A group of sailors (foreign sailors?) wanders past, probably heading to the "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" attraction! Space Mountain looms in the distance, though it wouldn't open until January of 1975. Also visible is the Contemporary Resort.
We've seen this topiary swan before... it's not so interesting to me, but apparently people loved it. Did it have anything to do with the Swan Boats?
12 comments:
Major-
If I've got my bearings right - that should be the corner of the Castle Camera Shop, which is just this side of the Troubadour Tavern.
I'm also a fan of the version of Pooh pictured here. So much so, in fact, I've often thought of donning a honey jar "hat" myself, and wearing it to work-! Now who could possibly object to that stroke of couture genius, I ask you-??!!
Thanks, Major.
I thought that roof on the far left of the first pic was The Mickey Mouse Revue. You can see a bit of that roof trim in the second pic too. Although, that camera shop might have been located under the same roof. When Tokyo DL had the MM Revue, there was a small shop located next door that was located underneath the same awning.
Assuming the details on this 1975 map are accurate (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bananaphone5000/GreatGorilla/WDW-11-74-09.jpg), the unidentified attraction in the second photo is the Mickey Mouse Revue, with Castle Camera and the Mad Hatter at the other end of the same awning to the left of the area visible in the photo. And I'm not sure we can entirely trust the map - it shows the Troubador Tavern between Castle Camera and the MMR, underneath the blue center spire of the awning, yet we can clearly see from the photo that it was at the end of the awning next to the beige tower also visible on the map. Hmmm...
Those are probably US sailors in that photo. Naval Training Center Orlando (the former Orlando AFB) was in operation from 1968-99, and it was a common sight to see enlisted sailors in their service dress whites, a.k.a. "crackerjacks," in the MK at least through the 70's. I'm not sure if that was a requirement for a reduced admission ticket or if it was required by the Navy to be worn off-base by all sailors still in an early-career training status.
It's sad that as many times as I've been to Disneyland almost no pictures survive thanks to poor storage or being lost during moves. But four rolls of film (from 1981) survive intact because they were in a different box. I've been to WDW ONCE but Disneyland countless times between 1965-1980, 1984, 1993. I want to vacation in California again and revisit all the places where I grew up: DLR, Knotts, Griffith Park, etc.
Good memories recalled this morning (and a few sad). Thank You.
With all their drive for nostalgia lately, they should totally sell those hunny pot hats in the parks. I bet lots of grownup Boomers and GenXers would buy them.
The lovely young lady right below the "T" in Tavern just leaps off the screen. She has a kind of young Jackie Bouvier thing going on.
And even though it's three years too early, the young man in the #12 jersey is doing his best john Travolta "Saturday Night Fever" strut. Who knows, maybe Travolta copied HIM.
@Chuck - as far as I'm concerned, sailors don't need an excuse to wear those adorable uniforms anywhere they want to! I secretly hope it's so that ladies will ladies will sit and give them the eye and occasionally whistle when they think they won't get caught, because then I won't feel so bad about doing it.
@MRaymond - of all the things I've lost in varous moves over the years, my early 1980's pictures from WDW are some of the things I miss most. I keep hoping they'll turn up in the bottom of a box in somebody's shed somewhere, or that we gave duplicates to some relative who'll run across them someday and offer them back!
The sailors are there for a new version of the musical "On the Town," called "On the Park."
The Magic Kingdom's a helluva park.
The sun is bright, but the rides are all dark.
The submarine ride's got mechanical sharks.
The Magic Kingdom, it's a helluva park!
The famous attractions to visit are so many,
Or so the guide maps say.
I promised Daddy I wouldn't miss on any.
And we have just one day.
Got to see the whole park
Including Main Street, USA,
In just one day!
The Magic Kingdom's a guests's paradise,
Where no one goes on account of the price,
But seven million pay to meet mice.
The Magic Kingdom, it's a guests's paradise!
A Disney Princess is dressed up when you meet 'er,
Or so the fellas say;
There's just one thing that's important when you greet 'er,
When you have just one day;
Be there first at the gate...
Maybe seven or eight
On your way.
In just one day!
The Magic Kingdom's a helluva park.
The sun is bright, but the rides are all dark.
The submarine ride's got mechanical sharks.
The Magic Kingdom, it's a helluva park!
@ Melissa-
Who needs Comden & Green-??!! Sheer brilliance-!
Nanook, a hunny pot hat is suitable for all formal and semi-formal occasions.
TokyoMagic!, my first thought was The Mickey Mouse Revue, but for some reason I thought that awning was red (or red/pink). Maybe just the sign was that color?
Chuck, you linked to my own photo! However, the consensus seems to be The Mickey Mouse Revue. I figured those were probably U.S. sailors, but somehow their hats looked too broad from this great height. I don’t recall seeing that kind of hat, but then again, I didn’t pay much attention either.
Melissa, I’ll bet you are right… my own mother bought a Goofy hat (with the ears hanging down) the last time she went, which was a surprise. I think she finally donated it to the local thrift shop! But it just goes to show that people will do things they normally won’t do when they are at Disneyland. I hope you find your 1980’s photos!
Melissa again, are you sure this wasn’t written to the tune of “Springfield, Springfield”? I am most impressed with the fact that you (apparently) spent only around 20 minutes writing your custom lyrics… that would have taken me forever.
Nanook, I only just learned that the melody was composed by Leonard Bernstein!
Well, that's embarrassing, Major. This is the link I'd intended to share: http://www.disneydrawingboard.com/WDW/MKArea/MK%20Park/MK%20Park%20Map%201975.jpg
I thought that those sailors' hats looked a bit odd, too, but at this resolution I couldn't zoom in to take a closer look. I finally concluded that they are wearing US-issue "dixie cup" hats, but the unusual shape, the all-white color, and the backlighting make it hard to pick all of that out.
Melissa, every young man in uniform secretly hopes the ladies will notice him...and not ask for directions to the Post Office or the restroom (both of which, sadly, have happened to me).
You're all correct with the awning in the first photo....The Mickey Mouse Revue entrance would be far right, out of the frame, followed by the shop, then the exit corridor and doors for the Revue. (The MMR entrance, theatre and exit wrapped around the shop) The Tavern (seen in this 1st photo) is next to this awning structure-continuing on beyond the Tavern is Peter Pan-around the corner (directly across from Small World). The second photo shows the entrance to the MMR....there are three flag poles on each side of the entrance, with the third on the right of the entrance seen in the first photo. The tower structure on the bottom right of the 2nd photo is the top of the tower growing out of Pooh's head from the 1st photo.
They'll be a quiz later on this very complicated explanation!
Somehow I see the Osmonds singing On The Park as they gallivant from WDW location to location. There would be at least one scene of them being chased by Captian Hook and a finale helicopter scene where they are riding in the monorail waving and the copter flies off over the park.
The swan topiary is beautiful, and it does reside here in an area near where the Swan Boats would have been. I want to look up this location the next time we are there. :-)
Thanks as always for including my beloved Magic Kingdom here with her sister, Disneyland :-)
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