Beautiful Disneyland, August 1962
Ooops, at the last minute I realized that I didn't have a post ready for today. Rather than post the usual near-rejects and leftuggies, I went into my folder of scans featuring images that, for some unknown reason, I skipped when I was scanning the rest of the lot years ago.
Walt Disney wanted his park to be a beautiful place; things were a bit rough in the first few years, but by 1962, much of the landscaping had had time to flourish. In this first photo, this lady has not even stepped inside the gates yet, but there are zillions of zinnias and roses to soften that prison-like chain link fence. Dad thought it would be the perfect backdrop for a portrait of his lovely wife. (I realize that the pink flowers are probably not be zinnias, but I liked the alliteration. So sue me!).
In the background, Kal Kan's Ken-L-Land.
Meanwhile, how about this lovely scene? I could be wrong, but I think this might be the pond and landscaping near the Monsanto House of the Future. Is that the striped awning of the Carnation Plaza Gardens in the distance?
Man-oh-man, I love water features. Fountains, waterfalls, ponds... they all add so much beauty and serenity somehow. Imagine living in your ultra-futuristic home with this view from your front step!
Well whaddaya know, after I wrote this post I found the old scan of the second photo (from 2008). The rescan is better!
8 comments:
Major-
Zinnias, schminnias - maybe they are - maybe they ain't. (Actually, those pink beauties are petunias and this particular variety is a hybrid called "satin"). And the red roses behind are the Carousel rose. Anyway, that's some carpet of luscious flora. Seems like the perfect juxtaposition to be placed next to Ken-L-Land.
It's true: Rescans are better-! Now, if I could just dip my toe into the water.
Thanks, Major.
Boy, Nanook has just barely saved me from some simian embarrassment! I thought that was a panoply of those violet-flowered succulents that are perpetually inhabited by swarms of bees. Petunias they be.
Your location speculation for the second shot is right on, methinks Major. The other landmark I think I spy is the gray stone "don't-fall-in-and-sue-us-guards" that extend towards the Plaza from the Drawbridge. They're there on the right side, maybe middle height.
I said it before and I'll say it again: Disneyland can't have too many water features. Maybe Star Wars Land will have all of Naboo's waterfalls? Mmm, delicious Summertime mist...
Patrick, Hmmm.....I don't think those walls alongside the bridge to the Castle are quite high enough. Let's put another 4 ft. of railing on top of them! Actually, let's put another 4 ft. of railing on every wall and guard rail throughout the park. I think all of the attraction vehicles in the park should be surrounded by railing......oh, and every bench, chair and table. You just never know....you know?
I'm hoping every "character" that inhabits Star Wars Land is either an Ewok or whatever species it was that Jar Jar Binks was supposed to be.
Nanook, you apparently know as much about Flowers as you do about cars! You can actually tell the specific variety of rose that is, based on this photo?? Aren’t there thousands of cultivars?
Patrick Devlin, ha ha, I like the idea of a plant that attracts swarms of bees at Disneyland! And yes, that appears to be the castle bridge walls in the background. I’m going to sue everybody for everything!
TokyoMagic!, I know what you mean, and yet… it seems like the world is full of more idiots today, which might require Disneyland to “idiot proof” as much as possible. Remember the guy who lost some fingers on "Pirates" (at DLP, I think) because he admitted he was dangling his hand over the edge of the boat, in spite of being told repeatedly not to do so?
Oh, Major-
Can you hear my eyelashes fluttering from your compliments-?? I know only 'a little bit' about the flora in our lives. But what I do know is where to look to find info for just such things. In this case, I turned to: Disneyland World of Flowers, ©1965 Morgan Evans, brother of Jack Evans. And wouldn't-cha know, there was an image in the book taken from almost the same angle as today's image-? - along with the appropriate description to make me look like a bloomin' horticulturist-! (But you knew that already...)
"bloomin' horticulturist"
Really? And this on a Sunday! :)
@ Patrick Devlin-
All bets are 'off' on Sunday's in my house. It may not be "proper behavior", as the Brits say, but it will have to wait for another day of the week, as blasphemous as that sounds.
Major, you are right, this is exactly the view I see from the front of my House of the Future.
Thanks so much, but I have to rush off to dust my solar panels.
JG
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