Beautiful Skyway & Fantasyland, May 1962
I am happy to present today's first image, this beautiful view of Fantasyland as seen from the Skyway circa 1962. It's from the same lot as a previous post, and both have bright, amazing colors. Our photographer was facing toward the Matterhorn, but heading back toward the Fantasyland Skyway chalet (recently torn down). Below us is Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, along with a little ticket & information booth. I need two ticket books and three informations.
Zooming in a bit to the left, I wanted a better look at those wonderful old Von Roll buckets in their mid-century hues.
Some people look for evidence of telephone poles... I like to look for bobsleds when I see photos of the Matterhorn. Upon closer inspection, two bobsleds can be seen!
I'll wrap things up with this nice (if familiar) view from Storybook Land. This gentle attraction is due for an upgrade, and I suggest that they sprinkle in a lot more 4-letter words and offensive humor (i.e. poop jokes). It's what the public wants!
18 comments:
Major-
It's hard to top the look of that first image-! If that doesn't make you want to locate a working time machine, I don't know what will.
'Poop jokes', you say-? As amusing as they might be, I suspect they have about as much chance of being incorporated into the Storybook Land spiels as dirty or depressing puzzles on Wheel of Fortune, fer instance: SALMONELLA-CONTAMINATED EGGS. Not only do we get a glimpse of the 'never-never-land boat spur', but a number of Iceland poppies are dancing-around in the lower-right corner of the image.
Thanks, Major.
A few "official" jokes from Larry Wilde could only enhance the attraction script. Something like, "What's worse than a chateau full of evil step-sisters?" or "How many wolves does it take to blow down a straw house?"
Scatologically speaking....I thought the Storybook Land structures were built without toilets, just like the Brady house.
It really is a Wonderful World of color.
I always assumed Disney characters poop glitter, like my cat after he eats one of his sparkly pom pom toys.
That top photo is truly a beaut! In fact I'd say it's the second most gorgeous thing to come out of 1962! Me being the first most gorgeous, of course. (I just don't attract as many visitors these days)
Nanook, each Storybook Land host or hostess should insult the passengers (think “Don Rickles”). I was wondering what those bright orange and yellow flowers were - now I know.
TokyoMagic!, I have no idea who Larry Wilde is or was. Meanwhile, Harriet Burns said that Walt Disney was very insistent that all of the Storybook Land buildings be fully plumbed. (She didn’t actually say that).
Melissa, I suppose there’s worse things than sparkly “stuff”!
Scott Lane, all you need to do is post thousands of photos of yourself on a blog!
I agree. That first pic might be one of my all time favorites that you have posted. Takes me right back. Mr. Toad was one of the best rides for me and my sister back then. Still is. Been looking for that time machine, haven't had any luck yet. Only one I can find is in my head.
That top pic is particularly awesome. Yes, totally want to find a working time machine and head back to visit.
Here's what Storybookland needs: speedboats, narrow escapes and explosions. Boom.
I could so totally be an Imagineer...
Alright, how many of you guys downloaded this pic and scoured it for additional bobsleds? Come on now…don’t try to deny it. Let’s have a show of hands.
GDB is the closest thing to a time machine we are going to get folks. That’s why we are here every day.
I don’t really have much to say today other than profusely praising that first shot and slathering you with “thank yous” Major.
Beautiful stuff today, thank you!
I scoured the pic for additional Bobsleds and found two more. They're both yellow. One has just exited the Fantasyland (B side) glacial pond and is heading for the short tunnel and the other is just entering the final brake one after exiting same. There's also a cast member (it looks like) in the orange costume just ahead of the second Bobsled.
That should read "brake zone", of course, and I now don't think think that's a cast member in orange. There.
The first image is my favorite view of all of Disneyland. Always has been. It also reminds me of a certain Vacationland cover from the early 60's.
Seeing the bobsled at the top turnaround reminds me of when there were open views of Disneyland and the "mountain" interior while riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds. I always loved it when the bobsled was just released from the chain-lift and started curving around the edge of the mountain giving you a quick aerial view of Main Street before picking up speed and coasting down the "mountain". That was gone after 1977.
Speaking of four-letter words and poop jokes, I remember reading a story about a group of men who kept getting back in line to ride the Storybook land Canal Boats in the evening. It turned out that a certain hostess was giving the male guests a very special version of Storybook Land.
Another wonderful set today and I do see power lines. Good enough for me. Thanks, Major.
Stop this loose talk about changing Storybook Land, you will give them ideas.
I think the worst part of Star Wars Land is the realization that "Disney" will wipe out literally anything if they think it will draw more guests. Makes me realize that the gentle little attractions like this will be erased some day when the toddlers of the future no longer recognize the 3 little pigs or Cinderella, or even Frozen.
On the bright side, though, thanks to the Major, I will have a huge collection of brilliant photos of the Disneyland I remember to flip through on my iPad in my final years in the Home.
JG
Major, Larry Wilde has written over 50 joke books starting back in the seventies. Many of his joke books have the title "The Official (fill in the blank) Joke Book." And quite a few of them, if not all of them, contained off-color humor. The only book of his that I had/have is "Larry Wilde's Official Book of Sick Jokes." I remember seeing his books at the bookstores and some of them would contain two books in one where you would have to flip the book upside down and turn it around for the second half. Most of those were insulting two different or opposite groups of people like Democrats/Republicans, Virgins/Sex Maniacs, Cat-Lovers/Dog Lovers, etc.
Patrick - you missed the two bobsleds climbing the lift hill.
And, boy-oh-boy-oh-boy - that first photo is a humdinger!
DrGoat, that is high praise indeed! I need one of those time machines too.
DKoren, that first photo is a great combination of excellent lighting, a decent camera, and whichever iteration of Kodachrome was ging used in 1962 - that color is just amazing.
Tom, I agree with you, but can we have Disney princesses at the wheels of the boats?
Monkey Cage Kurt, I guess you no longer have a song in your heart (no musical notes). I actually didn’t scour the photo for more bobsleds, but I read the next comment from Patrick Devlin, who did!
Patrick Devlin, you’re right, there are definitely two yellow bobsleds down there. If you look to the left, beneath the green Skyway bucket, there is a Matterhorn cast member in a yellow shirt. Not sure if the orange shirt belongs to a cast member!
K. Martinez, I don’t know if image #1 is my favorite, but it is right up there. As you probably know, I have a special fondness for good Tomorrowland views as well! I’m amazed that you remember the pre-1977 Matterhorn experience… it’s all just a blur of bumpy curves for me. I wonder if that story about the hostess is for real? It seems hard to believe, and yet… it is possible!
JG, trust me, they have plenty of ideas of their own - not sure how many of them are GOOD. I hope that these simple, lovely attractions never go away - to me they are such an important part of the Disneyland experience. However, the powers that be probably just see a valuable piece of real estate ready to be bulldozed.
TokyoMagic!, huh, I have never heard of Mr. Wilde. I’m more of a Bruce Vilanch fan! I wish the Academy Awards was every day so that I could enjoy his unique comedy stylings. I especially love the casual banter between presenters; how do great actors delivers lines in such a stilted fashion?
Chuck, wasn’t Humdinger one of the bands that performed in Tomorrowland??
I just came back to get any the bobsled count, if any.
dz
* the new
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