Casey Jr. & Storybook Land, April 1969
Casey Jr. ("Casey Jones Jr." on his tax forms) is the most cheerful, most colorful, hardest-working, think-I-can-iest little train that ever was. Prove me wrong, internets! Prove me wrong.
He's also awesome because he is right out of "Dumbo", one of my favorite Disney animated features. I love how Casey's eyes are truncated cones, which gives the illusion that he is always looking right at you. So ingenious!
Maybe it's just nostalgia clouding my brain, but it is hard for me to imagine a Disneyland without Casey Jr. or the Storybook Land Canal Boats. Just typing that out makes me worry that I have now jinxed it. (Note: I composed this post before Mike Cozart left his alarming comment a few days ago...)
Speaking of the Canal Boats, there's one now! Does anybody know if the guides actually run the boats, or do they run autonomously? This particular CM has forgotten her spiel, so she is winging it: "Over there is where Peter Pan and Snow White fell in love after being lost in the candy forest and killing Godzilla". Works for me.
12 comments:
Major-
That's a wonderful shot of Casey Jr., including the Skyway tower. And based on what the woman sitting at the front of the boat is doing with her hand, you are undoubtedly correct about the spiel being unspooled by the delightful-looking lass 'leading the tour'. Clearly, it was the Godzilla killing which has forced this guest to almost loose her lunch...
Thanks, Major.
The CM's run the boat. They have a three-position rotary switch for forward, neutral, and reverse.
Ah the Casey Jr Circus Train, a Disney cartoon come to life. So cool. And Walt's world in miniature. I do love the old attractions best. Check out the Blackbird getting ready to hitch a ride on the next canal boat that floats by.I'll bet he has memorized the spiel by now. Great pix Major, thank you.
Meh! Casey Jr and Storybook Land are slow and dated. Why would you want to keep a meticulously crafted attraction full of miniature villages and beautiful landscaping when we could have a cloned roller coaster that zips around in a couple of minutes? ;-)
And yeah, "Dumbo" is a masterpiece of sorts in my book. Thanks, Major.
I had to go back and find the "alarming comment". I'm hoping things hold out for a few more generations. They put in a lot of work to make Cars Land, and in my opinion it totally works. I'm hoping Galaxy's Edge demonstrates the a similar level, if not greater experience - and keeps the devolution at bay.
I need to ride in the Monkey cage a few more times.
Very nice pictures this morning, Major. Storybook Land has always been a favorite and a must-ride. It puts me in mind of Wlat's love of miniatures that was evident with some of the early dioramas and such that were planned when the park was just an idea.
Nanook, it is heresy to even say it, but part of me really would like to see some sort of monster invading quiet, friendly Storybook Land!
Anon, I figured the CMs probably had some control, but you never seen them at a tiller or steering wheel. Now I know!
Jonathan, the early Disneyland attractions often have a simple charm that is hard to duplicate. That blackbird might be a darn crow… those things love to land on the Matterhorn at dusk, ruining the scale!
K. Martinez, maybe if the villages were on fire it would be cooler?! Apparently the folks who run things believe that nobody wants a slow ride, no matter how beautiful. It’s a shame.
Tom, it’s not even that the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride (or whatever it’s called) wouldn’t be good - videos of the one in Florida look pretty cool - I just hate that the small amount of classic Disneyland is slowly being chipped away, until there will be almost nothing left.
Patrick Devlin, Storybook Land is definitely the most obvious nod to Walt Disney’s love of miniatures. Many people love Disneyland because it was “Walt’s park”, but there won’t be much “Walt” remaining, it seems.
If you're going to run a train through your Storybook Land, just make sure none of your storybooks is Anna Kareninenina.
"Over there is where Peter Pan and Snow White fell in love after being lost in the candy forest and killing Godzilla."
It all ends with Tiny Raymond Burr's climactic courtroom revelation that Peter Pan is the long-lost son of Ma and Pa Kettle
Melissa, I guess I have to admit my lack of knowledge of Russian classic literature - I don't know anything about Anna Karenina. I would watch anything with a tiny Raymond Burr. "Tiny Rear Window"?!
Or "A Tiny Place in the Sun," to go with the boating theme! ;)
Anna K's your basic Russian novel. Everybody's really sad, feels trapped by society or fate or whatever, and has too many names, so she throws herself in front of a train.
Oh a Rear Window reference! I love that movie. Jimmy Stewart would be proud. Thanks again Mr. Major
I wonder...will the jury will notice that the journalist testifying under oath about Godzilla's death looks suspiciously like defense attorney Perry Mason?
In other news, I'm holding out for a tiny Gorilla At Large (and tiny 3-D glasses to view it through).
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