Sunday, September 27, 2020

Mad Tea Party, August 1965

Here's a pair of slightly over-exposed (but still fun) photos of the Mad Tea Party attraction. The teacups were a-whilin' and a-spinnin', so there's a little blur to add to the sensation of motion. 

Three towheaded children are having a great time aboard their pale blue cup, but my attention is drawn to the impressive beehive 'do on the woman to the left. She picked up all the TV stations, even UHF.


What's more difficult, capturing bigfoot on film, or a spinning teacup? A question for the ages. I think it was first posed in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (the scene where Chet Hamlet was playing bumper pool). In spite of the over-exposure, I do like the bright colors in these pix!


22 comments:

"Lou and Sue" said...

What's more difficult, capturing bigfoot on film, or a spinning teacup?

Major, you may not have captured bigfoot in that last picture, but you did get Sacagawea, I think.

Nanook said...

Major-
WOW... that beehive is quite the structure. It's towering size reminds me of the MikWright card, with THIS image. It's captioned from left to right: Big - Bigger - Just Right-!

I love the dutch angle of the second image, adding to the excitement.

Thanks, Major.

"Lou and Sue" said...

Apparently the 3rd towheaded child was thrown from that teacup.

TokyoMagic! said...

That first pic shows how strict the safety measures were, back in 1965. "A single leather strap across the opening of the tea cup should be enough to keep riders inside the vehicles!" Not true! Right, Sue? ;-)

I don't remember the single leather strap, but I do remember a single metal chain across the opening. Then they added a second chain below that, which was connected to the top one by two vertical chains. Then came the doors. I wish I remembered the years for each of those additions. I'm kind of surprised that by now, they haven't enclosed the vehicles with a plastic dome over the top.

JC Shannon said...

Well, I bet more people woof their cookies on the Tea Party, than on any other ride in the park. An added bonus, when you are a kid. Yet, the Cups are a must ride for all ages. These may be a little light, but I never tire of photos of classic attractions. Tip of the day, never ride after a big pancake breakfast at Aunt Jemima's. "I don't feel so good..." Thanks Major.

Andrew said...

...or install over-the-shoulder restraints, TokyoMagic.

stu29573 said...

Or they could just change the teacups into the Princess Tea Party! Nothing moves at all, but each cup contains a princess that you can meet and have an expensive picture taken with ! Wow! The joy! (Sorry, due to COVID, this attraction is closed indefinately)

Chuck said...

The Dutch angle on the last shot indicates it was shot inside the Mad Hatter's kooky lair.

Stu, shhhhhhhhh! Don't give them any ideas.

Major Pepperidge said...

Lou and Sue, it only took 14+ years, but FINALLY somebody has mentioned Sacajawea! I’ve been waiting. I don’t see her in photo #2, maybe I’m missing something?

Nanook, the “MilkWright card”? I have no idea what that is. But I love those hairdos. The angle on photo #2 makes it feel like the teacup is going to go sliding off to our right!

Lou and Sue, I’ll bet that third kid is hunkered down where you can’t see him, but I like your theory better.

TokyoMagic!, that strap is so skinny and insubstantial that it’s almost a case of “why even bother?”. I love it. Instead of a leather strap or metal chain, they should have used barbed wire. That’ll learn ‘em. Remember when a guest somehow “fell” out of a teacup, thus beginning the era when the cups were nearly impossible to spin by hand? I still have no idea how that was even possible. Your plastic dome idea is a good one and I will be presenting it to Disney ASAP.

Jonathan, I guess I am lucky and have never been plagued with motion sickness, but I know LOTS of people who can’t go on the Teacups. Not even to just sit there in a non-spinning cup. What’s worse, barfing at Disneyland, or having to be the guy who cleans it up afterwards?

Andrew, now you’re talking!

stu29573, if I didn’t know better, I’d think that you were being smart-alecky! But those princesses are pretty cute, after all. I have a good friend, a grown man, who will wait in line to meet the princesses because he has a thing for them. It’s not me, I swear!!

Chuck, ooh, I like the idea of a Mad Hatter attraction that was wonky in the manner of German Expressionism. Make it kind of half-scary. I’m not sure how to tie it into the “Alice” movie, I guess I just want more weird and spooky stuff at Disneyland.

"Lou and Sue" said...

Major, she’s sitting in the plain teacup on the left.

Chuck said...

Sue, I just realized that's "our" teacup at the right edge of the first photo1

Nanook said...

Major-
MikWright is a greeting card company that owes its existence to re-purposing 'goofy' snapshots as the basis for their art, and then supplying some all-knowing, clever slogan. In fact, the images are literally [what appears to be] photopaper copies of the original film images.

@ TM!-
I believe that leather strap was 'electrified' in order to discourage any unplanned exits...

"Lou and Sue" said...

Chuck, you are right! I love that teacup/mug so much that I also bought one in lavender, too, when I was in WDW, last year.

Kathy! said...

Ah, I love seeing the Tea Party. I make sure I always ride with someone who wants to, and will, get the cup spinning as fast as it can. Is the photographer in a teacup too, causing the angle of the last shot? Fun pics, Major.

Major Pepperidge said...

Lou and Sue, aha, the pigtails. I see her!

Chuck, “your” teacup??

Nanook, well I don’t get out much. Never, in fact. All I need is my military rations and my grandma’s 78’s, and the wind-up Victrola. So I’ve never heard of this MikWright thingy.

Lou and Sue, a mug shaped like a teacup? What will they think of next!

Kathy! I agree, I like to spin the cup as fast as possible, though I once went on a date and the girl got mad at me for spinning it so fast. I’m a real charmer. I can't tell if the photographer is in a teacup too, or if he/she is just leaning on that fence.

Anonymous said...

Oh how I loved to join my 2 cousins and spin the cup as fast as we could. And then one day I found it was never to be again as I spent 2 hours prone on a park bench. Part of growing up for most of us. KS

"Lou and Sue" said...

KS, I hear ya - I can now get motion sickness from just watching those teacups spin! And I, too, LOVED all those spinning and upside-down rides when I was younger.

Major, Chuck told us about his teacup mug, last year, on GDB - and then I bought one on eBay. Chuck has a good memory.

Chuck said...

Major, for reference: http://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/mad-tea-party-july-1970.html

Sue, I never forget my twinsies!

Melissa said...

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

"Lou and Sue" said...

Hey, Twinsie: plaid and kilt, tomorrow.
(Hahahaha! - my spellcheck tried to change “Twinsie” to “Twinkie.”)

Chuck said...

Yeah, about that, Sue...tomorrow is my first day of work at a new job. I'd like to wait until my second week to break out the kilt.

Major Pepperidge said...

KS, my gosh! I didn’t know that spinning could wipe somebody out that badly! I’m sorry you can’t whirl around that turntable anymore.

Lou and Sue, I hope I don’t develop a sensitivity to motion sickness, I’ve always been grateful that I don’t feel barfy when going ocean fishing or being on long car rides (my poor grandmother would just about die on long car trips).

Lou and Sue, there are some rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain that I am not crazy about, but they don’t make me nauseous… they are just so intense!

Chuck, well, it took all day, but NOW I get it!

Melissa, do not operate heavy machinery in this condition.

Lou and Sue, ha ha. “Hey, Twinkie”. I love it.

Chuck, are you really starting a new job? Good luck, if so!