Tomorrowland 1960s
Friday has almost become "Tomorrowland Day", but I won't make it official because I am indecisive. I have another pair of beautiful Tomorrowland scans for you, from "sometime in the 1960s".
Oh man. How great would it be to be able to walk into that Tomorrowland?? You've hardly set foot inside before you are greeted with the Avenue of the Flags. 50 States, 50 flags. And those attraction posters, which lined either side of the path. Rocket to the Moon! Submarine Voyage! Matterhorn Bobsleds! Plus there's the Clock of the World, America the Beautiful, and even that United Nations emblem, indicating that this must have been United Nations Day, a celebration that I believe the park acknowledged for several years.
Now we're way inside the land, and it is vibrant with the color and movement of people. Sit underneath a checkerboard shade, it's fun! Well, maybe not "fun", but where else are you going to do it?
I zoomed in to try to count the number of souvenir hats! Notice the giant golden thimble in the upper right, it loomed above the deadly "Thimble Drome", one of my all-time favorite dromes.
22 comments:
And don't forget the Art of Animation. After seeing "The Story of the Animated Drawing" in the Disney Treasures, I realized some of the props and film clips were incorporated into the displays.
There was also a Bell Telephone thing with pretend pay phones (no coins needed). The dials had faces of characters instead of numbers, and you'd get a character spiel about using the phone book or something. I was a comparatively small kid, and I remember trying to get a word in edgewise as Snow White cheerily talked about dialing properly, then said goodbye because there was a nice old lady with an apple at the door. My mother later insisted I was yelling at the phone about that apple.
Major-
If both images are from the same batch... we can just spy the 'modern' yellow/white wall behind the Flying Saucers - which opened on August 6, 1961, and the Douglas sponsorship of Rocket to the Moon began on June 8, 1962 - the images should be between those dates.
Thanks, Major.
Major: isn’t TOMORROWLAND Day tomorrow??
There I said it.
Lots of people! Some happy, some tired, some happy and tired. Looks like this "Disneyland" thing might actually succeed!
1) I probably wouldn't have looked twice at the flags and posters; too much in a hurry to get to the rides! That ginormous TWA Rocket beckons us into the Land of Tomorrow!
2) The windsock above the Flight Circle is sticking straight out. Does that mean it was really windy? Or was it always in that horizontal position? Funny, the Astro Jets look like any other carnival ride when they were based at ground level, like they are here. It wasn't until they were elevated above the PeopleMover that they became a thrill ride. And now they're back to being a carnival ride... with fancy decorations.
Little DBenson, "Don't do it, Snow! Don't do it!"
Thanks for the Tomorrowland goodness, Major.
Tomorrowland...looks..."hot"....I guess there is limited shade in the world of Tomorrow...that...or the usual, and more predictable: "ran out of money". I have those problems too with a stone garden path that simply "ends." Perhaps next year. In the world of Tomorrow there are Attraction posters! Well...sometimes we cannot predict the future entirely...but it is very exciting to see these posters lining the entrance to the Land. In the world of Walt something would draw you INTO the land...such as the TWA rocket...or whoever it became....not be so "in your face" "up your grill" in the Tomorrowland of today...I still use this design ethos in my own work, with "exciting" things to look at up ahead as you explore your way there. Good design ethics never go out of style. The Rocket Jets are a bit of a carnival ride, but give the people what they want, and do "regular" things in a new exciting way. Another thing I do in my own work. Old stuff looking new again. The Rocket Jets should be the best version of itself: and that was acheived in the 1967 Tomorrowland. I'm not sure why you would wait in line for the carnival ride now...it's not like it's Dumbo!...It's kind of a shame the clock didn't survive the years, it is an iconic nod to 1950's design...I'm wondering if they made "mini" clocks for sale? Someone knows. When I say "someone knows", it generally means: Mike: can you weigh in here? (just to be clear.) If there isn't a vintage clock, I wouldn't mind having a new one that looks and operates like this one. It will be expensive. Most nice things can be pricey. What did they do with all the flagpoles? Did they end up at the Studio along with the Squaw Valley flagpoles? Were they sold off? Were they melted down by Kaiser Aluminum...Someone knows...and with that ....TGIF. Thanks Major.
BU: I’m not aware of there having ever been a vintage replica of the Tomorrowland World Clock ( I’m surprised that there wasn’t) …. However there is a highly desirable Fantasyland Skyway Chalet Weathervane sold at Disneyland and via Mail Order during the late 50’s and early 60’s.
After a a MEGA successful line of models and reproductions produced for Disneyland’s 50th , more items created by the same designers were produced for the 55th anniversary as well following the same ideas …. For Tomorrowland there were proposals of a 1967 Rocket Jets Tower with rotating jets … and even a functioning WORLD CLOCK replica .., but merchandise buyers insisted on another Moonliner …. A Moonliner in quarter inch scale had already been done for the 50th … so they suggested the “Douglass” livery … NOPE! It’s gotta be the TWA red !! So the designers got the buyers to compromise and let them do the TWA MOONLINER “in flight” with its landing legs retracted …
During the 50th there was a snow globe that featured various miniature Tomorrowland icons inside their own mini glass globe and the Workd Clock was represented… but it was pretty tiny.
I feel like Columbo : “oh … just one more thing…”;
For Disneyland’s 50th the Disney Gallery’s PRINT ON DEMAND ( later called ART ON DEMAND) featured the 50th ART OF DISNEYLAND exhibition … and not only were all the exhibit pieces available as reproductions… but about 100 MORE WED /WDI concept images were also available. To top it off, every month ADDITIONAL images were added to the system … the selection was staggering . Under the Tomorrowland file were several pieces that featured the WORLD CLOCK.
Later when the Disney Gallery was relocated to Main Street USA , one of the new exhibits DISNEYLAND YEAR ONE featured two different pieces of early WED Imagineering art of the WORLD CLOCK on the ART ON DEMAND systems.
ART ON DEMAND offered WDI /WED art and attraction posters for almost all exhibits …. In amazing color quality however several years ago ALL WDI -WED art and the EXTREMELY POPULAR attraction posters were pulled from the American parks …. Not really clear why …. However at Disneyland Paris ART ON DEMAND offers The Art of DL Paris , the ART of DL & WDW , DL PARIS posters and signs …. And Mary Blair It’s A Small World ….
The most requested art image at Disneyland ???
The 1977 Disneyland Railroad attraction poster by the late Jim Michaelson.
Double Moonliners in one shot!!! (Actual and poster). One wonders why they needed the poster since it's actually kind of hard to spot in the glory of the real thing...which of course isn't the "real thing," it's a 1/3 scale model of it, which would have been stinkin' HUGE!!! Of course it still would have been about 135 feet shorter than the Saturn V, but I never saw that taking people on trips around the moon every 15 minutes, so there, big shot "NASA."
Nice pics, Major!
Stu, I do like the double Moonliner image, now that you brought it to our attention. And we’re standing at the right place so that both look like the exact same size. Cool!
Fun day in yesterday’s Tomorrowland — thanks, Major!
Sue
Moonliner! Best. Weenie. Ever.
The World Clock, complete with the Proctor & Gamble logo on top. It’s first in the series of weenies. Was this a scheme by the Illuminati? Someone knows.
Thimble Drome, not my absolute favorite drome, but in the top five for sure. I think there are a couple of dromes that would rank slightly higher. I’ll think it over.
The Avenue of Flags seems purpose-built to also be the Avenue of Posters.
I’m all for Tomorrowland Friday! Thanks Major!
JG
Ha! Did you see the comment KS just added to yesterday’s post?? :oD
Sue
DBenson, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen photos of the displays inside the Art of Animation exhibit, so I am not entirely positive what they had there. Lots of nice cel setups I’m sure, along with some old animation gizmos such as Praxinoscopes and the like. Maybe a multiplane camera? You can find the audio from those Bell Telephone character phones online if you look, they’re kind of fun.
Nanook, I figured that the photos were clearly from post-1959 and pre June 1962, but you narrowed it down even more!
Mike Cozart, somebody had to!
JB, this was definitely a busy day, presumably Summer; a lot more busy than most photos we see from that time period. Maybe the United Nations Day celebration brought in more people? Seems unlikely, but who knows. Some folks actually stopped and took pictures of the signs for their State flags, they were proud to be represented! I think it would have been funny if Walt had decided, “Eh, let’s skip Nebraska” (for example). “WHERE’S NEBRASKA?!?!”. I thought the same thing about the windsock, it sure makes it look like it is super breezy. And I think I’ve seen other photos where the windsock is limp, so it must really have been windy. The Astro Jets can be forgiven because they are an early attraction, but taking the Rocket Jets and moving them back to the ground? DUMB.
Bu, there weren’t a lot of trees in Tomorrowland, but then again, there weren’t many in Fantasyland either. Sometimes you’ll see old photos where there are occasional evergreens in planters, but they never seemed to last long. I can just hear Walt coughing and saying “They can’t see the damn rocket, dammit!” *cough cough*. I think they should put things in Disneyland that repel people. The Giant Ball of Used Band-Aids. Or something. That way I won’t have to wait in long lines. I have ideas. I’ve been griping about wanting a mini Clock of the World (desktop model) for about 25 years, it doesn’t seem like it would be that big of a deal, technologically. And I bet they would sell, especially if they made a limited edition of, what, 2,500? 5,000? Someone has a photo of the Clock of the World, backstage, after it had clearly been ripped out of the ground with a crane, it’s laying on its side and looks very sad. I never thought about what became of all those flagpoles. Somebody might know.
Mike Cozart, I’ve seen those Skyway Chalet weather things, they are definitely rare and expensive. Which is why I don’t own one. Matterhorn1959 has one! I bought a beautiful model from Disneyland’s 50th, a Monorail. I also bought a very detailed Nautilus, though that obviously has nothing to do with Disneyland. And I got a “Big Fig” Hatbox Ghost that is quite nice. Then I decided that I liked buying old stuff more than new collectibles. Too bad they didn’t offer the Moonliner in both paint schemes (maybe even have them available at the same time), again, I feel like they would have sold.
Mike Cozart, I certainly remember the “Print on Demand” service. I knew about the posters (they got all the love), but did not know about the concept art choices. It’s amazing how good those inkjet prints could look when printed on quality paper. A friend of mine printed out a Dumbo poster using a jpeg from Heritage Auctions, she has a high-priced art printer (something like nine inks), it came out incredible (though it isn’t full-size). It feels like they left money on the table by getting rid of the Art on Demand thing, now printing poster repros at home (on cheap printers) is a cottage industry. “Buy two, get one free”.
Stu29573, if they were going to make posters, they couldn’t skip the Moonliner! Arguably the icon of Tomorrowland. And the poster looked good out front on the fence in front of Mickey’s flower portrait. It’s interesting that they lined the entrance to Tomorrowland with strictly Tomorrowland attraction posters, we know that further inside the land you could find posters for attractions from other lands. Sure, the Saturn V would have been big, if it wasn’t actually a miniature used by Stanley Kubrick.
Sue, ha ha, I didn’t notice, but the poster rocket and real rocket really do look exactly the same in size!
JG, we all know that the Procter and Gamble logo glorifies Satan, especially with the 13 stars surrounding it. Conclusion: people are silly. Yeah, what is a “drome” anyway? Did a drone marry a dome? Whenever I think of the Thimble Drome Flight Circle, I think of a book I read that had belonged to my mom… Neville Shute’s “Trustee From the Toolroom”. Kind of a terrible title, but I sure loved that book when I was a kid! It’s about a man who builds miniature engines and such.
Sue, I’ll have to look!
Major-
"... there weren’t a lot of trees in Tomorrowland, but then again, there weren’t many in Fantasyland either".
Of course there were those fabric canopies that made appearances in Fantasyland [and seemingly very-briefly in Tomorrowland] to add some shade to 'parts' of each land. The Tomorrowland canopy strung between 20,000 Leagues and The Art of Animation; and fanned-out from The King Arthur Carrousel to Snow White and Peter Pan.
Major-
Also... fanned-out from Fan 1 (whoops) towards the wall behind the backside of Nature's Wonderland and towards the Fantasyland "Art Corner". LOOK HERE.
JG, not sure I agree with you. The Moonliner had superior packaging, but Ballpark and Nathan's certainly have a meatier flavor. And you can't beat Oscar Meyer for affordability and overall availability.
Major, "drome" is short for "aerodrome" or "airdrome," from the Ancient Greek aḗr, meaning "air," and drómos, meaning "road" or "course." So Thimble Drome literally meant "thimble road," which, of coure, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Using this logic, Main Street, U.S.A. could be referred to as a skubalodrome due to its concentration of waste receptacles, all conveniently located one hot dog devouration apart.
I somehow managed to both open and close the previous comment with references to weenies. I don't see that happening again.
Great Tomorrowland photos today- Thanks Major.
Major- The 50th anniversary Nautilus model does have something to do with Disneyland, because the 20,000 Leagues display was in Tomorrowland for a period of time (until 1966) & the 11 foot "hero" prop Nautilus was featured there (along with other things).
I always thought that the phrase "print on demand" sounded funny & should be something more like- print on request. I always picture somebody saying- "I want my print & I want it NOW!".
-DW
DW, I also picture a fist slamming down on a counter and shirt collar being grabbed.
MAJOR: Disneyland & Walt Disney World still have ART ON DEMAND systems … but you won’t find any IMAGINEERING artwork anymore. They have mostly art created for special events and guests artists … but not much by DISNEY artists. They do offer vintage and modern animated and Mickey short movie posters … and there is still a section of vintage western publishing book illustration art … but the rest is unimpressive. In Florida they were adding ART IN DEMAND kiosks to many of the resort hotels… and the kiosks at that specific hotel offers guests a section of the artwork displayed in the rooms, lobby and common spaces …. However the Contemporary Resort wasn’t included . And what is on its walls ?? Vintage DL & WDW Tomorrowland concepts … Mary Blair mural designs both used and unused .. Bob Gurr monorail and PeopleMover concepts .. abs Beautiful Eddie Princehorn Contemporary Resort concepts from the late 60’s and early 70’s …. And monorail attraction posters … and not a bit of it available on ART ON DEMAND.
The Disney Gallery ART ON DEMAND was brought in Shortly after 9-11. The minis attraction posters were extremely popular with guests and when they started they were photo reproductions … eventually they were color corrected and digitized… but it was expensive to inventory them and storage space was limited. because you had to order equal amounts … HAUNTED MANSION in a quantity of 100 minimum … ( East to sell ) Tom Sawyer Island - minimum of 100 … a harder sell. Then we were also doing full size attraction poster reproductions … these took up lots of space but sold so well . The buyers allowed us to do them in groups of 3 every few years … as the three new ones came out the previous 3 would be retired. The next three were to be ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM , PETER PAN FLIGHT and RAINBOW CAVERNS … but because of all the attendance drop off and financial cut backs after 9-11 only one NEW full-size poster could be released. It was going to be ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM …but because of 9-11 Everyone was very patriotic and they voted for 1967 AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL. I explained while all the posters were nice … few guests were going to devote 36”x54” of wall space to America The beautiful … and the bold red white and blue might be a bit much .
Enter PRINT ON DEMAND and it solved the inventory problem of mini attraction posters and the to tile selection issue of the fullzise poster reproductions . Now you could offer all the posters and print them in quantity and sizes guests wanted when needed.
Nanook, true, they did have those canopies - better than nothing. I’ll bet it could still be plenty warm underneath one of those on a hot day. All that cement, you know. I don’t know how many years they did those overhead canopies in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, just a few I think?
Nanook, yep, I knew just what you meant!
Chuck, I’m one of those people who prefers hotdogs with fillers and beef by-products! Give me more of each! I was joking about “drome”, but I realize it didn’t come across very well (or at all). “Thimble Road”, one of John Steinbeck’s worst novels. “Skubalodrome”, isn’t that something that Frank Sinatra would say when he saw a hot dame?
Chuck, you and Shakespeare both did it.
DW, you make a good point! I’d forgotten about the 20,000 League display. Which my older brother swears that I saw when I was little, but there is not a shadow of a memory, sadly. They had that hero prop at the first D23 expo, it was pretty cool to see! “Print on demand” does sound kind of rude.
Chuck, plenty of flying spittle, I’d wager.
Mike Cozart, any idea WHY they’ve removed the Imagineering artwork from the choices at the Print on Demand places? Again, why leave good money on the table if guests are willing to pay? “Eddie Princehorn”, that’s the first I’ve ever seen that name. Kind of memorable. It’s nice that people can get affordable copies of attraction posters, but I have a thing about buying a repro. It’s not for me! I still remember going to the Reagan Library, where they had a display of “Treasures from the Walt Disney Archives” (or something like that), and they had what they claimed was the actual Herbie Ryman drawing, done over that legendary weekend. A docent even told me that, yes, it was the original. Looking up close you could see the itty bitty inkjet dots! Incredible. I guess I digress, but what else is new?
Mike Cozart, my buddy Mr. X sold most of his original posters (somebody made him an offer he couldn’t refuse), but he kept some of the Print on Demand copies, and put them in the frames where the original posters were. Some look so good that you can hardly tell that they are prints. Others, like the Jungle Cruise poster, have colors that are off. They just can’t seem to get that pale yellow-green sky right. They just make it yellow and that’s good enough I suppose. I see in Van Eaton auctions, the full-sized copies can sometimes fetch over $1000 now, which seems bonkers to me. I never did get the Statue of Liberty version of the “America the Beautiful” poster - I had chances to buy them at something like $200, but just didn’t love the image that much. Now of course I wish I’d bought one!
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