Sunday Snoozles™
Here are two more VERY dark slide images from that April 1974 lot. They were probably stored in a haunted closet. Happens more often than you'd think.
This is an interesting composition as we observe guests heading into Adventureland; to be honest I'm a bit unsure of what the dark shapes are that frame the image. Big lumpy objects! Probably living creatures made of stone (Horta?), it's the only logical explanation. If this wasn't such a dark photo, it would be nice!
It must have been something when Walt Disney first saw his fleet of jungle launches lined up at the dock, ready to receive guests. This was quite a step up from the backyard railroad at his home!
12 comments:
The big dark shape on the right has a thatched roof, so it's probably a souvenir stand. The big dark shape on the left, well that one is definitely a Christmas tree-shaped Horta! (Major, you have good instincts!)
Even if this photo had excellent lighting, I'm not sure what the photographer was trying to capture. It seems like a fairly nondescript corner of the Park. Maybe one of the guests was the target?
I was curious what the name was on the boat nearest us. After zooming in, I think it's the "Amazon Belle". Also, there appears to be another Horta in the left foreground. Funny how Hortas seem to show up only in dark photos. They must be highly sensitive to light.
Maybe if you added a splash of Sriracha sauce to these Snoozles, the heat would lighten them up a bit. Thanks, Major.
This looks to be the side entrance of Adventureland from Frontierland, so I believe that’s the Bazaar on the right and the edge of the stockade wall on the left.
I agree with Brad about that being the Bazaar on the right (well, it certainly is bizarre!). There are two thatched roofs on that side of the building. I think the thing on the left might be a tree. However, I'm not sure that it's the same tree that is there today:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8117761,-117.9197864,3a,75y,222.16h,99.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIAOe1rAgfhIoJWkum3qf9Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
The thatched roof that we see straight ahead in the vintage pic, is the Tahitian Terrace. In Google "street view", Aladdin's Oasis is still standing in that spot.
Thanks TM (tm) for link....I SEE SKULLS! (2017) Is that Aladdin shiny thing still there? It's awful...just saying...back to the dark side of photos...so mysterious! It looks like people still wanted to dress nicely back then: I don't see any jammies/yoga suits/workout gear....or a proliferation of shiny and sparkly rodent ears: headband style. I prefer Roy Williams Mouseka-ears...I but I prefer a lot of things that are not particularly popular: like good design and those who behave like they care....(oops...inside voice). If Disneyland were built today, and Walt was talking about how he didn't want the park near the sea so that people would not be arriving in swimming costumes....would he also say that he didn't want Disneyland near any fitness places or yoga studios so people wouldn't be arriving in gym gear and sweat suit ensembles?...that were not authentic costumes that said "Biddle Bible Class". I suppose that sweatshirt would be acceptable to me...and the obscurity would certainly cause question: with the security team. Maybe I should enter the Park with a carpet bag with a parrot head sticking out of the top. I'm wondering if these things would be considered "Adults in Costume" and would be verboten? ...back to the photos. I'm not sure what the holding pen type place is at the off-load to JC...I think that was a kiosk-y shop, and they may have placed benches there? I think it would be kind of zen to watch boats being unloaded on a loop for an hour or two. Another thing for the security team to be suspicious over. Often times I think a pin-spot is on me, with a gobo that says "TROUBLE". I think they may be on to something: with a capital T, that rhymes with P that stands for POOL! Now I am mixing musicals. I did that show when I was 14 or 15 and I STILL remember all the words. Thanks for an unsnoozle (tm) snoozle-ee (tm) Snoozle (tm) Sunday (not a tm)....and Fantasyland is closed.
Come for the (dark) pictures and stay for the comments.
I agree with the orienteering team, i thought photo 1 might have been taken near the restroom entrance. And yes, a nondescript location to be sure. The stairs exiting the Tiki Room are just out of frame at left. Maybe this was one of those “bonus” frames you sometimes got at the start of the roll? I remember framing a view while advancing the film just in case that would happen.
Bu, the holding pen structure is now stroller parking, I believe.
The Tropical Hideaway dining is a good spot to sit and watch the load/unload of the JC. I’m grateful that this spot was recovered from oblivion, and that it offers Dole Whip.
Now I want yoga pants with carpet bag and parrot head.
Thanks Major!
JG
There is no darkness black enough to obscure those plaid pants.
JB, I love the idea of a “Very Special Episode” of Star Trek, in which a grumpy Star Fleet officer learns the true meaning of Christmas from a family of Horta. Let’s make it happen! I think that the photographer wanted to capture the general feeling of “entering Adventureland”, and added some interesting foreground elements that unfortunately went way too dark. Also, it’s possible that Walt used Horta to help build Disneyland, after making a deal to not destroy those round golden orbs. He was one smart cookie. Yum, I love Sriracha.
Brad Abbot, thank you - I honestly had no clue (other than we were entering Adventureland)!
TokyoMagic!, hmm, yeah, it’s hard to say whether that is the same tree, particularly since you can’t really see it in my photo! I was going to say, “Hey, I thought Aladdin’s Oasis was long gone!”, and then I realized that you meant that Google “street view” needs updating.
Bu, skulls were still OK in 2017. Now they are too scary and make me cry. I’m ashamed to admit that I actually kind of like the peacock motif for Aladdin’s Oasis, though I would prefer the Tahitian Terrace by about 1000%. I like going out in my pajamas, it’s cool to look like you don’t care what anybody else thinks. Oh cooler days I wear a leather jacket AND my pajamas. I know what you mean about the traditional mouse ears, and yet I don’t really mind that people can get the style that best appeals to them, even if I personally wouldn’t want to wear them. If a woman likes pink sparkly mouse ears, hey, I hope it makes her happy. I would think that just a carpet bag with the parrot umbrella would not be verboten, especially if you are otherwise wearing pajamas. Folks used to be able to watch the boats load and unload as they dined at the Tahitian Lanai, but I don’t know if there is a good place for such viewing today. Thanks for the “Music Man” reference, now I’m going to have Buffalo Bills barbershop harmonies in my head all day. Which I like!
JG, maybe the photographer took the photo to prove that he used the restroom all by himself. I mean, I would be pretty proud too. Unfortunately there are plenty of “not great” photos in this batch, I am trying to use them all up, and it’s taking a while, I only went into the Tropical Hideaway at night to buy a Dole Whip, so I didn’t take advantage of the seating, but if you really can watch the boats loading and unloading, that adds an extra point for me.
Melissa, plaid pants are one of man’s greatest achievements. If you ever see a photo of 10 year-old me in my plaid church suit you will agree!
Popping in after a long absence. Boy is this a busy time of year. The 70s fashion still looks better than what I see guests wearing today when just about anything goes. Think you guys figured out the location of the first picture. As for the JC...well...I could very well have been working that day there. Even the fellow at rear load with his back to us looks familiar. "Amazon Belle" looks correct. Both boats pictured have the spot lights embedded in their canopies so that lighting transition was completed by then. That area to the right was never a "holding pen"....it was just an area for folks to sit in the shade and watch the boats go by. More likely to snoop on what we were saying to one another as we transitioned from unload to load positions. "Move it up Skip" There was the Topical Imports shop directly behind. We'd banter with the girls running it...might even have a few words with the guests as we waited our turn. KS
That first picture is taken within the Adventureland boarders … you can see the original narrower Tiki Room exit stairs …. That giant tree to the left has long since been removed and replaced with a palm type tree. The Adventureland restrooms have always been located right at the entry of the land but they have been reconfigured about 6 times since 1955.
Bu : most remnants of Aladdin’s Oasis have now been completely removed … however much of any remains of the original Tahitian Terrace have also been removed despite its current transformation into TROPICAL HIDEAWAY. Disneyland really wanted to return a form of the Tahitian Terrace back to current Disneyland … but like many things at Disneyland that had been left alone or closed for so long … grandfathered laws have been lost ( like PeopleMover) …. And in case of a table service restaurant back in Adventureland the state requires a certain number of restroom on premise … and there was no space to add the required amount … so a tropical snack bar / food court was built instead.
Mike, I wonder just HOW MANY restrooms that small area needed?? Ridiculous laws.
I don't recall any restroom lines, when eating at the Tahitian Terrace, years ago. We went there to eat and enjoy the show.
Fun Snoozles, thanks, Major. Fun comments, thanks, all. It sure is dark in here....
Sue : Tahitian Terrace had no guest restroom… they had to use the central restrooms or the ones at tiki room gardens … but that was in a building from 60 years ago …. Like I said those buildings lost their grandfathered laws …. So NOW a restaurant woyjd be required to have restrooms ( mainly to allow guests to wash) but there are now guest handicap courtesy requirements by the state that didn’t exist 20-30 … 50 years ago.
For example .. if the BLUE BAYOU had closed and remained vacant for 5-10 years like Aladdin’s Oasis … it could not reopen as a full service restaurant with the two small restrooms it has now …. And larger … handicapped accessible restrooms would have to be added … this cuts down on your amount of dining space…. Or do you cut away at the scenic bayou atmosphere…?? Do you remove the Pieces of eight shop to e and the restrooms?? Or do you completely removed the Royal Courtyard ?? Or … do you turn the blue bayou into a coffee shop ??
I caught that, Mike. Aaaarg!
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