Adventureland, The Magic Kingdom, September 1972
It's time for more wonderful, early photos from The Magic Kingdom in Florida; these were taken by Lou Perry and shared with us by his daughter Sue. The park had only been open 11 months at this point. All of the images are from Adventureland; maybe Sue has similar batches from other lands!
We all know how skulls brighten up any space, and add interest. Possibly even more interest than throw pillows (hard to believe!). I think that these skulls, spears, and shields were part of the decor outside the Tropical Serenade (Florida's version of The Enchanted Tiki Room) though I could be mistaken. I'll let the experts tell us!
The next two are definitely from outside the Tropical Serenade; there's something about those anthropomorphic torches that remind me a bit of the candelabras in the Haunted Mansion. It's a stretch, I realize. I'm a little surprised that the flames are not lit, maybe they didn't ignite until late-afternoon.
I love the incredible attention to detail, from the painted and carved mural on what I am calling the "pediment", though I'm sure that does not apply to Polynesian architecture. The stylized bull's heads are pretty cool too, and probably a lot larger than they look from ground-level.
"Traders of Timbuktu", I'll bet there was some pretty cool stuff in this shop! Not that we can see any of it here, expect perhaps for a postcard rack just inside the door to the right. The carved masks that flank the entrance would look great in my home.
There's more to come from Lou and Sue!
18 comments:
Major-
Adventureland may be my favorite land at WDW - especially at night.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
The second pic looks like part of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. I agree with Nanook. My favorite land in the Magic Kingdom was Adventureland as well. Until they dropped Aladdin in the middle of it.
Thanks, Lou and Sue. Thank you too, Major.
I agree, Major. Skulls are the ideal accent for any room. All the best interior decorators scatter at least three or four skulls around a living room for that little extra something. The skulls in this photo must have came from very healthy people; they have all their teeth!
I'm wondering what that white thing is on top of the roof of the Timbuktu Traders. At first I thought it was a beehive but those pegs near the holes look like perches for birds. So I'm gonna say it's a communal birds' nest of some sort.
Thanks to Lou, yet again, for his prescient photography. And to Sue and Major, too.
I've always loved those torch-holder guys. I've seen them lit during the day, so what gives? The energy crisis? I wonder if those are something that management plans to get rid of in the near future? They could always replace them with little figures of R2D2 or Kylo Ren.
Timbuktu Theresa is leaning! If you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean! I can see that one of the postcards in that shop is a shot of "Big Al."
The thingy that JB pointed out on the roof of the shop is still there, but the rest of the shop and it's facade have been majorly altered. The only other thing recognizable are the three skinny windows, but even those have been given a different look. It's like Ken said, they just "dropped" Aladdin on Adventureland. What's next.....Iago in the Tiki Room/Tropical Serenade? ;-)
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4185922,-81.5833707,3a,40.6y,328.33h,99.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snGNW2_AxLcUU4vP8LLh2XA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
I also found the shields and skulls from Lou's pic, although they might have swapped out the shields, because the pattern looks a little different.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.418649,-81.5836043,3a,25.1y,296.77h,99.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXyURxD2ONUbmdXaESL80uQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
And then if you "walk" just a little to the left, you can see the same 3 torch holders that Lou photographed, on the other side of the "Aloha Isle Refreshments," along with the exit to the Tiki Room/Tropical Serenade, and next to that is that "A" frame structure with it's painting, which seems to have gone unchanged, all these years later. When will they paint over it and make it a Moana mural?
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4185345,-81.5836589,3a,75y,231.68h,108.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJTFT-LFQBXQDJMp_9soSlA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
I forgot to thank Lou, Sue and Major for these early WDW photos....thanks!
I also forgot to thank Irene, Bruce, James, and Major, for yesterday's 90's DL pics....thank you! We miss you, Irene.
"OMG... I'm back... You maniacs! You blew it up!"
Thanks Lou & Sue
Well spotted on the shields and skulls, TokyoMagic! Before having a look at the comments, I went to StreetView for a quick search and looked right past that area without noticing them. Since childhood, Adventureland, including the later Caribbean Plaza, has always been my favourite area of the Magic Kingdom. And, yes, as others have commented, they rather ruined the character of the space with those flying carpets and spitting camels. Thanks Lou and Sue and Major for these pics and a reminder of how great the area looked in its prime.
Looks like WDW once had a wonderful Adventureland.
Major, I quite agree, I use skulls in all of my decorating, at least one per customer in every project.
The torchieres do have a Haunted Mansion feel to them, perhaps the Florida Mansion is closer to the tropics than the Anaheim house.
Sad to hear from other commenters that these features have been mangled, but not a surprise.
Thanks Lou, Sue and Major!
JG
If you walk past the cattle on the roof you'll be in Frontierland. If you then turn and look back, they change meaning from water buffalo to longhorns.
Imagineering at it's finest!
The Sunshine Tree Terrace WAS outside the Tiki Room, but it and Aloha Isle switched places in 2015 because the latter was busier and needed the larger space. And the STT no longer even sells their signature Citrus Swirl. But at least the Florida Orange Bird is back. He was still a walkaround character when I was a kid. The Aladdin ride is an abomination and a menace to foot traffic in what was designed to be an open plaza.
Major- 'those anthropomorphic torches that remind me a bit of the candelabras in the Haunted Mansion. It's a stretch... HA, I see what you did there!
Thanks Lou and Sue
zach
There is more on Traders of Timbuktu to be found on the "Passport to Dreams Old & New" site:
https://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-forgotten-shops-of-adventureland.html
Melissa is correct - the Sunshine Tree Terrace was the large circular facility we see in today's pics, since the Florida Citrus Growers were a sponsor (for whom Disney created the Orange Bird). Aloha Isle refreshments was a small window added near the SFR Treehouse to capitalize on Dole Whip's popularity. They were swapped a few years ago and Citrus Swirl was replaced with orange Dole Whip.
I haven't seen a walkaround Orange Bird even in the events where obscure characters are brought out, but in typical Disney fashion, there is endless merchandise with his image on it.
Melissa, I wonder why Aloha Isle became more popular? Was it because of the Fentanyl Floats? Citrus Swirl, is that a Dole Whip, or something like it? I have to admit that the Aladdin ride looks like something the Imagineers spent about 15 minutes on.
zach, I only wish I’d done that on purpose!
Anonymous, “Passport to Dreams Old & New”, one of the BEST.
Dean Finder, ah, you answered the question I posed to Melissa re: the popularity of the Aloha Isle place. And all this talk of Citrus Swirl is making me crave a Dole Whip SO MUCH! The Orange Bird is such an appealing character, funny that he is only tangentially a Disney character - but the public loves him!
Have been tied up all day, but am looking forward to checking out what everyone linked to their comments.
Glad you enjoyed these.
Thanks, Major, for posting these. Yep, there's lots more from the first year of WDW, to come. And I'm craving a Dole Whip, too.
I’ll bet Kim Irvine has seen your comment and is rummaging for pink and purple paint at this very moment.
Major, she probably keeps a can of each in the trunk of her car. You know, for those unexpected occasions.
Citrus Swirl was vanilla soft serve swirled with frozen orange juice. The contrast between tart and sweet was delicious.
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