Friday, September 13, 2024

Monorail and Alice, August 1969

Happy Birthday to GDB pal STU! And you just know that Sue B. has gone above and beyond the call of duty, and has provided a fun vintage birthday pic. A group of kids sits at a classic formica table (with matching chairs), enjoying an impressive cake. The kid to the right looks a little goofy, but then again, most kids do. Notice all of the clothing items piled on the radiator, perhaps it was a cold/rainy day and Mom was going to dry everything out before sending them home (after some "pin the tail on the donkey" and an hour of cartoons)


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Next I have some swell scans for you, starting with this beauty looking down from the Skyway (the image is impressively sharp and clear) at this wonderful scene. There's so much to dig, daddy-o! Do you like the Peoplemover? Check! How about the red Mark II Monorail? Check! We get the Autopia, along with a partial view of the Fantasyland Autopia sign (to the left); AND MORE!


Wowee, what a sight. I even enjoy seeing those three gas station signs poking up in the distance.


The colorful crowd is fun, and we get  TRIPLE GOOD LUCK with a trio of Matterhorn bobsleds. 


Was this photo taken from the Monorail? I labeled it "Alice from Skyway", but of course the Skyway is way above us. Whatever the case, it's a very nice view of the Alice in Wonderland attraction; all of the people who were in that first photo have gone home for liverwurst sammiches, there's hardly any other guests to be seen besides the ones aboard the snooty caterpillar. "Fan 2" is off to the right, as is the Pirate Ship.


17 comments:

  1. Screechy's identical twin is up in the tree, in that first pic.

    There is a vending machine next to the counter of Fan 2. Did DL sell cigarettes out of machines? I don't think it would have been a candy bar machine. Hmmmm.

    Thank you, Major and Sue.....and a very happy birthday to Stu!

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  2. Major-
    The room (kitchen-?) where the birthday celebration is taking place seems to be ready for anything: It appears there's an ice crusher and a can opener both screwed to the door frame.

    Monorail Red really looks stylish in these images. And yes, that image of Alice was taken from a Monorail train as it was circumnavigating the Matterhorn on its approach to the Tomorrowland Station.

    Happy Birthday Stu-! And thanks to Sue and The Major.

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  3. Happy birthday, Stu(numbers)! I hope you go out and buy yourself a cool model today! Something special! Something that costs twice as much as you normally would pay, because today's a special day!

    Goofy Kid is either receiving a transmission from our extraterrestrial overlords, or he sees a fly on the ceiling. It's hard to tell who the birthday kid is in this pic. That's quite a cake. It's sort of like the Tower of Babel, except it's leaning like the Tower of Pisa... the Leaning Tower of Babel!
    Is that a hand-crank can opener on the wall? Seems like an odd place to put a can opener. And what's that dispenser above it? Dixie cups? Air freshener?
    Thanks again, Sue. You've been kept busy supplying a lot of birthday photos for us GDBers lately!

    OoOoh! This is a really nice photo! I'm keeping this one for sure! I was gonna point out Screechy's Fantasyland cousin, but I guess that's included with the Autopia sign that you mentioned, plus, I see TM! already mentioned it. I don't think I've ever heard of an Enco gas station before. Is that a SoCal thing?

    At first, I thought the Alice photo might've been taken from another snooty caterpillar on the track. But I don't think there is any track from where we are. So I guess it must be from the Monorail, like you surmised. Sure looks awfully close though! Zoom lens?

    Nanook, ice crusher? Is that what that thing is?

    Great photos today, Major.

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  4. The Monorail Red pic is pretty special. So much activity. So much color. Disneyland perfection back when Disneyland was at its best.

    For me, Disneyland wasn't just a place, but a time. Thanks, Major.

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  5. Happy Birthday Stu! Many happy returns of the Day. And thanks to Nanook for the research on what that phrase means.

    More happy kids having birthdays, we had the same table and similar can opener. These are fun to see, thank you Sue!

    Major, thank you, terrific photos for Friday! Captures the bright colors and constant movement of the old Park. Plenty of trash cans, And those gas station signs… perfect.

    JG

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  6. I forgot to say Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday, Stu!

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  7. @ JB-
    "... ice crusher? Is that what that thing is?"
    Most-likely... LOOK HERE.

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  8. TokyoMagic!, wow, you really zoomed in! I’m sure you are right about that being a cigarette machine, and I’m sure you’re right that they didn’t sell candy from vending machines!

    Nanook, we had an ice crusher like that one when I was a kid, until my mom and dad got a fancy one that worked with their blender. When they were in their daiquiri phase! I particularly love that beautiful Monorail image, the park looks so fantastic.

    JB, yes, I hope Stu buys a monster model, since everybody knows that those are the best models ever. Even Einstein said so, and who’s gonna argue with Einstein?? I receive transmissions from *somewhere* all the time, I figured that everybody did. I’ve only made a few cakes in my day, but admit that at least one of them turned out lopsided. Not sure how. Hand cranked can opener, what is this, the dark ages? Maybe Screechy’s cousin is named Screecho. I kind of like it. To be honest I don’t recognize the name “ENCO” for gas either. The Monorail did pass surprisingly close to the Matterhorn (behind us) and to Alice.

    K. Martinez, I had the feeling that you were going to like these photos a lot today!

    JG, I remember when my grandmother got an electric can opener, we actually fought for the privilege of opening any can for her! Fought - TO THE DEATH. (Why “the death”? Why not just “death”?). The colors really are great in that first one, I guess that’s one hint that it was 1969.

    K. Martinez, I’m sure Stu will appreciate it!

    Nanook, yes, red and white, that’s exactly what ours looked like.

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  9. Anonymous12:11 PM

    Some beauties today. HBD Stu.
    MS

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  10. Happy Birthday, Stu! I hope you're having a fun day, and that you eventually locate the original Partridge Family bus. ;o)

    Major, thanks for the fun pictures...lots of bobsleds and caterpillars!

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  11. Happy birthday, Stu!

    "Enco" was the branding Standard Oil of New Jersey used through its subsidiary Humble Oil in markets where it was prohibited from using the "Esso" by the terms of the 1911 court decision that broke up the Standard Oil monopoly. It even used the same font and sign style as Esso, and both brands shared the same marketing. The company-wide rebranding to "Exxon" beginning in 1973 eliminated Enco as a brand by the end of the '70s.

    That style of cigarette machine was my favorite thing to play with after a meal out. Pulling on the knobs was oddly satisfying.

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  12. Lou and Sue1:04 PM

    ^ Chuck, I’m picturing you as a kid, doing that—with a cigarette hanging out of the side of your mouth. Or did you mean that you do that now?? ;o)

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  13. Stu295737:36 PM

    Thank you Major and Sue! (And the crew too!)
    I didn't find the bus, nor buy a model, but it was a great day anyway! And, of course, it's always great checking in with all of you!!!

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  14. Dean Finder7:53 PM

    Happy birthday, Stu!

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  15. MS, thanks, it’s always fun to share some extra-nice pix!

    Lou and Sue, only on GDB do we love to see bobsleds and caterpillars!

    Chuck, thank you for the info about Enco! I’m going to have to look and see what their mascot was. Vending machines made it so easy for my older brother to get cigarettes that he is still hooked to this day. I’m so glad I don’t smoke!

    Lou and Sue, Chuck preferred to brandish a switchblade.

    Stu29573, I’m glad you checked in today! Happy birthday!

    Dean Finder, you made it.

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  16. Anonymous9:57 PM

    Are we seeing the monorail siding just above the yellow Peoplemover cars that was relocated to the current location when IASW was installed at the park?

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  17. Anonymous, since this photo is from 1969, that has the current monorail siding. The original 1959 siding was replaced around 1962 and the current siding was built in late 1965/early 1966.

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