Flying Saucers, August 1961
I never get tired of viewing photos of the Flying Saucers attraction in Tomorrowland - it doesn't look like anything else! It's interesting that all of the riders in front of us are children (and one teen?), though there appears to be one adult on the other side of the barrier to the left. Maybe this attraction wasn't that popular with grown-ups? I can't think of a single photo of this attraction that shows a long line, in spite of its infamous low capacity.
It's a shame that they couldn't iron out the bugs, it looks so fun! Folks who experienced it say that it was difficult to maneuver, but I'm sure I would have been the best at it, and all the pretty girls nearby would have fallen in love with me.
Note: I will be out of town for the next few days. A secret mission! I probably shouldn't have told you that part. Talk to you all soon!
8 comments:
Major-
I had difficulty consistently moving my Flying Saucer, in spite of its promised 'thrill'. But at least I can say "I did it".
As for the fashions - it looks decidedly more 50's than 60's. The vintage fashion award goes to the fella down front in the first image wearing a unique [1950's] anachronistic outfit where his red shirt exudes 'cool' with its 'cuffed short sleeves', but his jeans scream 'un-cool little boy', with giant cuffs. Tsk, tsk. The shame.
Thanks, Major.
It's a NASA guy convention! Looks like five of 'em. Is that the Dominguez family home up there on the left? Lots of early '60s fashions here. As Nanook noted, the boy closest to us has pant cuffs big enough to hide a whole rotisserie chicken... with room left over for a large order of fries... and a chocolate shake.
"I would have been the best at it, and all the pretty girls nearby would have fallen in love with me".
Major Pepperidge; Flying Saucer pilot extraordinaire! Suave... sexy(?)... More popular than John Travolta on the disco dancefloor! Wow, there are even more NASA guys than I thought! At least nine! One of the Saucers has sort of gotten itself stuck on another Saucer; lifting it up off the trans-dimensional, dark-energy powered, platform. It's blue because it is advancing toward us at near lightspeed (that's where the trans-dimensional part comes in).
It's always fun to see Flying Saucer photos! Thanks, Major. And say hello to agent 007 for us.
Faint memories of going on this once. What I recall is bouncing violently in place when bumped.
The New Administration Building does a great job of blending into the Background of the Future. Despite being outside the Berm, it still looks like it belongs. Man, those early Imagineers were good!
I don’t think that’s the “new” administration building - that wasn’t completed until 1966 - however the new costuming department ( under general services ) was moved in by 1965 as well as wardrobe issue and the new security department. Of course it also housed PRIMEVAL WORLD , casting , scheduling and operations. The famous “Disneyland Timeline” exhibit hallway produced by Rolly Crump was also located in the new administration building. A friend of mine used to sneak into the PRIMEVAL WORLD interior every year for several years to take his Christmas card pictures. My favorite was him on a floating chair in a swimsuit , a straw hat , sunglasses and a tropical drink in hand floating in the “brontosaurus swamp “!!!! Those kinda things became impossible to do after 9/11.
I don’t remember much about the line to the saucers. I think the waiting is something we just blank out to save hard drive space.
I do remember it was very sluggish. I was too small to ride alone, but the combo of Mom and I was a burden that prevented much movement except getting banged into by other saucer pilots.
The central pole is a nice piece of mid-century design, a good view of it. I don’t recall it at all.
Major, these are very nice photos of the attraction! I’m sure you would have made a fine pilot. And being a famous Disneyland blogger, you probably have to wear sunglasses to keep incognito.
Have a good time on your secret mission, travel safe and don’t forget your shoe phone and decoder ring!
JG
Judging by his cuffs those pants must have lasted into his 20's. Say, my friend Bond, James Bond, said he was going to be away for awhile. I wonder...
Great photos of the Saucers! I rode them, too, and remember not being able to make them do much. But it was still a thrill.
Thanks, Major
Zach
I keep hoping I'll see me in the picture. But in 1961 I was in Utah dreaming of one day returning to Disneyland. It happened a year later when we moved to Sherman Oaks. Always a low capacity attraction, the line always seemed to be way too long! By the time I started in '69, that building in the background was mostly space for locker rooms, with Cash Control and the Barbershop occupying some of the ground floor. We even had a 'shoeshine boy' CM out front of the Barbershop to keep those shoes (we wore our own, they were not provided) sparkling black while on stage. The building also housed the Grand Canyon Diorama. Mike, that friend of yours sounds like something that a JC member would do. Oh the fun we had. KS
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