Randos. You know the drill by now! Let's start with this view of some topiaries, as seen in a backstage area visible from the Disneyland Railroad. This one is from October 1965, which is from about seven months before It's a Small World would debut on March 30, 1966 in Fantasyland. If you remember, we had another view of topiaries in the same area, only from about two year earlier - it amazed me that they were already working on them for Disneyland before IASW had opened at the New York World's Fair.
On a side note, GDB friend MS sent me a link to an episode of the old "Disneyland" TV show - all about "Disneyland '61". The whole thing is a fun blast to the past, hosted by Walt himself. If you skip to 1:45 into the episode, you'll see Walt present a fairly amazing concept for topiaries that never came to pass. Many thanks to MS for sharing this with me (and by extension, with you)!
Speaking of 1961, here's a scan from a slide dated "October, 1961", it almost feels like an "oops" photo. "Dangit! I didn't mean to press the button!". And yet it is still kind of fun, with the yellow Monorail's tail cone in the extreme foreground - that boy has a great seat, and you can tell he's pretty happy about it. In the distance is the classic "Old Tomorrowland".
Major-
ReplyDeleteThat 2nd image has a bit of charm to it in its [possibly] mistaken capture. We can also see the 'center tower' from the Astrojets attraction behind Juniors head.
Thanks, Major.
I'm trying to guess what that fuzzy grayish-green critter is in the foreground. The back half looks sorta like a poodle. While the front half looks sorta like an alligator... a doggigator? The elephants are looking very robust and healthy.
ReplyDeleteAwww, I wanna see waltzing topiaries at Disneyland. (Or at least on YouTube.) I suppose it never happened because they probably figured out pretty quick that those turntables and other mechanical things would always be breaking down. Thanks for the link, MS.
Do you suppose that "boy in the bubble" is locked in there and will be returning to the Disneyland Hotel station? It's a pretty neat photo, actually, even if it IS an 'oops'. Kind of startling to see that huge Monorail looming in the picture; like a monstrous great white shark.
Purty neat Randos, Major. Thanks.
MAJOR: the topiaries are that far along because they were not developed for It’s A Small World but were being grown with intent of using them for GARDENS OF THE GODS and RAINBOW ROAD TO OZ /THE WIZARDS PALACE . When both those attractions were shelved they we re-used ( some of them anyway) for IT’s A Small World.
ReplyDeleteA cast Disneyland newsletter from the late 1970’s mentions NEW topiaries are being developed for the FANTASIA attraction and even motorized topiaries for a transitional area from Fantasyland to DISCOVERY BAY.
Motorized and animated topiaries were also discussed in the mid 1980’s for a re-do of the waterways to Walt Disney World’s PLAZA SWAN BOATS.
The video shows what was - and remains in my memory - one of the best attractions ever built at the park: the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland. It was huge - it was essentially a whole other "land", full of Disney touches, even including a "dark ride" portion.
ReplyDeleteIn its first iteration, Disneyland park was essentially a real-life version of what we saw on television, and, like the show, a large portion of the park was dedicated to "real life adventures", like The Jungle Cruise, Rivers of America, and Nature's Wonderland. The park - and show - were meant to educate as well as entertain.
That effort has faded over the years, but I am blessed to still remember how it was. I was there in '61, too.
Good info about the topiaries. Interesting to see how design ideas shifted and reformed as time went on.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the video, MS. Fun to see these again. I had hoped that the Disney+ streaming would show these, alas.
I think that final pic is so great. I’ve had 60+ years of Park visits and never had a ride in either the nose or tail cones. Lucky kid.
Thanks Major!
JG
Thanks for the additiinal input, Mike! That makes sense that they were being grown for other (defunct) attractions. If you really think about it, there's no direct tie-in for IASM and the topiaries. There seems to be to us because we've always seen them together. Looking at the situation that way makes it make perfect sense!
ReplyDeleteNanook, at least photo #2 is relatively level, which might mean it was taken on purpose! Yep, I see the Astrojets tower, with the distinctive checkerboard pattern.
ReplyDeleteJB, that foreground figure is fascinating, like a teddy bear with a porpoise head. Or something. They should do completely phantasmagorical creatures, since they can make anything they want! I am sure you’re right, the realities of making the topiaries spin and dance was just too problematic, although Walt usually got what he wanted IF he really truly wanted it, cost be damned. I’m not sure how they dealt with Monorail passengers going to the Hotel, versus coming from the Hotel. Did they check to see that they had an admission before they were allowed to board?
Mike Cozart, I think I have seen artwork (by Marc Davis?) from Garden of the Gods. I’m still not really clear what that attraction would have been. It’s kind of surprising that they would have gotten as far as having some nearly-complete topiaries for Gardens of the Gods. Was the Rainbow Road to Oz a standalone attraction? I thought that the Oz stuff was going to be an addition to Storybook Land. It’s too bad that they never cracked the code for a great Fantasia attraction, that would have been amazing! It sounds like the potential use of moving topiaries is a case of “no idea ever goes away”!
Hogarth, I agree with you, the more I see of Nature’s Wonderland, the more impressed I am. The sheer scale and beauty, with “mountains”, streams, deserts, forests… it was an incredible achievement. I am happy that I got to ride it, but wish I remembered it more vividly. I just saw something online that said “Rainbow Caverns are set to return in a new incarnation in 2026 that is being added to the attraction”. Really?? Hard to believe that NW has been gone for nearly 50 years now. The park has definitely dumped “education” as a goal. Is it because visitors don’t want to be educated? Or because the park only wants to do movie tie-ins now?
JG, I’ve wondered if it would be possible for those old “Disneyland” TV shows to be restored and remastered? I guess it’s too expensive, though they could continue to use them for decades if they did it. Imagine seeing the footage, crisp and clear, with good color (for the NBC episodes), and better sound?
Stu29573, I think the topiaries must have been inspired by examples Walt saw during his visits to Europe. I thought that Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen might have had them, but looking it up, it doesn’t appear that topiaries are a feature there. I’m sure you’re right, the topiaries “fit” with IASW mostly because they’ve always been together.
For a short time over at Fantasia Gardens at Disneyland ( the old motorboat cruise load dock and lagoon) featured a few topiaries of Hyacinth Hippo and sone Alligators from Fantasia on rotating bases that gave the impression of the characters “dancing”. At Walt Disney world there had been a topiary of a heart shaped archway with a Mickey & Minnie topiary that tilted and appeared to “kiss” each other. I wonder if the plants react to being on rotating or tilting bases??
ReplyDeleteI think it was on one of the Disney channel episodes “MEET THE WED IMAGINEERS” of the mid 80’s Bill Evans while explaining how they “cheated” to create the topiaries for Disneyland by using wire frames , mentions that they had started to try and replicate shaped hedges at first like in Europe but then came upon the idea of doing animals …. And Evans said he didn’t think animals had ever been done before …
I'm not sure if the modern topiaries they use at events like Epcot's Flower and Garden festival are even live anymore. I think they may be wireframes with dyed moss on them to get the color and detail they want.
ReplyDeleteSome of those topiaries in that picture look a little rough by later Disney standards - obviously the gardeners were experimenting and testing still … you can see a tall “cypress” shape tree with baby pegasus from Fantasia on top …. Most likely intended for abandoned GARDEN OF THE GODS.
ReplyDeleteMAJOR : I think GARDEN OF THE GODS went thru several concepts … starting out with classical Greek stories and legends… then mostly FANTASIA “Dance of the Hours” And “Pastoral Symphony “….. but recently I’ve seen Marc Davis concepts with “waltzing princesses” implying they at some point were going away from JUST Fantasia or Classical themes.
ReplyDeleteThe FANTASIA attraction was planed for an expansion area of Fantasyland …. This was part of Rolly Crump’s project that was part of Disneyland’s big seven year master plan of the 70’s and early 80’s . Many of these plans evolved into New Fantasyland and other elements like “island at the top of the world” in fantasyland and the “fireworks factory” shooting gallery ride for the expanded Frontierland , The Cider Mill - Liberty Square , evolved into DISCOVERY BAY …but the big audio animatronic FANTASIA attraction kinda disappeared from any plans of development. And as early as 1968 there are concepts for an elaborate DUMBO attraction area. By 1972 Sam McKim has concepts for a double-arena Dumbo and an elevated Dumbo attraction and these along with a pinocchio dark ride develop into a DUMBO CURCUS theme land by 1973 and through 1981 but also faded away after NEW FANTASYLAND.