Two Random Views
I have a pair of RANDOS for you today. Or are they Leftuggies? Only the finest minds can tell the difference, and I don't have one of those. This first scan is from August, 1960, and shows a family enjoying their lunch break, having found a table with plenty of shade (sorry kid, you get the sun, you can take it). I admit that I am at a loss as to where they are seated - even looking at what's in the background (which isn't much) doesn't help. Any ideas?
Next is the August 1976 scan showing Sleeping Beauty Castle at night. This is an orphan slide, it was all by itself in a box, which always makes me assume that there used to be more, but they were cherry-picked and sold separately. Call me cynical. It's exciting to see THE STAIN at night - not just exciting, but life-altering. Your friends and relatives will sense a deep change within you, and treat you with reverence. They might even bow to you!
7 comments:
Major-
That 1st image is an easy one, thanks to the distinctive tile pattern and curbing: It's outside dining at the Aunt Jemima Kitchen. That tile work ran all across the 'Frontierland Restaurant Row': The Original Casa de Fritos (later, Don DeFore's Silver Banjo BBQ); The Oaks Tavern; Stage Door Cafe; etc., ending up by The Golden Horseshoe. The blue umbrellas and the railing in the background is the Swift's Chicken Plantation Restaurant.
OMG... The Stain - illuminated by moonlight. Be still my heart-!
Thanks, Major.
Could this be Carnation Plaza Gardens? With the bandstand behind us and to our left? Speaking of what's behind us, where is the photographer standing? In the bushes? I like how the lady on the left has earrings, necklace, and bracelet that match the color of the blue flowers on her dress. Rather stylish. We can see the camera case and plate of food of the photographer.
Not a bad nighttime pic. The composition is a little peculiar: We can't see the top of the Castle... or the left side... or the right side. But it's bright enough... sort of. And in focus enough... sort of. Is that another Stain on the left side of the tower? Maybe just a shadow.
I see Nanook has pinpointed the location of the first pic so...... ignore my guess above.
Two consecutive days of Randos! Shall we try for three? Thanks, Major.
In the first image to the left of the guests was a bridge that crossed a linked waterway connecting the Rivers of America . To the right - below the bridge was the original Tom Sawyer Island rafts … the ticket booth was to the left of the bridge … And guests took a series of crooked stairs to pass bellow the bridge . This arrangement didn’t last very long ….and the waterway on the Adventureland side of the bridge eventually was hidden with magnolias and “fruitless” mulberry trees to frame the relocated Main Street Bandstand that once sat between the plantation house bridge and the Frontierland train station . There was also a fountain at the entry of the bandstand seating area …. Another precursor to the ideas of a future New Orleans Square. These original magnolia trees is way people even till recently called the fountain and trees in front of the train station and haunted mansion “Magnolia Park” this was a mistake in that “magnolia park” was the band stand seating area - the fountain and trees post New Orleans Square were NOT the same as the original Frontierland magnolia park … but it’s name was obviously remembered and guests & employees continued the name for another location. But it should have been called “fruitless mulberry “ park!!
The bridge crossed a waterway that linked Rivers of America to the Jungle Cruise waterway .
After reading comments from Nanook and Mike, I don’t feel bad for not recognizing anything in photo 1. Thanks for clearing that up.
I like photo 2 because it’s a night photo, and of the Castle. The Stain is just an added benefit. I wonder if we will ever learn what gadget is behind the wall producing that condensate. Water heater? HVAC condenser? Churro extruder? Inquiring minds want to know!
Thanks Major!
JG
Nanook, I sure didn’t recognize the tiles, in fact I don’t recall seeing them before (though I probably have). I’mm glad you knew where that photo was taken! I thought that the umbrellas looked like the Plantation House, but I still couldn’t really place the photo.
JB, I guess I’m going to need to find a vintage aerial view of Disneyland from the 50s (no problem!) to really nail down photo #1. Even with Nanook’s description, I’m a bit lost! I can’t be too upset at a “not perfect” night photo from 1976 - it’s a miracle that it turned out AT ALL. I do believe that we are seeing a shadow on the left side of the tower. Tomorrow, we have Leftuggies, which are not that different from Randos!
Mike Cozart, I was only first aware of that bridge in Frontierland when I found a slide showing it. It was a nice surprise to find a “new” feature, when I felt like I knew the general layout of the park after so many years. I also have a photo or two showing the raft loading area at the base of the bridge, it feels a bit weird to see it there. Fruitless mulberry trees, man, those things grow like crazy. I cut one way back, and the next year it was bigger than ever. We also had what I think was a Persian mulberry tree that had these unappetizing whitish berries, so unappetizing that I could never bring myself to taste them.
Mike Cozart, yep, that’s the one!
JG, I wonder if the stain was just caused by rain runoff from somewhere on the roof? Could there have been some sort of drain that led from the roof, inside the wall, down to that place near the drawbridge?
I'm noticing the fancy chairs. Metal, but much nicer made and more comfortable than prevailing the style now. Bet they were heavy though.
MS
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