Say! I'm thinking about sharing some photos of Disneyland. Crazy, right? Both of today's examples are from July 1962, roughly the park's 7th birthday. Old enough to drink! Where I come from, at least. Both of today's pix were taken from a Skyway gondola. I wonder how they came up with the word "gondola" of all things? "Bucket" certainly seems more applicable, if less romantic. Anyhoo, ye olde Fantasyland is down below, full of painted flats and patterned fabric awnings to make up for the lack of architectural details. All the familiar landmarks are there, including the distant Douglas Moonliner. A sweeper patrols the area, not allowing a piece of paper to sit on the ground for more than two seconds before it disappeared into his dustpan. Shoooooonk!
Since our photographer was facing Fantasyland, but heading towards Tomorrowland, he probably passed Skull Rock and the Pirate Ship before taking the first image, but I blame rap music for the error. I can't stop my feet from moving! We're looking at Skull Rock, voted "BEST GIANT SKULL" two years in a row in LIFE magazine. Fantasyland Station is just peeking up - but what is that horizontal light area just above Scully's head? There's still plenty of seating in the dining area behind the Pirate Ship, we'll have to take the ride back (or WALK) and grab a table.
On signage , disclaimer signs, manuals etc produced by WED or Disneyland , the term CABIN is used. No “gondola” or “bucket” appears to have been used . I’m sure in secondary materials like souvenirs ,ticket media, and publications like Disney news etc that gondola and cabin term has been used.
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDelete"... but what is that horizontal light area just above Scully's head?"
I'm thinking that's the backstage area for the Storybook Land boats...
Lovely images, tho'. Thanks, Major.
Major-
ReplyDeleteLet's change that to - pole lighting along the fencing preceding the entrance to the Fantasyland Train Station. Can't quite explain those yellow/white umbrellas - unless they are part of the 'boneyard' for Storybook Land...
Oooh, this is a nice picture! Colorful, well lit, crisp, and just enough atmospheric atmosphere to add depth and interest. We can even see Tink's zip-line. Are there people on the roof, just to the left of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? I see at least six trashcans, maybe a couple more.
ReplyDeleteAnother great, colorful picture! Major, you've been very nice to us lately... too nice. I'm getting suspicious. ;-) Skully has a green worm crawling out of his right eye. It looks very appropriate, him being a skull and all. I don't know what that horizontal light area is, but it's got red & white striped light poles and stadium-style lights higher up. On the right, we can see a bit of the Monorail track. I didn't think it went that far back.
Nice pics, Major. (I'm still suspicious.) Thanks.
In that first pic, I think we can see a bobsled and the heads of two riders. They are high up on the upper right ledge of the Matterhorn. Thanks for the nice Fantasyland pics, Major!
ReplyDeleteIn the second photo, I think the horizontal light area is the SF&DRR right of way leading to the station. And is that the roof and upper level of the roundhouse in the extreme upper left corner?
ReplyDeleteNice flight.
ReplyDeleteMS
I think Skully's just trying to figure out all of that rigging. Ropes everywhere!!!
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I have definitely read the term “Skyway cabin”, not sure when “gondola” came into use. I’m sure “bucket” is just used by regular people because that’s what they looked like!
ReplyDeleteNanook, Hmmm, OK!
Nanook, I didn’t know there *was* a boneyard for Storybook Land…
JB, I don’t see people on the roof, but perhaps I am not looking in exactly the right place? I do love how crisp and clear that first photo is, you can really enjoy the details. The “green worm” is a nice touch on Skully, green worms and skulls go together like chocolate and peanut butter. I believe that we can see a tiny bit of the Monorail track heading back to the Roundhouse, which is obscured by trees.
TokyoMagic!, I didn’t really look at the Matterhorn much because it’s far away, but you’re right, that bobsled (and the riders) is very clear!
Steve DeGaetano, ah OK, I think I see what you mean about the right-of-way… I thought that was a roof of some kind, but it’s clearly not (now that I am really paying attention to those light poles for Fantasyland Station). I can’t tell if that’s the Roundhouse, there are a few distant buildings and I can’t quite tell which is which.
MS, thanks!
Stu29574, I gotta admit, that rigging is confusing as heck!
Photo 1 has at least six trash cans AND a bobsled, definitely a great picture!
ReplyDeletePhoto 2, I think the light area is part of the Storybook Land backstage area, and I think I heard once there was a CM break area back there too, which could account for the umbrellas. I can’t quite work out the light poles which look like part of the train station, but look to be in the wrong place for that?
Photo 2 might have been taken at “ knots” Berry Farm because of all that rope. Undoubtedly the best giant skull in the known universe too!
Great stuff today, Major! Thank you!
JG
Major-
ReplyDelete"I didn’t know there *was* a boneyard for Storybook Land…"
As in: "We call it 'Never, Never Land', as we never, ever go there".
@ JG-
"I can’t quite work out the light poles which look like part of the train station, but look to be in the wrong place for that?"
LOOK HERE.
These are extra-crispy today.
ReplyDeleteIn the first photo, I believe JB’s “people on the roof” are visible between the left end of Mr. Toad’s roof and the Skyway tower. It looks to me like people riding a caterpillar that has just exited the upper level of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Based on the photo Nanook linked above, I believe that horizontal line in the second photo is the top of the fencing behind the “Never Never Land” backstage area behind Storybook Land.
Steve, since this was taken in 1962, the building we see in the upper left corner can’t be the current roundhouse because it hasn’t been built yet. I think it’s the second, three-stall Monorail maintenance facility. Thanks for pointing that out because I had totally missed it.
Thanks, Major!
Chuck, I agree, the "rooftop" people are riding a teal green caterpillar, and they are just slightly above the parapet of the one-story bit of castle that houses the final scene of "Alice".
ReplyDeleteThanks Nanook, I didn't realize those light poles extended so far west of the Fantasyland Station.
Now that I have that Matterhorn photo at extreme zoom on the big screen, I am wondering about that red dot just to the right of the green skyway cabin. Is it an escaped balloon?
JG
I think Chuck and JG are right about the Caterpillar "on the roof". Actually, it looks like there might be two or three Caterpillars. Before posting my comment above, I thought long and hard (at least 12 seconds) if those were people on the roof or perhaps colorful pennants, or what.
ReplyDeleteJG, that red dot is a water gong. :-p (Yer probably right about it being a balloon... or maybe it's just a speck of dirt on the slide.)
That's gotta be the most complicated rigging ever on a restaurant. Unlike the Columbia where the rigging makes sense as a historic replica, rigging on a ship replicating Peter Pan seems like a thing only Walt would do.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, the Skyliner that connects hotels and parks at WDW refers to them as Cabins. That does make sense since they're enclosed completely with windows.
JG, I generally like big views like photo #1 anyway, but having this one be so clear is a real bonus. I think that “backstage Storybook Land” is a good theory, it just makes sense. “Knots” Berry Farm, D’OH.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I know about “Never, Never Land”, but I guess I thought a “boneyard” was more of a place to leave derelict vehicles to the elements.
Chuck, aha, now I see the people, I think you’re right about them being on an Alice caterpillar. I felt like after seeing the photo Nanook linked to, that the light horizontal area was more of a roadway or sidewalk area. Unless we are looking at different things? Good point about the Roundhouse, I didn’t even think about when the current one was built!
JG, it’s kind of cool to see those people aboard the caterpillar from this perspective, now I have to wonder if we can see “Alice” guests from similar photos that I have from this vantage point! It’s hard to tell if that dot is an escaped balloon, or just a dust speck that I missed when cleaning up this scan!
Dean Finder, I always wonder how many people approached the old Pirate Ship imagining that it must be a super cool ride? Only to find out that it sold tuna burgers. It looks so great, as you say, only Walt would do such a thing. Out of curiosity, I looked up the Roosevelt Island aerial tramway, and they also refer to “cabins”.