It's time for yet another installment of photos from the Mysterious Benefactor! I've made a pretty good dent in the large folder of scans that he sent to me years ago, but there are still MANY photos to share.
I hope you like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, because we'll be looking at it for quite a while. I was thinking that perhaps it was a new attraction when these pix were taken (it opened on September 2, 1979), but the gals in this first image have a very 80s vibe to me. "Sir, will you take a photo of me and my friend? Tee hee!". At least that's how I imagine women talk, I've never actually spoken to one. The cast member is happy to oblige.
Today is a historic day - to my knowledge, this next photo marks the first appearance of a churro on GDB! I know it looks like the girl in the lilac top is eating her churro with a beer (who wouldn't?), but of course there was no beer to be had in Disneyland in those more-innocent days. Both of these gals are more than tall enough to ride, but they're going to have to finish their food and drink before they can board.
During every visit to Disneyland, you'll reach a point when you feel like you are completely out of gas. And the boy leaning against that sign has reached that point. "Go on without me! I'll just stay here until the buzzards get me". A goth girl stares into our souls, she's in the dead-center of the picture. The twin boys in blue windbreakers make me think of Melissa.
Here's a pretty, postcard-worthy photo as one of the runaway mine trains leaves the station, for the wildest (or is it "rootin' tootin'-est"?) ride through the wilderness.
Ooo-la-la, this one is as artistic as heck! *Chef's kiss*. Maybe this photo was taken by Ansel Adams' son Argyle. Is that natural stone arch still there? And is it a surviving feature from the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland? The rock work looks very realistic, a big improvement from earlier days.
As impressive as this looks here, I especially love seeing Big Thunder at night, lit up, but not too bright - sort of "low and moody".
THANK YOU, Mysterious Benefactor!
1) Is that a pack of Lucky Strikes in the CM's back pocket? Or maybe a flask of 'red eye'? (Oops.The full-sized image is different than the thumbnail.)
ReplyDelete2) Wow, the lady in black is a real head-turner. (And not in the Linda Blair/Exorcist sort of way.) Again, wrong full-sized image. Maybe Blogger thinks THIS is April Fools Day?
3) Hmm, I would say that "Goth Girl" is more like "Goth-lite Girl". She's only about half-way there. Not sure a Goth Girl would be wearing Mickey Ears, even though it IS a nice dreary shade of black.
4) Love the contrasting orange hoodoos against the green foliage. And the photographer got the train engine centered in the pic.
5) Wow, this one has "artsy" written all over it!
6) Really nice! Reminds me of sand castles that one builds next to the ocean, where you dribble handfuls of really wet sand on top of itself to make the castle grow higher and higher.
We talk about churros all the time here. But like you said, we haven't actually seen any... till now! Thank you, Major. And thanks to the Mysterious B.
That kid in the first pic does look "spent."
ReplyDeleteYes, that arch was a remnant from Nature's Wonderland. And no, it no longer exists, because management had them remove it for Wookie World. In the early days of the Wookie World construction, it looked like that arch and a few of the other surviving Nature's Wonderland rocks were going to survive the construction. They remained when everything around them was obliterated down to just dirt. This could be observed from the top level of the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Then one day, the rocks disappeared. I always wondered if they were originally going to save them. Otherwise, what would have been the point in bulldozing everything around them, but leaving them. I'm still wondering why the decision was made to get rid of them. Such a shame. And they ruin everything, don't they?
Also, until the Big Thunder Ranch was built, guests couldn't go on the other side of those Nature's Wonderland rock remnants. But since these were taken by Disneyland staff, of course they would be able to get a picture from that angle.
Thank you, Major and M.B.!
Major, I meant that the kid in the THIRD pic looks spent. I got confused because he appeared when I clicked on the first, second, and third photos. But I know you will have that glitch ironed out later this morning.
ReplyDeleteThe surviving Natures Wonderland buttes were very important to the imagineers on the Big Thunder project … it helped keep a bit of history while creating a beautiful themed passageway connecting Frontierland with Fantasyland …. But its real reason for being part of the master plan was it allowed access to the entry of the announced DISCOVERY BAY.
ReplyDeleteWhen Galaxy’s Edge was being shoved into Disneyland they ruined so many areas and details in the park for “project pixie dust “
Or “project dish of Palmolive “ or whatever it was called … it’s interesting because interest in Star Wars is waning amongst guests … maybe with the movie’s 50th next year there will be some extra interest.
Hey Disneyland :
YOU
SHOULD HAVE
BUILT
DISCOVERY BAY!!
The MB never disappoints.
ReplyDeleteThere are some memorable views here, Major. I agree, the clothes and styles feel more 1980’s but maybe everyone was just fashion-forward that day. The girl with the visor, for example, a very 80’s accessory and the blonde girl was lead singer for RATT.
Some terrific postcard views too. Worth keeping.
Thank you!
JG
Great pics today. Thanks Major and Mysterious Benefactor! I think we are indeed looking at the mid- to later 1980s here, as apparently Churros didn't actually appear at Disneyland until 1985. BTW Major, some of the photos aren't linking to the correct image (at least not for me).
ReplyDeleteMajor, my comment yesterday cut off my thank you! So, thank you. Yesterday was a fun reminder that it was April 1st. Have you done next years yet?
ReplyDeleteI'm always impressed with MB photos. That's an interesting group of 4 gathered at the BTM sign. I wonder if they are together? Maybe they're waiting for dad to catch up or take the photo.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Major!
Zach
JB, all CMs were required to carry a flask in case they needed to rescue somebody from an avalanche. It was the “Disney Difference”. That lady in black apparently thought she was going to the Met Gala! I fixed the link BTW. Not all Goth Girls look like Siouxsie Sioux! There are degrees of gothness. Good poing about the hoodoos looking like those dripped sand sculptures, they really do! There was a toy called “Silly Sand” that worked on that same principle, do you remember that one?
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, I’ll bet that kid was always being extra dramatic. It’s a bummer that they couldn’t have worked that arch into Galaxy’s Edge... it seems like it could have worked just as well for an alien planet. Heck, if you believe Star Trek (which I do), half the planets look like Vasquez Rocks! Thanks for pointing out that those photos would not have been taken by an ordinary guest, it must have been fun to be an official photographer with access to areas off-limits to most.
TokyoMagic!, ha, yes, I ironed out the glitch!
Mike Cozart, I think they did a good job with Galaxy’s Edge for the most part. I’m not that crazy about the Millennium Falcom ride, it’s a frustrating experience if you are sitting in one of those seats that does not matter. I did not even bother doing the tasks I was supposed to do, and got zero points! I was proud. I guess I need to know a lot more about Discovery Bay, there are many never-built Disneyland projects that I would have loved to see, but I’ve never felt that way about Discovery Bay. Maybe it would have been amazing.
JG, do they even sell visors anymore? I can’t recall seeing any. There are some pretty lame souvenir hats, even my mom bought one, much to my surprise. I think it went straight to Goodwill after we got home. Some of those hairdos really do remind me of the old “Hair Metal” bands.
Pegleg Pete, I now see that the first photo does not link up properly, I’ll fix it once I’m done with these comments!
zach, I have several images underway for next year, but I am not going to bother finishing them.
zach, I can only guess about the kids at the sign, your guess is as good as any! The line doesn’t look that bad, I thought maybe somebody was coming with Fast Passes.