Posterama!

Today I'm featuring one of my favorite subjects of all: Disneyland posters! Attraction posters mostly, but there are some other examples of vintage poster art that are pretty great as well. I apologize for any imperfections in the photos... the posters are large, and it's difficult to light them consistently.

First up is this classic Monorail poster, with the snazzy metallic-silver background! The composition is wonderful, that dynamic curve of the track and the Monorail itself give the feeling that this train of the future is about to zoom out of the picture. This is the scarce 1967 version of this poster, in which the Moonliner has been replaced with the Rocket Jets and the "Carousel of Progress" building. I do have that earlier version as well, though not the very first version, which only says "Tomorrowland" at the bottom (no mention of the Speedramp or the hotel). Love the variations, though!


Here's another poster from 1967, for the beloved "Adventure Thru Inner Space"! Quite possibly my favorite extinct attraction (though I go back and forth between it and "Nature's Wonderland"). The graphics definitely have a more modern feel when compared to the posters of the 50's, but that is only natural, since the ride itself was abstract trippy, and just plain wonderful in its simplicity. Sorry about the reflection of the slightly glossy black Atomobiles.


Here's one that is not an attraction poster; instead it advertised the 1960 theatrical short (or was it a "featurette", clocking in at just under 30 minutes?) "Gala Day at Disneyland". The artwork is great, with eye-popping reds and yellows, and muliticolored balloons. You can watch "Gala Day" on YouTube, and it is always nice to see vintage color footage (it really should have been on one of those DVD sets by now). However, it features a lot of stuff that has been recycled over and over (a ride on the Matterhorn, a voyage on the Subs), not to mention lots of parades and dancing. I guess that's what 1960 audiences wanted to see, but it is kind of a snooze-fest by today's standards.


And lastly, take a look at this nice poster (no date unfortunately, but presumably from the fifties), courtesy of the fine folks at Greyhound. Leave the driving to them! The illustration is reminiscent of what you might see in a Little Golden Book from that era. It is a simple, bold design that would "read" even if you passed it from a speeding, out of control bus.