Notice the Flying Saucer attraction tucked behind the rocket, and the Flight Circle to our right. You can even see one of the "Hobbyland" booths! The rocket, saucers, Hobbyland, and Flight Circle would all be gone by the following year when the New Tomorrowland opened.
In the background there are some interesting details; to the right and just above the Flying Saucers ride you can see the Dominguez home, part of the original Disneyland property (although it had been moved for use as the old Administration Building). Ron Dominguez eventually became Executive Vice President of Walt Disney Attractions! Near the home you can see that the building that contained the wonderful Primeval World addition to the Disneyland Railroad is being built (I believe that it would also house the new administration offices as part of the same structure).
And in the distance you can see the distinctive dome of the old convention center (thanks TokyoMagic!!), I found a good photo of it on the web here.
Very cool photo! I think that might be the Anaheim Convention Center going up in the distance. I have a 1966 photo that my dad took from the Skyway and you can see the framework for the Convention Center going up. I think Melodyland was already built by 1966.
ReplyDeleteJust found this construction pic from 1963: http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt1t1nc3f9/
ReplyDeleteHey I'm struck by the styling of the rocket w/Douglas paint and building behind etc almost like I haven't really seen it that way... the gray sky might actually be helping with the presentation of it... hm. Of course it's also neat to see the diorama/office building underway. Thanks for that pic!
ReplyDeleteThe last show at the flight circle was on a Sunday in September of 1965. One could probably research the last day of the summer season that year (winter season hours that Mondays and Tuesdays would be closed), but I just don't have the energy.
ReplyDeleteNotice that the gold thimble and wind speed indicator on the top of the circle's tower have been removed.
The summer of '66 saw a few events in the circle. One being the Jet Pack flights.
I'll never get Disneyland burn-out when I see a picture like this. WOW! This is the real deal.
ReplyDeleteHoly #&@*! WOW!!! As a kid, my FAVORITE attraction was the Flying Saucers. This photo is amazing. to be able to see the Dominguez home is unbelieveable!!! I am floored!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the correction, TokyoMagic!, the weird thing is that I actually knew that, but somehow I had a brain glitch!!
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a great shot! I lov ethe way it puts everything into relation with everything else.
ReplyDeleteThat is one amazing picture. Love the Dominguez house.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special Friday morningtreat. Thank you.
I must admit that I've always preferred the Douglas version over the TWA version
ReplyDeleteThe real deal indeed! Count one vote here for the Douglas Version! Does the other side of the rocket ship have "Hotterville" painted on it?
ReplyDeleteThat little flat-roofed building just to the right of the Dominguez home was the security offices and badge & I.D. That's where they mistakenly gave me a brass disneyland employee badge (which I still have). We were lessee's and were not to get one.
ReplyDeleteI too think the Douglas version of the rocket was a better design, and I especially liked the fake liquid Ox gases spewing from the sides (you can see the stains just above the landing struts). We used to tell people that that was the smoking section in the rocket ride. Some actually believed it, and would tell the cast members inside that they wanted to sit in smoking. We were later told to stop saying that.
Thanks for the great insider info, CoxPilot! Wow, those bass employee badges are worth a fortune.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I like the Douglas paint scheme better, but it is pretty neat.
Did the rocket only emit fumes when Douglas was the sponsor?
"The smoking section" hehe - too funny CoxPilot. :)
ReplyDeleteDidn't know it smoked and thought those stains were just normal aging from rain or what not. Huh.
Dave has a shot of the moon liner smoke. And; yes, it was added by Douglas. They also added blinking lights in the cockpit and port holes, and a red light inside the main engine. It really looked cool at night.
ReplyDeletehttp://davelandweb.com/moonliner/popup.htm?
images/60s/CTPBDyna_12_62_N17R.jpg
very cool. the house looks so out of place, funny to think that IT originally belonged and the others are the interlopers....but i admit im glad they did...interlope that is
ReplyDeletei am a fan of the TWA rocket, if anyone is keeping count :-)
thanks for Tomorrowland!
aderoid
I vote for TWA, since I remember that look, but there's something to be said for this farmer look too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great pic.
JG
peerm