Was this photo taken from the Disneyland Railroad? You can see a geyser erupting through the natural arch - surely the Imagineers intended it to be seen from this vantage point.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Living Desert, March 1961
I remember watching "The Living Desert" (Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure) in class when I was a kid; they showed us many of the True-Life films, and what could be better than getting to watch movies in school? (For some reason we also watched "Monkeys Go Home", which as far as I can recall had no educational value whatsoever). Looking at photos of Nature's Wonderland and its Living Desert, I can't help recalling the images of rattlesnakes, tarantulas, kangaroo mice, time-lapse flowers, and other wonders from Walt's first full-length nature movie.
Was this photo taken from the Disneyland Railroad? You can see a geyser erupting through the natural arch - surely the Imagineers intended it to be seen from this vantage point.
Was this photo taken from the Disneyland Railroad? You can see a geyser erupting through the natural arch - surely the Imagineers intended it to be seen from this vantage point.
I think you're right about that second photo...the more I look at it, the more I agree with you. Nice shot.
ReplyDeleteAh, I can hear Winston Hibler now. I always loved that giant paintbrush.
ReplyDeleteI do very much miss the mine train, it was one of my very favorites.
That second photo was actually taken from the Mine train itself-- the section where you pass under the Natural Arch Bridge and "see the great Livin' Desert down below". The Disneyland Railroad was on the OTHER side of the geysers way in the background (you can see the mine train tracks in the distance; the DLRR tracks would be just beyond that).
ReplyDeleteIn the second photo, the solid rock and the rock arch still exist at Disneyland to this day. The concrete path leading to Fantasy Land runs just in front of them and behind the rocks is the Thunder Mountain Ranch picnic area. Hopefully Disney will utilize this area with some kind of Frontier Land attraction. Time will tell. We can only hope.
ReplyDeleteToo much fun, Major, I miss it so.
ReplyDeleteJG
O.C. Native, it seems hard to believe that those features still exist! I believe you - but it's hard to believe. Now that I think about it, I'm think I've seen photos of those from a few years ago. I'll have to look again!
ReplyDeleteThe survival of those features of a long-lost and treasured attraction were part of why I always loved the Big Thunder Barbecue.
ReplyDeleteTexture looks different, but basic shape is the same.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/edoubledubya/4483375076/
LD
Thank you for the link, Caspian!
ReplyDelete