Thursday, November 29, 2012

Painted Desert & Matterhorn

Here are two nice images from a set of stereo slides that just won't quit! Sorry, no Wigglevision today.

These geysers were located in the "Living Desert" section of Nature's Wonderland, even though I assume that they were a fanciful version of geysers at Yellowstone National Park, which is definitely not in a desert. I love how the hillside in the background is planted with 25 or 30 trees, somehow implying that there is a vast forest that continues beyond our view without consciously thinking about it. It makes the place seem much bigger than it really was, a common Imagineering illusion.


And here's a great photo of the subs and the Matterhorn, looking mighty impressive as it gleams against a deep-blue sky. 


11 comments:

Rich T. said...

A five minute walk from each other, and worlds apart! I love these shots!

Anonymous said...

Major, I love the second shot of the Matterhorn and the Skipjack submarine. Her sister ship, the Flapjack, was the the inspiration for the American eatery House of Pancakes. Little known fact: The Lumberjack submarine never made it out of drydock because the engineers couldn't get the wooden structure to completely submerge.

Great pictures as usual!

Bill in Denver

Anonymous said...

Are these stereo slides like we used to have from Viewmaster (those round wheels with little film squares), or something that a visitor could actually shoot on vacation with a camera?

PsySocDisney said...

I do believe that illusion has a name of some sort. "Porced Ferspective" or something like that. I can't remember.
You know I've got a soft spot for the Living Desert even though it doesn't even compare to the real thing. Love it.

Chuck said...

In an effort to alleviate the long queues caused by the increasing popularity of the Submarine Voyage, Walt had planned to expand the sub fleet in 1965 with an additional boat. Believing the product's packaging was a perfect fit with the attraction's nautical theming, he had intended to call the new sub the "Crackerjack" but was unable to pull in Borden as a second sponsor for the attraction. He then considered renaming the sub the "Pepperjack," but after considerable effort Marc Davis was able to convince him that the name was just too cheesy. In the end, the opening of it's a small world in 1966 and the New Tomorrowland attractions and Pirates of the Carribbean in 1967 alleviated some of the crowds on the ride and the planned fleet expansion was quietly scuttled.

K. Martinez said...

Love the "Alpine" forest behind the Living Desert. Just beyond those trees you could take flight to and thru a snow capped mountain.

While the Adventureland/Frontierland border transitioned with the River Belle Terrace and the Tomorrowland/Fantasyland border blurred with the Matterhorn, Autopia, Skway and a Monorail crossover, the Frontierland/Fantasyland border was a clear cut visual divide. Even back then was no access between Frontierland and Fantasyland.

This forest was the divide between the east and west sides of the park. JMO.

Anonymous said...

Walt had also toyed with the idea of adding the Lumberjack to the fleet. Alas, the submarine was too brawny.

Bill in Denver

Major Pepperidge said...

Rich T., I never really thought about it, but you're right, those two attraction probably were only a five-minute walk from each other!

Bill, if ONLY there was an official US nuclear sub named "Flapjack"!

Anon, these are from stereo slides that could be taken by any person who happened to own a special two-lensed cameras. I do occasionally scan Viewmaster images, but they are more square in format, with even more pronounced rounded corners.

Hannahx2, the Imagineers certainly used forced perspective a lot; I guess the implied "vast forest" would be related to forced perspective!

Chuck, your intimate knowledge of Disneyland history is most impressive! ;-)

K. Martinez, in some early photos you can see the castle was right on top of the desert!

Bill, D'OH!

Katella Gate said...

Happy days indeed Major, thanks!

Chiana_Chat said...

Love the pics, Maj. They have a real nice color to 'em as well.

Skipjack is a well used naval name. A type of ship, a mine clearing ship by that name sunk in 1940, three subs by that name and a class of sub!

Hard to believe it's about cartoon characters now when a whole land for that, Fantasyland, is right next door. Needless corporate greed, a lack of wonder and interest in our real world or measures of both?

Snow White Archive said...

That is a a great photo of the subs and Matterhorn. What a perfect day to be at the park!