Friday, November 09, 2012

Vintage Dark Ride Interiors

Fantasyland's dark rides made a big impression on me as a kid. They always seemed just a bit sinister, like a dream that's gone wrong. And yet I loved them, as most people seem to do. Here are a few rare interiors from the mid-1960's. Considering the dark conditions and relatively slow films speeds, I'm amazed that these turned out as good as they did.

This first photo can only be from the Alice In Wonderland ride, although I am not sure what we are looking at exactly. There's a heart motif, including a Jack of Hearts playing card. Does anybody know what the structure on the right is supposed to be?


Also from "Alice" is this crazy Cheshire Cat. Creepy! I seem to recall that he laughed endlessly as guests passed beneath him.


Stacks of crates and barrels (painted "flats" that moved out of your way) are part of "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride".


And finally, how about a look at the Seven Dwarfs as they toil away in their glittering diamond mine?



13 comments:

Chiana_Chat said...

"Where a million diamonds -"
*waits for echo*
*echo* "- shine!"

At first I thought the top could be the Babes in Toyland set that was in the Main St Opera House for a bit, but it is probably Alice.

Rich T. said...

Awesome!!! I love old dark ride shots! Barrels! Mines!

I do have to say, though, that the first pic is not from the Alice ride. I rode the old version dozens of times, the queen of hearts sequence was never a part of it. Now I'm puzzling over where it did come from...

Giant Creepy Cheshire cat is a favorite memory! Then, just when you passed underneath and thought you were free of him, he swung down (upside down) right in front of you! And, yes, his insane laughter never stopped...

TokyoMagic! said...

Four truly incredible shots today, Major!

My first thought upon seeing that first pic was the same as Chiana's.....that it was a shot of the Babes In Toyland set.

Rich T., I remember that upside down face of the Cheshire Cat very well! I wish I could ride that original version of the attraction again!

Blossom Nose Murphy said...

It is definitely the Babes in Toyland exhibit, and the mystery structure is a windmill. Here is a publicity shot that shows them both from the movie: http://tinyurl.com/bhxk7e8

Major Pepperidge said...

Chiana, I would have never guessed "Babes in Toyland", so thanks!

Rich T., be sure to read everyone else's comments!!

TokyoMagic!, OK, the consensus is definitely Babes in Toyland. Which is pretty neat too! Though I still sort of wish it was an "Alice" interior.

Blossom, thank you for the link and the confirmation!

210Frwy said...

Disney was pretty smart about re-use. Sets from Babes in Toyland and 20,000 Leagues were imported to Disneyland and became attractions. Not to mention all the wonderful stuff that Disneyland inherited from the NY World’s fair.

Chuck said...

Wow - dark ride shots! Like, inside the ride...in the dark...that, um...man, am I tired.

...But It Wasn't Always That Way! said...

Fantastic!! The old versions of the dark rides are such a mystery to me (being to young to have ever experienced them firsthand). Any and all documentation of these seldom-seen, black-lit enigmas of the past are certainly always welcome.

Anonymous said...

One of the best things about the older versions of Alice was the dark fall into the rabbit hole. Your mind filled in so much.

down...down...down...

Nancy said...

Such nice shots. I always end up with washout or too dark when I try to take interior pictures.

enjoyed these very much

walterworld said...

Glad our photagrapher wasn't afraid of using flash (for our sake)!

Or was he shooting 400+ speed film?

Douglas McEwan said...

Oh yes, that first shot is definitely from the Babes in Toyland sets exhibit in the Main Street Opera House in the early 1960s. I recall walking into that very set, the "Tarts" shoppe", and being surprised to find that the "interior" was about two feet deep, more like a small closet than a shop.

Snow White Archive said...

Love old shots of Snow White's Adventures...and all the dark rides. You've got some winners here Major!