I've been scanning a group of slides from Walt Disney World dated "December 1971". There are some nice views, but today (being a sleepy Sunday) I am going to get some of the less-interesting images out of the way.
OK, I do find this photo to be interesting! Is this a view one would see when entering the park? You can see the Magic Kingdom waaaay in the distance, including a few identifiable landmarks like the tower of the Tropical Serenade, Cinderella's Castle (of course), and the tall pylons in Tomorrowland. Oh, and the Monorail track.
A marching band is performing in front of Cinderella's Castle... could this actually be the Florida equivalent of the Disneyland Band? If so, WOW... looks like there are over 100 musicians. Everything is bigger at the Florida park, I guess!
Beware the dwarfs! This unsuspecting lady is checking her movie camera, unaware that she is about to be eaten alive by a hoard of ravenous miners. Their teeth are razor sharp!
Awww, the magic of Disney World has calmed Doc's cannibalistic tendencies. That kid to the right has a style all his own, I would dress like that today if I could get away with it.
Major, I think the first photo was taken looking NE from the rectangular spit of land reserved in 1971 for the Asian Resort Hotel. That chunk of real estate eventually became the home of the Grand Floridian.
ReplyDeleteI loved the white spires that framed the original entrance to Tomorrowland. I remember being awed by the downward-shooting fountains that reminded me of the exhaust from a launching rocket (which I'm sure was the intent). You don't happen to have any pictures of that, do you?
To the left of Cinderella's Castle and that tall tree you can make out the pagoda at the entrance of Tropical Serenade, WDW's version of the Enchanted Tiki Room.
I have pictures of me on a California vacation in 1971 that prove my mother dressed me in a similar style.
I believe the haunted mansion is also visible in the long shot. As for that boy's outfit, half the hipsters in my city dress like that, so I see no reason why you shouldn't go for it if it would make you happy (unless there are age or weight issues of which we are unaware)!
ReplyDeleteWow! December at WDW and no overpowering Christmas decorations wherever you look? Ah, I miss the good old days when everything was rather more understated.
ReplyDeleteWow-! Talk about a coincidence. Today is the first day of our WDW/Universal trip. (I have a funny feeling the Xmas decorations will be a 'tad' more than seen here).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shiny new Walt Disney World. I love it!
ReplyDeleteChuck, you're correct. That's the "future site" of the Asian Hotel in the foreground of the first pic.
The entrance fountains you mentioned were my favorite feature of Tomorrowland. They reminded me of launching rockets too.
It looks like Doc is giving the seated guy a backhand slap in the last picture.
ReplyDeleteI'm leaving for WDW the day after tomorrow, and these pictures are making me even more excited!
Chuck, thanks for the info about the piece of land that eventually became the Grand Floridian! And I am pretty sure that I have a decent photo of those Tomorrowland spires you mention. And I do mention the Tropical Serenade in my text!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, it is so funny that "hipster" became a thing... my niece recently had a "dress like a hipster" day at her school.
Pegleg Pete, it might have been just the fact that the park had opened and they didn't have time to do the over-the-top thing they do today.
Nanook, have FUN on your trip!
K. Martinez, I have maybe 50 or 60 more photos (from a different lot) of the brand-new WDW.
Melissa, I hope you have fun and don't run into huge crowds!
There are some amazing construction photos of the Tomorrowland spires here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.imagineeringdisney.com/blog/tag/tomorrowland
By golly, you DO mention Tropical Serenade. I guess I was so excited by the first photo that I just stopped reading. Sorry about that.
ReplyDelete1971! The way these people are dressed, it looks like 1951.
ReplyDeleteOriginal Tomorrowland was the best at WDW. Gotta say it. I know it was a bit sparse at the start just like at Disneyland, but once things were completed it was so awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe castle is so pretty, looks very different to me than it does nowadays. It is a softer color if that makes any sense.
Looking forward to more vintage WDW :-D