I have a few more pictures from Walt Disney World, taken only about three months after the grand opening.
Things are busy over in Fantasyland, which at the time was considerably more fancy than the Disneyland version. Being unfamiliar with the Magic Kingdom, I can't identify much in the picture... it looks like there is a dark ride façade almost right in the middle of the photo, but which one? Notice the ticket and info booth to our left, and the Skyway overhead.
Adventureland certainly has a different ambiance when compared to its Anaheim counterpart. It feels a bit too clean and sterile, maybe a bit of patina and faux grime would help, or some small amount of "visual clutter", although that wasn't Disney's style at all back then.
The Autopia over in Tomorrowland appears to be pretty big (you'll see more photos of that attraction in the future); considering that Disneyland used to have two (or even three) Autopias at one time, I'm sure the Imagineers expected to have at least as many riders on their one attraction. The iconic A-framed Contemporary Hotel makes for a fitting background.
Stay tuned for more WDW pictures!
In the Fantasyland pic, you have an original ticket booth in the foreground. The dark ride is Peter Pan's Flight. In the distance is the Skyway to Tomorrowland station and the building to the right is part of the Pinocchio Village Haus Restaurant which would later serve as inspiration for the Village Haus in Disneyland.
ReplyDeleteIn the Adventureland pic, if I remember correctly the Adventureland Veranda lies just beyond those palms. This was my favorite land in the Magic Kingdom back then.
In the Tomorrowland pic it's the Grand Prix Raceway with a crossover queue ramp in the foreground. In the background blocking the Contemporary Resort Hotel is the Skyway to Fantasyland station.
Major, these pix are AWESOME. I'm really looking forward to more WDW pix.
Love the dapper gentleman in the red-and-black jacket in Adventureland, and his dogged refusal to give in to the wide ties of the era. He nearly distracted me from the plaid babushka.
ReplyDeleteI went to WDW for the first time in Nov 2011 and had a wonderful time all around. I found the MK not as intimate as Disneyland, probably because of the larger scale.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying this pictures a lot thought (seeing what I missed all those decades ago)
K. Martinez, thanks for the great info! I'm sure I would have a much greater appreciation for these photos if I could put them into some kind of context.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, somehow that guy makes me think of my grandpa, though my grandpa never wore a jacket like that! You and your babushkas.
Debbie V., I am intrigued by the larger scale of WDW... friends imply that even when I expect it, the place will STILL be bigger than I imagine.
You can't really tell from these pictures, but there is extra room for people to walk and you can tell they expect a lot of people. And of course with that expectation, I realize I am not quite so special :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Melissa. Pic 2 is ripe with weird 70's clothing choices!! The girl in the yellow outfit looks like the banana from the peanut butter jelly song.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if that yellow outfit was a cast member costume, but I couldn't find any reference pictures.
ReplyDeleteI was going to comment about the yellow outfit just to identify it as a pantsuit but...I thought most of you were aware of this exciting fact.
ReplyDeleteIt's an outfit with purposely matching blouse/top and pants/skirt. They often, but not always, matched pretty closely.
I had a couple myself, even sewed one for myself. What was great was that you always had an "outfit" when you got ready to go someplace that required more than jeans. Not that Disneyland was every that for me :)
Don't usually get to see as many vintage WDW shots. Groovy!
ReplyDeletewell her shoes gives away the fact she is not a castmember. Unless she's off and just enjoying the park on her day off.
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