Instamatic Pix
We'll start today's selection with this great, colorful picture of a mom and two girls near the exit to Disneyland. Even though it is the afternoon (that other mom and her kids are done for the day), it looks to me like they are just heading in to the park. Mom acknowledges the camera with a bullfighter's flourish ("Olé!"). The train is at the station, and quite a few posters are visible in the distance. Any idea what those vehicles are to our right?
Here's a nice shot of the Fire Department, with the old Chemical Wagon resting inside. I never really noticed that green door before, is that how Walt Disney accessed his apartment upstairs? Or was there a secret back entrance for him?
I added this shot of the Friendly Indian Village just "because"... it's not like we haven't seen a zillion similar pictures of it before.
And finally we have a fun photo looking down on the Autopia (taken from the Peoplemover, I think). The dreaded center rail has been added, which means that this is post-1965. There appears to be some sort of traffic jam in the lane to our right; a cast member has his foot on the bumper of that yellow car. Somebody probably stalled - it happened to me more than once.
15 comments:
I've seen that door green, and also red. It just leads into the hall itself, just like the large doors.
Access to the apartment is from the 2nd floor, off the terrace.
That looks like Dr Maureen and Penny Robinson in the first slide.
If the fourth photo is taken from the PeopleMover, then it's definitely post-1965. The batch of Autopia cars being held back by the cast member are headed towards the load-unload area of Fantasyland Autopia. I'd assume the cast member is waiting for clearance ahead before releasing the batch Autopia cars into the load-unload area. I could be wrong, but that's my assumption.
These instamatic Pix are really growing on me. Thanks for posting.
I used to hate the dreaded stalled autopia car! Then the cast member would start it back up, hop up on the exterior gas pedal, grab the wheel and give you the ride of shame back to the load unload area. Better luck next time kid :-(
Green Mom looks like a cool lady. Plaid Mom is sporting some kind of demi-babushka!
I thought the Autopia picture was a real highway until I spotted the rail. I've never seen it from that angle.
Actually, the entrance to the Main Street apartment is a flight of stairs attached to the rear of the building.
So, you guys are telling me that Walt didn't shinny up the fire pole to get upstairs? Oh, man...another childhood dream crushed like a bug.
I always assumed he rose up from the basement on a majestic theater organ, like Dr. Phibes.
Those cat glasses! The bouffant! I swear, that could be my mom in that top picture.
As for the green door... they always keep secrets, I've heard.
Great shots!
Major-
Great shots, all. For those of us who lived through the era depicted in the first image, it's hard not to feel the pull of time. I could very easily be slightly off-frame about to ruin the shot. For crying out loud - why didn't I-??!! At least my mug would be immortalized in GDB-!
D-ticket ain't kidding about the Mom in olive green and the gal in turquoise resembling June Lockhart and Angela Cartwright. (Maybe they were attending the park "incognito..."
Melissa,
A partial babushka is better than none at all. I guess that makes it fractional babushka Friday?
D-ticket, darn, I was so intrigued! Sometimes mysteries are better left unsolved. If access to the apartment is from the 2nd floor, how do you get up there? Also, I would love it if that was June Lockhart and Angela Cartwright, but alas, I actually know the identity of those two… and it's not June and Angela!
K. Martinez, you mean you didn't like the Instamatic pix at first?! Because I think a lot of them are pretty cool!
Alonzo, stalling was the worst feeling. Not only were you not having fun, but you were blocking everyone behind you. Bummer!
Melissa, is it a demi-babushka, or just a hair band? Congress needs to look into it. As for the Autopia picture, that's what I like about these Instamatic photos… many of them are from subtly different angles than the ones we are used to.
Anon, aha! You answered my question to D-ticket. Thanks!
Chuck, Walt could just put his finger on the side of his nose, like Santa Claus going up the chimney. But everyone else took the stairs.
Melissa, 25 points for your Doctor Phibes reference!
Tom, 25 points for your *other* movie reference!
Nanook, that first photo is definitely one of those examples that I wish I could step into! And I wish Marta Kristen was in the picture, she was my favorite.
Alonzo, it's "Babushkamania"!
Major - About a dozen or so posts into the Instamatix pix I started to appreciate their unique quality more. So yeah, originally I was neutral about them, but now I love 'em!
Melissa, your comment about Walt rising up on a theatre organ made my night!
That fresh dirt behind the Indian village must mean that the train tracks had been relocated fairly recently.
Agree with Alonzo P. Hawk about the "ride of shame" back to the loading area! Happened to me once. The car putted along for awhile, but with no real power,and my cousin was in the car behind me, delighting in smashing my rear bumper! I tried yelling back for him to push me, but he either didn't hear, or was just having too much fun playing bumper cars. My balky car created quite a traffic jam before an attendant came over and brought me in. My cousin was laughing it up the whole time, while I was embarrassed as hell. Didn't stop us from going on the ride again awhile later, though!
-- Mike Douglas
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