Today I am sharing the last of the black and white scans from the Magic Kingdom, circa 1973. All Main Street U.S.A., for some reason!
I am so used to Disneyland's modest (but awesome) Main Street that it is strange to see just how tall these buildings are. The second story level doesn't appear reduced, or at least not to the degree that Anaheim's is (for that forced perspective trickery). In fact, it looks like people could comfortably walk around up there; at Disneyland, the windows would be at a person's knees.
Hey, let's go watch a Charlie Chaplin movie!
The Emporium (to our left) and the Camera Center (sponsored by GAF?) are awash with gingerbread detail. Once again I am reminded of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and its "White City"... this Main Street is more of a fantastic dream version, where Little Nemo and his walking bed might happen by.
I almost left this one out, but included it. Because why the heck not? The lack of crowds is fairly incredible. I assume that those relatively uninteresting walls to our right are where parade vehicles could enter or exit?
And finally, here's a spectacular view of Main Street Station. No expense was spared in making this landmark as eye-popping as possible. I love the wrought iron queue area, reminding me of fancy European toy train depots. Notice the Jitney waiting at its appointed stop... my understanding is that these vehicles are long-gone.
I hope you have enjoyed these black and white views! Our next look at WDW will be in glorious color.
In the third picture, you mention the white walls, where the parade could possibly enter....actually, the parade enters directly behind the photographer. Those white walls are just that....plain white walls, that do little to hide Tomorrowland. That area is also where backstage access to the public is available during busy seasons to bypass Main Street during parades and fireworks. Plenty of room back there for a DLP style arcade.
ReplyDeleteSteve2wdw, thanks for the info! It almost looks like there is some sort of striped tent back there, any idea what that might be?
ReplyDeleteThe second floors on the WDW Main Street are close to full size. they had to be because they actually have offices up there... Also, the longer street snd twice as tall castle meant the buildings needed to be bigger to fit the scale.
ReplyDeleteGreat info steve2wdw & stu29573. The questions I had have been answered. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think that seeing these in black & white really reinforces the 1893Chicago World's Fair "White City" connection (as well as its 1904 St Louis echo).
ReplyDeletestu29573, I guess they need a LOT of office space at the Magic Kingdom!
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, they answered questions that you didn't even ask. That is impressive! ;-)
Chuck, black and white definitely adds to the vintage quality... if you look at an earlier post, the photo of the White City almost feels like it is from the same batch.
I only wish that the WDW Main Street was still this way. The way if feels now is quite different, especially when you enter a store. You pretty much instantly realize that you are in a single huge building that ovetflows from one end to the other with generic Disney merchandise. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteI agree with stu29573. It's quite sad now. They have turned the Main St. Cinema at WDW into a store.....as if they really needed ANOTHER store in the park! And they even built a new building in the open spot where West Center St. used to be. It connects the building north of Center St. (Disney Clothiers) with the building south of it (the Emporium). I hope they never do that at Disneyland! I bet they've considered it though. Here's a pic of what it looks like at WDW: West Center Street/Emporium Addition
ReplyDeleteWhat has happened to the Magic Kingdom's Main Street, U.S.A., is one of the great Disney park tragedies. It was always an elaborate confection, a large, more prosperous eastern version of Disneyland's more Midwestern small-town Main Street. It was, indeed, the White City, and an eastern-seaboard small town a burgeoning. It was ragtime music brought to physical being.
ReplyDeleteIt once contained the Walt Disney Story, a GAF photo shop where you could have your picture taken in Victorian garb (pictured here), a Cinema with old silent movies, a bookstore and card shop, a china shop, a Magic Shop as entertaining as many of the attractions, a Tobacco shop (not healthy, but filled with atmosphere and very sweet smelling), a wonderful Penny Arcade with real Victorian games and amusements, and West Center Street's sublime little flower market, which was one of the truly beautiful spaces of any Disney theme park.
Now, of course, these things are all gone, and the street is mostly a Disney shopping mall, where patrons can (apparently with much gratitude and enthusiasm) buy the same Starbucks drinks and foods that they can get at any number of other locations throughout the U.S.
Main Street, U.S.A., in the Magic KIngdom, oh how you are missed.
one word.....love!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Main St. Vehicles still run early in the morning, but the clogged foot traffic doesn't allow them to be out for long. They're not even listed on the newest park maps.
ReplyDeleteMajor....there does indeed, appear to be a striped tent in that backstage area, but I've absolutely no idea what it could be. Maybe covered parking for the execs? Haha. It must be some support services for the park or maybe even a staging area for the constant TL construction during those early (exciting) years.
ReplyDeleteI should also mention that when I was last at the MK in April, I stumbled upon a group of construction types (with Imagineering in tow) carrying a set of plans. I got as close to them as possible, trying to get a peek at the plans they were holding and all I saw was the title description which was "Main Street Bypass Street". Since they were spending quite a bit of time near the backstage entrance between the Plaza Restaurant and the Tomorrowland Terrace, I had to assume that these were probably plans for some type of parallel street (or Disney Paris style arcade) planned for the space behind the eastern block of Main Street. Only time will tell, but MK traffic control has been using that backstage exit path quite a bit lately, and it surely is not very magical in its current configuration.
ReplyDeletestu29573, that is a bummer… did they just remove the walls between the many shops to make one huge shop on each side?
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, I can't believe that they would turn their cinema into a store… I would HATE it if they did that to Disneyland's. Thanks for the picture of the current West Center Street… at least they kept the ornate style, unlike the replacement for the old Bekins/Global locker building.
Anonymous, I have some great pictures from November 1971 that show Florida's Main Street in its original glory, you can even see a guy actually getting his hair cut in the barber shop! All of those details that you list are the things that made Disney parks special and wonderful. Retails spaces feel like soulless money grabs.
Nancy, hooray!
Melissa, thank you for the info about the vehicles… my friend has been telling me for years that they don't run at all, but your comment about the crowds makes total sense.
steve2wdw, wow, I wish I could find out what was going on in 1973 that would require a circus tent. As for the possible covered arcade, is that space behind the eastern block of Main Street being used for anything other than crowd control? Sounds weird that they would spend the money to to cover it unless they had some sort of bigger plans.
During the day, that backstage area is VERY busy, so I don't think it's ever been used during those periods (although I could be wrong of course). At night, it's a bit more sedate, with ODV being the only services that seem busy back there. To have that area open during all operating hours would make a huge traffic difference on Main Street. Attendance at the MK seems to just keep rising and even with it's bigger than DL size, the MK feels just as crowded, if not more...most of the slow periods at WDW have disappeared.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add that an enclosed arcade would also help leave the MK during the torrential rain storms that frequent the summer afternoons, as well as helping to conceal Tomorrowland from Town Square. These are both wins in my book. I'm also assuming that arcade access to the east side shops would also be available.
ReplyDeleteAnd one more thing....at least you can still get a haircut on Main Street. The barbershop is to the left of the Emporium in Town Square, next to the car barn (trolley barn).
ReplyDeletesteve2wdw, do you mean that that backstage area is busy with employees? Why would they have an ODV backstage?
ReplyDeleteI often hear about the rains at WDW, but it seems like they generally last an hour or so and then end (?). Still, it would be weird by SoCal standards.
Cool that you can still get a haircut on Main Street, I wonder how many people have it done just because it is a novelty?
Major....yes, CM's. ODV central (the building where the carts are stocked and stored) is located in that area, plus some other services that are not in the utilidors.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, the rain lets up within an hour or so, but sometimes it just keeps coming. Much like the deluge featured in the old Living Seas pre show.
When it comes to MK haircuts, I never see the barbershop empty. Someone is always getting a cut or quick style. I know that lots of little kids get their first haircuts at the MK....it's wonderful that this little touch of the past still exists.
steve2wdw, when you mentioned ODV carts, I thought you meant carts that guests could access. Storage makes more sense!
ReplyDelete