Friday, August 23, 2013

Auto-topia, November 1972

If lovin' the Autopia is wrong, I don't wanna be right! Aunt Rose thinks her sporty red car is the cat's meow, and you can tell from her posture that this is what driving is all about. Why can't all cars be on a nice safety rail? The kid on the curb SO wants the red car, but he can't have it.


I think this second photo might have been taken from the Peoplemover (or one ofAutopia's overpasses?). It's surprising how many cars are out of commission, but then again, it's November. We also get a look at the Tomorrowland Skyway station and the G.E. Carousel Theater.




10 comments:

MIKE COZART said...

Aunt Rose is driving an Orange Autopia car --a red one is a few spaces back.

K. Martinez said...

I love the green Autopia cars. You don't see that color on any other vehicles in Tomorrowland. Not PeopleMover, Monorail or Skyway bucket has that green.

You are correct about the 2nd pic. It was definitely taken from the PeopleMover.

The blue striped Autopia awning is now solid white. I'd guess they changed that color scheme when the Monorail station was rebuilt. Maybe Mike Cozart knows?

And there's the "Mod Hatter" shop between the Skyway terminal and Carousel of Progress. What a nice view. Tomorrowland '67 is the best!

Thanks Major!

Nanook said...

"Aunt Rose" reminds me of a woman I overheard talking at an adjoining table at a Lake Forest (California) Italian restaurant, back in the early-1990's, stating the following to her slightly younger dining companions - and I quote: "... so I thought it was about time I go out and buy myself a grown-up ladies automobile". I wonder if this Autopia car more resembled her current vehicle of choice-?

We LOVE the 1967 Tomorrowland. Thanks, Major.

Nancy said...

More Tomorrowland heaven comes our way today! :-)

I will take the yellow Autopia car, please. For some reason, I enjoy this ride more than Tomorrowland Speedway at Walt Disney World...just dont ask me why because I dont know! A favorite feature for me on this first shot is all the highway criss-crossing behind the main station...the world is definitely on the move!

As for picture number 2, I can only say that I NEED to get into that space somehow....so COOL! An absolutely perfect day in Tomorrowland :-)

What a way to start my 2-day weekend. Thanks, Major!

Anonymous said...

Major, these are all winners, esp. no. 2.

So miss that world.

JG

Melissa said...

There's no doubt in my mind that this is the same lady from the El Dorado Hotel picture posted on 10/15. Her trip must have spanned late October and early November, giving her traveling companion time to learn how to get her in the shot a little better. I've put them into the Auotopia shot together here for comparison. It looks like they're on their way to the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio and took a left turn at Albequerque. But it's OK, becaue the first festival isn't for another four years. There wasn't enough torso on the El Dorado twin, so I made them both slouch a little. I really like this gal! She looks like she doesn't take no guff from nobody - Doris Day, June Carter Cash, and Loretta Lynn can tailgate her all they like. Makes me miss my Grandma, who always drove a snazzy red convertible. She let me take my driver's test in it, and for that one brief hour I felt like the coolest kid in town. Heck, if I passed because the instructor enjoyed the ride - and he did give me a lot of pointers on the parallel park - I'm not ashamed to let the car take the credit. I'd've worn her driving babushka and pointy sunglasses if it would have helped.

I had no idea the Autopia cars had trunks! You could keep the bodies of your victims, er, I mean you could keep your little brother, um, you could keep a nice picnic and a toolbox in there! Can somebody more familiar with the attraction explain why there's a picnic umbrella in the middle of the road in the top picture?

Major Pepperidge said...

Mike Cozart, boy, they both look about the same to me. I guess it does look sort of orangey-red.

K. Martinez, I never thought about it, but you're right, they didn't use green much. There was the green Monorail, but it was more of an olive hue. As for the white awning, maybe the stripes were too difficult to paint? Much easier to use a big roller and use one color. Glad you liked these!

Nanook, I wonder what kind of car that woman wound up getting? A nice Oldsmobile? A Buick? My grandma loved Buicks. Somehow I think women get more sensible cars as a rule, though perhaps that is sexist of me to say so!

Nancy, I used to hate yellow cars, they showed dirt so much, and reminded me so much of the many yellow Datsuns, Toyotas, Pintos, etc. But now I kind of like yellow cars. Especially when they are Lamborghinis.

JG, I do like #2, but there is something about pic #1 that I really enjoy. Makes me want to be on those old Autopia cars.

Melissa, it is absolutely the same lady; I figured she must have used two rolls of film, and had one developed in October, and the other in November. OR.... it really is a set of twins. WHO KNOWS! This is at least the second time you've mentioned June Carter Cash, you must be a fan. My grandma let me borrow her car when I was going to visit a friend in San Francisco, it was such a comfy "plushmobile" compared to my car. And automatic transmission to boot, so much nicer on those scary hills. The Autopia cars didn't really have trunks... the engine was in the back. But you probably already knew that.

Melissa said...

Nah, I know even less about Autopia cars than I know about real ones. For all I know there's a singing weasel with a hand crank making each tire go around, unlike the synchronized mongooses in full-size cars. And yes, huge fan of June and her whole family.

Nanook said...

@ Melissa-
The "picnic umbrella" provided shade to the un-lucky (or lucky), depending on your point of view, cast member who would 'keep things running smoothly'; especially if an Autopia vehicle should have mechanical problems.

@ Major-
We referred to the big "plushmobiles" as "rolling sofas".

K. Martinez said...

@Nanook - Thanks. Even though I didn't ask the question, I was curious as well as to why the "picnic umbrella" was there.