Here are two more interesting pictures from a series of photos from March of 1958.
One of the things I like about this lot is that the sky is so dark and dramatic, while the foreground is bathed in warm sunlight. Theatrical! We're looking down upon the Storybook Land (or is it "Story Book Land"?) Canal Boats and the Casey Jr. Circus Train, with shiny Monstro eating canal boats like Pringles potato chips. Notice the little ticket booth in the lower right. Also of interest, at the very bottom of the image we can see just a bit of the construction for the "Alice in Wonderland" dark ride.
I'm always fascinated by the area outside the berm, in this case a lot of warehouses and steel sheds, along with the white-fenced pony farm where the various horses and mules lived (and frolicked!). I presume that this is all Disney-owned stuff, but if it's not, please let me know.
This next photo is unfortunately not super clear (it was taken from one of the Casey Jr. trains), but it has enough interesting stuff to be worth posting anyway. In Geppetto's village, you can see several workmen sprucing things up - in broad daylight while guests could see. Which is odd. In the upper right, we get a different view of the "Alice" construction, while in the upper left is Holiday Hill/Snow Mountain with the giant metal support towers for the Skyway, pre-Matterhorn.
Major-
ReplyDeleteThese "Story Book" Land images are real honeys-! Thanks.
The floral display in today's image reads "Story Book Land", but in the INA booklet guides from the 60's & 70's and from Disneyland.com it's spelled "Storybook Land"
ReplyDeletehttps://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/disneyland/storybook-land-canal-boats/
And here in this nice Daveland photo, it looks like they redid the floral display to read "Storybook Land".
http://davelandweb.com/storybook/popup.htm?images/monstro/DSC_7244.jpg
I love views of the backstage areas around Disneyland. Thanks, Major.
@Chuck, I think they moved the lighthouse as part of the New Fantasyland, but can't be sure.
ReplyDeleteMy old memories and photos show it near the whale head, and then when I went back after 20 years, the lighthouse and the queue had moved around to where they are today.
I have an old picture of my Mom and I in a boat, taken by my Dad, but today, we can't stand where he took the photo, because the planter next to Monstro is so much enlarged to keep guests from the water edge.
JG
Nanook, there are some real beauties from this lot… stay tuned!
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, interesting… I have always seen it written as two words, but only just noticed (in today's photo) that it appeared to be three words. Looks like somebody didn't quite nail down the details yet, I think!
Chuck, I agree, seeing the photo that Ken linked to (on Daveland), the corrected version DOES look a bit weird, even though it is the way I've always spelled it. Go figure.
JG - I have a similar photo, with my sister looking up at Monstro's teeth in pure awe. I guess my dad must have been standing next to the lighthouse when he took it.
ReplyDeleteI think all of that backstage are is Disney property. With all the apparent land clearing and construction, I wonder if they're getting ready for the massive buidling projecta that are just around the corner. I think the monorail roundhouse will be built to the right from the angle of the first shot. Great pics as usual. Thanks
ReplyDelete