Walt Disney World, November 1972
Here are three more from The Magic Kingdom, when it was only a year old!
I really like this first photo of the Grand Prix Raceway taken with the sun low on the horizon. It reminds me of old landscape paintings… maybe a Flemish landscape - only little race cars have replaced cows.
No collection of WDW photos would be complete without at least one shot of Cinderella's castle; it looks very pretty here with the warm sunlight. BUT… wouldn't it look even better if it was bright pink??
I am not familiar enough with the layout of WDW's Main Street to know where "The Chapeau" was (is?). Up near the hub, or down toward Town Square? It seems to have been a popular destination that day. Notice the GAF store just to the left of it.
There will be more Walt Disney World photos to come!
9 comments:
Major-
The Chapeau is located in Town Square - east side - about where the old Hills Bros. Coffee restaurant was occupied - at Disneyland's Magic Kingdom.
Thanks, Major
In the Grand Prix Raceway image on the left is the Skyway turnaround and next to that in the distance is the Vulcania rockwork from the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon. This is a northward view.
The Chapeau is next to the GAF Camera Center on the northeast corner of Town Square.
This photo from last month (9/15/14) should help.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bananaphone5000/Gorillamydreams/WDW_11-72_30.jpg
You too quick for me, Nanook.
The Chapeau is one of my favorite stores to see on Main Street, so pretty...
That is the Skyway there on the left side of the Grand Prix, correct? I had not been there this early in the park's history, and if it is, its kinda cool to see. It reminds me of seeing the Space Mountain innards when the ride goes down and you are on the Peoplemover when the lights are on for them to do the repairs.
Never get tired of seeing Magic Kingdom here on GDB! :-)
The Chapeau is one of my favorite stores to see on Main Street, so pretty...
That is the Skyway there on the left side of the Grand Prix, correct? I had not been there this early in the park's history, and if it is, its kinda cool to see. It reminds me of seeing the Space Mountain innards when the ride goes down and you are on the Peoplemover when the lights are on for them to do the repairs.
Never get tired of seeing Magic Kingdom here on GDB! :-)
Great pics today, Major. I always enjoy seeing early WDW photos – our family's first visit to the park was in the summer of 1973 just a few weeks shy of my sixth birthday. Any pics from those early years naturally brings back the good memories. While visiting my folks a couple weeks ago I found my mesh/squeezy-billed Donald Duck hat from that trip and now I can't help but wonder whether I got it at the Chapeau on Main Street as we were leaving the park.
Nanook, that's kind of what I thought, based on what little I could see (plus I was pretty sure that the GAF store also fronted on Main Street). Thanks!
K. Martinez, I think it's so interesting that the WDW Skyway changed directions… I wonder if that was a unique feature? I'm not aware of any others that did that.
Nancy, I thought you were a long-time WDW visitor; though now that I think of it, the Skyway has been gone for 15 years, which is pretty long!
Chuck, oh I remember the negative comments from that cake-decorated Cinderella Castle! Thankfully it was temporary. I wish they'd remove that gold and pink junk from our castle. Do you still have all of your souvenir hats? I'd love to have a collection from each visit.
Pegleg Pete, I have a Donald Duck hat just like that, and found a picture of myself wearing it when I was a little kid (I wasn't wearing it at the park, but in my parent's living room!). And I have a slide of a kid wearing one in 1958, so they went back pretty far.
The reaction was so negative that I can remember Michael Eisner looking up at the sky during his prepared remarks at the 25th Anniversary Celebration and saying something to the effect of "Don't worry, Herb - the castle won't stay this way."
We still have our honeymoon hats with our names embroidered on the back (mine was actually my desk nameplate for years) and the kids still have theirs from both WDW and DL. Unfortunately, all of my childhood ear hats are long gone to that Great Landfill in the Sky.
Major, Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida has a skyway ride that changes direction. There are signs warning you as you reach the turnabout that you will not be exiting there and to remain seated. The cars roll off of the one cable and onto a rail just as they do at the main stations. Then two ride operators push you around a corner and onto the second cable.
Post a Comment