Here is an assortment of images from a lot of slides circa 1968.
We'll start with this fun one, showing a colorful Frontierland. There's lots of flowers and plenty of benches to rest on. To our right is the gazebo where the Trio Gonzalez performed - you can see a guitar sitting there waiting. In the distance is Casa de Fritos with those painted palm-frond umbrellas. I love details like the dress on the little girl to our right; those bright stripes are almost psychedelic.
Next we move a bit to the east to look at Sleeping Beauty Castle; I always like this angle, it's cool to see it so closely juxtaposed with the Matterhorn.
And finally, a view of the Mark Twain as it heads straight toward us. We're standing near a Kodak picture spot… Kodak would only remain a Disneyland sponsor for a short while longer. I believe GAF took over in 1970.
The middle photo of the castle and mountain is a beauty and classic view. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics today, Major. Even the often-represented Mark Twain is a welcome sight.
ReplyDeleteJG
K. Martinez, I'm glad you liked the castle photo! It's funny, I can never tell what GDB readers are going to like… I thought that the first picture was the most interesting/different.
ReplyDeleteJG, "often-represented" is an understatement… "ubiquitous" might be more like it!!
Great stuff, Major.
ReplyDeleteI believe that's the rarely photographed Mineral Hall on the far left of the first picture.
And that second picture puts me in mind of Neuschwanstein Castle up in the Alps, if only Neuschwanstein was up in the Alps.
Yes, indeedee, the building with the light blue balcony railing near the far left of the first image is the "shy" Mineral Hall.
ReplyDeleteAnd in the Castle/Matterhorn image, we can spy Tinkerbell's "helper cable", passing behind the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
And, Major, if my research is correct, GAF opened its Main Street Store (following Kodak's closing) on December 20, 1970.
Not quite sure why, but that little girl's dress in the first picture makes me think of the "Heffalumps and Woozles" segment of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, which was also released in 1968.
ReplyDeleteNanook, my research corroborates that 1970 start date for GAF sponsorship. Polaroid took over from GAF in 1977, and then Kodak resumed sponsorship from 1982 until they filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Nikon is the current camera sponsor.
Personally, my favorite part of the first view (aside from the fact that it is Frontierland) are the saddle shoes on our little girl in the neon colored dress! I loved wearing them, and I have a pair now that I got a few years ago and still wear them in the summertime :-)
ReplyDeletePatrick, I was going to say how Bavarian the middle view is as well. If you couldnt see the people, it would look like a far-off view high in the mountains (like the Trollenberg in the movie "The Crawling Eye")
the last view of the Mark Twain is lovely, as most are. its so peaceful, at least for me. I can feel the breeze blowing my hair....ahhh, to be at Disneyland right now!! It is a definite daily thought for me.
thanks for such nice randomness today, Major! :-)
You can just barely see the Kodak Picture Spot sign (with the silhouette of the guy taking a picture) in the first pic. Someday (never) I'm going to build one and put it in my back yard.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, that dress makes me think of Fruit Stripe gum
ReplyDeleteWow, that whole family believes in loud prints, don't they? I guess that's one way of not getting separated in the park.
ReplyDelete