I like this bright and colorful photo taken from the queue of "It's a Small World"! It makes me feel like I am there - almost. "The Happiest Cruise That Ever Sailed Round the World" has even attracted a few sailors; they are homesick for the sea. The "paper cutout" look of the stylized buildings is very appealing (along with the white and gold color scheme); the boats are great too, somehow the aqua hue is just right.
Next up is this picturesque view of Town Square, with a Horse Drawn Streetcar, an Omnibus, a popcorn wagon, and even a drinking fountain. City Hall looks suitably grand, but doesn't overwhelm.
I absolutely love the IASW image, the white and gold with baby blue accents and golden flowers. I can practically hear the tick-tock of the Small World Clock. One of the things I love about Disneyland is that it's so full of architectural delights. Especially from the 1950's-60's era.
ReplyDeleteFor years we lived just a couple blocks from the park, and on cold, clear mornings, we could hear the Small World clock (and the roar of the Matterhorn snowman). Fun stuff.
ReplyDeleteI agree with K Martinez: Brilliant, clear colors. And a shiny new monorail beam leading to the new roundhouse (built as part of the Small World construction project).
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for that first shot. There's something almost surreal about the vibrance of the color, and the pure white of the rails and architectural features. Truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI loves me the second shot. It could have been taken in a real town "oh, just around the turn of the century". There's a bunch of photos like this one, mostly taken on Main Street or in Frontierland (and eventually New Orleans Square) where the theming is not broken by a view of other parts of the Park.
ReplyDeleteSome of your early shots of Frontierland are particularly evocative of this idea.
IASW projects a completely "nowhere in particular" image, it is totally it's own Small World, a place in a child's dream. All the references to real places are stylized and remote, emphasising the fantasy aspect of the unity theme which is necessary since there will never be world peace in reality, only in the dreams of children.
ReplyDeleteMain Street is, physically and literally, at the other end of the spectrum, almost as much like a real place as it's possible for a dream to be, while leaving out the unpleasant parts of reality, like road apples, garbage and poverty. A reality that exists now only in the dreams of the very old.
In Disney's day, places like Main Street were real and green in the memories of people still living. Today, Main Street itself serves as the model for our dream since the old have faded away and we have taken their place, knowing no other.
An apropos pairing of pictures today, Major. I feel much better now. Thank you.
JG
K. Martinez, it’s funny, whenever I see photos of IASW, I can’t help thinking about that distinctive tick-tock! I remember how excited I would get as a kid when the clock’s little parade of dolls would happen every 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I would have loved that! I have friends who live near the park who can hear the train whistle and other sounds at night. I am jealous!
Anonymous #2, as you pointed out, that Monorail bean *was* probably very new when this picture was taken. Hard to believe, after all these years… it seems like it has always been there.
Tom, one of the things that helps is that blue sky; it sets off the other colors so beautifully.
Patrick Devlin, I agree, and there’s something about the composition, with the overhanging tree and the drinking fountain, that makes it feel even more like the real thing somehow.
JG, I don’t go to the midwest as much as I once did, but I used to marvel at the many small towns that had Main Streets that looked very much like the one at Disneyland, albeit a bit shabby around the edges (or a lot shabby, sometimes). Even the Minnesota town where my grandparents lived had a street like that, though it was relatively prosperous.
That first one is absolutely stunning! The colors, the shapes, the uncommon angle - it's all simply beautiful. This is the Disneyland I remember (or rather, (i)choose(/i) to remember; family snapshots show at least one somber, grey day at Disneyland).
ReplyDeleteIs there any date reference on that one? I can tell it's in the fall-winter-early spring based on the sailors' uniforms, but is there anything more specific?
That last shot immediately made me think of this one: http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1fn91qBDk1rr0cpgo1_500.jpg
Great insight and commentary, JG.
lovely view of Its A Small World. I love how bright the sunshine makes everything :)
ReplyDeleteMain Street USA is always a favorite spot. It is such a wonderful welcome to this magical place
thanks for the wonderful pictures today
Donald Duck's shipmates have come to visit him on leave. If you could look further down you'd be able to see they have no pants on, either.
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