Tomorrowland Entrance
I just scanned a batch of slides from October, 1961, and was especially taken with this beautiful photo showing the entrance to Tomorrowland. It looks so clean and lovely, and there's something about the design that makes one want to go in.
We've got the Monsanto House of Chemistry to our right, the Clock of the World in the middle, and America the Beautiful to our left. Look at all those sweet attraction posters! In fact, look at the one to the extreme right. Here, I'll zoom in a bit...
Notice that the actual Moonliner no longer sports its TWA moniker, since that company had ended its sponsorship of the attraction some time in 1961. The Disney folks altered the attraction poster, covering the printed "TWA" with a red/pink stripe. Don't give those jerks any free advertising!
All of this reminded me of another scan of the entrance to Tomorrowland that I had shared way back in 2010, this time from a slide date-stamped "April 1962". Clearly, somebody decided that the additional pink stripe looked weird.
As you can see, it almost looks like someone went in with a bottle of whiteout - even in this blurry enlargement you can see a smudged area where the new stripe used to be.
Maybe this is only interesting to poster nerds like me?
As you probably know, McDonnell Douglas took over sponsorship of the Rocket to the Moon attraction sometime in 1962, and the paint scheme of the Moonliner was completely altered.
10 comments:
Major-
It may only be interesting to 'poster nerds', but it certainly piqued my attention.
Thanks, Major.
Mine too! Was the poster altered again once McDonnell Douglas took over and the rocket was repainted?
I must be a poster nerd too because I love all the variations of the attraction posters. The Enchanted Tiki Room attraction poster with the United Air Lines variation is a nice one too. Even the Tiki God is different. Thanks for sharing, Dave.
"Poster nerds." You can tell just how nerdy we are when we start categorizing our mutual geekiness.
Note the poster for the Golden Horseshoe Revue in the first photo. Not sure I've ever noticed Pepsi advertising sneaking into Tomorrowland before. For some reason, I always associate that land with Coke.
TM,
I'm not sure if there was an interim poster using the Rocket to the Moon design and McDonnell Douglas branding, but the poster I found in the Poster Art book and online is the 1967 Flight to the Moon one. It features the moon more prominently than the rocket.
http://www.disneyhipsters.com/2014/03/three-vintage-tomorrowland-attraction.html
Can I be in the club of poster nerds? What are the dues like? I find it utterly cool that there was a third paint job that the rocket itself sported, if I'm reading things right. Would the TWA lettering on the actual rocket have been visible in the first shot if it was present? I'm in Disney-geek heaven right now... Mmm.
Major-
I suppose one could say this is the "butcher cover" of Disneyland attraction posters.
Nanook, OH NO… there’s no cure for Poster Nerdism!
TokyoMagic!, years ago I saw a black and white xerox showing what appeared to be an updated version of the Rocket to the Moon poster with Douglas markings. My understanding is that it was a mockup done by the Studio, but I would love to learn more. I don’t think any Douglas/rocket posters were ever made.
K. Martinez, that happens to be the only Tiki Room posters that I have! It’s a rare one, but I do wish I had one of the earlier versions as well.
Chuck, Pepsi has had their imprint on the Golden Horseshoe posters from the beginning, which *does* look a bit odd considering that most of the other early posters have no sponsorship mentioned. There are some exceptions of course!
Dean Finder, I love that “Flight to the Moon” poster, and regret not buying one when they could be had for a few hundred bucks. Now they go for many thousands. Live and learn.
Patrick Devlin, there are no dues, but you must promise to be honest, brave, and loyal. If you look on this blog, you’ll see plenty of photos in which the “TWA” is visible at the top of the rocket. Or make things easier and check out Davelandweb.com! As I said to TokyoMagic!, I do not believe that there ever was an actual 3rd version of the RTTM poster.
Nanook, I suppose you are right! I’ve always kind of wanted a “butcher cover” of that Beatles album. Or even one of the copies that you had to peel - just look for the triangle of Ringo’s black shirt!
With respect to a third paint job I was referring to the rocket itself and thinking the third paint job would be TWA red and white without the logo on rocket.
Another post in which the comments quality exceeds that of the pictures.
Thanks Major.
JG
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