More Frontierland Scans, 1964
It's time for more selections from a large batch, graciously donated by an anonymous donor, possibly named Bobson Dugnutt. These are all from 1964.
We'll start with this delightful shot of a raft full of happy explorers as they return from Tom Sawer Island back to the mainland. Several daredevils care nothing for rules as they stand outside the barrier that is supposed to keep them safe from drowning or being devoured by giant snapping turtles. Notice the front of the raft is partially swamped, indicating that maybe, juuust maybe, there are too many people aboard? No wonder the cast member is barefoot. The kid in the striped shirt looks concerned.
Next are a few unremarkable shots of the Friendly Indian Village - still a feature that I have always loved.
If you look carefully through the reeds at the base of the teepee to the left, we can just make out two babies strapped into their cradle boards (or papooses?), propped up so that they can see what's going on.
Zoiks! This one is amazing. It is a startling closeup of the two babies, looking as if they are emerging from especially dazzling chrysalises. I've never seen such a clear photo of these before. Also, in most photos I actually thought that the teepees were made from irregular pieces of canvas (or whatever), to mimic buffalo hides. But it's all done with a convincing trompe l'œil effect.
Nearby, meeses enjoy a healthy breakfast.
I've heard the term "lucky duck" before, but those ducks really are lucky! As long as you don't mind the passing of occasional river craft, this place is a lot prettier than most, and there's lots of popcorn and other treats.
11 comments:
Major-
And to think all these 'scenes' were smack dab in Anaheim-! My gosh those babies are as sharps as tacks. Such details-!
"Snapping turtles" - really-!! Again with the 'hard facts'.
Thanks, Major.
In that first pic, I think I can see a very flat sandal with a strap on the feet of that cast member. Still, that would provide very little protection against poisonous snapping turtles. And the Mark Twain and Cascade Peak are playing hide and seek with each other amongst the Tom Sawyer Island brush.
I think I am going to have nightmares tonight after viewing that close up of the two disembodied papoose heads!
There's another raft in the background of that first photo at Huck's Landing, and Fort Wilderness is stealthily creeping through the forest in the last one. Those waterfowl don't have a chance - they're just sitting ducks.
That papoose close-up is remarkable. Was it taken by a guest that fell overboard and was adopted by the tribe after he became lost in the wilderness?
Wonderful low level shots of the Rivers of America. Those little human Hot Pockets are kind of strange. I guess since no teepee had a microwave oven, they just left them out in the sun to bake. Thanks, Major.
Many thanks to E. Pluribus Doughnut or whatever his name is for getting these terrific shots to you. I like the grin on the CM's face as the water is lapping up around his feet. He's having Fun!
Nanook, I keep thinking that somebody from the 50’s would have been truly amazed at the realism of Frontierland, especially after having driven on the freeway to get there.
TokyoMagic!, wait, now that I look closer, he is wearing mules with a puff on the front. Darn my eyes. Oh yeah, there are the stacks of the Twain! Maybe you can be with the babies. Forever!
Chuck, Bobson Dugnutt told me that some (if not all) of these were intended to be used in some manner by the Disney University. “This is a meese. Don’t forget it”. Fort Wilderness looks ready to pounce on the ducks.
K. Martinez, now I can’t help hearing Jim Gaffagan doing his “Hot Pockets” bit! Placing babies in the sun improves their chewiness.
Patrick Devlin, I have to admit that a raft attendant (or whatever they were called) looks like a pretty fun job once you got the hang of it. Except for on cold or rainy days. Luckily there aren’t many of those in SoCal.
I wonder what kind of footwear the raft jockeys have to wear now. Probably steel toes have replaced no toes.
Wish we could ask Sleve McDichael, he probably knows. I know I have ridden the raft when it was that crowded, but never got to ride outside the railing like the guest to the far right.
I think the rafts are also running from the Indian Village over to a landing that is no longer existing.
Chuck, don't worry about the birds, the river there is not very deep, it only comes up to that duck's stomach.
Those papeese are terrifying. It's a good thing we could only see them from a long way off.
And, that is definitely a mooseiquin sighting, near the unfriendly village.
Thank you Major and Mr. Dugnutt.
JG
The tranquility of the River will sadly never be repeated. KS
I've been marveling at that trompe l'œil effect all day and how I had never noticed it, either. But once you see it, you can't un-see it. The effect is still used today.
I just looked at some photos of the other Indian Village (over by the canoe and second raft landing), and the teepees over there were definitely made from more authentic materials. That makes sense since guests were right up close to them. I think that the level of authenticity there may have fooled us into assuming the same level of authenticity at the other village. Either that, or we were paying more attention to the ducks.
JG, 7 points to Hufflepuff for knowing who Sleve McDichael is (he may or may not have been an astronaut, everybody). Riding outside the railing is the coolest thing ever, I’m surprised they allowed it. At some point I believe that they were using as many as three different landings, though perhaps they only used them all on the busiest of days. I’m sure that the baby faces were molds taken from store-bought dolls, painted appropriately. After all, they were too far away to see clearly, thank goodness.
KS, truer words were never spoken.
Chuck, ah, good point, maybe I was thinking of those other, teepees that really DO look like they are from sewn-together pieces of hide. Also, I am good at un-seeing things, with my crummy memory. I recently learned that Disney used surplus buffalo hides that NASA no longer needed.
Major, I used those surplus buffalo hides to make a bed for my giant squid.
Re; Sleve and Bobson, I snerted my milk out my nose when I read those famous names. I feel better knowing I am not the only one with a mis-spent youth.
JG
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