Today we're gonna take a little trip back to the 70's. It's gonna be real nice, see? Real nice. We're gonna be pals, see?
Let's start with this photo of a very busy Tomorrowland, from April 1978, when Space Mountain was less than a year old (it opened on May 27th, 1977). Now that it's been there for over 40 years, it is hard to imagine the park without it.
There's lots going on here, with "America Sings" (now in its fourth year) to our left, and "Mission to Mars" just peeking out in the distance. The Rocket Jets and Peoplemover seem to be packing them in, and you can even see people going up the Speedramp to the 2nd level for the Space Mountain queue.
Have you used up all of your E-tickets already? No problem! Just buy another ticket book at that cute little ticket & information stand.
To our right is the delightful Tomorrowland Terrace; so many legendary bands performed there. Sunshine Balloon! The Entertainment Committee! The New Establishment! The Better Half! Sound Castle Ltd.! To name but a few.
A few years earlier (in 1973, to be exact), someone took this nice shot of Main Street at 5:30. There's nary a hippie to be seen, much to my disappointment. A balloon is stuck in a tree, which you all know is good luck, so make a wish. The clock may read "5:30", but the little girl being carried by her dad is done for the day. All of her synapses have been overloaded.
Space Mountain just opened along with the new Space Mountain complex in in the already wonderful Tomorrowland. This was Disneyland's Tomorrowland at its height. It never was better than this. Awesome first photo. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteI second what Ken said. It was 11 years after the opening of the New Tomorrowland, but it was still going strong.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha....."All of her synapses have been overloaded." Is that what they mean when they say, "OH, SYNAP!!!"
Ken nailed it to a "t." Which is a little bit weird, if you ask me. I normally just look at the pictures and leave my hammer, nails, and bag of letters in the garage, but...whatever. It's cool.
ReplyDeleteA day at Disneyland will wipe out even the most active littleun. I carried my youngest, who had just turned four at the time, out of the MK on our last visit. The kid was just worn out after we'd surprised the family with a full day at the Park that had started with the "Welcome" celebration or whatever they call it that takes the place of Rope Drop at the MK and we had kept on going until well after dark.
The evening parade was rolling, and I'm still not sure how we managed to get down Main Street without any difficulty. As we were crossing Town Square, I leaned over to him and said quietly "say bye-bye to the parade." He sleepily waved and said "bye-bye, parade." He was unconscious by the time we got on the ferry.
Looking at the Tomorrowland pic again this morning, it looks so alive and vibrant and full of optimistic Disney futurism. This is why Tomorrowland was my favorite land back in the day. At least most of us were fortunate to experience it like this.
ReplyDeleteChuck, as always, I enjoy your personal stories as you tell them so well. I'm sure your youngest will have some great memories from your family trip to the Magic Kingdom.
Go figure, two ‘70s sweepers in the same shot… one of whom is me!
ReplyDeleteThere’s the Tomorrowland foreman helping out on Sub-Mono and the other about to empty his pan into a trash can while sweeping America Sings (the area encompassing the TL train station, TL Autopia, AS and Mars entrance—with some other sweeping zones overlap).
The foreman can be distinguished from a run of the mill sweeper by the large black one-way Motorola radio he has clipped to his belt. The radio would notify a person that he needed to call Security to get a message from Janitorial. Honest!
A great crowd in Tomorrowland, and everyone looks to be having a splendid day. Bellbottoms and midis at every turn, makes for a 70s fashion free-for-all. Is that a sunsuit that woman is wearing at the ticket booth? In the last photo check out the green pants suit and white belt white, shoes guy! I will be dining out on these scans all day. I too loved the new TL, before it went steampunk. Thanks to Major P. for the very cool photos.
ReplyDeleteExcellent dispatch from yesterday's tomorrowland. This is a great day for people watching. Thank you Major
ReplyDeleteThe 70s, you say?
ReplyDeleteToday's crowd is brought to you by the power of stripes. Where's Waldo? EVERYWHERE, that's where!
The top photo really shows off tomorrowlaand's use of negative space, which is something I love about the three original Tomorrowlands. The structures almost read as bleached skeletons.
K. Martinez, the feel of Tomorrowland really changed when Space Mountain was added. I still love that roller coaster, what a great ride!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, gosh, all these years I guess I was misunderstanding what the kids were saying.
Chuck, I’m sure MANY kids have been overwhelmed by a day in the park. I went with a friend and her two kids, and by the time it got dark, they were so tired that they were crying from sheer exhaustion. Once they were in the car, they konked out in seconds.
K. Martinez, Tomorrowland was still a “world on the move”, with the Skyway, Peoplemover, and Rocket Jets all adding kinetic energy. Now that empty track looms overhead, unused and empty. It’s a shame.
Huck, WOW, that’s so cool! I’m not sure I see you, however. There is a man I assume is a sweeper, way to the extreme lower right. I’m not even seeing a second sweeper, somehow (that would be you, yes?).
Jonathan, I’m not even sure what a sunsuit is! I sure did notice the greeen pants suit though. And I remember having white belts and white shoes in those days!
Gnometrek, you’re welcome!
Melissa, thanks for the link to MST3000 clip! I would never find Waldo in this crowd (I’m terrible at finding him anyway). Walt’s optimistic future included gigantic bleached skeltons! ;-)
Looking at the top photo again today, I'm noticing how the supports for the upper level of the Space Mountain complex pretty much match the supports for the Tomorrowland Terrace Stage....and they were built 10 years apart. The Imagineers back then, knew EXACTLY what they were doing!
ReplyDeleteBuilding things to suit where you're putting them does seem to be a bit of a lost art these days.
DeleteThese are some fab Friday fotos but (no offense to the late Marc Davis) I was never a big fan of America Sings. I'm a COP fan and really miss the Progress City model!!
ReplyDeleteIf'n I made it to heaven (someday) and they had ATIS, America the Beautiful, Peoplemover, proper Rocket Jets and America Sings vs. COP I guess it would still be "heaven".
Thanks for posting.
Awwww, Alonzo....I hope that heaven does have all of those things! Does that mean that "hell" would have Innoventions, Cosmic Waves, Rocket Rods, Honey I Shrunk The Audience, the Astro Orbitor, and the Observatron?
ReplyDelete@ TM!-
ReplyDeleteIn a word: YES-!
I should've also mentioned the follow spots are no longer sitting atop the elevator gantry for the Rocket Jets, as the Tomorrowland Stage became the Space Stage after Space Mountain opened.
ReplyDeleteNanook, great catch on the follow spots no longer sitting atop the elevator gantry because of the new Space Stage. It's in the details!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, that is very interesting. And you are so right, those Imagineers were firing on all cylinders.
ReplyDeleteAlonzo, I’m with you… after “Carousel of Progress” I did not particularly like the other “singing AA” shows, such as “America Sings” or “Country Bear Jamboree”. I needed more than just robotic animals performing. The beauty of “Pirates” and “Haunted Mansion” is that you get the incredible gags from Marc Davis AND the equally incredible sets and atmosphere from Claude Coates. I wish we would get our Progress City model back, in its original form, restored and beautiful!
TokyoMagic!, ha ha, one part of hell would also have much of the original DCA as well! What a disaster that was. If something can ooze cheapness, DCA did it.
Nanook, agreed!
Nanook II, it’s funny, I just scanned another slide with those big spotlights (hidden beneath fabric covers), and I thought of you, ha ha.
Melissa, I really do believe that the themed lands are becoming more and more of a hindrance for today’s designers, though I can’t believe that rides couldn’t be adapted.
K. Martinez, not much gets by the folks that read GDB! Sadly, LOTS of things get by me! But I guess that makes it more fun for everyone else.
Major, I agree! I was actually going to go on and add "DCA 2001" and even "Disneyland 2018" to that list of things found in "hell"....but I decided to stop with Tomorrowland '98.
ReplyDeleteRemember when Tomorrowland used to be good, back when the PeopleMover was operating and the Carousel of Progress building was actually being put to good use and not simply serving as advertisement space for Star Wars? Pepperidge Farm remembers! :D
ReplyDelete