Every futuristic city should have a snow-capped mountain placed just so for dramatic effect. It worked out so well at Disneyland. In this 1960 view, we can see such classic landmarks such as the Yacht Bar, the Flight Circle, the Astro Jets, the Skyway, and the stubby li'l 3-car red Monorail.
Meanwhile, over in Fantasyland... hey, they have a snow-capped mountain too! Those must have been on sale at Montgomery Ward - one full book of Blue Chip Stamps got you 50% off. I think that's the Snow White dark ride at one o'clock, but I won't go on it because it's too scary.
Major-
ReplyDeleteAnd a Cobraflex loudspeaker atop the ride operator's booth for the Astro Jets.
Thanks, Major.
Say, that isn't Miss White, that's Mr. Toad!
ReplyDeleteI like the Adventure Thru Inner Space "molecule" blouse on the lady in the second pic!
@TokyoMagic! Heck, Mr. Toad is just as scary as Snow White!
ReplyDeleteI was too chicken to go on the Matterhorn when I was a kid, but I do remember that my grandmother rode it. When she got off she immediately took a "nerve pill" thereby justifying my decision!
ReplyDeleteMr. Toad's Scary Adventures is my favorite as I like to go merrily on my way to nowhere in particular, but then Snow White's Wild Ride is a good one too.
ReplyDeleteLove the Tomorrowland pic with the Matterhorn. Thanks, Major.
Is that a banner above the martini olive lights to the left in the first image or a slide scratch?
ReplyDeleteKen, I prefer Peter Pan in Wonderland, but to each his own.
Love those Eyvind Earle-style facades
ReplyDeleteNanook, “Cobraflex” is also the name of my band.
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, Mr. Toad is too scary, also! When you pointed out that lady’s “molecule” blouse, it reminded me of a General Dynamics poster that might have been displayed in the old Submarine Voyage queue.
Penna. Andrew, even as a kid I appreciated “Toad” because it was so weird. I was delighted that we wind up in hell with lots of little bouncing demons!
Stu29573, I don’t remember how old I was when I first went on the Matterhorn, but I do remember that my grandfather went with me. I figured if he could handle it, so could I! I wonder what was in those “nerve pills” that your mother took?!
K. Martinez, you’re kinda all mixed up! After yesterday’s comments, I am sad that we might lose some of our original classic dark rides, since I love them all.
Chuck, now I know that you weren’t swept up into a tornado. I think the “banner” is a wind sock - they had those around the Flight Circle. It might have said “WenMac” on it. Also: I guess there’s no love for the Pinocchio dark ride, which I think is a good attraction.
Melissa, Eyvind Earle is definitely in my “top 10 Eyvinds”!
Speaking of scary, in the second photo it looks like one of the Madcap Mountaineers is pulling a stunt I saw just once, with heart in mouth: hanging on to the edge of the top, then rocking the body sideways left and right in wider arcs. Some noive!
ReplyDeleteSpaceships, monorails, artificial mountains, toads driving to perdition's flames, talking puppets, evil witches, sympathetic dwarves, daredevil mountaineers, all with a Cobraflex on top.
ReplyDeleteWhat a way to start the day, only at your friendly local GDB, who also gives Blue Chip stamps.
I'm saving my stamps to buy my own Pirate Ship, Casey Junior and Storybook Land on which I will ride every day and all of you will come visit and eat tuna fish sandwiches and little apple pies.
Thank you, Major.
JG
Wouldn't you know it, I collect S&H Green stamps, no mountain for Jonny. I too remember when I was scared to ride the Bobsleds. When I finally worked up the courage to go, you couldn't keep me off it. JG, I am going to buy a Pack mule Train, a Mine Train and a stage coach. Everyone on GDB is invited to ride any time. Now I want pie. Thanks to Major.
ReplyDeleteStefano, oh yeah! I see him up there. I’ve always wondered how tethered in those guys are, because otherwise it seems inevitable that some terrible accident could happen. Does anybody out there know?
ReplyDeleteJG, I was right with you until you said “talking puppets”. That’s where I draw the line! As a kid I was always under the impression that S&H Green Stamps were “fancier” than Blue Chip Stamps.
Jonathan, I once went to a junky antiques store, and somebody was selling stacks and stacks of never-used S&H Green Stamps. Even though they are obsolete, I felt like I was looking at a veritable Fort Knox! I was too scared to go on “Pirates” when I was little, so my grandma waited with me. I feel sorry that she missed out on the fun. When I finally went on it a year later I loved it.
MAJOR: I too was deathly afraid of Pirates of the Caribbean when I was very young - I was afraid of It’s A Small World too ( because the boat’s looked the same to me as the Pirates boats and I knew there must be waterfall drops inside that white and gold building!!) one trip - I kept telling my parents in line for Pirates that I wasn’t scared over and over trying to convince myself and as we got closer to boarding dock I panicked , ducked under a que chain and went running towards the exit!! A cast member stopped me and brought me back to my parents.
ReplyDeleteAll my friends on my street where I lived when I was young had Pirates of the Caribbean hats from Disneyland ( the ones where you could have embroidered and pick the color of your feather plume) I wanted on so bad - but my mom said you only allowed to buy one IF you ride Pirates of the Caribbean - so the next time we went I “bravely” rode it.
Even though I was terrified of the attraction when I was very young I used to ( incorrectly) love to sing the theme song thinking it was “YO HO YO HO, THE PIRATES FIGHT FOR ME”
I was a little afraid after boarding iasw for the first time, because I looked down in the water and I SWEAR I saw something moving in there.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that is water
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zyvB7zob84
Penna. Andrew and Major, you are right. Both dark rides are scary. In Mr. Toad, you "go to hell" at the end, and at the end of Snow White, the Wicked Witch is pushing a boulder down on top the Dwarfs, in an attempt to "crush their bones" ("And they all lived happily ever after!")
ReplyDelete