Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Tomorrowland, November 1975

One of the many cool things about Disneyland's Peoplemover was that it was able to navigate some considerable gradients. My theory is that Walt wanted to demonstrate how versatile this transportation system could be - plus it was just more fun to travel up and down hills. At various locations the Peoplemover could be so close to the earth that a person might jump up and pat its sides, or it could be 20 feet above the ground

I've always wondered if the Magic Kingdom version has no inclines because it was cheaper to build a flat track, or if the linear-induction motors wouldn't be able to move the trains with as much power as the constantly-rotating rubber (Goodyear) wheels at Disneyland?


Here's an unusual angle looking toward the Matterhorn from the back of the Sub lagoon, with Peoplemover track above us.

11 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
Gotta love that second view. So unusual.

Thanks, Major.

TokyoMagic! said...

Where do you suppose the photographer was when he/she took that second pic? The position seems slight elevated, so I'm assuming it wasn't taken from an Autopia car.

Okay, I had to stop typing mid-comment, to go check Google Maps. It looks like another section of PeopleMover track, passes right by the section that we see in the second photo (which happens to be the part of the track that goes over the Submarine Voyage's waterfalls). So, I'm now going to guess that the photo was taken while riding aboard the PeopleMover.

By the way, it looks like a miniature Skyway bucket is hanging from that pine tree, just like an ornament on a Christmas tree!

TokyoMagic! said...

Hey, is that a man standing up in a boat full of junk, in the middle of the Submarine lagoon? Or is it just Bigfoot?

Andrew said...

I really like both of these for some reason. There's just something "different" about the set-up. Let's imagine that the Sub Lagoon is just a super-sized "alpine lake" for the Matterhorn.

"Lou and Sue" said...

Fun pictures, thanks Major!

The first reminds me of a caterpillar slowly climbing its way through some bushes, and the second one feels like you're on someone's porch - looking out the back of their house, looking at a fantastic view!

Sue

JC Shannon said...

I like both of these images, they are unusual angles for sure. Maybe the guy in the boat is a crawdad fisherman from the Blue Bayou who got a little lost. I garontee! Thanks Major, now I got a hankerin' for Cajun.

Anonymous said...

I would assume WDW has no grades due to cost. Linear induction should have plenty of power (if you've ever ridden Rockin' Roller Coaster and been shot into the corkscrews and loops at 6 Gs you know what I'm talking about!) so I figure it was just easier and cheaper to go with the single height. It's still a nice ride, that can zip along quite well at times.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, they’re both pretty unusual, though I think I had a snapshot from Mr. X that happened to look much like the first one!

TokyoMagic!, I am posting this series of photos in order (based on the number stamp), so this would definitely still be aboard the Peoplemover. I have three other posts all ready to go, with even more photos from this journey! Note to Disney: make Skyway gondola Christmas tree ornaments! Old buckets, newer buckets, and all the different colors. They will sell out.

TokyoMagic!, yes, that is a man in a boat! The subs must be down that particular day. You’ll get another good look at that boat - not in the next “1975 Peoplemover” post, but in the one after that.

Penna. Andrew, it’s always nice to see photos of something unfamiliar at Disneyland, and at this point I think even a different angle is enough to get our attention!

Lou and Sue, there is definitely something bug (or caterpillar)-like about the way the Peoplemover slowly moves along its track. Note to Disney: make a miniature Peoplemover train that really moves, with modular track that you could potentially build all over your living room.

Jonathan, yum, chlorine-flavored mud bugs! You’ll need extra Tabasco. There’s a Cajun place near me, but I never go because they try to fill you up on things like potatoes and corn on the cob so that you won’t eat so much shellfish.

Stu29573, you make a good point! It’s too bad though, the ups and downs do make for a more interesting experience. Of course, what really makes for a good experience is to still have a Peoplemover!!

JG said...

Major, these are exemplary photos, thank you. So much to see in just two pictures.

For a moment I thought that photo 2 is taken from the track below the one shown in photo 1. But at the top of photo 2, the guard rail is on the lagoon side of the track, and the track has the debris screens of the monorail, I think.

Maybe Mike Cozart can explain the debris screens, I know they are to keep stuff falling off the monorail drive wheels onto the people below, but never was clear on what the stuff was. Maybe hydraulic fluid?

The sub lagoon does resemble an alpine lake, I never thought of the cross-over theming working in this direction before, only from Fantasyland looking over the gothic buildings.

I'm imagining a Christmas tree completely decorated in Skyway buckets, it's brilliant.

The guy in the boat is fishing for mermaids.

Is that another boat crosswise across the end of the sub dock?

An autopia street light is visible at the bottom of photo 2 against the pink flowers. The bushes with red flowers are bottle brush.

JG

"Lou and Sue" said...

Major - Disney already has WDW Skyliner gondola ornaments - so I sure hope they also consider doing "retro" ornaments of our beloved DL Skyway buckets/gondolas! I would buy them! I also like your Peoplemover train idea.

Disney already made the mini-monorails you can run under your Christmas tree. Now all we need are strings of lights of something-Disneyland (maybe someone has a good suggestion) . . .

Sue

P.S. While reading through past GDB posts, someone (years back) mentioned that Lego should have Disneyland attractions (I'm paraphrasing because I don't recall exactly what was said). The idea obviously caught on because now we have the Lego castle, train station and more. Am hoping Major's current ideas will come to fruition!

Dean Finder said...

JG. At least at WDW, the drive wheels on the monorails do tear apart from time to time and bits of rubber rain down from the beam (or so I've been told on a backstage tour where I talked with some of the pilots). They've installed guards where people are likely to be walking underneath, but not everywhere. It's best not to look up if you're directly under a passing monorail.