Five Great Photos, September 1992
Here's another selection of photos taken by Lou Perry and generously shared with us by Sue B.! These are from 1992 - which was over 25 years ago, much to my astonishment.
Most (if not all?) of today's images were taken from the Skyway, I believe; such as this look at a single "clover leaf" curve on the Autopia. The "Mark VII" vehicles were still being used - possibly my favorites of the various Autopia styles. The "Mark V" Monorail ran for a long time, but I was never that crazy about their look.
There's the Peoplemover in the distance - for some reason I expect to see the Rocket Rods, even though they weren't there until 1998. We also get a better look at the Monorail station. The font used on the sign is called "Pump", and I remember using it back in the 80's (helping my boss make a sandblasted glass sign). It's sort of charmingly cheesy, but it was everywhere.
See? I even have the font on my computer. Pure Velveeta!
Now we're above Fantasyland, with the Village Haus directly in front of us. There's plenty of outdoor seating available.
Next is this view of the Dumbo attraction, showing the fancy "clockwork" mechanism that was originally intended to be installed in Disneyland Paris. You can really see the rainbow of colors used for the elephants from this angle. Up at the top of the image there appears to be a motor home parked behind Storybook Land, I wonder what that's about? Perhaps it had to do with the construction of Mickey's Toontown, which opened in January of 1993.
Aaaaannnnd, back to Tomorrowland, where we are above the Tomorrowland Terrace, with the Peoplemover and Rocket Jets in the distance. What is that kooky, wiry sculpture just visible in the lower left??
THANKS to Lou and Sue for sharing these great photos!
22 comments:
Major-
Such lovely images that easily draw the viewer into each one. Why am I not there now-?
Thanks to Lou and Sue, for sure.
I always think of Disneyland being totally ruined by the nineties, but I forget that there is that portion of the nineties, where things weren't too terribly bad. I would love to step into THIS Disneyland.
That Village Haus shot gives us an unobstructed view of the ranger station-looking structure, where Tinkerbell would "land" after they brought her back in 1983. She had been gone since the demolition of Nature's Wonderland began in 1977. Her "landing pad" had previously been located in that area.
Major, that wiry apparatus was the first thing that replaced Rolly Crump's 1967 sculptures, on top of the Tomorrowland Terrace stage. I would like to know who thought that thing looked better on top of the stage, than what Rolly had originally designed?
Thanks Lou, Sue and the Major, too!
There's a lot of vroom in these pictures - a great sense of motion in every shot.
The original 1967 Tomorrowland Terrace Rising Stage “roof” was removed fir two reasons :one being some water leaks from the watering of plants in several of the planters used in the original design. Rather than refurbishing the existing design that was expected to be demolished soon for the TOMORROWLAND 2055 project , operations had Entertainment Arts fabricate a inexpensive temporary replacement until the New Tomorrowland construction began. Another problem the aging rising stage was having was the increasing difficulty in the ability to lift the heavier 90’s sound equipment being used. This weight problem would have given way to the cheaper, lighter bandstand sculpture even if the water leaking through the roof had not happened.
For TOMORROWLAND 2055 the Tomorrowland Terrace would have featured a two level terraced dining and observation deck for guests and a all new rising bandstand would return dressed as a “blast shield” below the rebuilt 1955 Moonliner. Each time a performance was to begin a countdown for the Moonliner’s “blast off” would begin with sparks and smoke thus revealing the performers on the stage.
As much as I love the look and design of the original Moonliner - it really should not exist in any NEW Tomorrowland - especially at a smaller scale. It’s only reason for it being included in the crap-town Tomorrowland 1998 is it was already being constructed for the Tomorrowland 2055 “Terrace/bandstand” project. Other elements for TOMORROWLAND 2055 were also already being constructed like the steel structures for the second level skywalks, Fiberglas and foam architectural elements for the Alien Encounter exterior and the leap frog fountains for the Star Tours Galactic Gardens . Even show music for Pkectu’s Fantastic Galactic Revue ( by Danny Elfman) and area theme music was recorded!
'90s people! It's fun to people-watch from above - you're less likely to make eye contact and make them feel uncomfortable. The Dumbo shot is chock full of early-'90s styles.
Jumping out at me is the woman along the edge of the image holding a baby just "below' the knot of strollers in the left bottom of the image. Her hair is in a popular style of the time - shoulder-length perm with shorter curled bangs in the front. I dated a girl in college for a while who wore her hair like that. While not unattractive, the effect is remarkably reminiscent of a basset hound and reminded me a bit of Lady and the Tramp, particularly on a girl with auburn hair.
Speaking of strollers, note the size, number, and style in these photos. They haven't gotten so darned out of control yet.
There's a guy carrying a red gym bag in the Village Haus picture. He'll probably make the drop on the Skyway. I understand Disneyland was a favorite place to do business for the illicit Cabbage Patch Doll market.
TM!, yes, this Disneyland was still pretty awesome. There's still a bunch of classic attractions running: the Skyway, the PeopleMover, the Rocket Jets, Mission to Mars, the original Submarine Voyage, Captain EO (well, maybe not Captain EO). It's what convinced me to become an APH two years later.
As usual, Lou's photos are works of art. This is a great grouping with a lot going on at the end of the best Tomorrowland. Love the Fantasyland pic as well. I agree with Major on the Monorail. While Bob's design looked fast and futuristic, the Mark V looks like rolling loaves of french bread to me. Thanks to Lou and Major for these excellent scans.
Like TM! said, I can just imagine the Disneyland "connoisseur" looking at the updated Monorail and Peoplemover cars with distaste, now to only wish that he or she could be back in those days. Even a day in this Disneyland would be an awesome history lesson.
Thanks Lou and Sue for those great pics! Just drop me in that line at the Dumbo ride, a few people behind behind Nanook if need be. Don't want to cause any temporal anomalies.
I agree that the nineties weren't that bad at all. We had one of our more memorable trips in April,'95. First in line at the recently opened Indiana Jones ride (thanks to the early entry magic morning thing).
Got some great artwork at the Disney Gallery above Pirates too.
Also I think that might have been the first time I had asparagus wrapped in bacon at the Bengal grill.
Again, thanks Lou and Sue, and the Major!
That photo of the Dumbo area in Fantasyland is stunning!!! All those colors and all that action! Thanks Lou and Sue :)
When I read that these photos were taken in 1992 I had to search for my family, that was the last time I went to Disneyland (yes, 27 years ago). I thought I found our lettle group until I looked at a photo I took, from that trip, and the clothing was different. (sigh)
Nanook, maybe you ARE there now, but are asleep and imagining this whole conversation.
TokyoMagic!, yeah the park still looks pretty good. Thank you for identifying what that tower structure is, I was wondering! Very interesting. And thanks also for the info about the sculpture atop the Tomorrowland Terrace stage. I am usually a fan of things atom-shaped, but I admit that I miss Rolly’s white spires.
Melssa, that was back in the days when there was still plenty of vroom to be mined.
Mike Cozart, it sounds like “Tomorrowland 2055” was this close to actually being built - seems like a shame that they didn’t get around to it. I know you’ve given info about it before, I’ll have to go back and read about what TL 2055 was supposed to have. Weird that newer sound equipment is heavier, what with the improvements in electronics etc, but I am sure that you are right. I love the idea of a performance starting with the Moonliner “blasting off”! And I kind of agree about the Moonliner not belonging in a new Tomorrowland, though clearly, at this point, they have no idea what they are doing. That land has no cohesive theme or design, and it’s a real mish-mash of styles and themes loosely knit together. Thanks for all the great info!
Chuck, I remember some real unfortunate 80’s (and 90’s) hairstyles, but hey, they were what was popular. I still remember a girl in high school whose hair could best be described as a version of Rosanne Rosannadanna’s. And yes, there aren’t a lot of giant “SUV” strollers yet; such a strange thing for people to want at the park. “I need ALL of my stuff with me all the time. If there’s room for my kids, so much the better”. Can you believe I never went to Captain EO? But I’ve watched the movie on YouTube, and it is pretty awful.
Jonathan, the Fantasyland pic is definitely the most colorful of them, with that crazy Dumbo clockwork device. I like it, but think that it might actually be a little too much? And yeah, it’s hard to beat Bob Gurr’s original Monorail designs.
Andrew, it’s true, as much as I didn’t care for those updates, I’d happily have the Peoplemover back in any form. We do still have a Monorail at least, and I kind of like the design, which is more of a throwback to the 50’s style.
DrGoat, like you I remember going to the park not long after “Indy” opened, back when the line went out into Adventureland. It was a long wait, but they did such a brilliant job with that queue, with so much to look at, somehow I didn’t mind it so much. I miss the old Disney Gallery, I wonder if they had an elevator for disabled people to reach it? Maybe that was ultimately why it had to be moved to Main Street.
Irene, that is a nice one!!
MRaymond, ah, too bad, I would have loved it if you could say, “I can see my family in that photo!”. But the odds are pretty slim.
The "motorhome" seen in the background of photo 4 is one of a couple mobile home offices for the Fantasyland area managers. New offices were built below the revamped Fantasyland in 1983, so the old offices were "abandoned" or used for other purposes.
Yes, Chuck, I had *so* many failed perms during this era. I wanted those tight curls so badly!
The 1990's at Disneyland were crap! The worst decade in Disneyland history. Park and attractions maintenance was poor and even resulted in poor training of employees and park guest deaths. I even prefer today's Disneyland over the Pressler/Eisner era. It was truly awful in that so called Disney Decade and the parks were going down the toilet. Eisner wasn't dethroned for nothing. At least they are investing more into in the parks than they did back then.
I'll take today's Disneyland over 1990's Disneyland any day. Thanks, Major
Still, that doesn't take away from these wonderful photos from Lou and Sue. I always love your contributions. I especially love the Fantasyland aerials in today's post. Thanks, Lou and Sue.
Agree, the "mobile home" is a pretty standard looking construction office trailer. I've spent years of my life in similar.
Thanks Tokyo for the tip about Tinkerbelle's tower.
We have been watching the "Imagineering" show on Disney Plus, the episode on the Pressler era is so depressing. The show is honest about the negatives and has some sharp rebuttal of Pressler's interview by other team members.
Any reader of GDB would love Disney Plus, just saying.
These are fine pictures, and interesting for me as I didn't visit much until the end of the '90s.
Thanks Major, Lou and Sue.
JG
Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments - I'll pass them on to my dad, too. We're enjoying sharing these with all of you!
This question is for anyone:
When I look at the first two pictures, I see the Monorail and Peoplemover seem to cross paths (it even looks like they are ON the same track) - but I know that isn't possible. Does the Peoplemover drop down under the Monorail, at that point? If it does, it must go down at a very steep angle, there.
I love the interesting facts that all of you shared today . . .
TM! I didn't know that "ranger station thingy" was for Tinkerbell - I learned something else new, today.
Mike Cozart, are you saying that Disney was planning to add "Alien Encounter" to Disneyland, too? (That was one of my favorite attractions at WDW - the original version, that is.) Too bad it wasn't added to Disneyland!
Chuck, you may have dated a girl that resembled a basset hound, but I stumbled onto a 1990(?) picture of myself and I resemble a standard poodle - those large poodles with a poof on top and long curly haired ears. Some of my pictures will NEVER show up on this blog because I am tossing them. (Melissa, it sounds like you might understand what I mean.)
Major, I never saw Captain EO, either. I don't feel like I missed anything, either.
MRaymond, keep watching this blog. I have more 1992 photos to scan for Major to eventually post.
K. Martinez, I LOVED the Disneyland of the 60's and 70's the best, but didn't go to Disneyland during the 80's or 90's. When I finally got back there in 2001 - you can only imagine the shock I experienced - so many changes, and so many more people (crowds)! I've come to accept the changes and now LOVE it again (though I'll always miss the way it was). It sounds like you might feel the same way I do, too.
Thanks, Major! On some of your posts (like yesterday's), the comments section is starting to rival the length of War and Peace. ;)
Sue
I'm sure that there's a reason on the inside of the restaurant, but the seemingly random placement of the skylights on the roof of the Tomorrowland Terrace feels wrong. Everything in the future is ordered and patterned, right?
“LOU AND SUE” : yes, Alien Encounter was developed and designed to debut at Disneyland around 1994 in a very large renovation of Tomorrowland called TOMORROWLAND 2055. This Tomorrowland was a space-fantasy theme taking place 100 years after Disneyland opened and Disneyland’s Tomorrowland was being used as a spaceport stop by many galaxies.This project was in the fabrication stages and demolition phases had already been planned but we’re abruptly stopped for several factors. Mainly Eisner was pissed at the financial results of Euro Disneyland. And for the budget for the new Tomorrowland was split on Fantasmic and TOONTOWN. The story of Alien Encounter being canceled is a made up cover story that that theater building ( mission to Mars) was too small. Almost nothing of Mission to Mars was going to be kept anyhow - it was just occupying the same general space.
During the same time Disneyland’s Tomorrowland 2055 project was underway, a design team was working on Florida’s NEW Tomorrowland called TOMORROWLAND GALACTIC EXPO - themed way in the future, WDW’s Tomorrowland was hosting a Alien Exposition with alien world’s showcasing technology and culture from many galaxies - this eventually gave way to a retro 20’s- 30’s theme to “The Future That Never Was is Finally Here” and a similar Alien Encounter opened then.
MAJOR: I’m no musician but suspect it was the AMOUNT of equipment and amplifiers being used by the 90’s - compared to the type of music of the 60’s and less needed equipment.
Mike, thanks for the information! While these awful decisions were being made, what was your job, and what were other Disney employees saying about these stupid decisions? If you don’t wish to answer this, I will understand.
Disneyland landscaping is always so impressive. Even the small areas are perfectly trimmed.
@ Sue-
Once again - Daveland to the rescue. IN THIS VIEW you can see how the Peoplemover track actually goes above the Monorail beamway, allowing the two attractions to co-exist without any major mishaps. No wonder we all miss it so.
Thanks, Nanook - that's a great view from Daveland! Now I see what you're saying. (That sure was an "optical illusion" in my dad's photos.)
Sue
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