It's time for some Sunday "near-rejects", as per usual. Poor Domingo, what did it ever do to deserve such uninspiring scans? All I can say is that it must have done something.
I've never been sure if the waterway that flows in front of the entrances for Adventureland and Frontierland is still technically the moat, of if it is just part of the "dark water" system, and stop thinking about it so much? Anyhoo, there's the log stockade guarding the entrance to the land of the frontier. I like lemonade, and orangeaid, but I'm not so sure I like stockade. Too gamy.
There's Cinderella's Castle (or is it just "Cinderella Castle"?) from Storybook Land. You've seen it a million times. Don't bother looking for the tangerine coach on the road up to the castle, it isn't there yet. It's probably in the shop getting its carpels tuned.
Sorry these were so dull!
Not dull at all. But, may I ask, how do you tune a carpel?!
ReplyDeleteSue
Major-
ReplyDeleteThat water at the entrance to Frontierland, as you say, is definitely part of the dark water system - the water flowing from the "Carnation River" (yes, it really is) under the entrance to Frontierland, on its way beneath the "Tahitian Terrace Bridge", to the Jungle Cruise, and beyond.
I believe the castle in Storybook Land IS Cinderella's Castle. Only the King Arthur Carrousel, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Cinderella Castle (@ WDW) are not possessive - although there are countless examples over tine of the errors.
Thanks, Major.
"Over tine-?? I wasn't even trying to make a 'point'.
ReplyDeleteMajor, Euell Gibbons liked stockade. He used to pour milk over it and eat it for breakfast. It reminded him of wild hickory nuts.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember ever seeing that short ladder in Storybook Land before. I wonder if it was permanent, or if it was designed to hang there, only when in use.
These are not dull. I especially like the first pic where you can see the two different themes of Adventureland and Frontierland together. There's something about the openness of early Disneyland that I love where the vegetation has not filled in yet. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteAre those tree stumps in front of the fort real or just clever theming? I like all of the open sky in the second pic, as well. Thanks Major!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably in the shop getting its carpels tuned.
ReplyDeleteAnd its carpals tunneled.
I guess stockade would be sweetened chicken broth?
Love all the soft summer dresses.
Pretty sweet. Can't get enough of those early photos. They make me wish I still had my rubber knife and coonskin cap. Ken is right, there is something about the open spaces of the early days. Maybe the anticipation of great rides to come. Thanks to Major.
ReplyDelete@ JC Shannon-
ReplyDeleteIronically, I still have my Davy Crockett coonskin cap from the 1950's. The hat, most-likely fashioned from rabbit fur, also uses real fur [possibly] raccoon for the attached tail. It's lined with rayon, quilted to some sort of filler. The tail has become detached, and the real leather inner band/sweatband has seen better days, but for display purposes, it looks brand-new. Go figure. (Now, I just need a smaller head for it to fit...)
Lou and Sue, you do it very carefully in a carpel tunnel.
ReplyDeleteNannok, I guess I did a bad job of phrasing my question - I knew that the water at the entrance to Frontierland (and Adventureland) is part of the dark water system, but I don’t know if it is still considered part of the moat by the time it gets that far from the castle. Sorry about that! Sometimes I need to pay more attention. MOST of the time, really. And I agree, I do think it is “Cinderella’s Castle” in Storybook Land!
Nanook, it was worth it just for the pun!
TokyoMagic!, you couldn’t take Euell Gibbons anywhere, because he would just start chewing on stuff. “Ever eat a pine tree? Most parts are edible”. What a guy. Sadly, he became obsessed with human flesh. I forgot to mention that tiny ladder, it looks like it was built to be there all the time, but maybe the gardners just brought it with them and somebody left it behind by accident.
K. Martinez, I remember in the book, “Disneyland: The First Quarter Century” where they pointed out that the Plaza Pavillion and the Tahitian Lanai were really part of the same structure, just dressed differently on each side, it blew my mind!
Andrew, I believe that in some early concept art they depict tree stumps outside the stockade, a touch of realism that I get a kick out of.
Melissa, ha ha, see my comment to Sue! Great minds think alike is what I sez. I don’t know why, but “sweetened with chicken broth” sounds really gross to me!
Jonathan, it’s not too late to carry a rubber knife and wear a coonskin cap everywhere. The folks in your town will remember you! I agree, I always love looking at the park when the trees and shrubs were spindly and the landscaping was so sparse.
Nanook, wow, I’m amazed that your coonskin cap hasn’t been eaten by bugs! Do you store it in mothballs, or a cedar chest? Rabbit fur, I always kind of wondered what they were actually made of. Does the tail have raccoon stripes? You should spend $100,000 to fully restore your cap to “like new” condition, and then loan it to Jonathan for a few weeks.
Speaking of the rabbit-fur raccoon caps that were sold in Frontierland - does anyone remember the real rabbit fur pelts they also sold in the late 60's and early 70's? They were piled high (one on top of another) in a open wooden crate or chest(?) that was sitting on the floor near the cash register counter in the Frontierland gift shop. Some pelts were dyed in different patterns - I still have a few, including one that is zebra-striped and another that is cheetah-spotted. They were maybe $1 each. I have them boxed away now and kept them because they bring back wonderful memories for me (but not for the poor bunnies).
ReplyDeleteMajor, you can't really 'tune a carpel', but you can tuna fish.
Thanks for today's fun post!
Sue
Lou and Sue, hmm, you know, I have a rabbit pelt that has been in a drawer since I was a little kid, I wonder if it came from Disneyland? It doesn’t seem like anything my parents or grandparents would be willing to pay for! Actually, I wonder if my mom has finally thrown it out, I don’t recall seeing it recently. There’s NO WAY they would sell actual bunny pelts at the park now! Can you imagine the outcry?
ReplyDeleteFine pics, Major.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing about the moat(s), all definitely part of Dark Water, not sure exactly which is the direction of flow, but its all connected somehow, and flows to the intake in front of Cascade Peak.
I think the ladder was purpose-built for gardening access to those terraces, but left behind for some reason. Seems like "bad show" to have it out all the time, unless that was needed when the plantings were new and needed constant maintenance.
Never had the skin hat, or a raccoon tail. Did have a rabbit's foot keychain fob for a while. I remember those pelts for sale, not sure what one would do with it> Cost Plus has sheepskin rugs available occasionally, large enough to be useful.
Thanks Major, and GDB team.
JG