Motor Boats
I have some vintage snapshots for you today, and while I like the subject matter - the long-gone Motor Boats - the quality of the photos leaves a lot to be desired. Still... I'll take them.
Let's start with this shot of the loading docks. I think? Or maybe this is where they stored unused boats. Kind of hard to tell in all that grain and murk. We get a special guest appearance by the Matterhorn and Skyway. It's like having Tony Orlando and Dawn in your variety show!
Next we are approaching the barrier that separated the clear water of the Sub Lagoon from the "dark water" of the Motor Boat Cruise. It's kind of neat to see the "Seawolf" from this low angle. I assume it is heading toward the caverns where it could dive to crushing depths and where strange sea creatures could be found.
You know it's going to be a good day when you see the Peoplemover gliding along its elevated track. Tomorrowland really was a "world on the move"!
24 comments:
Major-
That dock of the Motor Boat Cruise was actually where guests could purchase used motor boats. Evidently when this shot was taken, sales were quite brisk.
Thanks, Major.
I love the shot of the PeopleMover going over the Motor Boat waterway. I don't think I've ever seen a shot like that before.
I was trying to think of something clever to say about Tony Orlando and Dawn and a YELLOW PeopleMover, but I've got nothing! I'll leave all of the song writing to Melissa, because she's so gosh darn good at it.
World on the move indeed! Each one of these pics show a minimum of three attractions! In the last one, I count four! Layering was a brilliant way to create energy for the area and it made for a great motorboat cruise!
That first shot shows both the loading dock and where they stored unused boats. The slips angling out to the right were intended for tying up unused boats, although you often see photos of out-of-service watercraft tied together at the end of the dock like the yellow and blue ones in the left foreground; it was probably easier and faster to return them to service from there.
The red boats visible just behind the empty foreground boats are coming into the load area. Boats would enter the load area to our left at the end of the dock, follow a narrow channel on either the right or left side of the Monorail support, then exit at the other end of the dock and be off on their journey.
I know you've posted some photos showing that area more clearly, but I can't quickly find any. Fortunately, Daveland came to the rescue.
I'm counting six attractions in the next-to-last-shot - the Submarine Voyage, the Monorail (in the station), the PeopleMover (right edge of shot), the Skyway (two cars dangling to the right of the dark PeopleMover support beam left of center and one below and to the right of the GE logo), the Rocket Jets, and, of course, the Motorboat Cruise in the foreground. There are seven if you count the Carousel of Progress show building.
You can also make out two corporate logos - aside from the aforementioned GE logo, there's the Goodyear lozenge just above the PeopleMover beamway to the left of the aqua PeopleMover train.
The technical quality of the prints may not be that great, but they make up for it with the subject matter and sheer amount of action. Thanks again, Major!
These are pretty cool, even at low resolution. With a couple more we could go on a “virtual” Cruise.
The yellow Peoplemover cars always make me think of fat little bumblebees.
I think these are cool too. The peoplemover pic's got a certain something. If you could take a photo of a memory, it might look like that. Maybe a bit grainier.
Thanks Major.
The Motor Boat Cruise was a kid's ride for sure, and it took up a lot of real estate. You can almost see how it had to go. The Peoplemover removal, on the other hand, I fear I will never understand. I do miss it. Well thank you Major, now I can't get Knock Three Times out of my head. Talk about a catchy tune.
Nice low to the ground angles today. Kind of like when your pet monkey has the camera for awhile.
The motor boats were a kids ride for sure but we rode them every time. They were a break from the crowds and hustle and bustle.
The memories these scans trigger are not grainy at all.
Thanks, Major
dz
Love the first low level shot of the Motor Boat Cruise load and Matterhorn. All the pics have something interesting to look at and greatly illustrate the wonderful multi-layering that was Disneyland's Tomorrowland.
And yeah, I realize they aren't crystal clear or popping with color, but they still have value in my book. Thanks, Major.
dzacher,
True, the memories are clear and as precious as ever, but the projector in my head is an older model. Accelerated decrepitude, as they say in Bladerunner.
Oh, ride a yellow PeopleMover round the old palm tree . . .
It's been more than twenty-three long years, but we still love thee!
@Sue, I love it!
Sue, YAY...you did it! Thanks! Now I can carry on with the rest of my day. Not that there is really much of anything to do today, considering I'm on 12th consecutive day of "self-quarantining."
@ TM!-
When all else fails - there's always the home fashion show-! You'd be surprised just how much all that 'glitz & glamour' can perk one up-! If not that - then inhaling the fumes from all that Aqua Net Extra Hold Hair Spray is an easy way to forget your troubles...
Round-the-block three times on the PeopleMover is you want "Whee!"
Twice on the Motor Boat, if the answer is "no"
oops . . . I meant:
Round-the-block three times on the PeopleMover IF you want "Whee!"
Twice on the Motor Boat, if the answer is "no"
And then there's dressing up the cats and acting out MGM musicals.
Nanook, I wonder how “sea worthy” one of those boats really was? Would one flip over if there was the slightest bit of chop?
TokyoMagic!, that’s a nice one, but I have two real beauties featuring the Motor Boats coming up (not sure when… maybe a few weeks). I’m glad you didn’t make a joke about Tony Orlando and Dawn (or as one of my old Disneyland flyers says, “Dawn - featuring Tony Orlando), they are too great.
stu29573, it really is amazing how they packed ‘em in at Disneyland!
Chuck, thank you for the motor boat cruise info! In that first photo the dock was so lacking in activity that I figured it might be for storage. Confirmed! I miss the simple pleasures of the Motor Boats, even though they are surely too boring for today’s customers. And seven attractions in one photo is pretty impressive - I definitely count the Carousel of Progress show building. I was looking for the Coke logo, but I guess it is hidden behind various speed ramps and such. Glad you liked these!
Budblade, all we need to do is raise $500 million dollars and we can create a photo realistic virtual tour of Disneyland. You can just pick the year that you want!
Melissa, aw, everybody loves bumblebees!
DrGoat, they’re grainy and kind of gray, but the subject matter shines through in spite of it all.
Jonathan, I wonder if we will get some version of the Skyliner that has been such a success at WDW? It would partly make up for the loss of the Peoplemover I think! Imagine getting nice aerial views of the park these days.
dzacher, my pet monkey wears a GoPro at all times, and I carefully archive all of the footage so that 5000 years from now, alien visitors will know what life was like for monkeys. IMPORTANT WORK.
K. Martinez, it’s funny how something as seemingly minor as a lower than usual angle is enough to get us excited! We’ve all seen so many of the same old scenes. Sue B. just sent me a bunch of nice photos from Lou, I think you’ll enjoy those.
DrGoat, ha ha, yeah, I have an old 8mm projector that is very jumpy and jittery!
Lou and Sue, 11 extra points for using the word “thee”!
Melissa, you and Sue need to team up! It’ll be like Rogers and Hammerstein, or Simon and Garfunkel.
TokyoMagic!, I like to draw a tiny dot on a nearby wall and stare at it for hours. Try it!
Nanook, is this another “Lucy” reference?!?
Lou and Sue, it feels like you have discovered a whole new creative outlet!
Lou and Sue, I had to read it twice before I noticed what was different.
Melissa, now that I’d like to see!
Nanook, Home Fashion Show? Hmmmmm, I do have some Don Loper ties from the seventies, but sadly, they are not "originals" or "one of a kind." If only I had some burlap potato sacks to make some clothes, and a horse's feedbag to wear as a hat.
Sue, I love it! Can you do one for "Candida" or "Sweet Gypsy Rose"? ;-)
Melissa, I like that idea! I suppose dressing them up and acting out episodes from vintage TV shows would work, too. I have three cats. With myself, that makes four roles cast. Maybe I can convince one of the squirrels in the yard, to come in and play Mrs. Trumbull or Little Ricky?
Major, I would NEVER make a joke about Tony Orlando and/or Dawn. I watched their TV show when I was a kid. We had their greatest hits album. I now have their greatest hits on CD. And, I bought a "Best of" DVD of their TV show, although I've yet to sit down and watch any of it! When my family visited Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park, for the very first time, the wax figures of Tony, Telma and Joyce, were the latest addition to the museum. I took a picture of them and will share it, one of these days!
Maybe I'll watch one of those DVDs tonight and relive my childhood! I also have "best of" DVDs for "Sonny and Cher" and The Captain & Tennille's variety show. Ahhhh, the 1970's!
TokyoMagic!, I like to draw a tiny dot on a nearby wall and stare at it for hours. Try it!
--- Major, I'm going to try that at work, tomorrow, since my boss won't close our office.
Melissa and TokyoMagic! As soon as my boss does close our office, I'll join you with my cats. Maybe I can gather their feather toys and we can put together some Ziegfield Follies outfits for that MGM musical ??
TokyoMagic! I don't think I can come up with another song, today. You have no idea how long it takes me to come up with what probably only takes Melissa 3 minutes to create!
Major-
Surprisingly, NO. (I always thought it was a very popular 'go-to' for when boredom sets in).
@ Melissa-
That was last week's entertainment.
@ TM!-
You and The Major will have to be the official Tony Orlando and Dawn Fan Club - I could never deal with them. The only song of his I like was his first hit (long before his days with 'Dawn"), back in May, 1961 - Halfway to Paradise, penned by none-other-than Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
Never mind the grain or the color, these pics are really worth seeing.
Unusual perspectives of the motorboat and the rest of Tomorrowland. I miss it all so much. I never imagined so much of it would disappear.
Thanks Major and GDB team for the comments.
JG
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