Three Snapshots, September 1969
I'm sharing three scans of humble photo prints from 1969. They lack the detail and quality of a good 35mm slide transparency, but they make up for it in squareness.
It might not be a good move to start with the best image, but that's how I was taught at my many European boarding schools. As you can see, we have a lovely late-afternoon photo of the Rocket Jets, with a special appearance by the Peoplemover. Extra points go to the photographer, who created a very nice composition. Try to ignore the man with the white shirt who is sucking his thumb.
Next is this swell view of the Skyway and Matterhorn. There must have been a sale on red gondolas, look at 'em all. The Richfield Eagle is still there in 1969, but I suspect that he won't be there much longer.
And finally, a familiar (too familiar?) view looking at "It's a Small World". Admit it, if it had been called "Dinky Town" it would have been 300% better. Plus the Sherman Brothers would have made a meal out of that phrase - just imagine the catchy song they could have written!
Stay tuned for more snapshots.
22 comments:
Major-
The European boarding schools I attended always preached to never apologize at the beginning of a presentation. [Clearly, different philosophies]. And is Dinky Town anything like Funky Town-? (I believe that was the working name for Galaxy's Edge-!!
Thanks, Major.
Major, regarding that 1st shot: You picked a winner, and so did our friend there!
In the 2nd shot: Where did the nostrils go ?? How will those gondolas ever get through?!?!
3rd shot: On the right, in the sky - are those white scratch lines, or is that toilet paper flapping in the breeze, and why ?!?!
Upon closer inspection, I take it back about our friend in the 1st shot. On my cell phone it looked like he also had a finger up his nose, but he doesn’t - so, apparently, he isn’t doing anything strange, after all.
Seeing all of the red buckets at once, I got to thinking that it would have been cool to have the colors "sorted" on the cable, wiith exactly each quarter of the line being designated to have either blue, turquoise, yellow, or red buckets. It would be quite the sight! Square snapshots = fun, by the way.
That guy isn't sucking his thumb - he's re-inflating his arm. I have to do that myself occasionally when my thumb valve leaks.
Great to see Dinky Town with the original trees on the roof. And it's always fun to see the back side of the Alps.
I always suspected Major was a boarding school prodigy. I can just see him retouching old photos in the wee hours for milk money, listening to his Three Dog Night albums. Speaking of dinky things, I saw some of my old Dinky Cars on ebay going for a small fortune. I could kick myself for not saving 'em. I'd be rich I tell you! Thanks Major.
Won't you take me to
A Dinky Town
(When I was little I totally thought "Funky Town" was "Funky Toilet." I still prefer my version, but that says more about me than about the songwriter.)
The man is only sucking his thumb to distract from the fact that the baby in The carriage he's pushing is smoking a Lucky Strike.
I've said it before, the Instamatic format lends itself to good composition. Then again, I've said a lot of things before.
Mr. Thumbsucker is actually having a gastric reaction to the extreme G forces from the People Mover. Just looking at it sets him off!
Andrew - When working the Skyway on slow days (or small party nights), we RO's would alleviate our boredom by arranging the cabins by color, and then if we were really bored, we'd arrange them by number within the color set. There was a small spur track in the F-Sky station, big enough to hold just one cabin. This allowed us to slowly make the order changes.
I love this TL! Wasn't the People Mover 'free' at one time?
That man is coughing into his hand! Current etiquette says he should use his elbow or that handy Mickey balloon.
Has anybody NOT taken photos of the Matterhorn from the Skyway?
Storybook Land when it was 3 words. I wonder when that changed? And was it an accident?
I am about done with the 'iasw' facade. No offense.
You know what? Every since a certain 'guy' overused 'flavor town' I can't get into any kind of 'town'.
As usual, an enjoyable group, scans and commenters. Thanks all.
Happy Monday cause I don't work anymore!
dz
Nanook, I apologize for apologizing (actually, I don’t think I apologized?!). You musta gone to one-a them expensive boarding schools. Mine was “clothing optional”.
Lou and Sue, sometimes nostrils get clogged. It’s not pretty, but it’s one of Walt’s “hard facts”. I’m kind of surprised that I haven’t posted any pix that accidentally caught somebody picking their nose, now that I think about it. And yes, this photo was taken on the day of the “Great Toilet Paper Disaster”.
Lou and Sue, you should only view this blog on a full IMAX screen.
Andrew, I think it’s so strange that all we see is red gondolas (with one questionable example, mostly hidden), it had to have been on purpose. Those CMs were really bored.
Chuck, you are probably right, most people use their left thumb for re-inflation. I wonder how much weight those trees added to the roof of IASW, and did they have to add extra support for that weight?
Jonathan, I used an early version of Photoshop, known as “Crayola crayons”. It lacked some special features, but they smelled good! I don’t think I ever owned Dinky cars, but I had plenty of Hot Wheels. Still have ‘em too, but they are very beat up, unfortunately; I played with them for real.
Melissa, maybe the song about the Funky Toilet was the b-side of Funky Town? If any singers from Lipps Inc. are reading, please chime in! What else have you said before? In alphabetical order, and with a complete list of references.
Stu29573, why does the phrase “gastric reaction” sound so gross? I guess because it IS. I wonder if there has ever been anybody who was afraid to ride the Peoplemover?
Anon, aha! Andrew was right! I would think that you guys would be workinging so hard physically that you wouldn’t have time to be bored, but obviously I was wrong.
dzacher, there was a 13-year stretch after they stopped using ticket books when you could ride the Peoplemover for “free”, I wonder if that’s what you are thinking about? I cough into the back of somebody else’s head, in case you were wondering. And it’s funny, there are just certain things at Disneyland that everyone with a camera was compelled to photograph; they couldn’t help it. You think YOU are done with the IASW facade? Believe it or not, I’ve skipped many slides of it! It’s a bummer when I get a batch of slides and somebody has wasted four or five pictures of it!
Anonymous: I love hearing stories from. RO’s - thanks for sharing! Did you ever get reprimanded for grouping the colors?
Thanks for all the laughs everyone!
Great, I hadn't noticed the thumb-sucker until you pointed him out. Now he's all I see in the picture. He's trying to come up with a convincing story on how he 'lost' the child that should be in the stroller. Maybe she'll believe that he wanted to go another lap on the Peoplemover.
I like that view of the other side of the Peoplemover track, less commonly photographed than the outbound side, for some odd reason.
Actually, I like all of these pics.
Major, if you have pics of IASW that you haven't posted, gather them all together in a single IASW-MEGAPOST and get it over with. I would love that.
JG
Like Huey Lewis said "It's hip to be square" so these photos were pre-approved.
Regarding the Matterhorn's clogged sinus I can't imagine the size/scope of the Navage needed to clean them out. Bob Gurr would have quite the time building such a device.
If anybody doubts to popularity of T-land (in this era) just look at that first photo! The kinetic energy in this photo alone is stunning.
Very nice post, thanks for sharing.
"I think it’s so strange that all we see is red gondolas (with one questionable example, mostly hidden), it had to have been on purpose. Those CMs were really bored."
Bored, or just commies?
"I cough into the back of somebody else’s head, in case you were wondering."
A few years back, one of my co-workers arrived at work, all upset, as the guy behind her - while riding the train - had sneezed and then she felt stuff running down the back of her neck. So, Major, I guess you aren't the only one that does that sort of thing. ;)
Speaking of gross stuff, it IS interesting that we haven't seen anyone with their finger up their nose in Disneyland, yet.
Lou and Sue, I agree, I’d love more CM stories, anytime!
MRaymond, hey, I’m just reporting the facts, like I would to Sgt. Joe Friday. And sometimes parents just lose a child or two, nothing to be ashamed of.
JG, I never thought about it, but you’re right, it does seem like many photos of the Rocket Jets are taken from the other side of the Peoplemover track. Maybe because when you’re heading north on Main Street and turn left into Tomorrowland, that’s the side you would naturally be on at first? Just a theory. Your idea of an IASW mega-post is not bad, I think I did that once with Sleeping Beauty Castle pix. But it’s so hard to keep up!
Alonzo, you get 20 points for quoting Huey Lewis. I remember seeing a VH1 “behind the music” episode, and forgot that he and The News had as many hits as they did. SO MANY. “Navage”, that’s a word I’ve never seen before. And who has doubted the popularity of Tomorrowland in any era (pre-1998, at least)? Off with their heads!
Melissa, oh my gosh, you are right, it is COMMIES!
Lou and Sue, oh man, that story is so gross. I used to work with a guy who would have these ferocious sneezing fits; 20 sneezes in a row, and he was a “scream sneezer”. Ever since then I’ve always tried to sneeze as quietly as possible! He insisted that he didn’t have allergies, but I always dreaded when one of his fits would start.
Major, I would love to see any of your photos that were taken by a person heading north on Main Street and turning left into Tomorrowland. ;-)
(We all knew what you meant.)
“scream sneezer”
Major, isn't that the song Gary Wright did, back in 1975:
Oh, Scream Sneezer
I believe you can get me through the night
Oh, Scream Sneezer
I believe we can reach the morning light
Hmmm… all of the photos were marked August 1968 by the lab. Are they actually shots from 1969? Reverse time travel!
Chuck, yet another example of my weird dyslexia, so often I say "left" when I mean "right", and vice-versa. It's aggravating.
Lou and Sue, takes me back to high school.
Anon, I'm full of mistakes today.
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