Thursday, September 30, 2021

Fantasyland, September 1983

It's time for more gems from Lou and Sue - photos from the camera of Lou Perry, scanned and shared with us thanks to his daughter, Sue B. All of today's pictures are from Fantasyland, circa September, 1983!

A pretty blond hostess knows her Storybook Land spiel so well that she only needs 1/8 of her brain to recite it. In the meantime she is examining her nails as the canal boat passes through Monstro's gaping mouth. "I should have listened to Madge and soaked my nails in Palmolive dishwashing liquid!", she thinks to herself. Notice the authentic old European fire extinguisher, mostly used to shush talkative guests.


Look took a look back the other direction, where two boats were unloading, and a third waited its turn. I suppose this backup could have been a regular problem on busy days? 


The remaining four photos feature the Mad Tea Party attraction, and it's easy to see why, with so much color and swirling movement. I am only just noticing that the Monstro (in the background to our right) appears to be the old original whale, and not the smoother, bluer version. Does anybody know when he was changed?


The "New Fantasyland" added some splendid details, like the ride operator's booth, that looked very much like the art style from "Alice in Wonderland". And I really love the strings of "paper lanterns", those would look good strung above a backyard patio/swimming pool.


Gramps is on his Amigo scooter, he seems to be looking toward that teacup with the two boys (one waving). Lots of people are awaiting their turn to ride. Looking in the distance, I see some "medieval faire" type structures, reminiscent of the style from the "Old Fantasyland", though I'm not entirely sure what they are.


Grandma and granddaughter look on - I wonder if the little girl did not care for spinning rides? A lot of people avoid this attraction like the plague for fear of motion sickness. 


 THANK YOU, Lou and Sue! There are more photos to come from them.

24 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
"Relax... you're soaking in it-!" Evidently, it's Fingernail Awareness Day in New fantasyland, as both the Storybook Land and Teacups CM's are giving their full attention to those 'spurs'.

Imagine all the fun to be had if Gramps rolled his Amigo onto the Teacups 'dance floor'. Whoa Nellie-!!

Thanks to Lou & Sue.

K. Martinez said...

I remember when the criss-cross cables that held the Mad Tea Party hanging lanterns had no vine growth on them when New Fantasyland opened. In later years the vines would grow along the cables a create a natural canopy of sorts over the Mad Tea Party.

I think those structures you refer to as "medieval Fair" style are for new relocated Dumbo the Flying Elephants attraction.

Thanks Lou & Sue and Major too!

JB said...

Lou comes through again. Sue delivers the goods. And Major posts them for the whole world to see. Thanks to all!

I don't think I've seen another image quite the same as the first Monstro pic. Slightly different angle and closer to Monstro. We're looking down his gullet.

In the first Teacups pic, the ride is in motion but everything is in perfect focus. Lou must've used a fast shutter speed.

In the 2nd Teacups pic, I wonder what the girl in front of the ride operator's booth has pinned to her shirt?

Lots of colorful, wonderful fun photos today!

TokyoMagic! said...

In the photo where the male Tea Party operator is checking his nails, we can see the low construction wall that went across the entire facade for the Alice in Wonderland attraction. It would not reopen until the year after the New Fantasyland opened.

I would also like to know when Monstro was redone. I remember just going one day and it was a different Monstro (bluer and rounder), with a lower mandible and lower dentition. I prefer the older Monstro. I almost always prefer what the original Imagineers were able to create, over what the newer ones crank out, today. I wonder if it would have been that difficult to recreate the original Monstro, without redesigning him.

Thanks you for sharing, Lou, Sue and Major, too!

MIKE COZART said...

Looks like the NEW Alice In Wonderland is still being readied for its 1984 debut judging from the low lavender construction wall. It was a little sad to see old fantasyland disappear , but New Fantasyland was really beautiful and it’s design was overseen by many who worked on the 1955 Fantasyland. John Hench said “ this is what we would have built in 1955 if we had the time and MONEY”

Chuck said...

Feeling kind of foolish, but I’ve never noticed that the patterns painted on the teacups changed during the 1983 refurb and move. I also never noticed the fact the the DL cups and the WDW cups have always sported different patterns, or that my teacup mug is actually based on the WDW version of the attraction. Also, apparently you are supposed to put on socks before putting on your shoes. The Devil is in the details (and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride).

Thanks for identifying the background structures, Ken. I was going to guess it was the Fantasyland Shooting Gallery, but that didn’t sound right for some reason.

Many thanks again to Lou and his enablers!

Andrew said...

I think Monstro may be spouting water in the second-to-last pic. From videos I found, Monstro looks to have been changed between 1997 and 2000, so it was pretty recent. Thanks, Lou and Sue.

Nanook, that Mad Tea Party music makes us all do crazy things.

Bu said...

Fantasyland ‘83…that was quite a year leading up to it…lots of disappointed kiddies and adultees who couldn’t ride Dumbo…and yes, John Hench and many other Walt-Gen peoples did say that this was the Fantasyland as originally intended. It was much more spacious than before, but felt very similar…with adding Pinocchio…and eliminating the smoke cloud of “Fan 2”. When I first saw the tea cups prior to opening I thought those lanterns were just a test. Without the vines they looked barren …much better with the vines! The thatch roof is real thatch work- guys came over from the UK to do it- but the thatch is coated wire not reeds. Because it was legitimately thatched it still looks great, and the insurance companies I’m sure liked it much more. Thatch is highly flammable. The little girl has her passport pinned to her. If you look closely, others are doing the same. When passports first came out tickets were still in force. So, in order to quickly enter rides people would pin them to themselves, or tear a small slit in the top and put it on a button. Later they added a string to the top as they figured out it would be helpful to all- including the ticket takers who wouldn’t need to ask for a ticket. When ticket books went away, many people did not get the memo and continued to stick the passports on themselves. Eventually, people figured it all out. The first passport was $12- people were outraged at the price. “Why do I have to pay to go on rides? I don’t want to go on rides!” Monstro had to be crumbling if they replaced him. I don’t see them spending money on something that is almost a copy…albeit a plastic looking shiny copy. It was close to that pirate ship- perhaps it was riddled with termites too. I think more dry rot actually. The original was better and scarier looking. His eye used to blink too if I remember correctly. We Disneylanders were a little obsessed with nails. The girls didn’t get much- neutral varnish and no longer than 1/4 of an inch. Boys: nails could not extend past the tip of your finger. That’s back in the day when I got manicures, which my supervisor was very happy about. Yes…we did have nail checks. You know you’re soaking in it. Thanks Lou and Sue :)

JG said...

Lou and Sue never disappoint.

New Fantasyland is really great, if only they could have kept the Tuna Boat and Skull Rock.

Oh well.

I did a thatched roof on a hotel in Hawaii. The thatch is now plastic and a second “real” roof is needed below. Disney’s Aulani Resort uses similar stuff. The thatch material comes in styles and colors coordinated to different tropic locations, so Cuba/Caribbean is different from Tahiti, etc. I wanted to get a roll and build my own tiki bar, but Mrs. G said no. We never stop improving the world of illusion.

Why change Monstro though? They can’t go back and redo the movie, and now they don’t match. And yes, his eye used to blink, I recall that distinctly from childhood.

Thanks Major and everyone!

JG

JG said...

Chuck, Superman has similar sequence challenges.

JG

DrGoat said...

Great photos Sue. Lots of color and people.
Chuck, wait till you get in the shower with your socks still on. I did that once. It doesn't take more than once to learn to avoid that one. Unless you've been hanging around someone's backyard tiki bar too long.
JG, we had a nice little tiki bar at our former house ('81 through 2006), but I quit drinking so it didn't move with us to the new house. Now it's seltzer water and ice cream with the lizards and cactus.
Thanks Major and thanks again Sue & Lou.

DrGoat said...

PS I definitely prefer the pre 1983 tea cup designs. A lot less flowery and much simpler geometry, but it's what comes to mind when thinking about the ride.

Melissa said...

"The first passport was $12- people were outraged at the price."

I remember my Dad getting so upset at the $17 ticket price at the Magic Kingdom in 1983 that her was seriously going to turn around and take us home. Mom had to talk him down.

Lots of nice stripes and plaids in the crowd today, and one lonely babushka.

I think this is the first picture I've seen of Storybook Land cast members without hats. Did they stop being part of the costume at some point, or did folks just not wear them on days without a lot of sun?

Anonymous said...

My fsvorite pic is the first one today! It's an unusual angle and really has a "you are there" feel!
Probably my next fave is the next pic.
I like the Teacups, but my grandson made me ride them about a jillion times (albetit at WDW) and it still makes me a little ill to look at it!
Wonderful pics as always from Lou, Sue and Major too!

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I’m glad that these cast members were so vigilant about maintaining the “Disney Look”, and had clean, manicured nails at all times. I think Gramps would be reduced to mush if his Amigo rolled on to the Teacups turntable!

K. Martinez, jeez, I don’t even remember the “vines”, though I’m sure I saw them. Those lanterns look so good at night, a few have been offered at Van Eaton Galleries auctions, it would be fun to have one on the back patio. Thanks for the info on those buildings, I guess I never thought that the Dumbo ride needed buildings!

JB, Monstro’s gaping mouth is always good for a striking photo, but you’re right, this is a rather unusual angle. Because Lou was knowledgeable about photography, I’m sure it was no big deal for him to adjust to a fast, spinning ride. Unlike any photo I would have taken. The item pinned to that girl’s shirt might be an “all-day pass”, but I’m not really sure.

TokyoMagic!, yes, there is at least one upcoming photo from this lot that shows the construction wall around the Alice ride, much more clearly. In Pinocchio, Monstro is rather terrifying, and is certainly not blue. I don’t really understand why they made him more cartoony. It was probably the subject of a lot of discussion, and they made the wrong decision!

Mike Cozart, I agree, I generally think that the New Fantasyland was an improvement, though I will always miss what we lost. When you see things like Merlin’s Magic Shop, I’m sure that John Hench was telling the truth about what they would have built in ’55 if they’d been able to.

Chuck, don’t feel foolish! I miss details like that all the time. I’ve become very OK with it. The “new” teacup decorations remind me of Dixie Cups (we had a Dixie Cup dispenser in our kitchen when I was a kid). Also, if you put your socks on over your shoes, it keeps the shoes clean and in good shape for much longer. Pro tip!

Andrew, you’re right! Monstro is definitely spouting water. Does he do that anymore? Or did they remove that function when he was redone?

Major Pepperidge said...

Bu, … the smoke cloud of “Fan 2”? Gosh, amazing that they needed to bring people over from the UK to do the thatch on those buildings; back in the day, the old movie studios probably had people who could do that for set dressing (all those period dramas set in England). Thanks for the confirmation on the passport (I was drawing a blank on that word!). I used to wonder why anyone would go to Disneyland and not go on rides, but as I’ve gotten older, I can see the appeal of just soaking in the atmosphere. I mean, before the prices went sky high and before the crowds ruined everything. Yes, Monstro used to blink, it was great. Nail checks, good grief!

JG, what a world, I am going to become the “Thatch King”, and will take over the artificial roof thatch world with my ruthless cunning and business acumen. I’ll put those other guys out of business and become a millionaire. Who’s with me? Monstro was always such a thrill to see before he was neutered, as a kid I really did love his giant eyeball!

JG, Kal El is from another planet, he can be forgiven for not getting that underwear is supposed to go… UNDER.

DrGoat, ha ha, you must have been really sleepy to get in the shower with your socks on! Of course I say that, and I’ve had my glasses on without realizing it. I’m not much of a drinker, but I’ve always liked the idea of having a nice tiki bar, either in the backyard, or in the theoretically roomy basement. You need to have those rain storms every 15 minutes just like the best tiki bars do!

DrGoat, I agree with you, the old teacup designs were more playful and more “Disney”, the later ones feel a bit generic.

Melissa, I guess it’s all relative when it comes to prices; there are plenty of articles from the 1950s with people complaining about the high costs at Disneyland. Amazing that your family went all the way to Florida (from New York, presumably) and the $17 admission was enough to make your Dad almost abandon the vacation! It looks like this particular day was a bit overcast or hazy, that’s probably why there aren’t any hats.

Stu29573, I like that first one a lot too. I love that you were willing to ride the Teacups with your grandson, even though they made you green around the gills.

MIKE COZART said...

The roof “thatching” is actually a plastic type faux straw that was developed by a company in Carlsbad ,Ca. In the early 80’s they offered real and fake english style roof thatching and did several high -end housing developments . Disney first used this product at the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT CENTER.

Because of the small scale of the New Fantasyland roof lines the plastic straw thatching would not bend / lap like WED wanted it so first industrial heat guns were used to try and help in the bends. Thus worked but after awhile the faux straw would start straighten giving the Mad Hatter a “bad haircut” look. Eventually metal wires were inserted into the “straw” to help maintain the bend/ lap.

Even thought Disney didn’t created the faux straw it looks very realistic when maintained . Today, for similar structures Disney sculpts it outta a plaster concrete -“ala TOONTOWN” ..... not as realistic looking ....

"Lou and Sue" said...

Chuck, there’s another reason your cup looks different than these—no chips on these. :o)

Bu, do you know that gal in the first picture?

DrGoat, did you carve your tiki for your previous home’s bar? Or did you make it for your current house?

Good eye, Andrew, on Monsto spouting water!

Fun comments...thanks, all!

Dean Finder said...

Major, the thatch roof biz is a very regional enterprise. Going national, you'll make a mint.

I think these are the earliest pictures I've seen with electric scooters. Now you can't take a picture in the parks without one.

DrGoat said...

Sue,
I carved it after we moved. The tiki bar at the old house consisted of some lights in those paper lanterns hung around, some comfortable chairs and a great view of the desert. A box of those little paper umbrellas and the proper ingredients for making Mai Tai's. Plus everyone had to keep an eye out for Javalina, rattlesnakes and scorpions. They liked to party too.

Chuck said...

Sue, good memory! It’s funny - I picked my mug up off the kitchen shelf this morning to take it back to the office, then looked at the chips and decided I didn’t want to risk any more. It’s back on the shelf.

DrGoat, "These fellows go by many names - javelinas, peccaries - but their real name is trouble." - The Living Desert, Walt Disney Productions, 1953.

JG said...

Dr. Goat, I have an umbrella in my drink right now, but no varmints or thatch.

This has been a fun thread. Thanks everyone.

JG

Melissa said...

I always wondered why more thatched roofs in England didn’t catch fire until I went there. Shakespeare wasn’t being metaphorical when he wrote, “The rain it raineth every day.”

"Lou and Sue" said...

I just took one last look at the 2nd picture and couldn’t help but notice two things.... the tiny, collapsible stroller (boy, have things changed!)...and the guy standing up in the boat, with his back to us, with the white shirt and tan shorts — those shorts don’t look very comfortable. :oD

Thanks, all...fun day!