Two Randos!
Today I have two randos, aka "leftuggies" for you. And who doesn't like a nice leftuggie once in a while? Revenge is a dish best served cold, and some would say, "Pizza as well".
We'll begin with this December, 1977 view from the Monorail platform, as "Old Blue" comes scootin' in from outer space or wherever the heck it goes. It looks so tiny! Have any of you noticed that things look smaller when they're far away? I might be the first, in which case you can call it "The Pepperidge Effect" (with the sound of kettledrums as you say it). We need to decide whether we want to wait a little longer in order to sit in the nosecone, or just board like a schlub and take our chances.
Two completely empty PeopleMover trains leave me wondering why more guests aren't riding that attraction. Notice that two servicemen are admiring one of Disneyland's nuclear (pronounced "new-kew-lar") subs as it skates by (get it?).
Next, from November 1970, is this photo of a trio hanging out in New Orleans Square. "You know what? It feels good to be on Royal Street!", the lady says to her friend. She's about to issue some decrees, and wishes she had a little tiara. Just behind them is the Creole Cafe, where they probably just enjoyed food that one might encounter in The Crescent City. Those street lamps became a sort of symbol for all of NOS itself, as you might see on matchbooks and other paraphernalia. This photo allows us to appreciate the beautiful cast iron ornamentation. Whoever lives in that upstairs apartment sure likes potted plants.
18 comments:
Major-
"She's about to issue some decrees, and wishes she had a little tiara". A tiara feels so lonely without a sash, I always say. I have at least two complete sets in my wardrobe. (Well, you never know when I might be called-upon to christen a ship...)
Thanks, Major.
I love that first pic. I think it was taken in the sixties, since there aren't any "safety" railings around the individual PeopleMover cars. Also, the Monorail station looks to be the original one, before it's remodel.
Is someone standing up in that red Skyway gondola?
- Tokyo Mystifying!
Nanook, I hope you have a scepter, too!
Major, your mom dishes up some tasty and interesting leftuggies. In the first pic, there are 4 modes of transportation visible, not counting walking, strollers, and speed ramps: Submarine, Monorail, PeopleMover, and Skyway. And a possible 5th, at the base of the Matterhorn, at the edge of the alpine 'lawn', looks like possibly a Bobsled. Or maybe it's someone pushing a stroller. Or maybe someone riding a lawnmower; I can't tell.
And hey! Danged if you aren't right about the Pepperidge Effect. I just looked out the window at a street light and, waddayaknow, it looks like it's only about an eighth of an inch across. Mind... Blown!!
Tokyo Mystifying! & Nanook, Don't forget the gown, the long-stem roses, and the heels... gotta have the high heels!
- Jubjub Bird (Beware it when the Jabberwock comes whiffling through the tulgey wood.)
TOKYO is correct .... that cool first image has to be from 1967 or early 1968. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shot like that with the original station looking towards the circle vision building of 1967 with PeopleMovers.
It’s sad how New Orleans Square has lost so much of it look and details that made it so authentic looking. Historic type windows and doors giving way to modern giant opening viewing windows for Club 33 members....... the horse hitching post details torn out .... shop windows removed and plastered up ..... intimate nooks and courtyards blocked or covered up. Last week I noticed how badly done the upper windows and doors were done to the second floors of the French Market building block.... like a factory outlet mall. Obviously dove without any consideration to what WED imagineers had accomplished. I hate to say it .... but A good deal of current Walt Disney Imagineers need to be removed and maybe hired back when they learn some things and get done design experience because they are BLOWING IT BIG TIME!! Walt and the original imagineers would be ashamed and disgusted with the things that they are destroying. Disney itself is ruining EVERYTHING!!
Note the trash can on the Monorail station platform. I don’t know the official name of the design, but I have always thought of them as “astronaut trash cans.” Since I was a little kid, the shiny, rectangular door against the white, rounded top has always made me think of the reflective faceplates on spacesuit helmets. In my mind, that’s perfect theming for Tomorrowland.
Since this is New Orleans, we should probably add a mardi gras mask to that ceremonial regalia. It wouldn’t be official without it.
JB, I live in absolute terror of the sound of burbling.
Mike, ugh. Are they even using WDI for stuff like that anymore or just sending the maintenance guys down to Home Depot? Or are there executives who don’t have a design background inserting themselves into the process and changing things between design and execution, or restricting budgets so severely that there really is no other option than to cheap out?
I like to think pic 1 was taken first think in the morning. A fun day at Disneyland has just started! Yay!!!
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
I'm pretty sure the guy on the left in the NOS pic is drunk. I've seen enough old movies to know that if you hang on to a lamp post you are either drunk, or going into a musical number. Rain in preferred for the second instance, and I don't see any here. Just sayin'.
Nice Leftuggies!
The first pic has something else that was missed, that's a Mark II (four car) Monorail. The Mark II was retired in 69, the Mark III had five cars.
@ MIKE-
Be careful what you wish for... LOOK HERE for just one of many articles detailing all the "exciting changes" in store for Imagineering-!
@ Chuck-
That 'dome top' trash can is still very much available for purchase. "A design classic", as it's described - and as a bonus 'Dog Proof'. (Undoubtedly, a selling point at Disney parks-!)
I suspect a great deal of the present-day Imagineering "designs" are 'inspired' by 'The Suits', rather than those who understand design, etc.
Nanook, you make a good point, though nobody makes a sash look as good as Mayor Quimby!
TokyoMagic!, hmmm, I wonder why I labeled that first one as being from 1977? Probably a mistake. I make a lot of ‘em! You’re right, the lack of safety railings on the Peoplemover is significant. I can’t tell if that one person is standing or not, but they DO look strangely tall.
TokyoMagic!, what about those elbow-length white gloves?
JB, let us never refer to strollers as “modes of transportation”! It’s technically true of course, but the less said about them, the better. Of course I just wrote a post (which you won’t see for many months) where I gripe about strollers. Something to look forward to? I’d like to believe that we are seeing a bobsled in that first photo, but I can’t say for sure. I’m very happy to be the discoverer of The Pepperidge Effect, and am looking forward to the money that will surely be rolling in - any minute now.
Mike Cozart, I have to wonder if some of the Imagineers themselves object to some of those terrible changes? “Just add bigger windows and shut up. Or we’ll let you go and have somebody else do it!”. I wouldn’t put it past the brass at Disney these days. Gotta make the wealthy clientele happy. It’s the classic “death by 1000 cuts”, every little detail that is altered or removed might not seem that significant by itself, but when they are added up, the effect is catastrophic. Oh well, most of the fans of the park don’t notice those details anyway, they just want brighter colors and more glitter. Or so it seems, anyway.
Chuck, that trash can has a definite R2-D2 vibe to it. I don’t think I ever gave those cans enough thought to connect them to astronauts! You were a much more creative and observant kid than I was. I was just listening to some sound effects from the Yellowstone National Park Sound Library, stay away if you hate the sound of burbling! I hate to besmirch the current Imagineers as a group, but admit that there have been some real bad decisions made in so many cases.
Stu29573, it looks to me like the sun was already in the western part of the sky, though it was still very high. I think it was afternoon, but could be wrong. I’m choosing to believe that the man hanging on to the lamppost had a heart full of song, but that’s just me.
MRaymond, MORE PROOF! If I knew where the heck that original slide was, I’d dig it out and take a look. But I’m lazy.
Nanook, my heart goes out to the Imagineers who are being forced to pull up stakes and move to Florida. I’m sure many will comply. Disney of course wants to make it seem as if they are making the change for the employees, which we all know is complete BS. If it doesn’t benefit the company, it won’t be done. I’m tempted to contact one Imagineer who I am friendly with, though I also feel like it’s none of my damn business.
Major-
I don't believe the expression Death by 1,000 cuts has been used to better effect than when describing what has happened to the Magic Kingdoms at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It was bad enough when employed to accommodate the ever-increasing crowds; but now that it's been applied to 'price gouge' at every turn, thus creating an experience few can now afford, regrettably one wonders what will be left in the future.
I'm late to the comments today, but I do very much like both of these.
Chuck, I want an astronaut trash can, and now, Nanook, I know how to get one.
I wonder if that street lamp would take root if it were planted in Narnia?
JG
Nanook, I can't help wondering if some 10 year-old kid will look back on the Disneyland of today with the same wistful fondness that we do for the Disneyland of 25 or 30 years ago (or longer)? The price gouging is no surprise really, but that doesn't make it any less bitter.
JG, uh oh, you're one of those trash can counters! And now you want to OWN one! You've gone mad, I tell you, MAD! I wish I remember those C.S. Lewis books better, but I haven't read any of them since I was a small child. Was there a street lamp that took root?
Also late to the party....I think that trash can is called "Bullet"...at least that is what we called them when I worked for a housewares company in the 90's. Super cool design, you can still buy them...and they aren't cheap. Very distressing to hear about New Orleans Square with sealed up windows, and altered architecture. I try not to watch any current video of the park...also very distressing...with very thought out, but very ill conceived colorways and designs...like a Pantone book exploded and the colors just landed wherever they landed. It was always very nostalgic to see servicemen/women in their groups going on rides and giggling/having fun. It was such a common sight before I started working there, and still kind of common when I worked there. The same thing with nuns. I am a huge fan of nun movies! Check out "Nuns on the Run" ...it's brilliant. The "Pepperidge Effect" for me is a lovely white bag filled with things called "Milano Cookies". Pepperidge Farm is/was an actual place named after the Pepperidge Tree that was on it, also known as a Black Tupelo tree- which is very showy in Fall up here. I always waited for to be seated in the cone on the Monorail. It is a VERY different experience than sitting back in steerage. A couple of times I sat up in the "upper cone"...which I am sure has a very specific name that I don't recall. That is where you got to chat with the Retlaw pilot who was always very friendly. It is strange to see the PeopleMover without rails. Does everything need rails now? If we ever got hurt from doing something stupid as kids it was always a "guess you should have been more careful!" or "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about!". It was never a situation that lawyers got involved in. I looked up "Leftuggie" in the Urban Dictionary. It wasn't in there. I can speculate. Thanks for today's leftuggies.
At WDI I had to work on many projects that up front sounded great but as the design process went on got bad ..... and sometimes REALLY BAD!! Walt Disney World’s new Frontierland and New Liberty Square .... Shanghai Disneyland’s International Street started off amazing ..... then was reworked to Disney’s International Street .... then Mickey’s Toon Main Street ( and several versions of that ) and then being pooped out as it was built Mickey’s “ what the hell is this ?” Avenue. I went on to other projects in the early phases of Mickey’s Main Street .... but got to witness a good deal of its concept decay. Whether it’s the proposal of an Imagineer or a design solution to a park operational problem or request can still be well done and designed - even on a simple budget ... and that’s the job of Imagineering.... certainly the design decay of Imagineering is a poorly designed solution to something the park requested .... and in that case.... is another modern example of Walt Disney Imagineering ( the professional designer) failing one the solution result. Offset windows .... Lowe’s flicker-flame house porch lights and plexi-skylight material as stained glass is something a high school junior Imagineer would come up with .... definitely the product of someone who studied West Hollywood’s Grove and not American 19th century pre-civil war coastal port city architecture and detail elements.
Another sign an Imagineer or designer is under educated is when they call a Railroad Tunnel a CAVE ..... or a Horse Drawn Hearse a STAGECOACH .... lol.
A little research and reading goes a long way in design .....
Bu, yes I believe I have heard that those trash cans were called “bullet” cans too. Maybe it’s just a nickname? It’s probably just as well to avoid news of what’s going on at the park, if you love its history. I always wonder how they manage to do a “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour, when less and less Walt is in the park every year? I guess they just concentrate on Main Street, a bit of Fantasyland (though they will have to fudge it), and New Orleans Square. Nun movies, hmmm? I prefer “women in prison” movies, but hey, to each his/her own!! I am not named after a mere cookie! Or am I? You haven’t been on GDB long enough to know that “leftuggie” was a term my mom used when she served us leftovers. So when I post leftuggies, they are usually slides that are either the last remaining slides from a lot, or orphan slides that have no brethren. And sadly, yes, everything needs rails now, because people aren’t so smart.
Mike Cozart, I’m sure your recollections about observing the “de-evolution” of certain projects at Disneyland is not uncommon. How often have we seen incredible concept artwork for a project, only to see the final product using 10% of the great ideas? I realize that a lot of this is due to cost, but I do think that there is often a lack strong art direction. What do I know?? Nothing. And as we’ve speculated, there is the interference by the “suits”, and marketing, and other forces that don’t necessarily want the greatest ride or area, but rather they want a place that will sell more churros and plush dolls. Funny you should mention the plexi skylight material used as stained glass, I did a project in school using that, dyed with transparent plastic paints! Yes, even I wouldn’t call a RR tunnel a cave. Maybe I’m a genius?!
Is someone standing up in that red Skyway gondola?
TM! That kid's sitting on the outer edge of the gondola, I think!
Last week I noticed how badly done the upper windows and doors were done to the second floors of the French Market building block.
Mike, were you in Disneyland last week? If yes, "TRIP REPORT!"
JB (Joyful Batfish), I, too, noticed the multiple modes of transportation - but, even more so, that this little slice-of-Disneyland-photo represents 5 major Disneyland attractions. It's so cool how everything overlaps and fits together.
Major, does your mom know you made her famous for inventing "Leftuggies"? And for throwing that loaf of bread at you? ;o)
I worked New Orleans merchandise in the late 70s. I came in on a Friday evening to work a private party and was shocked to see all the gas lamps in New Orleans Square were lit. All the street lamps and all the sconces in the courtyards. I always assumed they were just for looks and nonfunctional. I later learned that during the energy crunch in the early 70s, all the gas effects in the park such as tiki torches and gas lamps were turned off. As to why they were on that one night, I was told there was a special event up in Club 33 and that all the brass from the studio was down. New Orleans Square was always a very special place to work, but that one night it was extra magical. It was the one and only time I ever saw the street lamps lit.
Post a Comment