A Random Pair
Snoozer Sunday! You know it, you love it.
From July, 1961 comes this photo looking north toward Sleeping Beauty Castle. The "atmosphere" (as I will charitably call it) makes it look even farther away than usual. It's hard to see, but to the left is a sign for the Monorail, possibly due to the fact that it now took guests all the way to the Disneyland Hotel and back (as of June of '61), making it a real transportation system instead of just a ride.
In spite of the snoozy quality of this image, I would still give anything to be able to stroll down that street, wave at the Omnibus driver, and experience the park as it was then.
Way back in February, we saw Cindy (a groovy gal) in Disneyland, circa 1971. Here's one additional photo from that batch - there's Cindy in her purple top with red sleeves, and dark purple pants. Where are you today, Cindy? The restaurant with the yellow umbrellas is the River Belle Terrace, which had changed names from Aunt Jemima's Kitchen just the year before this photo was taken.
22 comments:
The Matterhorn is saying, "Peek-a-boo, I see you!" in that second photo. I don't think I realized that it was visible, from that spot in the park. I'll have to go check Google "street view" and see if it is still visible, today.
- Thankful Magic!
Major-
To heck with Cindy, my money's on the gal just in front of her with the groovy striped flared pants and the floppy hat. And then there's that gentleman to her right with his stripy pants. (Now, just where did I put my stack of flared, striped pants-?)
Thanks, Major.
Tokyo! (Thankful Magic!), Good eye, spotting the Matterhorn. I never would have seen it.
Some GDBers count trashcans (I only see 4 in the first image). But I count guests with stripy pants. In the 2nd image: "One stripy pants! Two stripy pants!... Two pairs of stripy pants!" The lady's pants look better than the striped pants on the guy to the right. He seems a little old for that particular fashion; like he's trying too hard to be hip. (Nanook beat me to it as I was typing.)
Thanks Major.
- Joyous Bounty (the spirit of Thanksgiving)
TM!, I didn’t notice the Matterhorn. You do have great eyes, Tofu Make-believe-turkey!
I don’t recall ever owning any striped pants...I feel left out. I did have bell bottoms and palazzo pants, though.
- Lou and Sue and Turkey Cordon Bleu
That's a big tree next to the River Belle Terrace I wonder if it's still there? Thanks, Major.
It never occurred to me before that there weren’t any visible ticket booths on Main Street, but we have a sign here helping explain why - they were hidden inside buildings. I just took a look at 1965 and 1976 INA guides, and while the Penny Arcade is no longer listed as a ticket booth location, in ‘65 there was another one in the Opera House, and of course there was always one in the Main Street DL&SFRR (just DLRR by ‘76) depot.
I got to thinking about the “why” of this obviously conscious decision. While an operational necessity, a ticket booth out in the middle of the street doesn’t make any more thematic sense in Frontierland or Adventureland than it does on Main Street (Fantasyland is a fair, so I can give ticket booths a pass there, and for all I know there will be ticket booths everywhere in the far-off future of 1986). I think it has to do with Main Street’s function as the “first act” of the Disneyland show and an all-out effort to make Disneyland feel absolutely nothing like any amusement park or carnival the guest has ever experienced before. The argument can also be made that this is tied to Main Street’s evocation of an idealized version of Walt’s boyhood memories, and Marceline didn’t have a ticket booth. Finally, from a practical sense, because of Main Street’s layout and the fact that the streets are actually used for wheeled traffic, there are very few places you could put a freestanding ticket booth without it causing problems, and those spots seem to have been occupied by souvenir stands instead.
Another “new” detail (along with Ken’s Matterhorn sighting). Thanks, Major!
If we can't see the Matterhorn from this spot anymore, does that confirm it's sinking?
I'm glad that I would've been able to stock up on 'A' tickets inside the Penny Arcade so I could ride each Main St. Vehicle multiple times. I've always wondered why they didn't wedge a tiny ticket booth into the area where the Horse-Drawn Streetcar track separates into two. Seems like the perfect central location to me...
Andrew, ha, ha! It's sinking, and tilting.....just like that tower in Pisa, Italy!
Ken, the tree closest to us (in Major's vintage pic), is now gone. I guess that should not be a surprise to us. However, the trees beyond it, which are closer to the Stage Door Cafe and Golden Horseshoe are still standing. It does look like they planted two newer trees at some point, in or near the location of the tree that was removed.
The Matterhorn is still visible from New Orleans Square, but I believe the POTC bridge is in the spot, where this photographer stood in 1971. So you have to move to the left of where he or she was standing, and also back just a little bit:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8114707,-117.9209839,3a,43.3y,90.24h,91.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDz__D09KfYNKkt-RsBUSiQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
JB, and Lou and Sue, I like your names for today! And the "Tofu" one for me...thanks, Sue! Maybe I won't give up on the holiday names just yet. JB, since you started the tradition, you should come up with a themed name everyday, all year long! ;-)
The weird thing about Cindy (and her companion, Mr. Ill-Advised Stripey Pants) is that they seem to always look rather put upon. Although in this new shot they could be grinning ear to ear, something about their stride suggests against it. Also note how the other folks (including Much More Advised Stripey Pant Girl) are looking at them. I have a feeling there's a story here, and I'm not sure I want to know it.
I don't think I'd want to hang out with these folks. Bad vibes.
I had stripey pants too during this era. Even though I was teased at the time, I was grateful to have a somewhat new pair of trousers. 4 kids, not so much $$, our wardrobe choices were slim. I totally forgot about that ticket booth inside the Penny Arcade. I worked there twice-it was the change booth- and after tickets went bye bye it was exclusively a change booth, but still staffed by ticket sellers- or was it Main St. merchandise...it is fuzzy- I did both...who knows... You gave change to those needing coins for the arcade games...lots of pennies......and also for the REAL excitement...you counted Esmeralda cards in bunches of 25's. For those of you who don't remember Esmeralda- she was the mechanical fortune teller at the front of the Penny Arcade. Well...she was in the front back then, who knows where she is now. I remember that I was (strangely) a little put off that the Esmeralda cards were not as "magic and mystical" as they were to the guest receiving them...including myself. I was quite disappointed to find out that some random ticket seller (or merch person?) was just lumping them together in groups of 25- I guess that is how they fit into the machine...we didn't put them in the machine...that was someone else...I never used the machine after that day in 1984. I still feel uneasy about those cards...perhaps it was because it was .25 for an Esmeralda card...and only a penny to see a flip card movie (which seemed much more entertaining.) Certainly, the Esmeralda cards were not a huge investment to buy...so the ROI on the .25 must have been significant. I still have a hard time imagining the tutti fruity Castle of 2021...it looks so etherial back there. There is a story about how John Hench lamented about the muted colors and wanted something more dynamic but it was nixed by Walt. Legend? I'm not sure, but it was always exciting to see the "Wonderful World of Color" version of the NIGHTIME lighted version of the castle is a colorful display. THAT seems OK for me...daytime...hmmm...seems they are "dumbing down" colors in an unsophisticated way for the masses who need to be assaulted by a bright oversaturated cartoon-like design ethos. The strict line-up of trashcans is commendable in this photo. You can see that they do not go into the line of the curb. I love stuff like that...precisely thought out...especially when you have to train entry level sweepers to put them EXACTLY the way they should be. The Riverbelle Terrace was my favorite breakfast spot. When everyone was racing and dashing to the Matterhorn or whatever to be first in line, a simple stroll through Adventureland to get something to eat was so much nicer to me- and was always so quiet on the terrace before the throngs came to the Westside. Was not a huge fan of those Mickey pancakes...they used the frilly toothpicks to put on the fruit then stuck them in the pancake as mouse whiskers. Mickey didn't have whiskers. It disturbed me. I was a weird kid. I do remember that tree. It was a wee messy. Leaves and seeds all over- but very nice shade and a beautiful tree.
That first picture is pretty perfect, even with only four trash cans.
Chuck, thank you for solving the ticket booth mystery. I’m sure I bought tickets at some point in some visit, but I can’t recall any for certain.
Agreed, there is an odd vibe in photo 2, grumpy Dad walking with his two daughters, maybe they were arguing, he wants to go to Tom Sawyer’s Island, and the girls want to ride Mark Twain. Mom is hurrying to keep up. Then Older Daughter stops to gawk at Cindy’s photographer, who is probably fairly vogue.
However, apart from the sartorial offenses, there is much to like. The Matterhorn for one, and the busy, buzzy Esplanade terminating in the bright magenta bougainvillea.
Hopefully, the Matterhorn will not mimic Millennium Tower.
Thanks Major, great stuff.
JG
TokyoMagic! Thanks for the confirmation on that tree next the River Belle Terrace. I figured it might be gone by now.
I love a good 70s photo line up. The far out and solid and right on 70s. Fashion faux pas in every pixel. I also like to spot time travelers, like on Youtube. Let's face it, if you are time traveling to the past to visit Disneyland, you couldn't pick a better time. Everything was still intact, and you didn't have to rob a bank to spend the day in the park. Groovy. Thanks to Major for making my morning, once again.
TokyoMagic!, good eye, I didn’t notice the Matterhorn! I’d be curious to know if it is still visible, there might be trees in the way nowadays.
Nanook, ya gotta love a floppy hat, but I guess in Cindy’s case I like her color sense. Plus she reminds me of somebody I know personally!
JB, I think it’s time that we ALL wore more stripes, that way when we are on the veldt we will blend in with the tall grass and lions won’t eat us. Always a concern. You might be right about the older gent trying to be hip, but hey, nobody wants to admit that they are old, so I can forgive it.
Lou and Sue, “Tofu Make-believe-turkey!”?? Why that’s even worse than a JIVE turkey! What are palazzo pants?
K. Martinez, I’m the wrong person to ask about things like trees, but I’ll bet TokyoMagic! will know the answer to your question.
Chuck, I know we’ve seen at least one photo in which there is a sandwich board outside the Penny Arcade telling folks that they can buy tickets inside. It’s a bit more obtrusive, since folks have to walk around it, but I’m sure it was just a temporary measure. It makes total sense to not have a ticket booth on a turn of the century Main Street - as you said, it was Walt’s idealized vision of a prosperous midwestern small town. Now I don’t know if the powers that be would even care. Put it right there, and maybe make it shaped like R2-D2. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing a new detail!
Andrew, oh it’s sinking alright. Some people say it isn’t, but WE know the truth. The funny thing about your comment about stocking up on “A” tickets is that for a long time it was technically possible - I’m sure you’ve seen those little tickets that were on large roll. Somebody must have bought “A” tickets! As for putting a little ticket booth in the middle of Main Street, I think Disney is probably trying to reach you to hire you.
TokyoMagic!, there’s a tower in Pisa? Nobody told me. How about the Millennium Tower in San Francisco, so shoddily built that it might actually have to be torn down? I knew you would know about that tree! No surprise that that beautiful tree is gone, how can folks watch Fantasmic with that dumb tree in the way? Wow I would have never guessed that the “Pirates” bridge was wear the photographer was standing in 1971, very interesting. I’m glad I gave up on holiday nicknames, it’s too much pressure.
Stu29573, aw, don’t be too hard on those people, I imagine that if somebody randomly took our photo during the day, we might not necessarily be smiling. The group might have just left a restaurant, or perhaps they are exploring New Orleans Square for the first time. I’m going to cut them some slack!
Bu, I had at least one pair of stripey pants that I loved, it had very fine multicolored stripes, I remember when they got a hole in the knee, I was very distressed. My family had 4 kids too, on a Navy salary, so we were not necessarily up on the latest fashions. We often got cheap sneakers at the beginning of the school year at some sort of discount shoe store, but I didn’t care, they were still new shoes. My mom would take us to a beauty college to get our hair cut, sometimes with disastrous results, ha ha. As far as I know, Esmerelda is still there, handing out cards to guests. I doubt it still only costs 25 cents. Maybe 5 dollars? There are articles with John Hench talking about color theory, and it seems hard to believe that he would be all in on the bright cartoony colors, but if so, maybe that’s where Miss Kim gets her aesthetic sense. You can tell that somebody is a frequent visitor to the park when they are willing to take a casual stroll to a restaurant! I didn’t get to go that often (most of the time), so when I did go, it was always a race to try to fit in as many things as possible, and time for meals was minimized.
JG, the only time I remember buying extra tickets (actually a whole extra ticket book) was from a booth in Fantasyland. Funny, I don’t get the bad vibes from that family that you and Stu get, maybe I’m not picking up on some clues. Ha ha, you and I both mentioned the Millennium Tower!
K, Martinez, yes, I’m not surprised at all that the tree is gone, I really do bet that it blocked some Fantasmic views.
Jonathan, I have definitely come to appreciate the ‘70s (especially the early ‘70s) a lot more than I did previously. I don’t see any obvious time travelers here, do you? No cell phones or phasers (set to “stun” I hope).
That is quite the stinkeye that Lady Stripely-Flopply appears to be giving our Cindy! I'm sure t's just how the camera happened to catch the angle of her face at that moment, but it's funny how it turned out.
I don't care how many fancy trash cans tell me to; I'm not going to start wasting paper.
Talking about how the camera captures one moment brought back a memory of an episode of All in the Family, and I just had to go and watch the scene again. Edith is looking at pictures that a friend of Mike and Gloria's brought back from a trip to England, and she says:
"Oh, I like snapshots! I always like to think about everybody standin' there in them. You know, frozen like? And then the next minute, after the picture has been snapped, they're all off and movin' again! I like to think about who they are, and where they're goin' right after the picture is snapped."
Later, seeing a picture of Big Ben, she adds:
"Oh, my, you can almost hear it chime! Look, it's four o' clock. And one minute later, after the picture was snapped. the hands were movin' again and it was one minute after four!"
It's played as Edith being silly, but I think it's absolutely profound, and it sums up so much of what I love about "Vintage People" pictures.
@ Melissa-
Ain't it the truth-!
"What time is it-? It's eight minutes past five. And when you ask again a minute from now, it will be nine minutes past five..."
Tokyo!, "JB, since you started the tradition, you should come up with a themed name everyday, all year long!"
GAHhhhhHHhHhhHhhh!!1!!!
What are palazzo pants?
Major, they're pants with legs that are flared from top to bottom.
HERE'S a good example of a groovy pair.
Melissa, I thought that Miss Stripey Pants was just looking at the photographer. But again, I could be wrong!
Melissa, I don’t remember that episode of “All in the Family”, but I definitely have had the same thoughts as Edith! I assume that Archie rolled his eyes when listening to Edith’s observations.
Nanook, but what if I ask what time it is in FIVE minutes??
JB, you have only yourself to blame.
Lou and Sue, interesting! Not quite “harem pants”, but related?
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