Today I am happy to present another installment of beautiful photos from the Magic Kingdom, from 1972 when Walt Disney World had only been open about a year. These are from Lou and Sue, so you know they'll be good!
First up is this view of the Crystal Palace; it's one of many WDW features that I only know from photos; until now I didn't really know what function the Palace served - though I figured it was probably a restaurant. It bears a family resemblance to Disneyland's Plaza Inn. It also reminds me of some of the grand structures that one might have seen at the 1893 Colombian Exposition (the "White City").
Ah, the Flower Market. How many pictures have we seen of its Disneyland counterpart? At least six. I believe that the MK version was on East Center Street. The larger scale of this Main Street is apparent. Part of me wishes that things were a bit "grunged up" so that it didn't feel quite so antiseptic, but that's not the Disney way, is it?
Sweepers! So many of them. Maybe they are androids, a lá "Westworld"? Litter didn't have a chance. Do sweepers still use those push-cart trash cans? Meanwhile, the Emporium was almost certainly a good place to find some grade-A merchandise.
Presumably Lou (with his photographer's eye) was quite impressed by the elaborate ornamentation seen here. And it was all made from toothpicks and popsicle sticks! Just like in the 1890s. I'll bet that fellow with the Aloha shirt was from out of town.
Here's a building that is entirely unfamiliar to me! There's a sign for guided tours, but does that building have a name? I honestly don't know!
There are more pictures from this batch, coming up. MANY THANKS to Lou and Sue, as always!
That vista of The Crystal Palace and the flower gardens show that WED Imagineers knew exactly what they were doing and were well trained. I think like Disneyland , the Walt Disney World flower market started out on West Center Street .... it being a part of the GREENHOUSE shop next to the original West Center Street Harmonia Barbershop. I don’t think the plants - ferns were a specialty- did very well and while the shop signage remained , the actual shop was closed off to guests and the flower market ended up relocating to East Center Street.
ReplyDeleteThat building with the guided tours sign is to the left of City Hall and like Disneyland’s equipment was also themed to a Police Department. Today the building is themed to a Main Street Merchants Association and is decorated with themed advertising for actual Main Street shops and businesses and some are just larger versions of the merchant advertising placards currently on the Main Street Omnibus.
Can’t wait to see more of Lou’s “time capsules”!!!
Equipment = equivalent
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDeleteYes, the Crystal Palace served [and continues to serve] food - actually "crystal chandeliers dipped in pancake batter-!". (Sorry for the reference to the old Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid commercial).
That 'mystery building' is none other than Main Street City Hall, in a location that would be familiar to you.
Thanks to Lou & Sue.
Leave it to Lou to give us a field of marigolds to feast our eyes on in addition to the Crystal Palace. He always manages to 'plus' his pictures!
ReplyDeleteIn the Flower Market photo, I see they also have some luscious green and purple plastic grapes for sale. I'm sure they're super sweet and juicy, too! My mom always had a wooden bowl of faux grapes back in the 1950s thru '60s: black ones, red ones, and green ones; along with other fake fruits. I remember playing with them... somehow. Not sure what. I think I pulled the grapes off the vine and put them back on(?) Kids didn't have iPhones back then... or video games... or computers. Just fake grapes.
I think I'll go there and have my hands laundered, Chinese-style.
I like how the upper parts of the shops are sorta misty-looking. Must be a little foggy.
In the Sweeper photo, there's a story here somewhere. The Sweeper with the cart has what appears to be an aerosol can in his hand. The two sweepers on the left are watching him. Maybe the aerosol guy is in training and the other two are making sure he's doing things correctly. The Sweeper on the extreme right might also be a trainee. Other than that, I have no idea why there would be so many Sweepers in the same area.
The toothpicks and popsicle sticks (one of the Cowsills biggest hits) were held together with mucilage glue. That clear amber-colored stuff with the rubber tip applicator that was always sealed shut with dried glue so nothing would come out.
Thanks for the additional WDW info, Mike.
Nanook, ah yes, the Monte Crystal Sandwich; delish!
Thanks again to Lou and Sue and Major.
These are wonderful early shots of WDW's Main Street!
ReplyDeleteWe can see some figures in the windows of the Emporium, and also some signage. I wish we could tell exactly which Disney film was being represented in the windows. Could it be "Bedknobs and Broomsticks?"
Here's a "current" view of that one building, and it's relationship to City Hall, next door. There's a "Chamber of Commerce" sign over the door, but there also appears to be a "Package Pick-up" sign in front of the building. I'm assuming that's where guest's purchases go, when they don't want to carry them around all day.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4165975,-81.5814407,3a,75.1y,281.54h,105.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shFracxbmxqBJweJNgcFFxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Thank you so much, Lou, Sue, and the Major, too!
@ JB-
ReplyDeleteI'm going to guess that spray can may be a can of Freeze Mist, for ease in removing chewing gum from the sidewalks, etc. (Or, maybe it's merely a can of Lemon Pledge).
This photo reminds me of why I became fascinated by the Crystal Palace on my first visit in 1979. I think the leftmost part of the “Hub Moat” visible in this photo has been filled in with a fireworks viewing area. At least the whole moat isn’t gone.
ReplyDeleteI was past my 26th birthday before I noticed one of the most obvious omissions that distinguishes Main Street from the “gritty realism” you’d find on an actual small town Main Street - there are no utility poles.
I can tell you the signage on the Emporium brought me great relief when I first saw it. It’s a comfort to know there’s a place in the Magic Kingdom where you can buy dry toys.
Mike, I’m curious what year the Flower Market moved across the street. The 1982 guide still shows it on W. Center. Based on your description, it sounds like it moved before W. Center was filled in (an event of which I do not speak).
JB, they had all gathered for the daily Sweepstakes (must be present to win).
TM!, thanks for that link. I think Package Pickup at one time was located to the right of the Fire Station and Car Barn. Good to see the Car Barn doors open in that view…and that there are no idiot cast members hovering about, verbally harassing and actively preventing guests from taking pictures through the open door like happened on my 1997 visit.
Nanook, “Freeze Mist”…is that any relation to “Space Mist?”
Thanks again, Lou! These are fantastic, as always.
Ah, the Magic Kingdom as it was meant to be and how I always prefer to remember it. That photo of the Crystal Palace is particularly good. And it shows just how well the imagineers handled the tricky transition from Main Street to Adventureland at WDW. Thanks Major and Sue & Lou.
ReplyDeleteNow, this is the Main Street of my childhood! Before the Emporium grew like a fungus to eat up most of that side of the street.
ReplyDeleteThat Aloha shirt is pretty sweet, but I think today’s Vintage People Fashion Award goes to the gent in the pink and red color blocked outfit on the far left of the fourth picture. My gut feeling tells me that some sartorial Dr. Frankenstein made that at home out of the remains of one pink and one red outfit.
I could be misremembering, because I only availed myself of the service once, but I believe the building in the last picture is also where you could go to collect souvenirs you’d bought throughout the day and had held for you, so you didn’t have to carry them around with you.
Pretty sharp photos today, I’m liking the details on these buildings. For some reason WDW Main Street always seemed out-of-proportion to me, but in these Pics, it looks fine.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lou and Sue, and the Major too.
JB, here’s another vote for dismembering plastic grapes. Mom had purple-black, green, and red ones in a balance scale on the TV. I think those scales were a thing too, since I see similar ones in charity shops now.
Well, back to Lawrence Welk on YouTube.
JG
Never been to WDW but it looks great. I'm an Anaheim snob I guess. Going to Florida was never on my list.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, you are right about the Frankensuit that guy is sporting. Besides that is a decidedly cheesy Aloha shirt. I'm intrigued by the hat between Aloha guy and Tex and son.
Sue, I think Dinny would be a good name for the Dino-head rock outcropping. Ally Oop named him so we'll keep to tradition.
Thanks Major and commenters all.
Sweepers defy the passing of time. I'm sure that "sweeper look" remains today. There's even a way that you stand and hold yourself. The very specific bucket with wheels is for horses, and the messes they leave. Like small kiddies, they go when they need to go. You can see the shovel handle sticking out of the bucket. In some parade photos you will see these same bucket things behind troops of horses...as even in parades: they just go when they go. In my very short sweeper stint I did not have to pick up behind a horse. I forget what that spray can stuff was...it wasn't disinfectant. Gum was always an issue. I don't remember spraying it, but do remember scraping it with a rather crude instrument of razor blade + stick. Don't cut yourself...that is another shot with Priscilla in First Aid. I'm afraid to look to see if the Crystal Palace has left the building with Elvis and "If you had wings"...I was very impressed at a kid with that building- so very fancy. I don't remember it as an adult. I'm headed to Orlando next month...do I dare? It seems that the most difficult part of entering any park today would be just GETTING into it...after then it becomes even more hellacious...will have to think about that one. There are a couple of Tour Guides sitting there "Waiting for Godot" it seems. That was also a look, crossed legs and arms folded. There is a Mad Magazine in the 80's that had this same look immortalized with Tour Guides in a row, sitting like that, but being plugged in to an outlet like robots. I guess they might also be giving tours of the GAF Photo Trail...or perhaps guarding the cigarette can over to their right. Was I dreaming when I saw a sweeper clean out a cigarette can with a slotted spoon to get the butts, and then make an impression of the "D" in Disneyland in the sand? It's a pretty clear memory. Who knows. I'm sure all the smokers have to go the smoking room outside the gates, around the corner, down the block, etc. etc. Thanks Lou and Sue for the trip to Florida!
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, it’s no surprise that the Imagineers had so much that was well planned out. I’m sure it helped that they were starting with a blank slate, so to speak. No older buildings to take into consideration. But still, they did an amazing job. Thanks for the ID of that building, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen it before. Even photos of Disneyland’s “Police department” are pretty scarce, but they’re out there.
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I knew what you meant!
Nanook, ha, I remember that Palmolive commercial. Why not have a crystal chandelier dipped in blood? Let’s be as random as possible, and gross too. Mike C says that the building in question is NEXT to City Hall? Plus I know what the Magic Kingdom version of City Hall looks like!
JB, my grandma used to have plastic grapes in a bowl on her table, we drove her crazy because we would pluck the grapes off and throw them at each other. They could easily be popped back onto the “stems”, but inevitably at least one would go missing, so she’d have to put that part of the grapes face down into the bowl. We also used to pull the small green oranges off of her trees and throw those too, driving my grandpa nuts (my granparents had over 30 orange trees, so it wasn’t such a disaster but I understand their frustration). We also threw handfuls of pyrocantha berries at each other. I guess we liked to throw things! The aerosol can is Aqua Net, he wants his hair to look good all day long. That’s the same reason I keep a stick of butter in my pocket. I remember using that mucilage glue when I was a kid, what horrible glue it was, too! And how about that library paste? Smelled weird, I never understood why some kids would want to eat it.
TokyoMagic!, oh man, now I wish we could see what the windows in the Emporium featured too! We just can’t see that much of them, what a bummer. Thanks for the link to the current photo of that building!
Nanook, “Freeze Mist”, I’ve never heard of it, but it’s a good idea!
Chuck, providing additional viewing areas for fireworks has really done a number on the beauty of the Plaza area. It’s a real shame. You make a good point about the lack of utility poles, and those pesky electrical wires that used to criss-cross the streets in amazing snarls. You joke about dry toys, but you certainly don’t want a wet toy. Is it possible that the Flower Market moved more than once? Back and forth I mean. No idea, personally.
ReplyDeletePegleg Pete, I’m sad that I never went to the Magic Kingdom, because THIS is how I would want to see it.
Melissa, I had no idea that the Emporium cannibalized most of that side of the street. Why? Having the different shops was part of what made Main Street interesting, even if the stuff inside might not have been unique to those shops. You aren’t kidding about that pink and red outfit, it’s not as crazy as I expect though after reading your description! Interesting about that building being a place to hold your souvenirs for the day, that’s a great idea!
JG, I realize that I am looking at these with my Disneyland brain, but my gosh, the Main Street in Florida looks imposingly massive. I’m sure I’d appreciate it more in person, but it’s almost too much. I know that most people love it though! My mom still has a balance scale in her bathroom.
DrGoat, I wanted to go to WDW, but it just never happened. I thought for sure that we’d make it there at least once when I lived in Pennsylvania, but when my dad had time for vacations, we went to Minnesota to go fishing with his folks, or to California to visit my Encino grandparents. Those were wonderful trips too, but.. no WDW.
Bu, you can’t go wrong with a basic clean white outfit for a sweeper. No need to chase the latest fashions, although I do like the idea of lapels that are 8 inches wide. Just me. Horses leave messes? I don’t understand! I know that gum has been a problem at Disney parks for years. When I was a kid I knelt down to tie my shoe (on Main Street), and, being an oblivious kid, I knelt right on somebody’s gum. So gross. The thought that it had just been in somebody’s mouth made me want to hurl. My mom pulled most of it off with a Kleenex, and then actually stuck a little piece of tissue on the remainder so that it wouldn’t stick to other stuff. I’d love it if you went to WDW so that we could get a trip report! But it’s an expensive proposition, I know. If you have friends who can get you in for free though….! Funny, I didn’t notice the tour guides sitting there. I’ll bet they were plenty bored! I’ve never heard of the sand in the ash trays having a “D” stamped into it, but it’s a fancy idea.
Major-
ReplyDeleteMIKE of course, is right - as is the City Hall location.
As for Freeze Mist... is used to locate thermal intermittents in electronic components such as capacitors, resistors and semi-conductors. This refrigerant spray is great for removing chewing gum from fabrics, freezing adhesives for easy removal, protecting heat sensitive components during soldering or for thermal metal parts.
PS Just saw this..
ReplyDeletehttps://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disney-guests-shocked-unexpected-fla-182255521.html
WDW got a bit wet.
Dr. Goat. I wonder what the Park would have looked like if they had kept it at swamp level! I kept waiting for a boatload of guests floating by from Pirates!
ReplyDeleteLou's pictures bring back WDW as squeaky clean and new. For those who never visited in those early years, WDW was a trek from the civilization that surrounds it today. Hard to appreciate if you didn't experience it.
As for that sweeper with his hands in his pockets, per my supervisor, that was "very bad show"! Oh the scolding I got. Something I never forgot while being 'on-stage' during my career in the (real) business world. KS
@ DrGoat-
ReplyDeleteThat must've made Bob Chapek happy - a brand new attraction that was not only free, but requires no CM's-! Oh, Mother Nature-! (Some of the thrills of living in The F State).
Tokyo!, it does look like a bed with a brass post, so maybe you are correct about Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, that red & pink outfit, while attention getting, is pretty bizarre.
JG, Yay, another plastic grape dismembererer!
DrGoat, huh. I don't recall Alley Oop calling his dinosaur "Dinny". But I was only about 5 or 6 at the time. Let it be known that henceforth, the dinosaur outcropping shall be named "Dinny"! (At least, the one on the right. How about the one on the left?)
Bu, maybe these days, the smokers have to stand in the Lagoon and risk being eaten by gators and brain-eating amoebas.
Major, the white paste smelled like wintergreen. Like wint-o-green Life Savers, or those chalky wintergreen candy 'cigarettes'. I loved those! Actually, there were two different brands of those candy cigs: one was smooth, like a stick of blackboard chalk. The other had a rough texture from being extruded. The rough ones tasted best!
Major, I preferred my Slip-N-Slide wet. It was rather painful, dry.
DrGoat, THAT'S CRAZY! (The flooded WDW, I mean.)
KS, when my brothers and me visited Disney World (as it was known then) in '77, it was indeed out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing around but trees. Lake Buena Vista was about a mile away (I think), where we stayed in one of the hotels.
Major, I had to look it up, but Dinny it was.
ReplyDeleteMajor, throwing things is like hard-wired into boys.
ReplyDeleteWhen we would do a rest stop on Scout outings, you could do a 10-second countdown from the boys exiting the vehicles to the first rock being thrown. If not a rock, then a stick, if not a stick, then a can or some trash. Fortunately and usually not at one another or heaven forbid, some other party, but constantly throwing whatever came to hand, just to see how far it could be thrown. Just being kids.
KS, we would tell the Scouts the same thing, when you are in uniform, you are always on display, and your behavior determines how everyone else in that uniform will be evaluated. No hands in pockets in formation or selling popcorn in the supermarket parking lot etc. And no sitting at the sales booth, always stand to address your customers.
JG
True...hands in pockets were a no no... I'm not sure if it was in a manual or not..it certainly came out of my supervisor(s) mouth quite a lot in Outdoor Vending. Later on in my career, we had our fingernails measured. Maybe that's why the sweeper has his hands in his pockets...nails were too long. Males nails could only be to the end of the finger when looking at the finger straight on. Clearly...no polish for boys. Females: 1/4". A "natural" polish was suggested...(suggested just means "do it please".) When I got to "fancy-land" (in my mind anyway) and got manicures I had clear polish put on: buffing was not shiny enough for me. It wasn't called out during my inspections, however the lady supervisors always were very impressed that a young man such as myself would have such care to pay attention to things like manicures. So I got that A++ in that part of my reviews. The ladies ruled my world in that world...so they won. I'm sure there was rumblings from others. We did have to be quite perfect in those days- we couldn't even have a WALLET in our pockets much less our hands. Heavy wool jackets (inside pocket) for wallets. Wallets should be slim and not bulky. Nothing in pockets. Your costume must not detract from the show. Wallets in pockets detract from the costume which detracts from the show. Creases at front of trousers must have a natural break at the shoe. Hands never in pockets. Always at sides unless indicating directions to a guest. I don't think they have tribal rules such as these any more, or if some of them are even legal anymore. As I've said before, the early 80's were hard core.
ReplyDeleteBu, no wonder you CMs engaged in "shenanigans". It was the only way to keep from going insane!
ReplyDeleteNanook, I guess that building is “little City Hall”! I need Freeze Mist so much now, how did I ever live without it?
ReplyDeleteDrGoat, WOW! That’s crazy! But… I guess those guests will have a good story to tell years from now.
KS, ha ha, I would love to see various ride boats floating past. Small World boats, “Pirates” boats… if only the 20,000 Leagues subs were still there. I love the thought of driving for miles through swampland and scrub forest to get to WDW, it would make it feel just a little bit more magical. Interesting about how hands in pockets is “bad show”, I guess it does look a bit too much like he’s not doing anything.
Nanook, Bob Chapek had a hard act to follow after Bob Iger’s spectacular tenure, but man, he sure seems to be lacking any of Iger’s public relations skill. I’m sure Iger was just as concerned with squeezing nickels out of everybody as Chapek is, but somehow Chapek seems so crass about it.
Since I’m away from home until tonight, I can’t really get a good look at the windows, but I’ll try to check them out. Jeez, I don’t remember the white paste smelling like wintergreen, because I liked wintergreen Lifesavers a lot! Maybe I would have been tempted to taste a little bit. It had a weird “industrial cleanser” smell I think, but I’m probably remembering it wrong. You are a true connoisseur of candy cigarettes!
DrGoat, I’d heard of Dinny, but could not have told you that it was the name of Alley Oop’s dinosaur right off the top of my head.
JG, even now, if there’s a good rock laying around, and a good place to throw it, I’ll probably pick it up and give it a hurl! I forgot, my grandparents had an oak tree that dropped zillions of acorns, we liked to throw those too. Eventually we made a game of it, trying to toss them into a distant coffee can. Somehow it seemed like a lot of fun!
Bu, I guess my 14” fingernails would be a no-no for Disney, then. I’m not going to trim them just for my job! I’ve had some of those “The Disney Look” booklets over the years, but I finally sold them off because I just didn’t find them that fun to read. I never thought about the fact that cast members did not carry their wallets with them, but it makes sense I guess. Are cell phones OK these days? Or are they verboten? Maybe they get to carry some sort of walkie talkies for in-park communication.
”Lou's pictures bring back WDW as squeaky clean and new.”
ReplyDeleteMy Dad was the kind of guy who had a hard time paying a compliment that wasn’t backhanded, but even he couldn’t stop raving about how clean the MK was back then.
As a retired military guy who also worked at a franchise McDonald’s that took great pride in its employees’ appearance, part of me is asking “…and the big deal about dress & appearance rules is…?” And then the rest of me is saying “shut up, dude - you’ll make your friends mad” while the other half of me is saying “man, you’re really bad at fractions.”
ReplyDeleteIt was a huge deal when the Air Force (and only the Air Force) finally changed the rules in the late ‘80s to allow you to stand with your hands in your pockets. You couldn’t walk with them in your pockets, but you could stand that way as long as it didn’t hinder your job or prevent you from rendering proper customs & courtesies (ie., as long as you didn’t forget to salute when you were supposed to). At some point they changed the rule back. And I’ve been retired long enough I don’t know what the rules are anymore. Wallets were always OK, though; you had to put your ID card somewhere.
The Army, which tends to be more rigid in the enforcement of their uniform regulations, informally describes soldiers with their hands in their pockets as “wearing Air Force gloves.” Donuts are also known as “Air Force bagels.” “Air Force pushups” consist of lying on your back and stretching your arms towards the sky. The funny thing is, despite the constant insults, they still keep asking us for rides…
Smoking areas at WDW were more and more restricted over the years to a few spots away from most guest traffic and are now outside of the security areas of the parks. See this update from 2019 I have to think it's a problem for international visitors who are more commonly smokers.
ReplyDeleteAm very late, but am enjoying all the comments.
ReplyDeleteDrGoat, thank you for naming "Dinny." As JB mentioned, we still need to name his 'drinking buddy' who appeared on the left side of the waterfall on GDB 3/3/22. If you read this, let us know what we should name him.
That WDW flood (in DrGoat's link) looks like fun and you could see that a lot of folks were making the best of it. As long as it was warm. I was in Florida in March 2005 (on the Gulf side, not at WDW) and it rained nonstop for a week straight (every day we were there) - except for one afternoon when the sun peaked out and we ran to the beach. If I recall correctly, the temp was in the 50s - expect when the sun came out and it hit maybe 70. I had brought all summer clothes (stupid me) and only one wintery top - which I wore everyday, over my summer shirts. Got really tired of being cold and wet.
KS and Bu, your comments about your hands in your pockets reminds me of when I was maybe 5 or 6 and on roller skates, on the sidewalk in my backyard. It was cool out and I had my hands in the pockets of my coat, while skating. At one point, I couldn't stop and slammed into the fence gate and, before I could get my hands out of my pockets and catch myself, my feet rolled backwards and my face went forward - into the concrete sidewalk. I now rarely put both of my hands in my coat pockets when I'm walking, as I can still feel the pain.
Bu, when were you last in WDW? If more than 15 years ago, you are in for a shock. I'm saying that nicely and leaving out swear words. Keep in mind that you will probably need advance reservations for getting into a WDW park (am not joking). I won't even mention the necessary ride pre-planning (Genie+ and Lightning Lane reservations) and meal reservations. I do hope you go, as I would love to hear your perspective on everything. Don't miss the Skyliner!
Thanks, all, for your kind comments which will be shared, and enjoyed, with my dad.