Town Square, March 1962
I have two nice ones for you today, circa 1962. The place: Town Square.
I particularly love this first one, with a tour guide leading her baby ducks through Town Square. That gentleman appears to be smitten! It looks like they are headed toward the Opera House, which might have contained the sets from "Babes in Toyland" at that point. I'm especially proud of this one, because it was initially a reject - there was a bright orange light leak right up the middle of the picture. But (through the magic of Photoshop) I was able to fix it, though you can still see evidence of it if you look closely.
Speaking of looking closely, we can see two other tour guides in the distance, one framed by the archway of the Police Station to the left, and another at the extreme right. They must have just released them from their enclosure!
This next one was taken around the same time, with the clear early morning light making everything look so pretty. There's an Omnibus waiting for what might be its first compliment of passengers; we also get a Surrey and a Horse Drawn Streetcar at no extra charge.
21 comments:
Prithee, what was in the Opera House at this time? Mr. Lincoln won't be taking up residence for a few years yet.
And yes, I can discern just a smattering of orangey gold coloring in the center of the image. Let's pretend it's pixie dust. Hello, Tink!
In the second photo, I spot a will-o'-the-wisp on the street next to the Omnibus. Oooh, I bet it's Tinker Bell again! Or maybe one of her sisters. There were other fairies besides her, right? Perhaps she had brother fairies as well?
I also see a small crumple of paper above the "r" in the watermark. Or maybe it's a wad of gum. Let's stay here awhile and see how long it takes a Sweeper to come along and whisk it away.
Thanks for the short respite in Town Square, Major. But now it's time to rush over to the Matterhorn before the line gets too long.
JB, there is also a pinkish-orange orb in that Omnibus pic. It's hovering just above, and to the left of that will-o'-the-wisp.....or just below, and to the left of the horses pulling the Surrey. I think that orange orb is the ghost of one of the orange trees, which gave their lives just so that Disneyland could be built.
See the horse hitching post in the first image reminds me that the other day myself and some friends noticed that ALL the different styled horse hitching posts were all removed from New Orleans Square…. And the ones on Main Street USA have been removed - apparently Casualties of “operation Star dust” ( remove theming and details from other lands so you can brag about how detailed StarWarsville is…) other details removed beside planters ( the Goodyear logo ones at the base of the PeopleMover support pylons) , the haunted mansion fence planters … but other details like the Teddy Beara Swinging Arcade street sign and the Main Street Opera House playbill sidewalk sign …the Main Street side street directional signs as well. And there’s lots of other things too.
Mike, wow...I knew about the removal of all those planters (and some in Fantasyland, too, right?), but I didn't know about the removal of the hitching posts or the signage you mentioned. They truly do ruin everything.
And are people now flocking to Wookie World, three years later? Or is the general consensus about the land itself, still kind of "meh"? I haven't seen the second attraction yet, but I did see the "land" and the first attraction. I didn't understand why the land had to be so massive, or why it had to be built over a portion of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, when it was only going to have two attractions. I also didn't understand why they had to build a second simulator ride, when they already had Star Tours. But then, I don't understand most of what they do today.
If you look closely at the second photo, you’ll note that each member of the team pulling the surrey has four legs, just like real horses. The level of detail they worked into the Park during the “Walt years” was just astounding.
Mike, that is indeed unwelcome news. I get it - crowds need space - but it takes away so much of what makes Disneyland special. And removing signs just has me scratching my head. Oh, well - nobody asked me, and I’m not their target demographic anymore anyway.
JB, I’ve been watching for over an hour and that piece of trash is still there. Standards appear to be slipping. How much longer do you want me to wait? I have to get to work, you know…
Back then, tour group members only got brief and minimal training in weapons and survival tactics before releasing them into the wild. It's a wonder that so many of them ever made it back to the enclosure.
I try to keep up with the Fresh Baked videos, but so much of what is currently happening in the Park just makes me sad and I don't really want to visit anymore. Maybe this is how I can tell I am old, when I am happier in the past than in the future, except I am mostly only that way about Disneyland, so I don't think it is entirely old age.
TM, the second simulator is because they are out of ideas. Star Tours is way past it's sell-by date but they keep flogging it.
JG
Yes, but can anyone name ALL the attraction posters on the side of the Omnibus?
JB, I am not positive, but it is possible that the Babes In Toyland exhibit was in the Opera House at this time. In fact, just looking now, I have found a site that says that the “Babes” display was there from December 1961 to September 1963. The light leak was a doozy, I’m very happy with the restoration - I think that if I hadn’t mentioned that it was there, nobody would have noticed! Maybe I’m wrong. I wonder what caused the will-o’-the-wisp? The light leak is understandable, but one tiny dot…? I’ll bet that on that particular 1962 day (Winter? Early spring?), the lines never got too long. It sounds amazing.
TokyoMagic!, if there is a second pink/orange blob besides the one to the right of the Omnibus, I’m not seeing it. Maybe I don’t WANT to see it. Denial. I was just talking to my brother in law about the fact that all the Disneyland orange trees were gone, and he couldn’t believe that they didn’t save at least one!
Mike Cozart, argh, I hate that they’ve removed so many little details and features that used to make the park a richer experience, even if guests didn’t fully register those details. “Operation Star Dust”, oy vey. As far as I know, the gigantic crowds that they were predicting for Galaxy’s Edge never did happen. Granted, the pandemic was a big factor, but even before that I think that people did not show up in the numbers that they expected. It stinks that the whole park suffered because Galaxy’s Edge. Have you seen the changes to Frontierland’s waterfront? More awful planning.
TokyoMagic!, those hitching posts could kill someone! Thank goodness they were removed. I’ve seen a video of the “Rise of the Resistance” attraction, and admit that it looks pretty neat, but the land overall doesn’t do it for me. Hard core Star Wars fans probably love it, though. I’m kind of like you, I don’t have a problem with Star Wars or Indy or Pixar, but to me they aren’t “Disney”, even though the company now owns those properties. What if they bought “South Park”? Would there be a Cartman ride? Cool… just not in Disneyland.
Chuck, they originally tried to use one six-legged animatronic horse, but it just didn’t work correctly. For one thing, they programmed the robo-horses to breathe flames. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I hope that they paint all of the buildings in Disneyland all sorts of garish colors so that we won’t notice the stuff that they removed. I sort of feel like you, I’m not their target demographic anymore, they sure don’t care what I think.
JG, one of the first things that tour groups learned was the basics of kung fu, including having to lift a large red-hot iron cauldron with their forearms. It seems extreme today, but that’s how it was. The Fresh Baked videos are well done, but I just can’t be as happy and enthusiastic about everything the way the host is. Granted, I’ve only watched a few, but he doesn’t seem super critical, and maybe that’s not what he wants his channel to be. But I think some real analysis is OK.
LTL, well, the Omnibus posters changed sometimes, but at the moment I can only come up with a few of the posters that were almost always there; the Autopia, the Jungle Cruise, Storybook Land, the Disneyland RR, and Rainbow Caverns!
Major-
That's my accounting of the AP's, other than the order. As seen here it's: Disneyland RR; Autopia; Rainbow Caverns; Storybook Land; Jungle Cruise.
As far as 'target audiences' are concerned, that's frankly not the issue here. Just as with the story, credited to Henry Ford [although he supposedly never utter these words], about why "the public" wasn't consulted when designing his Model T Ford: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses-!" As we know all-too-well (but are often unwilling to admit) human beings are easily 'persuaded' in just about all areas of life, whether through a mere suggestion from a friend, or the (ever-pervasive) 'influencers' - oh, brother. The Walt Disney Company in a good way should be influencing its "guests" through unique and innovative park designs, with a history dating back more than 65 years - a history that included things often considered "too subtle" and "unnecessary" for the typical guest - but Walt knew better... and he was proven correct.
The company is still 'supposed' to be the experts, the grand poobah of theme park design, and yet they seem powerless to tell the Public 'what's correct'-?? What the hell-! They should be able to "sell snow to an eskimo" (and in some ways they still are-!) But if they are too wimpy and/or cowed by unfavorable reactions from their 'charges', something is very, very wrong with them. Regrettably, it's likely the WDC hasn't the vaguest idea of what is 'correct', any longer... it's only profit that is of concern, nowadays.
"Fresh Baked", "Babes in Toyland"...ummm....I'm going to leave it there. Fresh Baked sounds like a virtual trip to TRE. No thank you. My virtual trip is better suited to an actual trip so I can experience the TRE with witnesses. Taking away the horsie things is just totally wrong. Very wrong. Those things were a "thing"...a thing to talk about. A detail that people thought about. Weren't they ACTUAL horse hitching posts? From 100 years ago? The Goodyear planters were the best bench in the whole park. They were slippy slidey smooth, and cool when you sat down in the heat. Also good to stand on so all of your ducklings could hear you. Wooden benches are harder to navigate. When we trained the Tokyo Tour Guides they refused to stand higher than the groups as it was considered extremely disrespectful. Not sure how that all turned out after they opened. The Police Station does not say Police station anymore in these photos. The Tour Guide garden was beside the Police Station- but not sure in that year. That costume evolved quickly from the beginning of tours in 1958 if this was 1962. Then it didn't change for another 25+ years. This was a very classic Walt Disney approved look, It must have been cold with trench coats and white gloves and capes. There was a coat for the girls too when the cape wasn't enough. It wasn't particularly stylish however- so the girls didn't wear it frequently- they liked the cape. The police station was the Guest Communications office in '82, and then I think the next year everything was all switched around and the financial types/analysts rolled into the Tour Guide lounge (that was popular...) and the lounge moved to the Police station. They decorated it with busy Victorian Wallpaper and repainted trim and whatnot. It was much smaller and they squished some of the old furniture in there, along with the past years team photos, awards, and "test tube tour guide" which was a TG doll inside a glass tube on a little ledge, mounted on the wall. She looked like a Rankin Bass figure. I wonder what happened to her. There were other Disneyland government "proclamations" and what not on the wall too that didn't fit in City Hall- or were leftovers from some other office. The prettiest most decorated ones were in City Hall. There was a utility room behind the police station that was not decorated and was kind of dirty...it had two individual bathrooms- one for boys, one for girls...and I think there were cabinets for office supplies or something in there. It was rather utilitarian and did not have a door- and was not heated or AC'd. This is where I tried to smuggle Micheal Jackson out of the park when he was at the height of his career. Talk about exiting through the gift shop. I was non-plussed as always. It looks like those police station doors are open. That is a small space. We closed those doors and put a sofa in front of it. Sometimes guests would push on the doors and the sofa would move. I'm not sure it had a lock. There was a cute side door with a small brick staircase that we used to troop out of en-masse at EXACTLY our start time...and I mean EXACTLY. There was no early, and definitely no late- not even by a second. So very strict. Those leads came of the 70's and they were hard core. So very serious for a not so serious job really. "Your job is to go on rides with strangers"...seems unfathomable to the normals of the world.
Great vintage people watching today! The lady at far left in #2 is rocking the sweetest pair of pumps.
JG, as dated as Star Tours is, I still think it's a better ride than the new Millennium Falcon simulator ride. The new one really seems pointless. And that garbage about manning the controls yourself.....well, it's no more exciting than pushing the buttons on the control panel in Mission Space at EPCOT.
Major, there is only one pink/orange blob. I thought when JB mentioned a "will-o'-the-wisp" on the street next to the Omnibus, that he was talking about those white streaks on the pavement.
Nanook, oh man, if I was asked to put those Omnibus posters in the proper order, I’d be in trouble. I agree with you about the Disney Company influencing and guiding the guests. Henry Ford was not wrong… if you designed a car by making use of a public consensus, I’m sure it would be a monstrosity. You have to use your knowledge, experience, and taste to provide a good product or experience. I think there is a lot of second-guessing these days. Think of the old Warner Bros. cartoons, that are still so amazing and funny today… the animators didn’t make the cartoons “for kids”, they made cartoons that were funny to THEM.
Bu, according to Marty Sklar, at least one child thought that the hitching posts were a sort of parking meter. Sure, Marty, sure. I believe that you are right, the story goes that the hitching posts were supposedly antiques, though I wouldn’t be surprised if they made reproductions over the years. I always like seeing the winter outfits for cast members, with various overcoats and gloves. Folks outside of California always assume that it is sunny and warm all the time, and for the most part they are right (!), but it CAN get pretty chilly on occasion. Is there no longer a Police Station? I love old photos of that as well, when it had those black globes with the white lettering that would light up. I wish I could see the “test tube tour guide”. Maybe just a store-bought doll with custom clothing. “Your job is to go on rides with strangers”… it’s true, and yet there must be a more diplomatic way to phrase it. “Your job is introduce guests to the park, and give them the best experience possible”. Fixed it!
Melissa, why do they call those shoes “pumps”, anyway?!
TokyoMagic!, I like Star Tours, and really did enjoy the updated scenes. Especially when I was chosen as the Rebel Spy! No one would ever expect someone as dopey-looking as me, which is why I was the perfect agent. I thought that the controls on the Millennium Falcon ride worked? I’d heard that some people “crashed” (no idea how that was achieved). I think we were all talking about the same orange blob!
Tokyo!, Not sure, but I think my will-o'-the-wisp is the same as your pinkish-orange orb to the lower left of the horsies. I don't see any other blobs? EDIT: Major can't either.
Chuck, we can always rely on you to point out the lesser known details of Disney parks, like the 4-legged horses. Most other parks would have settled for 3-legged horses (to save money), thinking that guests would just assume the 4th leg was there.
Stare at the trash another hour or two, Chuck (after work, if you must). We gotta know how long it takes!
JG, I too, find myself getting grumpy about some things but not others. I still get excited about futuristic stuff, but also get depressed about a lot of what's happening 'these days'. Part of it must be getting older, but part is, I think, that things are objectively getting worse. Things like: Sugar Pops cereal (or whatever they call it these days), used to be one of my favorites but now, they took too much sugar out of it! Not sweet enough! Also, Crackerjack(s), I had some a couple of days ago. There is almost no caramel coating on them anymore. TRE! (and forget about the so-called "prize") There are lots of other examples, like the filling in Oreos, etc. Oh, and a few non-food related things as well. ;-)
Major, about the dot of light, I'm going with my Tinker Bell theory. Other than her nightly zip through the fireworks, has there ever been a Tinker Bell character walking through the Park? I don't think so, but I'm not at all sure.
Nanook, I agree. Without Walt's vision and executive decision making, Disneyland would have been just another amusement park like all the others. Lots (and lots) of roller coasters and not much else. Fun, but not iconic.
Tokyo! again, yep, I meant the orange blob. Those streaks are just tire/wheel tracks, yes?
Ok….. I may have spoke to soon: so I was at Disneyland for lunch today and noticed that the horse hitching posts have returned in front of most of town square facing buildings : train station has two, city hall , opera house has one now. Main St. Hotel one, Town Square Cafe , two…. Emporium 3. All are the Horsehead type except the one on front of Main St. Hotel - it’s a acorn finial type. The Cigar Store Indian has been back for awhile …but no hitching posts or side street directional signs are up along the main thoroughfare. However the street post clock ( in front of clothiers and silhouette shop) has it’s post - but no clock!!
New Orleans Square remains completely “horse-hitchless”. Includes both versions of the horse head post, the tree branch post, the acorn top and the hand with hitch ring post….. I hade a feeling those details are gone for good. Hopefully I’m proved wrong.
I had a JUNGLE JULEUP today …… soooo good. It would be perfect with gin though.
Mike, hmmm. Maybe things aren't quite TRE? Or they could just be lulling us into thinking things are taking a turn for the better and then, WHAM! no more Matterhorn! And WHAM! no more Jungle Cruise!... time will tell.
@ MIKE-
Good to hear. Thanks for the update.
I'll rise to the defense of the Millennium Falcon ride, at least in WDW where they didn't water down the rest of a park to make room for it. Unlike Star Tours and WDW's Mission Space, your crew's actions make a difference in the progression of the ride. My wife and I managed to ride it half a dozen times in early 2020 and got additional scenes based on shooting and piloting. I think the intention was to use Magic Bands to record your flights and develop a "reputation" that would follow you through the land, though that was cut by the accountants.
But that speaks to the overall problem with Disney Parks these days. Too many MBAs pursuing the low risk-strategy. Building a ride/land based on purchased well-known IP rather than developing something original that's someone's passion is much like the endless series of sequels rather than new ideas in film. The result is never anything that anyone loves, it's all just "adequate" The last thing in WDW that shows that kind of passion is Joe Rohde's Animal Kingdom and I expect that to be lost now that he retired.
JB, if you want an explanation of why food isn't what it used to be, look up a book called The Fiat Standard bu Saifedean Ammous. He goes into detail of why real ingredients have been replaced with cheap substitutes - the TRE of food.
Maj, I've heard a couple of different stories about the origin of "pumps" to describe shoes, and I don't know how credible any of them are. Maybe they were the favorite footwear of Hans and Franz when pumping themselves up.
Mike, I had to go and look up the Jungle Julep, and it sounds delicious. Tropical drinks always remind me of a play I was in where we were all supposed to be drinking Singapore Slings in the first scene. The director figured fruit wouldn't read from the audience, so they were just Diet Cherry 7-Up with little umbrellas. The prop mistress, who was the director's teenage daughter, was supposed to quickly clear all the glasses from the prop table as soon as the actors dropped them off, but one night the bucket she poured them into was missing. I happened to be standing in the wings, and she desperately shoved a handful of glasses at me and whispered, "Here, drink these!" I started to say something and she hissed, "JUST DRINK IT!" Between the two of us, we hastily drank up all the glasses before I had to run off and change costumes. She's a lawyer and mother of two now, but whenever I run into her I always have to tease her with "JUST DRINK IT!"
Dean, I found the chapter on food... wish I hadn't. Depressing.
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