I'm using up the last scans from a batch of Magic Kingdom slides, date-stamped "December, 1978". Still pretty early... 44 years ago. Yikes.
Here's the exterior of "It's a Small World", which (from what I hear) is superior to the Disneyland version - EXCEPT for that rather uninspiring facade! Considering its location, I guess that a duplication of the white and gold city and the smiling, ticking clock wouldn't have fit in right next to the castle and those half-timbered structures But... it's still a little underwhelming.
I can't tell if it's later in the day, or if some clouds had just moved in. You know those sudden Florida rains. I have so many photos of the entrance to Frontierland at Disneyland, but not many (maybe this is the only one?) in Florida. So much of the Magic Kingdom is so big, but that gateway looks rather small, to be honest.
I've been told that the Swiss Family Treehouse is on its own little island. Or is it on Tom Sawyer Island? I'm not sure! Anyway, here you can see a crude suspension bridge that led to the treehouse. If marauding pirates showed up, I guess you could cut the ropes and make things much more difficult for raiding pirates.
Our brave photographer attempted to take a night shot, and it didn't turn out too bad!
This one is a bit of a mystery to me, I assume that this is part of the moat, or waterway for the Swan Boats (were those one in the same?), since we can see the track underwater. But I have no idea what that building is to our left.
Another night shot! This time we have the entrance to Tomorrowland, and while most of it is black, the colored highlights (with Space Mountain in the background) make for a pretty picture.
And finally, here's a cute photo of a trepidatious boy approaching Br'er Fox (near the Gerber Baby Center). I'd be nervous too, that fox is not trustworthy! But Br'er Fox has his finger up to his mouth, the universal sign that he also is uncertain. With "Song of the South" sliding into (well-deserved?) obscurity, I wonder if the animated characters from that film will ever be seen in the parks again? If so, it makes me kind of sad, even though I do understand the concerns.
I hope you have enjoyed these photos from The Magic Kingdom!
When my brothers and I went to WDW in '76, I found the facades of the Fantasyland rides, in general, looked underwhelming. The entrances seemed like an afterthought, quickly thrown together and incomplete. They lacked the Disney flair. It left me kind of baffled.
ReplyDeleteThe strollers all seem to be rentals from the Park. Didn't they allow guests to use their own? Or maybe people were smarter in the '70s and knew it would be easier (on everyone) to rent one.
Considering how much land, resources, and money Disney had to work with, the Magic Kingdom seemed a bit of a letdown to me. It had (has) its good points but it could have been so much more. Maybe I'm just feeling grouchy tonight.
Thanks for the Disney World pics, Major. (Yes Melissa, I said Disney World just to get you riled up.) ;-D
I didn't know that Lizzie Borden had her own Ice Cream Parlour at Walt Disney World! I wonder if she ever used her axe to make a banana split? I bet she was friends with Carrie Nation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing more WDW pics with us, Major!
Just a few short years before my first visit! The color scheme of the "medieval fair" façades in Fantasyland is much nicer than the cotton-candy colors of today. Or maybe I'm just an old grump. Or maybe I'm an old grump, but not just an old grump. I'm also an old grouch.
ReplyDeleteNeither the shopping bags nor the popcorn container in #2 look familiar to me, so either they changed between '78 and '83, or maybe I'm just an old, forgetful, grouchy grump. Lots of great '70's pants in these shots - relatively wide of leg and high of waist. Sweathog-approved (tm).
That night shot of Main Street is just hazy enough to make it feel like a warm and fuzzy memory. For some reason I've just developed a craving for Borden ice cream. The entrance plaza to Tomorrowland is inspiring even in the hazy dark. The design elements that do show all speak to the clean, cohesive theme that made the world of the old future so special.
The body language in the pictture of B.F. and the kids speaks a thousand words! I'm sure the SotS characters will be seen around Frontierland in in parades until the retheme of Splash Mountain is complete, which we're now being told is 2024. It seems a little weird to see His Foxiness in the parks in 1978, when the first re-release of the film wouldn't come until 1980 and Splash Mountain wouldn't be built until 1992. But I'm sure a lot of 1970's parents still remembered the original release enough to be nostalgic. And unless I'm more of an old, forgetful, grouchy grump than even I realized, I think the animated segments of SotS got some play on The Wonderful World of Disney (or whatever they were calling the weekly TV show at the time).
@JB, hehe! The shortening to "Disney World" doesn't bother me; it's just the elision to "Disneyworld" that gets my five-legged goat. And you'd get a free pass anyway. :-)
I can't remember if I've gotten on this particular soapbox here at GDB before, so feel free to skip this rambling comment if you start to recognize it. If I was in charge, this is what I'd do about the it's a small world façade:
ReplyDeleteI'd tear down it's a small world and rebuild it at EPCOT's World Showcase, where it would celebrate the theme of international brotherhood. The site of the former Odyssey Restaurant, currently used as a flex space, would be a great location, right at the entryway to the Showcase, and fronted by a lovely body of water with bridges over it. There would be room to build a façade to rival California's, with a weatherproof indoor queue and show building behind it. Unless my sense of scale is all wrong, there'd even be some potential to expand the ride a little. I've always been of the "North America is the host and doesn't need to be represented" school, but if there's space you may as well throw in an extra room for it.
Then, I'd use the space in Fantasyland that used to contain it's a small world for a new Frozen attraction. You could leave it a boat ride to save money, but if I'm blue-skying I'd make it a continuous-loading Omnimover with vehicles shaped like sleighs. And none of those cheesy, glitchy, projected-face animatronics; I'd use the same kind of figures they put in Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast ride.
And last but not least, with a new home for Frozen, EPCOT's Norway pavilion would go back to being about... Norway. You know, the real Norway. Whether that's bringing back Maelstrom or imagineering something brand-new doesn't matter that much to me.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I think I need some more coffee.
JB, I know what you mean about the WDW Fantasyland facades… unlike the ones at Disneyland (pre-1983), they feel sort of cold and sterile. I can’t explain it, maybe it’s the size of that park, and the relative enormity of the buildings compared to the intimate scale of Disneyland. And maybe it’s the actual color choices too, which make more of a difference than I think people realize. The stroller mystery is one that I can’t answer, but I’m guessing that folks were fine with a rental rather than bringing their own “SUV” strollers from home. I know that thousands (millions?) of people prefer WDW to Disneyland, they love the vast scale grandness, it might come down to whichever park a person experienced first.
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, Lizzie Borden may have killed her parents, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t enjoy a nice ice cream treat now and then. Knowing that she likes a hot fudge sundae makes her much more relatable!
Melissa, hey, I thought I was the grump here! Didn’t we all have an understanding? “Major Pepperidge is the de facto grump”. With an addendum (or an asterix) including “grouch”. I doubt I ever really paid attention to things like popcorn boxes in those days, but then again, even though I like popcorn, I don’t believe I have ever purchased it at any Disney park. I’m more of a soft pretzel guy, if I absolutely need a shot of carbs. I’m imagining that the night shot was actually taken when the sky was much lighter to the eye… you know how cameras (back then especially) don’t get things quite right. But still, a night shot of Main Street always makes me think of leaving the park, which is a combination of “Wow! What a day we’ve had!” and “I wish we didn’t have to leave!”. For me, the animated portions of “Song of the South” are pretty much the only reason to watch that movie a second time.
Melissa, interesting thought about relocating IASW to EPCOT, it’s not the craziest idea I’ve ever heard. It certainly fits there more than the “Frozen” ride does. I’m trying to imagine what they could do for a facade, I’d like the Mary Blair/Rolly Crump style, but maybe updated somehow. And hey, if they could expand the ride a little bit, so much the better. I agree with you about the unnecessary addition of the North America scene, and am guessing that the original Imagineers probably had LOTS of ideas for scenes that were never used. Polish off one or two of those, it would be awesome! I know most people adore “Frozen” as a movie, but it never completely clicked with me. I like things about it, but I prefer “Tangled”, personally. You can’t ignore a movie that made over 1 billion dollars, though.
My dad & I had a similar reaction the first time we saw the It’s a Small World (clearly capitalized in the signage here) entrance the following year. We referred to it as a “storefront facade.”
ReplyDeleteThe castle moat was part of the swan boat waterway. The canal went all the way around the Hub (the Hub was actually an island, although that never dawned on me until recently because it didn’t feel like one when you were there) with an outlet in the SW corner that paralleled the entrance walkway into Adventureland and circled the Swiss Family Island Treehouse. That photo was taken from the bridge to Adventureland looking south. The building on the left is the Crystal Palace.
Here’s a 1977 map for reference (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PyOQsQQEcvQ/TnApiKrzy2I/AAAAAAAAVJw/iYaKOPgRbVM/s1600/wdw%2Bguide%2B1977_009.jpg)
Melissa, I have similar feelings about the name muddling. While I will almost always say or write “Walt Disney World” myself, “Disney World” doesn’t bother me. “Disneyworld” does; nobody writes “Newyork” or “Losangeles.” And hearing somebody say “we’re going to Disney” is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I know what they mean (it’s never a trip to Anaheim), but it still grates.
The Song of the South re-release dates on IMDB are incomplete, although I can’t find my book that lists them all. I know I saw it in the theater in 1971 or 1972. I also had a Disneyland Records storybook album of the animated segments from the movie, a Little Golden Book that had the tar baby story, and I am positive I saw the segments showcased on The Wonderful World of Disney, The New Mickey Mouse Club, and/or The Mouse Factory in the ‘70s, so the characters would still have been in the public consciousness.
I don’t think you’ve shared your plans for a logical reorganization of MK and EPCOT attractions here before. I think your ideas are spot-on, but I am a little concerned that you haven’t left any room for original Disney IP like the Avengers and Star Wars. Where were you planning on putting the exit plush stores?
You almost got me when you mentioned the “real” Norway. Next you’ll be trying to tell me that Canada wasn’t just dreamed up by the Imagineers, either. Really - a democratic country made up of people from all over the world? As if something like that could ever work in real life…
I think the main reason It's a Small World is better at WDW is that it has the "flooded room" approach rather than the trough. Oh, and doesn't it have an extra scene? I don't remember and I'm not going to look it up. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteAlso, as you can see from that comment, I skip the whole name issue by just using initials, like all the cool cats do. I also snap my fingers a lot and say "daddy-o."
Finally, the shot of the enterance to Tomorrowland shows the cool waterfall tower thingies that were apparently replaced because the wind kept blowing water onto guests. Yeah, like Florida doesn't literally do that every day.
Ok, now I'm grouchy too...
MAJOR: that building in the waterway picture is the Western flank of the Crystal Palace Restaurant. That Frontierland entry always seemed rather small …. But that’s the Frontierland entry Bridge and it crosses a water body connecting the Rivers of America to Adventureland and represent the Mississippi River. From the entry of Liberty Square to the original Frontierland Train Station ( added in 1972) there is the symbolic American expansion starting with the earliest American -Dutch colonial architecture - New England - Philadelphia- Virginia - styles and expansion - then into the Saint Louis Style ( the Diamond Horseshoe building - based on a version of a structure once planned for Disneyland california) and into the Colorado plateau and then the American Southwest originally to end with Pecos Bill Cafe , “the little mining town” of Mesa Ridge , Mesa Terrace Restaurant and THUNDER MESA.
ReplyDeleteThere was never any intention of building the DL Small World Clock facade in Florida - it was very dated looking when WDW was being planed … and the Florida Fantasyland’s facade were divided into 3 corridors of European architecture . Germany - Austria - France . These progression of theming required WORLD CARNIVALE ( it’s a small world ) to be hidden behind a medieval-esque facade …. It’s built between two towers … the original boat loading room was going to be under a dome skylight with a round “WEDWAY” style loading dock …. The center piece was a rotating globe sculpture with small world dolls riding in various air balloons … in the water below were mermaid versions of small world characters …. A sea serpent … a sailing ship and a whale ….all of this was scaled back to the water fountain loading room and small world restaurant.
Melissa … the original World Showcase attraction designed by Marc Davis was a fantasy boat ride kinda of a cross between Its A Small World - Carousel of Progress - America Sings. Unfortunately the space where the Oddesy Restaurant is is far to small for a attraction show building - it would be like placing a Wallmart in front of Knott’s original Berry stand.
Yeah, I did have doubts about whether I was getting the scale right just from comparing maps. It'll have to be "It's a very, very small world indeed, much smaller than the song would have you believe." Just a load area, an unload area, and the smallest gift shop in the park. And $15 for an Individual Lightning Lane.
ReplyDeleteI have much to say today as I've been on the road working long days and haven't been able to muster up a James Joyce diatribe or nothing too terribly important or earth shaking. Some notes: Small World in EPCOT, or ECPOT or EKSNOT...all are correct. That is an AMAZING idea! The idea at opening was "NO MOUSE. NO IP, NO NOTHING! THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT AND MUST BE PURE!" Well...the numbers were the numbers and there ya go. Suddenly, we are sticking Mickey Ears on Spaceship Earth. I would blow up the Mary Blair/Rolly Crump facade into and enormous focal point after bulldozing The American Adventure...or is it experience? It's something, and although at the time it was kind of amazing, it's not like "I want to see that again!" Like...the Carrousel of Progress I would see multiple times over and over. The American whatever it is, I saw on opening day...end of story. I also had burgers and fries next door as THAT was the food that fully represents America (?) All I remember was seagulls marauding the place...and guests egging them on by throwing french fries in the air. So...bring back the Four Winds of the Worlds Fair, and the Facade of Disneyland...and it all REALLY makes perfect sense. Next item: Underwhelming Fantasyland. "Ditto". I justified it in my head by saying "well...they need indoor lines as Florida is hot". I was underwhelmed looking at it when Julie Andrews was skipping about the place in the TV show. Although the "vintage" look of a sheet metal Disneyland is appealing and lovely...the WDW version...well, just because it's bigger doesn't mean it's better. The only thing about Small World that is better is that the water goes to the edges of the scenes 'ala Pirates, rather than floating in a flume. Otherwise, it's the same to me. Next: Strollers. ALWAYS a visual nuisance! I was NEVER in a stroller as a kid...NEVER. Not one of the four of us was ever put into a stroller. Only in infancy were we went into a pram. The viewpoint was that children should be walking, and if they are too tired, then they should have been left at home to begin with. Next: Elizabeth Montgomery as Lizzie Borden was awesome. Best thing she's done...besides that disturbing Twilight Zone episode. You can stay in the murder house, and if my memory serves me well the exact sofa that was used, is actually in the house and you can have your afternoon tea on it. Next: The shopping bag was the red and mickey and minnie bag, but instead of Disneyland it said Walt Disney World. The popcorn box: same. The castle was different and that was about it. When Orville came to town, the box stayed the same, they just added his picture. He was an odd man and very much into his own "brand". Him. Not his product. (for another time) Major: you need to have Disneyland popcorn IF it hasn't been TRE'd. Popcorn is my favorite food, so I am passionate about popcorn. Even after selling thousands of boxes at Disneyland, I still love popcorn. Next: Frozen for Norway? That's the best you could do? I'd like an Ibsen ride myself. Or the "Edvard Greig Experience". Honestly, they could have done something amazing with Trolls, as they are very much part of Norwegian culture, and everyone has a soft spot for a troll. As a half Norseman, I can think of 100 better things that Disney IP, but y'all go for it dismagineers. Next: Song of the South characters. I can GUARANTEE you that VERY few people would actually connect these giant "alive" stuffed animals to a VERY obscure movie made 70 years ago. Most of the time I heard "who IS that?"...the bear they assumed was Baloo. The fox...who knows. He's cute and colorful despite being a bit toothy. The fox may have well as been Gideon the Cat: "WHO IS THAT?"...
ReplyDeleteMajor, these photos show aspects of WDW that I have never seen before, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI guess I’m underwhelmed, especially by IASW. I much prefer the Anaheim facade, dated or not not, I think it has aged better stylistically than these in the photos. There’s something about the otherworldly look that makes it clear that the only opportunity there is for peace is in Heaven, which is what we are shown in that last white and gold finale.
Chuck, I also had that Golden Book. Taken purely as a story, it’s pretty good, but there’s so much pejorative baggage built up around it that the story can barely be seen. Time to let it go.
Melissa, good ideas, but you have to get more IP into it to sell more plush and churros, Norwegian churros. I’ve always suspected that Norway was imaginary. Like Austria and Australia, one of those has to be fake, the names are too similar. Has to be a cartography error spun out of control.
JG
BU 2.0: Next: Grouchy. I'm grouchy. All the time. I get to. My age and my look communicates "grouchy". I enjoy my grouchy. When I order a coffee at Starbucks when they ask me my name I say "grumpy". So they giggle, and I giggle, and when they call out "Ice Coffee for GRUMPY"...everyone giggles :) So...perhaps it's not so grouchy after all. Next: Name muddling. "Disney"...."I'm going to Disney"...newscasters: "so and so was at Disney". Not only is in nails on chalkboard, it puts me in a deep dark place of consternation and hate. I don't like to go there. "Disney" is the last name of one of the founders of the Walt Disney Company. "Disney's Contemporary Resort Hotel"....in a word: "no". "Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room". " YES!" Walt Disney World. Yes. Everything else: Big bag of NO. Disneyland Park: no. Disneyland Resort: no. It's all chalkboard worthy. I am a little unbending with nomenclature. "We're taking the entire family to DISNEY"...well people...enjoy your trip to Forest Lawn...I hear it's a lovely place. Next: SWAN BOATS: YES! I never got to ride it, but I enjoyed photos of it. So pretty. What a lovely little boat ride. Next: Lights on Main St. while leaving. That was a very specific "feeling"...kind of exhaustion, adrenaline, dopamine, sugar hangover....lots of emotions, etc. and as a guest my personal feeling was always "enjoy this now...you don't know when you'll be back". I think back about being a kid and having rather adult thoughts. As an employee, and empty street, the music still playing, the "smells" still a little bit in the air: popcorn, coke syrup, candy palace, new books, candles, pickle juice, crushed leaves. Next: Swiss Family Treehouse: there's a lot of moss on them thar branches. Perhaps a wee too much. The actual tree looks like it had ferns and bromeliads and other things growing from the branches in addition to its leaves. I'm not sure I can see the forest through the moss, but I am grateful that it's still standing, and enjoying that it was...or still is...on it's little island. Next: Tomorrowland waterfalls...we ended the water because people were getting wet? Isn't it in Florida? Aren't people already wet? Wouldn't you like a nice spritz of cool water? I don't get it. I built a very glamourous wall waterfall (well...I didn't BUILD it...but I designed and managed installation)...and all I can say it that it was an absolute engineering nightmare. To ensure the right even amount of water is flowing in the same way at the same time and is lit very specifically" front lit and back lit. Not sure I'd do it again. It is still alive and kicking in LA...but it took a lot of time to get a sound operational base. My memories around WDW are fuzzy...as a Disneylander, as I've said before there was so much competition between the two teams, and absolutely nothing could make me say "The Magic Kingdom rivals Disneyland". Nope. Not at all. Now that I'm on the east coast there are many people who are very partial to The Magic Kingdom. I DO enjoy the vastness of the property, the ORIGINAL hotels...(I always thought that Grand Floridan thing was too overdone.) The Monorail rocks...and at the time I did prefer the design to the Gurr mobile. I switched camps however. The IP of Disneyland is Disneyland itself. They seem to have forgotten that. But...I'm grumpy. I'll have more to say. Beware.
ReplyDeleteDear All-
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do... don't hold back-! These comments and "suggestions" are all Top Notch. I could contribute, but... (I'll just sit back and take it all in).
Ditto what Nanook said.
ReplyDelete—Sue
Tokyo!, Lizzie Borden's ice cream shop has 40 chops... er... flavors. And 'rum' flavor is not one of them, thanks to her associate, Carrie Nation.
ReplyDeleteOur "old, forgetful, grouchy grump" Melissa had a lot to say today! I would go back to WDW if it made all of your changes.
Five-legged goat... Did anybody ever figure out why that goat in the Mary B. mural has five legs? Maybe it was a second goat standing behind the other goat, most hidden?
Major (Your Grumpiness), I think you're right about preferring whichever park one visits first. I would assume that WDW has a lot more people who prefer it over Disneyland simply due to its size, number of attractions, and the number of people it draws, from all over the world.
Major and Melissa, it would be so easy to include North America in a new IASW. A fanciful, Mary Blair-ish version of the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate bridge, St. Louis Arch, Space Needle, even the CN Tower to acknowledge that little country to our north... Canadia, is it? I forget.
Chuck, thanks for the map link. We can actually see where the Crystal Palace almost touches the waterway, like it shows in today's photo.
No, we don't write Newyork or Losangeles. But we DO write Disneyland! How come it isn't Disney Land??? Huh? Think about THAT for a while!!! ;-D
"a democratic country made up of people from all over the world? As if something like that could ever work in real life…" I'm hearing the drip, drip, drip of sarcastic irony from Chuck today.
Stu, You're really with it, man.
Grouchiness seems to be a thing today. Is it contagious? Maybe it's the latest Covid variant.
Mike, if WDW IASW had all those features you mentioned, it would be truly memorable and inspiring. Worthy of Disney.
Bu and others, I think "Disney" is OK when referring to the corporation, as in: "The folks at Disney really need to get back to the basics. No more TRE!". But I agree with you on all the other examples you mention.
Chuck, “storefront facade” is apt! I really like that the Swan Boats used the moat as part of the waterway, and feel that the removal of that attraction was a big mistake. I know others agree, and in spite of the fact that the Swan Boats were surely a low-capacity ride, they added SO much gentle, lovely “magic” to Fantasyland (and into Adventureland). Thank you for the info and the link to the 1977 map. When I used to listen to a lot more Disney park podcasts, it was always weird to hear east-coasters refer to Walt Disney World as “Disney”. “We’re going to Disney!”. I know it’s just something they’ve grown up with, and it sounds natural to them, but… I have a hard time with it. Not that anybody cares! While I’d see the animated segments from “Song of the South” on TV, I finally had to find a copy to download (there is at least one copy on archive.org) to watch the whole movie. I’m glad I saw it, but as I’ve said before, the live-action portions leave much to be desired. I had some book with the tar baby story, but I am not sure if it was a Golden Book or not.
ReplyDeleteStu29573, I do like the “flooded room” look (based on photos that I’ve seen), but I’m so used to the trough; and something about the fact that the trough goes back to the World’s Fair makes me kind of love it for what it is. Hey, do you use a comb that looks like a switchblade like I do??
Mike Cozart, as always, you are full of so much amazing information! It’s amazing to think of anything as feeling “small” at the Magic Kingdom, and I’m surprised at how much the entrance to Frontierland reminds me of Disneyland’s. They did not scale it up by 40 percent (or whatever). The Old West doesn’t need to be huge, it would feel strange! It’s funny that the Small World clock was considered so dated by the time WDW was built, since the Anaheim version was only five years old. Just my opinion, but the Disneyland version is so stylized and fantastic (as in “full of fantasy”) that it doesn’t feel terribly dated to me, even today. Maybe that’s because I am just used to it? The original “World Carnivale” concept sounds pretty neat, it’s a shame that they had to scale it back so much.
Melissa, it’s still a cool concept!
Bu, the public apparently complained about the lack of Disney characters at EPCOT, so we have nobody to blame but ourselves. I’m sure their addition was inevitable, but as much as some people admired EPCOT, it was also something of a joke to a lot of people. The Simpsons made fun of that park more than once. Didn’t they redo the Florida Fantasyland? I don’t follow WDW news very closely, but thought that the whole land had undergone some sort of makeover. For one, the Snow White mine ride was added. It’s really sad that they lost their Snow White and Mr. Toad dark rides, however. It would be pretty cool if they built a new Tower of the Four Winds for Florida! Wasn’t there some supposed connection between Elizabeth Montgomery and Lizzie Borden? Hey, I like popcorn just fine, especially when it is hot and fresh (and not too much butter), but I’m also a big fan of a chewy, salty soft pretzel. What can I say? I like the idea of an “authentic” Norway ride, but I’m not so sure how much the public would flock to an Ibsen-based attraction. Maybe if it had Muppets! How about “The Sonja Henie Experience in 3D”? Or a trip into the world of Edvard Munch.
ReplyDeleteJG, I have to wonder if they were running short on money, and that’s why the Fantasyland wound up looking the way it does? Again, not terrible, just sort of big and “Six Flags”-ish, if you know what I mean. Why not combine plush and churros and make a plush churro?
Bu, ha ha, I can certainly be as grumpy as anybody, though I do sometimes try to make an effort to not give in to that side. The DARK SIDE! I never liked the name “Disney’s California Adventure” (how lame) and then they changed it to “DISNEY California Adventure”. Who got a bonus for that brilliant idea? I also don’t care for the fact that Walt Disney’s name has been phased out at the beginning of their movies for just “Disney”. Ugh. One blog discovered that “Disneyland Resort” actually dates back much further than we would imagine (to the 1950s, I believe), but it still grates on the ears. There are bromeliads on the Swiss Family Treehouse, but I don’t know if they are real or fake. Fake, probably. I don’t blame people for loving WDW, I’m sure it is wonderful - or was - for many reasons. I just happen to be all about “Walt’s park”, which I’m sure is weird to some people.
Nanook, as long as we don’t go into religion or politics, I’m all for “not holding back”!
Sue, I knew you would like Nanook’s suggestion!
The Tomorrowland entry Pylon Fountains were shut off not so much because people were getting wet, but because a slippery film was developing in sections were the entry bridge met the “mainland” in expansion joints…… this became a pretty big safety issue. The overspray was never a complaint of guests walking in or out of the Tomorrowland entry …. But it was a massive complaint of people dinning on the cantilevered decks of TOMORROWLAND TERRACE’s western facing outside patio. People don’t like to get wet while eating. WDW central shops did two things : for the Tomorrowland waterway dinning areas clear Acrilite panels were installed to protect the overspray mist hitting eating guests from the side ( this helped a little ) …. Restaurant management LOVED it as it was difficult for guest ti dump trash and ketchup packets into the waterway below! Central Shops also tested acrilite “shield” inserts down the center of the fountain jets …. But in the sun , heat and wet turned a yellowish brown ….. so it was decided to turn the fountains off. This would have happened anyhow during the Eisner regime when water features like fountains were shut off.
ReplyDeleteIn the late 1980’s WDW have planned on returning the Plaza Swan Boats back into service …. And a series of topiary vignettes were designed …. Including sone motorized ones! And management was well receptive to tge attraction’s return …. UNTIL they were I formed that the original fleet of boats ( minus one) had been sold off a few years ago at a property control sale. The potential cost of building a new fleet of swan boats killed the project “ dead in the water!”
"Dead in the water"- Talk about killer swans!
ReplyDeleteDon't scream: "Munchland" https://www.munchmuseet.no/en/
ReplyDeleteIf it's Borden's, it's got to be good: https://lizzie-borden.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Lizzie_Borden
Killer Swans: https://waltdatedworld.com/id42.htm
@ JB-
ReplyDelete"How come it isn't Disney Land??? Huh?" Probably for the same confusing reasons that Storybook Land is sometimes referred to as Story Book Land. And then there's Epcot Center vs. EPCOT - mind 'thy capitalizations. And on and on.
Major-
"Why not combine plush and churros and make a plush churro?" In that case, in addition to providing a napkin, they'd have to supply a comb-! (What... you don't 'groom' your plush-?)
It's been well over a decade since my last pilgrimage to Florida, but I remember it fondly. At the time, I hadn't been to Anaheim since the 80s and had a limited basis for comparison.
ReplyDeleteSmall World's flooded rooms worked for me, inviting one to see it as a cruise on a body of water (like Pirates) rather than being floated down a chute. What didn't work was the load area, which looked and echoed like an airport terminal.
On my last visit Mr. Toad and 20,000 Leagues were both long gone. For me at least, the latter was the real loss because it managed to combined the boomer appeal of the Disneyland ride AND the proto-steampunk charm of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".
On the topic of faded IP: One can argue how that Disney movie is as obscure to modern parkgoers as "Song of the South", even though it's never been locked away. There was a moment when Imagineers were lobbying to replace it in Anaheim with an "Atlantis" attraction and reportedly snuck in signage announcing it.
Mike Cozart, it’s such a shame that those fountains were shut off; I’m surprised that there weren’t studies to determine how wind might affect the water spray. And putting a restaurant so close by seems like an error in judgement. If they used buttermilk instead of water there would be less spray. Modern problems require modern solutions! Funny that you mentioned those Acrilite panels, I was thinking, “Why couldn’t they have just enclosed the fountains in parts?”, but they tried that. I was wondering if they could have used something like they used in the waterfalls in Rainbow Caverns (to prevent the colors from mixing)? Hire me, Disney. So dumb that they sold off those swan boats. They were all ready to go! Could they have bought them back from whoever they sold them to?
ReplyDeleteJB, this blog is very anti-swan!
Bu, I would love to go to Munchland, his art is always so light and fun. So I was right, “Elizabeth Montgomery and Lizzie Borden were sixth cousins once removed”.
Nanook, I spend two hours combing and arranging my stuffed animal collection, which is piled high on my bed. Each year I add one more animal to the menagerie.
DBenson, I assume that the “flooded room” still has some sort of troughs, only they are mostly submerged? Not sure how the boats are propelled if not by a water current. Maybe trained goldfish pull each boat. I remember being so shocked when I learned that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was being removed, it was always such a cool-looking attraction. Another real loss for the park, as it was almost as fun to look at as it was to ride (or so I understand). I remember when an “Atlantis” overlay of the subs was proposed; it’s been a while since I’ve seen that movie, but I don’t have memories of loving it a whole lot. Still, at the time it would have been better to have that then to have NO subs at all.
Chuck, you are correct about "Song of the South" being re-released in 1972. According to Wikipedia, it was re-released that year, for the studios 50th anniversary. I remember seeing it in the theater that year, and then again in 1980. But it was also re-released a year later, in 1973, along with a re-release of "The Aristocats." I think it's odd that "The Aristocats" was being re-released that year, because it had initially been released, just a couple years earlier at the very end of 1970.
ReplyDeleteBut I know that that double-billing re-release date is accurate, because I cut an ad for the two films out of the newspaper when I was only eight or nine. And I wrote "1973" on that ad, with a pencil. I am going to be posting this in an upcoming "Aristocats" post, but here it is now. As usual, scroll to the very bottom of the post!
https://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2008/08/disneyland-paris.html
Oh, and my brother and I had/have the long playing record with the accompanying story book, for "Song of the South." As with our other Disney LPs, we played that thing over and over again!
Architects love fountains, and never consider the overspray. I could cite a dozen examples, not just at Disneyland, converted to planters because of nuisance or damage to expensive finishes.
ReplyDeleteOne fancy hotel in my experience, (not my project) had a modern waterfall fountain in the lobby indoors, but the air movement from exterior automatic doors at opposite ends of the big room meant air current flowed downhill, pulling water off the falls onto the stone floor where people were always slipping and falling. The costly wood veneer paneling on the walls puckered up from the drifting droplets, and like so many other waterfalls and fountains, this one became a planter.
JG
@ JG-
ReplyDeleteIt's my argument for the Victor Gruen-inspired 'Rain Fountain'. Unique - yes - but, hardly as dramatic and wonderful as a fountain with actual water, all its unintended effects be damned-!
Nanook, those oil fountains were underrated IMHO. These should be brought back as the perfect accent for seasons of Drought.
ReplyDeleteI'm still wishing for another view of the big one in the Sherman Oaks mall.
JG