Beautiful Disneyland, 1996
I have some more scans from some negatives that Mr. X wanted to share with you! They're from 1996; sure, that wasn't that long ago. But 26 years ago isn't nothing either. Remember when Disneyland celebrated the "First Quarter Century", and it seemed like a big deal? In any case, the park looks wonderful here.
We'll start with a photo of a Horse Drawn Streetcar (jam-packed with guests!) making its way around Town Square, past "The Walt Disney Story (Featuring Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln)", and on its way up to the Plaza. Folks are wearing their white Reeboks and New Balance sneakers, a smart move for a long day of walking. I love the color and quality of light in this one.
This one is bittersweet; the old Skyway Chalet in Fantasyland is up there, mostly hidden amongst the pines, but we know how wonderful it used to look in happier days. In 1996, the Skyway had only been closed for two years, but it the Chalet looks like it's been abandoned for longer than that. Still, it's a pretty picture. I remember feeling a strong temptation to try to sneak up those steps so that I could take a look around.
And finally, what could be nicer than a photo of Casey Jones Jr. as he starts his journey through Storybook Land? Monstro the Whale is mostly obscured by that tree, but his pointy teeth can still be seen.
Many thanks to Mr. X!
23 comments:
Major-
Once again, Mr. X provides wonderful images of the park. As you say - the color and quality of the light in the first image really grabs you.
In the last image, we get a great view of the "entire family" of Kim, 'Traditional Floral' landscape path lights, being used as 'sign illumination'. Those fixtures are made from spun copper, cast bronze and brass pipe, with an acid-etched 'verde green' patina. Very classy - and very expensive. These have been in the line for well over 60 years.
Thanks to Mr. X.
That's a wonderful photo of Town Square. The tree foliage hanging down from above coupled with just the right amount of sun dappling makes this one of the best Disneyland photos I've seen. I'm keepin' it... don't even try to stop me. ;-)
Three trashcans here, each with a Mouse-ears motif.
The Chalet: Such a waste. All that colorful, old-world artistry and craftsmanship... abandoned. It's like a scene out of Nara Dreamland. It still looks nice here; bright colors, patches of light and shadow.
Casey Jones Jr: I don't think I've seen all those green lamps used for lighting up the Storybook Land floral sign before. They appear to be a whimsical version of some sort of viney flowers; morning glories, maybe. This photo has a pleasant mix of bright colors, blue sky, and greenery.
Nanook, thanks for the green lamp fixtures info.
Really nice photos today, Mr. X and Major.
"Jam-packed" is such a misleading phrase. I got all excited about seeing people vacuum sealed in jars and instead got some awesome picture of the streetcar. What a letdown.
Many thanX to Mr. X.
Three really good images. I miss the Swiss Chalet. It was such a neat structure and a great destination for your Skyway bucket to let you off. Down the stairs and off to Fantasyland.
Most lovely images Major, thanks for the look.
Thanks Mr.X, wonderful photos.
Good stuff today, Major.
Mr. X has a good eye.
Daveland did run up the steps and posted some pics of the abandoned interior of the Chalet, but I’m too lazy to hunt for them.
I wonder if when the Chalet was finally demolished, if the Von Roll counterweight was abandoned in-place or if they took it out? Wookie World is only about 20 yards behind it?
Thank you both.
JG
I too miss the chalet. It was an integral part of the Fantasyland of old. A hidden gem. As a kid, I'd stand in the line slowly going up the stairs for my trip to Tomorroland, hear the yodeling music being played and look back into and across Fantasyland with the flowers in the foreground. It was truly magical for that young mind of mine back then. KS
@ JG-
I believe the counterweight was located on the Tomorrowland side; as the motor/machinery was housed inside the Chalet.
Nanook, your knowledge of things such as microphones and landscape lights is pretty amazing! Looking at those “Traditional Floral” lights I wouldn’t think that they would be expensive, although it does sound like they were made of quality materials. I wonder if some in this 1996 photo are still in service?
JB, I agree, that first photo is one of the reasons I chose to include Mr. X’s pictures on a Friday. I have lots of older photos, but not many as nice as that one. I didn’t think of the design on the trash cans as “mouse ears”, but I suppose that it could work that way. I agree about the Chalet, it seems like it could have been repurposed as a snack bar, or something. The use of flowers around the park really sets Disneyland apart from other parks. Now that they are replacing a lot of grass with the fake stuff, I wonder if the flowers will also be fake??
Chuck, (I sit down, dressed just like Ward Cleaver for some reason), “You see, there’s these things called ‘figures of speech’. They sound kooky - almost as kooky as yucky girls! - but they help us to communicate certain ideas”. Chuck: “Gee whiz!”. ;-)
DrGoat, I miss the Chalet, and was shocked that it was torn down for Galaxy’s Edge. “But that’s in Fantasyland! Why are they tearing out stuff way down there?”. I’d already sort of resigned myself to the destruction of Frontierland, but removing the Chalet was a step too far.
JG, I remembered seeing photos of the inside of the Chalet but didn’t remember that they were from Daveland. If it had been me, I would have been thrown in Disney Jail for a month, with nothing to eat but stale soft pretzels and flat Coke. I’d assume that the counterweight was removed, but WHO KNOWS. Somebody out there!
KS, ah, that yodeling music! When I first discovered that an enterprising fan could seek out rare Disneyland soundtracks (hello, Napster), I found so many examples that took me back to my childhood, including the Swisskapolka, the Carousel of Progress, and some yodeling, although it might have been from the Matterhorn queue, I sort of forget now.
Nanook, see? I knew that somebody knew!
Although I love the pics today, my favorite thing about the post is KS' description of waiting in line at the Chalet. Thanks for the memory!
I just read...ok, skimmed an article about how some powerful investors are fighting over spinning off ESPN with gambling revenue...or something. Anyway, it just made me all the more convinced that they should have just shut everything down about 20 years ago... The company and the parks are so sad now.
@ Stu29573-
Although it sounds more like the thinking from the 'Anti-Saloon League' (1893-1933), it's been a slippery slope since alcohol was allowed in the Magic Kingdom(s); so it's very-likely that 'casinos' [of some sort] aren't very far behind. If Disney puts cruise ships in Asia - that's virtually guaranteed as that market expects it - and where you'll likely see it first. (Just use your MagicBand -or- MagicBand+ to place your bets-!)
Nanook, thanks for reminding me, I knew there was "something" from the Von Roll equipment likely left behind in the Chalet, but confused over just what.
KS, thanks for that description, brings back memories here too, just not about what piece of equipment goes where.
Here is the Daveland post (from 2009)
https://davelandblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-skyway-fantasyland-station.html
Major, Daveland must have had diplomatic immunity from King Stefan. You or I would be sentenced to the Sleeping Beauty Castle Dungeon to make pink sparkling churros or something, never to be seen again.
JG
I know in the past I’ve mentioned the many concepts that had been proposed over the years to try and re- use the Fantasyland Skyway Chalet. But the reasons that killed off the Skyway attraction prevented the use of the station building : wheelchair / handicapped accessed. Again anything you’ve read online about the Disneyland Skyway having been removed for safety reasons or an accident if fiction. It was removed for two reasons: HANDICAPPED ACESS and ultimately COST. Because of the hill top location a elevator or lift system park side wasn’t practical …. And it wasn’t operationally feasible to add a system backstage - it would require wheelchair guests to have been brought all the way Thru a access tunnel between fantasyland and Frontierland and then a “u” shape path towards the backside of the skyway building - shared with backstage support buildings for the park and the Fantasyland Stage. WDI designed a beautiful NEW Skyway system that allowed handicapped guests to board in Tomorrowland only and required a return trip to Tomorrowland. The new system also by/passed the Matterhorn using A cable directional change tower similar to Florida’s. Because Disneyland planned on only offering round trips to handicapped gusts a very active handicap legal group got the state of california to impose a DAILY fine every day a handicapped guest could only ride round-trip. Disneyland said “BYE BYE SKYWAY!!” Tokyo and Florida’s Skyway attraction removals followed Disneyland’s but really for completely different reasons.
You won’t find a bit of anything left in Fantasyland of the Skyway Chalet. - a least with the structure or the structures function. After it was carefully dismantled it was then excavated and it’s foundation removed as well. I can’t imagine anything left of the attraction’s mechanism having been left. California environment Laws are extremely stringent and require demolished pieces and anything that has been exposed to be carefully contained and disposed of with approved techniques. Besides asbestos, the early lead and enamel paints and coatings used in the 1950’s and 1960’s are treated as toxic waste. The Skyway drive wheels - both the Powered and passive ( technically BOTH were powered ) have oil pits where lubricates may weep to and collect . These pockets can be collected and drained but over time you get leaking to the surrounding soil( like a gas station) so all that had to be removed from Fantasyland as well . The Tomorrowland Skyway station remains - and probably any toxic material as well …, this has been part of Disneyland shying away from laborious “environmental clean up” that would be involved with its Demolition — this now includes The Carousel Theater … and now almost anything in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. Part of the delay and hesitation to to anything substantial in the area. Disneyland wanted the carousel theater building removed over 15 years ago. I LOVE Tomorrowland!! Old Tomorrowland…. And knowing what I know ….. I’m pacified letting Disneyland’s 1967, 1977, 1987 …(and even older) “bone” left to stagnant and weather …… because I DOUBT any of you would like the things that have been discussed in very recent years !!
Stu29573, gambling is great! There’s no downside. I love losing hundreds of dollars doing something that favors the casino. But that’s just me!
Nanook, I’m sure Walt knew that he could have made a bunch of additional money by selling wine and beer, but he chose not to for all of the obvious reasons. But today’s management can’t resist all of that easy dough. I’ve heard stories of unpleasant, rowdy guests in EPCOT and DCA, there’s nothing worse than a loud drunk.
JG, our fingers would be raw and bleeding from those sharp sugar crystals. Can a person die of sugar poisoning?
Mike Cozart, I guess I feel as if Disney, with all of its very smart people, could think of a way to get wheelchairs up a hill if they wanted to. Maybe it would be too expensive. I was just at a Whole Foods that has an amazing escalator/ramp system from the underground parking garage up to the store, it’s just at a very shallow angle, I’ve never seen anything like it; there must have been a logical and affordable way to deal with wheelchairs. My Ralph’s grocery store and Target stores have special escalators that transport your shopping cart up and down levels. I never thought about all the toxic stuff that these old buildings contain; but that’s part of the deal, the company does so much construction (and demolition), I’d think that removing toxic material would be “par for the course”. Obviously I am not knowledgeable about such things though!
Well sure :there’s a millions ways to get wheelchairs up and over to the skyway chalet …. But most of them will be ugly and clunky and not fit in with a “storybook European village” …. Look at the ugly eyesore elevator contraption built between the Treehouse and the Pirates if the Caribbean for the Royal Suite…. . I can only imagine the horrible looking contraption that would have been built for the skyway station : most certainly destroying all the happy charming descriptions and emotions that were posted here by junior gorillas ….One solution that isn’t going to fly is show park operations to take an already expensive attraction to operate and maintain, to make it even MORE EXPENSIVE to keep. Then the extra 30 million spent on a elevator system for the fantasyland skyways station forces operations to cancel Tomorrowland 2055….. or shutter Main Street Cinema or the Main Street Horsecars ….. or allows the Mark Twain to operate only on holidays.
One of the last proposals for the Skyway Station was a clock / Glockenspiel type show to occur like the small world clock fanfare. The food /beverage concepts were quickly abandoned for the wheelchair reasons but also now plumbing and food regulations would need to be adapted for the backstage area serving the Fantasyland theater etc. in fact the Petite Chalet - across from the Matterhorn-evolved from skyway building food service discussions.
BTW: ride the Main Street Horsecars at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World as much as you can Because current discussions have them going the way of well , horse drawn streetcars!
Re: Skyway closing. Mike is completely accurate. I knew this information prior to it closing and was sworn to complete secrecy. I know where a few (metaphoric) bodies are buried, but will wait for the interspace to expel it. Simple solution to complex problem: board and disembark Skyway at ground level. (Never will happen. $$. "The end"). I really enjoy those verdi gris lights on the Story Book Land floral. Why must I only like expensive things? I need these for my "fern glen" in my summertime garden. I also concur on building/taking away anything of merit (toxic) in California and other places too. I did work on historic buildings, and the tug of war behind the creative/protect the integrity/landmarks commission/operational logic/etc. etc. ( I'm grey as a result.) It's not a job for mortals. Boxing gloves are recommended. The Skyway Chalet on a hot day, even though it was not air conditioned, was so nice and cool. There is a way to do ADA access that does not impede upon design, it just is always very expensive. I deal with this issue every day in some way. I have a measuring tape on me pretty much 100% of the time. The access of design just needs to be built into the overall design, not when it's retrofitted: it rarely feels thoughtful. Just my own POV from strictly a visual/design perspective. The picture of the Horse Drawn Carriage is lovely. I looked at it while listening to the Overture of "The Happiest Millionaire." My Disneyland Film Club buddy Stacia spearheaded the search for missing pieces and parts of the film since it was cut mercilessly after it opened. I'm not sure if she got the official credit...but she solely was the one searching and seeking with the help of a few others at the Studio We had a special screening after it was restored in the big theatre at the Studio with many cast members and the Sherman Brothers there. There weren't a whole lot of people in the audience...just us film club geeks... if I remember....so it felt very intimate (that theatre isn't small, but it's not huge either.) , and afterward the Shermans answered questions, played some piano, and we all gathered around and sang "A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow."....I'm not sure if you can get more magical than that given the location and the many people in attendance. Afterwards we walked around the Animation building and Dave Smith told us the story about why the hallways were built so wide (in case of war-time trauma it would serve as a hospital.) Finally: It would be a very very very sad day to see Horse Cars get the Axe. I think that is worthy of public outcry on another level. Talk about "the end.".....
Thanks, Bu. Your comments are always interesting and amusing, and the story about the film restoration and screening is no exception; one of your better novellas. :-)
That first photo is beautiful - WOW! Thank you, Mr. X.
Am curious about what is in the foreground of that first photo...circular seating with flowers in the center? I never noticed that before.
All the background stories are interesting from Mike and Bu...but so sad to know more will be changing. All the more reason to enjoy everything we can, while it's still there.
Didn't Andrew tell us that he rode every Main Street vehicle when he visited Disneyland? Very wise kid!
Thanks, Major, for sharing Mr. X's beautiful photos, and also for letting us all vent, here. Knowing others feel the same way, and sometimes even joking about the crazy changes, at least makes it a little 'easier.'
Sue
@ Bu-
Those Kim Lighting 'Traditional Floral landscape path lights' are expensive for garden lighting but not exactly a king's ransom - if'n that's what you really need. They can be had for around $165 - 200.00 each for the natural finish - and around $280.00 for the verde patina finish. Okay, if you're buying more than one, it adds up quickly, but how can you resist-?
Sue, I noticed that odd planter / seat thing. It’s just about where a fire hydrant was located, but I thought hydrants had to be exposed? I guess it’s off to street view to figure it out if it is still there.
JG
JG, if you do figure it out, let me/us know. Thank you!
Sue
Sue, it is still there in street view (photo from 2016-17), grown up a little more, with a topiary in the center, and the fire hydrant and the drinking fountain are also visible nearby, so it’s not hiding those. There are two, symmetrically placed on opposite sides of the central island. No idea what they might be. Maybe they hide something needed to hold up the Christmas Tree?
JG
Thanks, JG!
Sue
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