Three Nice Ones From March 5 1980
We all know that March, 1980 was just a few years ago and definitely not 43 years ago. I would have noticed if 43 years had passed. Anyway, I have some scans from 1980, and even though they are practically new, they are still worth a look.
(By the way, Jason's Disneyland Almanac tells us that March 5th was a Wednesday, the park was open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a high temperature of 66 degrees, and a low of 50 degrees).
Here's a pretty view of a pathway leading toward the gleaming Matterhorn (they actually clean it every night with Gleem toothpaste). The shadows are gathering already, and soon it will be dusk, and then (if my calculations are correct), nighttime. My favorite post-dusk time! Just look at those 1980 fashions, including three people wearing yellow pants (you have to look closely to see one leg).
Oh yeeeeaaaahhh! The entrance to Tomorrowland with a delightful Peoplemover train in its original color ("Baja Blast", I believe). And we still have Rolly Crump's swirly purple and yellow flower beds, and even the central flagpole (sans flag). Let's go ride "Adventure Thru Inner Space" and then see "America the Beautiful"! Then we can go to Space Mountain. Man, do I love this picture.
And finally, howsabout an artistic shot of a Peoplemover train, looking like some kind of space bug (the nice kind, not the "eat your face" kind) as it travels high above us. Do you have any theories as to where this photo might have been taken?
23 comments:
And there it is again! In that first photo....on the right side of the walkway....it's Kidney Stone Kid's tree! I wonder if he returned every year to stand beneath it and scream?
There is a construction wall in front of America The Beautiful (second pic). I wonder what was going on in there? I be Mike Cozart will know and will fill us in. It wasn't time yet for American Journeys. Maybe this was just a normal refurbishment?
I don't be Mike Cozart. Only Mike Cozart can be Mike Cozart. Of course I meant to say, "I bet Mike Cozart...."
@ TM!-
I saw that construction wall, too. The wall wouldn't be necessary to make internal changes to the film or the theatre, itself, so...
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, that's true! Maybe they are preparing the ground, so that in 18 years, they can install some hideous pavers.
I'm trying to understand why anybody would voluntarily buy, and wear, bright yellow pants. It was a different world then; Metaluna, I think. Possibly Altair IV.
We haven't seen Hans or Fritz or Otto on the Mountain for quite a while. I hope they're OK.
Nice Tomorrowland pic! I like how the palms frame the entrance. Maybe one of our Disney alumni can identify that Sweeper on the left edge.
Major, I'm gonna hazard a guess and say that the space bug photo was taken in Disneyland. (Sorry, if I didn't do it then Chuck would have.)
I like this artistic shot. It sort of cleanses the palate in between seeing the usual views. There is something light-colored below the PeopleMover train, but I can't tell what it is. Perhaps it can help place the location of the photo. It seems to be somewhere in Disneyland's backcountry, in the vicinity of the Autopia. I guess the question is: where was the photographer standing?
Tokyo!, I thought that was The Tree, but I wasn't sure... and I knew, if it was, that someone would point it out anyway.
Major, you're spoiling us with this string of nice photos; several days in a row.
There was indeed changes to the preshow of AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL in 1980…. One was to incorporate the Bell Company’s popular jingle “Reach Out And Touch Somebody” ( …. Reach out , reach out and just say hi! People from coast to coast calling up friends to keep them close … you’re never too far .. “ ok I’ll stop. Anyway the update included a graphic alterations and also new cast costumes … this costume was used from 1980 to 1983. And are lovingly referred to as the “brown push button phone” costume … and it kinda did look like the face of a push button phone .. ( no doubt intentional) I think TokyoMagic showed a castmember in this costume on his blog some time ago. During this time while the lobby was being changed over guests were directed to enter temporary thru the exit …. When the renovation was complete a row of “chatterbox” phone booths were removed and the picture phone and displays of “updates in worldwide communications” was replaced with a Bell Telephone designer phone boutique center … ( remember it’s 1980 and designer phones are all the rage !!! ) this area eventually became the Premier Shop when Bell ended its sponsorship and American Journeys replaced America The Beautiful.
I be Mike Cozart
Correction : “WHEREVER you are , you’re never too far to call up and just say HI!”
That construction wall arrow previews the new circle vision entry wall … with a giant arrow directing guests into the cool dimly lit theater …. “As a reminder ; please do not reach out and touch somebody inside our circle vision theater . Thank you. “
As ernestine says … “ we’re the phone company … and we don’t care!”
Mike, I remember the first time I exited the Circle-Vision theater, to the tune of "Reach out, reach out and touch someone......" That song was awfully catchy.
Did they really incorporate that line of the song into the construction wall signage? That sounds a little bold for Disney, in 1980. This was way before they had animals and aliens sneezing and spitting on guests, and Stitch burping in your face with chili dog breath. You know, back when the company had a sense of decorum.
Here is that post with the pic of the "brown" America The Beautiful costume:
https://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2016/01/walt-disneys-america-beautiful-at.html
Lol! No that was not part of the script ( asking guests not to reach out and touch people in the theater) I made that up! Thank you for adding the link to the costume image . Does it not look like a phone’s outline with that squared off neck ( looks like the receiver holder … and the buttons on the front look like push buttons!!
Those yellow pants will haunt my dreams. Which will be an improvement over last night’s offering. Does anyone else dream about going on vacation and spending most of your time trying to get your work computer up and running on the hotel Wi-Fi?
I like how the photographer caught the Rocket Jets mid-spin in the second image. It really adds to the picture’s Oomph Factor (OoF) and helps make up for the construction wall and missing flag.
The third picture was taken in - dadgummit, JB!
I see I have reached that stage in my career where my punchlines are predictable and I am no longer an A-Lister. I guess I can look forward to years of self-parody and cameo appearances as people slowly forget who I am, to be briefly reminded of my existence in a three-paragraph obituary in Variety placed by my agent, Swifty La Rue, who by that point will only barely remember me. BONUS: maybe I’m now eligible to guest star in a 1970s Disneyland special!
I voluntarily bought yellow trousers. Not yesterday, but a few years prior to these photos. I could still rock yellow trousers- although the authorities would be notified. It's normal to wear yellow trousers with little lobsters or crabs embroidered on them during summer in Cape Cod. The "yellows" I had in the late 70's were a surfer thing. I was not a surfer, but certainly lived amongst many of them. Yellow cords + Hawaiian shirt. I also had yellow cord Keds...which were also a surfer thing. I could only aspire to be so cool, alas under my surfer costume was still nerdy me :) I did not know that Rolly did the Tomorrowland swirl, but now I know. Why these planters were changed blows my mind, and what it changed to blows my mind even more. I see a balloon vendor there in the distance. We were allowed to move about a little in Tomorrowland. There are many photos of balloon vendors in front of the "Y" of the PeopleMover, but when you got there it was super windy which was no bueno. The sweeper looks familiar, but I'm telling you...they all kind of had that look- especially with those particular sunglasses and "sweeper stance". The Mickey on him is a pin back button, not a costume piece. Custodial was super strict, I am surprised such a thing was allowed. Some guys did have pocket protectors, and there was one with the familiar Castle logo on it. When pen ink got onto those whites, it was over. The employee on the other side I do remember: he worked in Frontierland Merchandise and is wearing that brocade and satin vest I've talked about. Strangely, I do remember this guy having a newspaper sticking out of his back pocket frequently. Guy with blue short and brown trousers with mustache guy looks very familiar. He also looks like he has a radio on him (antenna sticking up.) I also think the tree is THE tree. Guests today do not look like these guests, but I suppose in '80 they didn't look like 1955 either. My guess regarding the PeopleMover silhouette shot is from the Tomorrowland RR station. I'd have to get out some photos to see where the trees line up, but I'll stick with that this am. I've missed some days on GDB, but am going back to add my .02's. I agree, some very great shots have been posted!
Yup, that’s the Kidney Kid Tree. He fell out of it and hit every branch on the way down.
If we see that tree a few more times, it will deserve its own GDB Attraction Poster.
Yellow pants are fine, for others. Just a few years before this, my high school friend had a full-on yellow suit. We called him “Taxi”.
That is the best Tomorrowland entrance, no need to ever change it.
The mystery photo is take, I believe, from the Tomorrowland train platform, far northerly end.
JG
I never thought I'd see three pairs of yellow trousers in one picture. It's the Man in the Yellow Hat's backup singers.
I spy a Canadian flag t-shirt in the second picture. He's wandering aimlessly around the park in search of a Tim Horton's. Or at least a Swiss Chalet.
There are all really nice pictures, but I think #3 is the nicest. Very artistic.
Melissa, that guy in the Canadian flag shirt is in luck! All he needs to do is take a right through the Castle and then a left at the Teacups and he’ll find a genuine Swiss Chalet. It could only happen at Disneyland!
Certainly a time of bright colors. Yellow is a favorite color but never thought of it as 'casual' wear to suit my polyester taste. That last shot is one of those wonderful vignettes of the park away from the hustle and bustle that one is normally surrounded by. Something that I enjoyed noticing here and there as a CM. KS
TokyoMagic!, who knew that Kidney Stone Kid would live on in our hearts? If the tree was still there, I’d go and scream a few times in his honor. I noticed the construction wall, no idea what that was for.
TokyoMagic!, you can be anything you want to be!
Nanook, is that when they installed leftover “Percepto” devices (purchased from William Castle).
TokyoMagic!, the first problem was that they got the pavers from a company called “Hideous Pavers”.
JB, I remember seeing Levis in the store (maybe just for women) that were in yellow, red, and even BLUE! Tomorrowland looks beautiful in that photo, it was still great in 1980. I suppose I have only myself to blame for the “where was that picture taken” question, so I will take my lumps.
Mike Cozart, I definitely remember the “Reach out and touch someone” campaign, though I’ll have to go on YouTube to remember the tune that went with the lyrics you recited. I want to have nothing to do with brown push buttons. It’s one of my rules. Bummer that they removed the chatterbox booths, those were fun, and remembered fondly by many. Of course it changed to a store!
Mike Cozart, instead of a cool, dimly lit theater, they should have made it hot, humid, and smelly. Call me, Disney!
TokyoMagic!, for some reason all I can think of is the jingle for Burger King, “Make life… a little easier”. Short lived. Not sure why I remember it. What’s wrong with aliens getting mucus all over guests? I’d pay $25 extra for that, as long as I got a Zinger. Thanks for the link to that photo, the costume isn’t great but not as bad as I imagined either.
Mike Cozart, I mean, I guess it looks like a push button phone? I would have never thought of it if you hadn’t said it already!
Chuck, I admit that I would probably not be cool with yellow pants, but you know, 1980 was still basically the 70’s. I always think of Mr. X when I see a photo of the Rocket Jets with the spacecraft in the “up” position, since I know that he usually would wait for that. Don’t feel so bad that people are aping your style, Rodney Dangerfield was beloved for decades!
Bu, I remember having red cords (also some mossy green cords) when I was a kid in the early 1970s, but that was the era for those, plus my mom bought all my clothes. I’ve been buying my own clothes for over five years now (not to brag). I really liked corduroy when I was young, I wondered why the cloth was that way. I also remember my mom buying us one-piece “jump suits”, which I actually wore. I can’t find any photos of those, but I must have looked like a boy from the future. Or just an oddball. Why wouldn’t they allow a Mickey Mouse pinback button? Seems to demonstrate esprit de corps or something. I’m not aware of so many trees being so close to the Tomorrowland RR station, but I sure don’t have any better suggestions.
JG, poor Kidney Stone Kid. Now I want a t-shirt with his screaming visage. Whoa, a yellow suit, that is making a statement. I had a friend in the 80’s who had a shimmering suit, it looked kind of dark red, but then part of the cloth looked more blue at a certain angle. Hard to describe. But he got a lot of attention for it.
Melissa, I’m happy that I’ve made your day with the three pairs of yellow pants! The guy with the Canadian flag on his shirt is wondering where he can fish for walleye and northern pike.
Chuck, there was something for everyone at Disneyland, even Canadians!
KS, I think I might have had a pale yellow shirt years ago, I think it was sort of a terrycloth fabric. Very comfy! Not sure I’d buy it today. I do love that interesting third photo!
Chuck, I want to see a Disneyland Showtime 2.0 television special, with you and E.J. Peaker singing a duet on the top deck of the Mark Twain! You could sing that old Cole Porter standard, "Friendship."
Major, let me know when you order those shirts with Kidney Stone Kid's image on them. I'll take two!
I remember in 1985, Levi's button fly 501s came in red, yellow and turquoise. They had them in the men's and women's styles. They weren't around for very long. I think this was shortly before the "acid wash" styles came out, which was more popular and stuck around for a longer period of time.
Major, I remember "living" in Levi's corduroys all through junior high and most of high school. But beyond high school, "my home was in California, but I LIVED in Britannia!"
I used to have a bright yellow fleece hooded robe that pulled over the head like a hoodie and had a pouch pocket in front. With the hood up and my hands tucked into the pouch, I was a column of pure yellow. My sister called it my "banana dress." When I took it to choir camp, somebody joked about the color keeping me up at night.
I especially LOVE the 2nd picture—with the swirled yellow and purple flowers. Whenever I see yellow and purple flowers together anywhere—I think of old futuristic Tomorrowland.
Thanks, Major.
Sue
Major-
I still have (and wear) many pairs of JNCO corduroy jeans. (Call me Old School, if you must). I still get many comments/compliments, surprisingly.
As for PERCEPTO! - it just so happens I have a framed, window card for The Tingler, that looks LIKE THIS.
I'm sorry to admit but I owned a pair of yellow pants. I think they were on sale. This is around 1970. It seemed like an groovy idea at the time. One day I wore them to high school and instantly felt like an idiot. I never wore them again.
That window card is awesome. Scream! Scream for your lives!
@ Melissa-
It's hard to scream while your seat is 'buzzing and vibrating'-!
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