Friday, April 21, 2023

Fantabulous Tomorrowland, March 1964

During one of my childhood visits to Disneyland (perhaps 1971 or 1972), the Submarine Lagoon had no water in it. And while I was disappointed that we couldn't enjoy a "voyage through liquid space", the budding Disneyland nerd in me was fascinated to see how it all looked! I would have stared a lot longer except that my dad got impatient. Parents just don't understand, am I right? 

Anyway, here's a neat March 1964 photo from the Skyway looking across part of Tomorrowland, with Fantasyland in the distance. Near us is the red Monorail, while "old Bluie" is near the Fantasyland Autopia. There's a bit of the Motor Boat Cruise, and even some of the Monorail Chalet.


Some lucky folks got to get a sweet view from their Unirail. The rock work is so red, but all that color gets absorbed by the water. In the dark shadows, we can see what I believe are bleached-out seashells. Or maybe they are golf balls.


Next is this very nice photo with Big Red once again, this time with the Richfield Fantasyland Autopia sign in case you were discombobulated (which I usually am). Just look at all those unused Autopia cars to our right!


17 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Are there two trucks parked down there, near the current location of "three fences"?

That last pic shows a couple of odd benches, which I don't remember seeing before. They don't have backs to them. One is at the base of the Monorail pylon in the center of the pic, and the other one is on the far right of the pic.

Thanks for the swell Monorail pics today, Major!

JB said...

Ooh, two monorails in one photo! A rarity! And they're looking especially sleek and shiny. Hmm, I hope the workers are going to clear out all that crud from the pool; the rocks, the shells, the crabs... all that stuff. And paint it a nice shade of blue. The Richfield Eagle is keeping a close eye on the progress.

In the last photo, I like how the Richfield letters are constructed in 3D. I think we can see the Monorail tilting slightly as it makes the turn. Pretty sure it's going away from us, but I'm gonna pretend that it's coming toward us; more exciting!

Tokyo!, I was thinking that was close to the Three Fences location but I didn't want to embarrass myself if I was wrong. But since you pointed it out, you'll be the one with egg on your face if you're mistaken, so all is right with the world. ;-p

Thanks, Major.

Steve DeGaetano said...

I can't even imagine the thought that went into what the color of the rocks should look like when viewed through the density of water. Attention to detail, anyone?

K. Martinez said...

Just beautiful! All of it! My favorite is the Fantasyland Autopia sign with Monorail Red heading towards the back of the park. Such a rare treat to see that sign. And to think my first trip to Disneyland was the year before in 1963. The only difference was the Submarine Voyage was open for business.

Thanks, Major.

Nanook said...

@ JB-
Yes, Monorail red is going away from us.

Thanks, Major.

Melissa said...

I'm not sure I've ever been combobulated.

These are lovely shots; so much motion. And I've never seen the Richfield sign from that angle!

Stefano said...

That looks like Suzanne Pleshette in the back of Monorail Red, though not with Tony Curtis. More like 160 pounds of trouble.

The empty Submarine lagoon reminds me of a Chinese fairy tale I read in childhood, about a little boy who could inhale the ocean waters and hold it in while his brother scurried out to collect pearls and rare shells. He could only hold it in so long though. . .

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, I’m sure those trucks are there as part of the big lagoon rehab. They are full of seashells! I’m looking and looking, but I don’t see those odd benches you mentioned; of course I’ve seen benches that have no backs, but never at Disneyland. Weird.

JB, I wonder how often they had to fix up the lagoon, with all new seaweed, repainted fish (presumably), and new shells? Seems like every few years. That chlorine and sunshine really did a number on those items. I always love a good 3D letter, I think I first noticed them being used at the 1939 World’s Fair. That’s right, I was there! TokyoMagic! doesn’t have egg on his face, but he does wear a waffle on top of his head.

Steve DeGaetano, I’m assuming that they just went with bright, vivid colors, and hoped that some of the hues would make it through the water. But it’s hard to say, John Hench was very knowledgeable about colors and how they were affected by different atmospheres and such!

K. Martinez, yes, that second photo is a fun, dynamic perspective, if only it was in 3D! And I’m always happy to see good signage in the parks. I don’t suppose you actually remember anything from your trip to Disneyland in 1963? I barely remember a glimmer of my very young childhood trips.

Nanook, that’s why there’s no bubble dome!

Melissa, for some reason the Fantasyland Autopia sign is much rarer in photos, not sure why. If I have any photos of it at all, it’s usually way in the distance.

Stefano, that woman in the Monorail used as much hairspray as Susanne Pleshette, that’s for sure. Whoa, I’ve never heard of that Chinese fairy tale, pretty crazy. Why can’t fairy tales be more realistic? ;-)

MIKE COZART said...

The submarine voyage had its major rehab every 5 years. In 1967 and 1972 were two of the big ones. But that schedule must be approximate…. If these images are from early 1964. 1972 rehab included the replacement of lots of the older 1950’s sculpted fish with more exotic examples created from new sculpted molds made for Walt Disney World.

JB said...

The fairytale is "The Five Chinese Brothers". I read it in grade school as well. The brothers were, apparently, quintuplets, and each of them had a special 'talent'. And as Stefano said, one of them could gulp up the whole sea and hold it in his mouth. I think it was another village kid who ran out to collect the treasure and such. And also as Stefano said, the Chinese Brother couldn't hold the sea in forever, so the kid drowned. The Brother was sentenced to death for killing the kid, but his other identical Brothers, unbeknownst to the authorities, took his place. I remember one of them had a neck made of iron, so his head couldn't get chopped off by the executioner. Another could make his legs stretch real long, so when they tossed him into the ocean to drown, he just stood on the bottom without drowning. And so it goes. I'm sure you can find it online somewhere.

Melissa said...

Didn;t I read somewhere that early on, they had to replace the mermaid figures's hair a lot because the chemicals took the color out?

Nanook said...

@ TM-

Are THESE the same benches-??

Nanook said...

@ TM-

And THESE... And THESE...

Major Pepperidge said...

Mike Cozart, I feel like I must have seen the rehab in 1972, that’s the one I tried to take pictures of a night, but was too dumb to realize that my tiny flash cube would not light up the entire empty lagoon. Oh well. Very cool that they added more exotic fish from the WDW ride!

JB, I have definitely not read that story, I guess it’s time to admit that I can’t read. I’m not proud of it. I can write just fine, that’s the weird thing (though others might not think it’s that “fine”). Pretty dark that one of the kids drowned, but that’s how fairy tales are, and maybe that’s why we love them. A neck made of iron? I have a butt made of lead!

Melissa, I would not doubt that story, although it seems like a mermaid with white/colorless hair might look kind of ethereal too.

Nanook, in some photos those “benches” look like folding tables. Or is it just me?

JG said...

Early start, late finish here.

Great pics, great comments..

JB, no one on GDB would dream of making fun of you for not knowing about three fences. Many of us here only learned of it through the generosity of the community.

Mike and Major, I recall a dry lagoon at least once, probably the 1972 “drought”. I also remember one dry year for the Rivers of America and seeing the track for the river craft, but that seems like an earlier memory.

It’s possible that there were maquettes or mock-ups for the underwater color selection, but this would require a substantial tank somewhere… I can’t believe they would just wing it. But the entire Matterhorn was repainted after only a short time, going more beige than the dark concrete gray, so initial choices aren’t always perfect.

I seem to remember that “neck of iron” story. Major, Why can’t real life be more like a fairy tale? A neck of iron could be pretty handy sometime, I suppose.

Thanks for the pics today.

JG

TokyoMagic! said...

Nanook, yes! Those are the same ones. I just don't know if I've ever really focused in on them before. Thanks!

Dean Finder said...

A little late to the post, bu I'd guess that the rockwork coloring for the Sub Lagoon was based on work they did for the soundstage tanks for 20000Leagues Under the Sea.