Wednesday, April 05, 2023

Randos

It's time for more random scans for your vintage Disneyland enjoyment. Both are from October of 1967.

On the west shore, near the Canoe docks, the Mark Twain passes by, as it must have done five times an hour (or so) all day long. I'm surprised how few (if any) photos I have of the Twain from this vantage point, maybe because of those trees. 


Of particular interest are a few details, such as the totem poles, which I have never seen outside of the Indian Village before. There's also that sign (in pidgin English) for potential Canoe fans: Sorry this attraction closed today. I guess we can be grateful that they didn't add "Ugh". I don't think I've ever seen that blue "shield" sign for the Canoes, I wish it was clearer. We can clearly see the words "INDIAN WAR CANOES", as well as information about needing a "C" ticket ("No cash accepted on ride"), along with information on where to buy a "C" ticket if you don't happen to have one on you. We also have a cleverly-disguised trash can!


Next is this unusual photo taken as the C.K. Holliday passed by, with a mysterious little walkway... somewhere. Mr. X told me that this was taken at Tomorrowland Station, and he said that the tunnel to the Grand Canyon Diorama was just out of frame to our right.


14 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Major, those totem poles were still in the Indian Village. The Indian War Canoes were located there, too. But I know that you knew that!

That walkway was for guests who wanted to do the "walk-thru" of the Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas, rather than ride through them on the train. ;-)

JB said...

Major, I bet you have even fewer photos of the Mark Twain taken from inside the Rocket To The Moon theater. I have a sixth sense about these things.

I like that tree stump trashcan. I wonder if it was crafted by Disney Imagineers or if it's off-the-shelf?

Huh. That Tomorrowland pathway hasn't been seen by us Jr. Gorillas before, has it? Was it accessible by the guests, or just the CMs? I'm guessing the latter.

Tokyo!, I'm sure there is an up-charge for that walk-thru. But at least ya gets yer 5 grapes and yer Zinger!

Thanks for the Randos, Major.

Also, you can catch Andrew's final Disneyland trip report on his Bayern Kurve blog. It's a good one! (As are all the others.)

JG said...

War Canoes! That’s the stuff, none of this silly explorer business. “The best reason to get in a canoe is to bring war and mayhem to your enemies!”

Oh wait, that was the blurb for Conan’s War Canoes, the original concept for this attraction.

Perhaps in a future rehab, they will paint the canoes yellow and give them names from National Geographic. Can’t have any mayhem in the Diminished Park, where everything has Rounded Corners to Prevent Injury.

Do canoes have names now? I want to ride in the “Chumbawumba” if so.

I vaguely remember that little path at Tomorrowland Station, I think it is still there. There is a platform exit at both ends of the station and this is the little-used exit route from the leading end.

I would love a diorama walk-through as long as we are “inside” the glass.

Thanks Major and Mr. X!

JG

K. Martinez said...

So, they changed Indian War Canoes to Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes and gave the attraction a promotion to "D" coupon level?

Love that authentic Native American log trash can. Whenever the Native Americans relocated, they'd bring their log trash can with them to keep the area nice and clean. Thanks, Major.

Nanook said...

Major-
Maybe HERE is the pathway...

Thanks, Major.

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, are you saying that the totem poles could move?? This is big news! I would love to walk through the Grand Canyon Diorama, the train goes too quickly.

JB, your comment about photos of the Mark Twain taken from inside the Rocket to the Moon makes me think of the “F” ticket. I’m guessing that the tree stump trashcan was purchased, but really don’t know. I think the pathway was used by people exiting the DLRR at Tomorrowland Station, but am not 100% certain. Oh no, Andrew’s FINAL Disneyland trip report? I’ve been enjoying them so much!

JG, I don’t have strong feelings about “war canoes” vs “explorer canoes”, except that I tend to lean to whichever is oldest (or “most original”). I don’t think Lewis and Clark used canoes ever, but those would have been good craft for exploring river country. I’m unaware of the canoes ever having names! I actually boarded the DLRR at Tomorrowland Station a few months ago, and might have even accidentally walked up that path thinking it was the entrance to the ride. Typical. Hey, it was nighttime, and I was all by myself.

K. Martinez, I did not know that the Canoes went to a “D” coupon (presumably from a “C” coupon?), usually rides go to a lesser ticket. What was the thinking, I wonder? Do you think that they made a mold of an actual tree trunk for that trash can? It looks very realistic.

Nanook, I can’t afford to look!

JB said...

JG, "Oh wait, that was the blurb for Conan’s War Canoes". Huh. I didn't realize that Mr. O'Brien was so belligerent. Better the “Chumbawumba” than the "Chunder Plunder", I always say.

Ken M., good to know that Native Americans lugged their log-shaped trashcans with them wherever they went. We wouldn't want to see tears running down Iron Eyes Cody's cheeks!

Nanook, that Daveland photo certainly looks like part of the same walkway in today's image; same white border, same slurry, same vegetation.

Major, I'm not familiar with the "F" Ticket. Was that a parody of the "E" Ticket magazine?
Andrew mentions that he might include another Disneyland post consisting of photos that didn't make the first cut.

MIKE COZART said...

Major: that Disneyland RR Tomorrowland “trail” is still there and guests do that all the time : think it’s the entry to board the trains . They use it sometimes to exit guests if it’s very busy . I think it used to be used many years ago to switch out station positions of conductors.

Major Pepperidge said...

JB, ever since Jay Leno re-took the Tonight Show, Conan O'Brian has been full of rage (and steroids). I wish I was famous for crying, the way Iron Eyes was. What a legacy. The "F" ticket was an April Fools prank that had rides that were along the lines of "Mine Train Through Mr. Toad's Wild Ride", I thought we discussed it here on GDB, but I guess it was amongst "civilians".

Mike Cozart, in my (weak) defense, it was pretty late at night, and there were practically no people in that corner of Tomorrowland, but... I still felt kind of dumb.

JB said...

The fact that you can still find someplace in Disneyland where you can get lost is a good thing. :-)

Anonymous said...

Major, I discovered recently that the googel street view does not reach to the Tomorrowland train station.

The Mod Hatter booth is as far as the trail inside the Park will reach. If you try to drop a pin on the train platform, you get the street view outside the berm from Howard Johnsons.

I was trying to find the vantage of that nice photo of the People Mover seen against the sunset through the trees. No can do.

Don't feel bad about being lost in Disneyland, that's a good sign that there are things still not fully resolved.

JG

Bu said...

Is lost in Disneyland like lost in Yonkers? They are kind of different things...but kind of the same. I never knew that Canoes got tarped when not in use, and why would they need to? So they didn't have to bail rain water...just let the guests slosh it it. That's part of the fun. Guests do not know how to paddle and that's all I'll say about that. As an expert paddler (not being cocky, just the truth...), and switcher (right handed and left handed paddler), it's a challenge when there are "lost paddlers" in front of you...and "lost paddlers" behind you. Luckily my developing physique dictates that I get my own row so I can slide and switch when necessary. My warning to the people behind: "I splash". I don't really splash, but I dig in hard. If you are also a paddler, you will understand this. Trash can is an epic work of art. I do know that walkway from the train, but don't think I've traveled down. I enjoy that the Tomorrowland station is still the Erector Set version, albeit with different paint. Nice to see some original bits here and there when doing urban archeology in Walt Disney's Disneyland, but you have to LOOK! I saw some 1971 chain link fencing in another park recently, but unfortunately was too dark for a photo. It was both nice and heartwarming to see broken down crumbling chain link 'ala Disneyland '55. Thanks for the photos Major.

"Lou and Sue" said...

JB, google "Vintage Disneyland Tickets The F Ticket" and you'll see the infamous "F" Ticket. Very creative!

Thanks, Major, for today's "Randos."

Steve DeGaetano said...

That path actually led to a viewing platform, much like the one that existed at Frontierland Station. You could actually get much closer to the locomotives at this platform.