A Pair From March 1962
Today's photos aren't the most exciting things in the world, but they were taken on a glorious sunny day with clear blue skies. Amazingly, these are dated "March 1962", which is when all of the photos featuring "Ginny" are dated, and yet she is in a gloomy, gray park.
I appreciate that our photographer was already on the lookout for something a bit unusual, like the Ken-L-Ration pet motel ("Ken-L-Land"). The sign looks to be inspired by a Googie bowling alleys, or perhaps an exuberant grocery store.
Those folks are already resting on a handy bench, maybe they're waiting for dad while he parks the car? "I'll drop you off here". The little boy in blue can hardly contain his excitement!
The blue Monorail is almost the same color as the blue lagoon. COINCIDENCE? There's the Richfield Eagle, and because this is the one above the Fantasyland Autopia, we know his name is "Richie". as opposed to Screechy over in Tomorrowland.
There's a bobsled to the left! That means GOOD LUCK!
13 comments:
Major-
I wonder if 'Queenie' or 'Sport' or 'Prince' was driven to Ken•L•Land in that 1960 Ford Falcon 4-door station wagon [possibly] in Belmont Blue-?
Thanks, Major
It's always makes me feel good when I see photos of things less-photographed because, as you noted, the photographer is looking for something out of the ordinary.
That sure is a high chain link fence around the kennel. I guess they didn't want to take a chance that some dog would leap over the fence and into the Park without paying.
Even from this distance, that blue station wagon looks mighty dusty. Either it traveled a long way to get to Disneyland or the owner is a slob.
Is that lady in pale green, sitting on the bench, wearing a bathrobe?
Where the heck are the Subs? We can't call it a Sub Lagoon without Subs! Screechy and Richie were a mated pair. And, as we all know, eagles, especially giant fake eagles, mate for life. And we know that they were great parents because they both carry a big round egg with them everywhere they go. I like seeing Cinderella's castle above the bobsled.
Today's theme: Things that aren't there... A kennel with no dogs visible, and a Sub Lagoon with no Subs visible. And both of them, nice pictures. Thanks, Major.
Disney got a lot of mileage out of that “individual letters on flagpoles” idea for signs. I like it and wish it would be revived.
I do remember the Pet Motel, you could see the pets through the windows. We might have walked right along here, except I don’t think ordinary visitors could park near this side of the gates. Maybe Granny Red-Shoes and her family were dropped off as you speculate, Major?
I think the lady in the teal skirt is part of our group, but the photographer is not aiming at them, he is recording where he left Old Dog Tray so he can find him again at the end of the day. Except the photo wouldn’t be developed until weeks after his return home and he had to drive back to the Park to get his dog.
I really like photo 2, the only improvement could an adding a sub and the monorail on the near track. It’s got it all, a bobsled, a castle, a monorail, the band-aid flag, power lines, and a buoy from the motorboat cruise! Who could ask for more? Well, ok, a red Ferrari and a million bucks would be better.
Thanks Chuck for filling in on the James Bond reference yesterday, much appreciated.
Thank you Major!
JG
I remember through most of the '70s, board at Ken-L-Land was just 50 cents, same as all day parking. If both were 25 cents in the '60s, Walt was practically a socialist.
Exiting Primeval World on the trains, the yapping dogs reminded me of the Twilight Bark scene in "101 Dalmatians". Could be the film's sound engineers made some recordings right there.
Richie the Eagle, meet Bob the Sled.
Nanook, Belmont Blue, I don’t even know what that means. “Belmont” as in The Belmont Stakes?
JB, it seems like a small percentage of people had their cameras at the ready in the parking lot, and an even smaller percentage took photos of unusual things like Ken-L-Land. Funny, I didn’t even think about the high chain link fence, but a dog or two must have gotten away! Can you imagine? “Well, I’m here to pick up our Beagle!”. “Um, I have some bad news”. That lady is wearing a green Snuggie! All the subs have dived to the farthest depths, where anglerfish and gulper eels dwell.
JG, I do kind of like those “letters on flagpoles” signs. Maybe they are considered too old-fashioned now, but I admit that they are nice. I don’t remember ever passing Ken-L-Land, I’m sure we headed straight in toward the ticket booths with our eyes on the prize so to speak. I wonder how many people started to drive home at night and realized (after five minutes) that they’d left their dog in the pet hotel? It HAD to have happened. I’m looking for the “band-aid flag”, but am not sure where I am supposed to look. BTW, I forgot to mention the snow on the distant mountains!
Stefano, I think that each pet got a can of food as part of the deal, too. “Walt Disney: Socialist!”. That’s a new one! ;-)
Melissa, Richie and Bob both have southern accents for some reason.
On many visits, we made a point to walk over to Ken-L-Land to see the critters through the window. Like any kennel, it Was a bit noisy. But it was far superior to leaving ones family pet in the car. The cost was minimal. One time while my Aunt/Uncle and cousins visited, they stayed in a motel nearby us. The day we all went to the Park, their little GiGi (toy poodle) found itself placed here. One was free to get their hand stamped to walk over to visit with their pet at any time. The kennel positions were staffed by the Parking Lot crew. GiGi traveled a lot. Being an 'Air Force' brat, she went from California to Virginia, Hawaii (a long kennel stay there to clear island requirements), returning to Virginia to live out her life. KS
I think back in the day the few pictures of the parking lot or kennel - land were taken by overly excited guests … unsure of what they were photographing but none the less didn’t want to miss it!
It reminds me of the world’s largest wine cask at Heidelberg Castle in West Germany… since the castle has been open to tourist they go it and see sone very big wine casks and start to photograph them in awe because they think THOSE are the giant wine casks …. Then the guides have to explain no that is not it … then They see the giant massive casks with its own wooden stairway built around it!!! The massive 2 story wine cask was built in the 1700’s when area planters paid part of their taxes to the king in wine. A dwarf registered the completed “ payment” by ringing the bell at the top of the cask. Legend is that the dwarf only drank wine and was continuously drunk. After drinking water one time he died. The king commission a wooden replica of the dwarf carved to commemorate him and forever watch over the giant massive wine cask and his bell.
NEW ATTRACTION IDEA:
“THE GERMAN FAMILY WINE CASK TREEHOUSE”
Germans produce and drink more wine thank beer believe it or not.
Also... "pylons", lots and lots of pylons
JG
JG, always happy to pinch hit with a Bond reference.
Major, I think JG's "band-aid flag" is a reference to the Swiss flag on top of the Matterhorn queue and control structure.
Chuck, we understand each other...
JG
Of course[!] there's a big puddle in front of Ken-L-Land.
In the last image, the lady in the slate-blue coat/dress and hat - looks like she's holding onto the railing closest to us - and levitating.
Pylons.
Thank you, Major.
It was of great enjoyment to nip over to the kennel to see the dogs of the day. They would prance by the comp booth on their way. We made up little tunes for each of the dogs in different types of voices depending on the dogs type and personality. Then we would visit later on as time permitted. I think it was $2 back then, a nominal fee on purpose so that people would not leave rover in the car. I can remember saying to guests when the intimated rover would be in the car “ITS ONLY TWO DOLLARS…WE DON’T MAKE MONEY ON THE KENNEL”. I was so horrified that anyone would leave their dog in the car. I did leave my own dogs in the Kennel a couple of times and that went well….lots of barking and shennigans…and although they appreciated the food…they ate the paper plates it was served in. It was fun to ride with them in the parking lot tram and they REALLY enjoyed that. After their stay they got the cutest little certificates with their names on them, and gold stars and such. I still have them somewhere even though the doggies have been long gone. :(. The graphics on those signs kind if remind me of the Kanine Krunchies commercial…didn’t they have little dogs marching in a parade touting Kanine Krunchies flags? In the Disneyland phone room I developed a scheme and map for the worlds first theme park for dogs: Kanine Kingdom. Which is what I call my little side doggie daycare service now. I wish I would have saved that hand drawn map…with themed lands, like “Land of the smells”…and the attraction “Kat Chase”…with audio animatronic cats popping up at random in a delightful dog friendly maze. Thanks for the memories major.
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