Two Randos
Today's photos are certainly "randos", but this first one is also technically a Leftuggie™ - it's the final slide taken by Ginny's husband, circa March of 1962. You remember Ginny! She of the perfect posture. Maybe she's hiding behind of of the saguaros in the Painted Desert (which looks considerably more drab on this overcast day). A boiling-hot geyser can be seen in the distance, is it Old Unfaithful? What I wouldn't give for one more ride on the old Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland.
Next is this lonely photo from July, 1972, showing the Main Street Cinema. It's nice to see Charlie Chaplin was playing there, featured in the 1914 Mack Sennett film "The Rounders". Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was in that one too. I feel like the Cinema lost a bit of authenticity when it switched to just Disney cartoons.
15 comments:
Major-
"What I wouldn't give for one more ride on the old Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland".
I think we all share that sentiment-!
Thanks, Major.
It’s interesting to see how just a single row of berm trees can keep the outside world out and make you feel a hundred miles away from civilization.
A good shot of the famous almost-owned-by-Mike-marquee.
Thanks, Major.
Sue
We rarely see the cacti this close up. I just noticed the woodpecker holes (or whatever) in that one cactus. And I love that 'skeleton hand' reaching up from the ground at the bottom of the pic. (Or maybe it's meant to be a lizard's foot?)
Hmm, seeing them up close like this, they don't look as real; too uniformly colored, too perfect. On the right (not the one in front), I think that's one of the 'special' cacti, with its 'arms' bent downward and maybe a hole through the middle.
Major, I've always thought that as well; it's less of a cinema with just the cartoons. But the Disney cartoons are nice too. And besides, most people who visit the Cinema probably only stay long enough to see one cartoon, maybe ten minutes, then they're itching to go on Pirates, the Matterhorn, etc.
It's kind of amazing to see a 'Ginny' slide without Ginny! Shocking! Thank you, Major.
I don’t think that’s a skeleton hand …. But is suppose to be a Cholla Tree or Whipple Cholla (cactus) I’ve actually never noticed it at Natures Wonderland before.
Yeah … I was offered that Main Street cinema marquee for free … and they even offered to load it up while they had the forklift out…. But we came with a trailer big enough for just the PeopleMover car …. And even if we had space my dad said “HELL NO!!” And his truck was pulling the PeopleMover. I wonder if it was eventually given to someone else of if it was eventually scrapped…??
The 1955 marquee was completely replaced when they were preparing Main Street USA for the 50th.
In the late 90’s I had the opportunity to purchase the original tender body to the CK HOLIDAY locomotive after a new one was replaced ….. graphically it was beautiful…. I think the price was like 235.00 for scrap value … and I had to arrange for removal … I really wanted that …… but had no place to store it… I think the estimate for removal and loading and unloading was in the 3k range and at the time thst was too much money to be spending on just loading and unloading.
That CK HOLIDAY story reminds me of the time the MARK III Monorail bodies were being replaced in 1986-1987 ….. an Orange County man had a campaign to save them …. Several pieces of MARK III Monorail RED were set aside … a front car … a rear car … two middle cars … and they were offered to the Smithsonian…. But the Smithsonian declined …. Then they were offered to the Sacramento CA state Railway museum …. And they declined …. The OC man launch a campaign to get a mark III monorail and take care of it … and preserve it … and he was very enthusiastic… but it didn’t happen … and in Disneys defense …. He had no place to store these large vehicles and has no money to pay for the moving and handling of the props …. And there was some liability issues … eventually all the MARK III monorail bodies were destroyed except for the front car of MONORAIL RED . It was constructed converted as a “mouseorail” for parades and marketing tours. After it sat backstage near the parade storage warehouse -outside- and left to rot …. But was saved as a interior prop in the preshow to Rocket Rods …. Eventually the last surviving section of MONORAIL RED was scrapped ….
The tips of that "skeletal hand" plant, remind me of a succulent plant that I have, which has the nickname, "Monster Jade." My plant hasn't grown that tall, let alone taken the shape of a hand, but again, the tips look the same as those "fingers," with a scooped out depression on the end of each finger-like growth.
I've been petitioning Disney for years now, to show Frozen in the Main Street Cinema. Anyone want to sign my petition? ;-)
TM!, it's never going to happen. Just let it go.
Chuck, what if they only show it In Summer?
That’s not geyser steam, Ginnie is up ahead smoking a stogie. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
I loved the desert scenes, of course they were jokes, but no one thinks they were real did they? Just fun.
That toy cactus is definitely mimicking some variety of real plant, my first guess was ocotillo. Might be Cholla too.
I’ve gone in the Cinema exactly twice, both times alone, and on really hot days. Disney cartoons only. It was an unrivaled cinema experience. They have finally released some of these on Disney+ and I can rewatch Plane Crazy.
Thanks Major!
JG
From my "engineer's perspective, that is very likely Old Unfaithful in the background. I find this slide to make me feel I am back onboard heading down this stretch of rail...taking the engine out of gear with my left hand and feathering the air brakes slightly with my right hand thumb...a little timing the geysers while also making sure not to jump the rails further down the hill. The photo was taken either in the engine cab or in the very first passenger car. This is what it looked like folks...up close and personal.
As for Mike's exploits on collecting Disney 'trinkets', I wonder what his collection would look like today if he had had unlimited resources.
I spent several long shifts collecting "A" tickets at the Main Street Cinema under that very marquee. Since Tilly got all the attention, there was little for me to do off to the side by my turnstile other than to stand there like an AA figure...which I did frequently for amusement and to break the monomonty. And you wonder why I asked to return to Adventureland? But today, I think of it fondly. KS
Where's the spellcheck when I need it? Monotony! Yee gads...I'm taking myself to the woodshed.
Wondering if they had a film buff on staff who picked and maintained the films for Main Street Cinema (and the slide show, for that matter). It occurs to me that in the 50s-60s some silent films had already slipped into public domain but others were still under copyright. Much of Chaplin's earliest work was up for grabs even then, for example, while the ownership of silent Laurel and Hardy is only now beginning to expire. Did Disney pay to use any still-copyrighted films, or did they stick exclusively to public domain?
No serious objection to vintage Mickey Mouse taking over the Main Street Cinema. One could argue it was already non-authentic by including 1920s stuff in a turn-of-the-century nickelodeon. And I appreciated that "Mickey's Polo Game" was shown in B&W to keep the ambiance.
Recall some controversy a few years back when they experimented with easing merchandise into it (the Florida location turned into a shop long ago). There was talk that it simply wasn't a draw anymore. I thought of a solution: Place a large restroom facility behind it. Families will enter to use the restrooms, and they'll enjoy watching the films while waiting for the inevitable stragglers.
Main Street Cinema was especially a blessing for me when they had the first 25 hour party, for the 25th anniversary…as a perfectly cool and quiet place to take a nice little nap in the riser. I still stop by regularly to enjoy a flicker or two and support the arts.
Oh man, it’s Rainbow Caverns I crave to see again! Waterfalls, check. Colorful, check. Ethereal music, check. No one even tells the old saw anymore about Claude Coats figuring out how to keep the colors separated, and how “it’s fun to do the impossible”.
MS
DBenson, I like your restrooms idea...as long as they are waaaaay in the back and hidden from view.
Sue
Bathrooms behind the cinema is up there with my proposal to turn the Country Bear Jamboree into a restaurant like the original Tiki Room concept.
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