Twain and Columbia, October 1981
I'm using up the final three photos in a folder full of scans provided by Sue B. The pictures are from her dad, Lou Perry, and they are from October, 1981.
Frontierland sure looks pretty, with that deep-blue sky and bright sunshine. Everything is so green! But the frontier as seen from the Rivers of America is quite different from the frontier seen further west. I'll bet October was the perfect time to visit the park back in 1981. Low crowds, good weather, no Wookies - what more could you ask for?
Still, October was the "off season", and that meant that some rides were set aside for maintenance. Water is tough on materials, I can't tell you how many photos I've seen with the Columbia at the dock in Fowler's Harbor. Of course it might just be moored there so that guests can board and check out the "below decks" displays.
Don't worry, Columbia, you'll be sailing soon!
MANY thanks to Lou and Sue!
9 comments:
1) Ooh, yes. Green! All that lush greenery is the best part of this photo. And Mr. Perry positioned himself to get as much of it in-frame as possible, to surround the Mark Twain.
2) I find the shadows and highlights to be the most pleasing aspect of this photo. The ship's rigging reminds me of tropical vines hanging down from the trees.
3) There are several UFOs in the sky. The clever aliens have disguised their saucers to resemble specks of dirt. So when people get their photos/slides back from the developers they'll be none the wiser.... Sneaky aliens.
Thank you, as always, to Lou, Sue, and Major.
Yay, no Fantasmic garbage on the end of the island! Not even the "floating stage" is there. Nice! It looks like the Gullywhumper and the Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island are also down for the day. Maybe the Mark Twain was dropping guests off on the island. It used to do that, you know. Honest. I heard about it in a F.B. post. ;-)
Thank you, Lou and Sue, and Major, too!
Hope I’m not stealing Bu’s thunder, but “Disneyland U.S.A.” as the Columbia’s home port means all is yet right with the world.
Thanks again, Lou & Sue!
So, it isn’t just me…. …these photos do show very green landscaping.
Beautiful pictures, and no popcorn buckets, churros, or bubble generators in sight, and the Old Mill still looks as it should.
1981 was still the old Park.
Thank you, Lou and Sue, and Major, too!
JG
JB, when Galaxy’s Edge was built, a lot of beautiful trees were removed from the back part of Frontierland; it’s still pretty, but I assume it will be years until the remaining trees will be as lush as the ones in these pictures. You are waxing poetic about the Columbia, which is nice! Sadly, you did not mention daffodils, the most poetic flower, we all know it. As for the UFOs, I must have been on drugs (as usual), because I usually try to scare the aliens away before posting the photos.
TokyoMagic!, I think they should now do “DoubleFantasmic!”; twice as big, twice as loud! And they could slime the guests. Yes, just like in “Double Dare”. The hard core fans will love it.
Chuck, I remember a bit in the old “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” books about a town in Asia that called itself “USA” so that they could print “Made in USA” on their products. That’s probably where the Columbia’s home is.
JG, it’s those dumb bubble guns that really get me. They’re everywhere! I guess they must make many thousands of dollars a day on those annoying toys. When I was a kid, we played with an inflated pig’s bladder, and we were grateful to have it!
October was one of those 'sweet spots' to visit. Crowds were low so the abbreviated operating hours were still sufficient to see it all in one day. Just look at the background behind the MT. This could have been a mid-week visit. The parades and fireworks were over but many then felt that was nice window dressing to a visit and not the main event. KS
Thank you Sue, Lou and Major.
What a wonderful look back at the park I fell in love with (at yes, this ideal time of year). . It seems we all agree this lush greenery was the better version of Frontierland. The layers of plants are gorgeous; I can just about hear the babbling rapids ahead. For me, it truly gave a sense of being out in big nature. That was a real river that really went somewhere (however briefly). And as mentioned, blissfully free of this trashy flotsam and jetsam ‘aesthetic’ polluting the park these days instead of proper embankments and an actual Fort Wilderness. That said, it’s great to still have the big boats and in good shape!
MS
Three great shots. The foliage framing takes them up to the next level. No Wookies, but you never know how many Ewoks you can hide in a clump of trees.
KS, I used to love to go in early November, after the Halloween crowds had abated, but before the Christmas stuff got underway. Now I don’t really know if there is a great time to go!
MS, I’ve said it many times before, but the Big River was a real thing of beauty, and a great example of what Imagineering could do with time and enough room. It feels as if any small quiet spaces are now being eaten up for extended queues or additional gift shops. Where can a guest go to relax and take in the scenery?
Melissa, those freaky little Ewoks! They’re everywhere!
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