I have a nice pair of RANDOS for you today, starting with this beauty, date-stamped "October, 1967". I love the colorful selection of Autopia vehicles! Notice that they are all the Mark VI-style bodies, which means that it is pretty likely that this photo was actually taken before the stamped date - though I could find no exact date for the introduction of the Mark VII "Stingray" cars. Perhaps one of you can! As a bonus, we get the Mark II Monorail, waiting to punch a hole through space and time. I just love this picture.
Next, from "sometime in the 1950s" comes this fun photo of a woman posing with one of the Native American performers near the Indian Dance Circle in Frontierland. I like his outfit - but I like hers too! You can see a few people on Tom Sawyer Island in the distance, I hope they don't get lost in the caves. the boy to the right has a shirt that claims he's been to California, but I don't believe him.
Major-
ReplyDeleteI'm no expert on Autopia vehicle 'carbon dating', but my sources say 1967 works for the introduction of the Mark VII's
There's just something about the combination of Kodachrome film images taken at the Indian Village which jettison the finished product into a rarefied category all its own. The only thing missing from this image is a slightly darker blue sky.
Thanks, Major
My, the lighting is wonderful in this photo! Neither under exposed nor over exposed. Goldilocks would be happy; it's "just right".
ReplyDeleteI notice the two antennas on the left and right of the Monorail station roof. Are they actually attached to the roof? Or is this a trick of the eye caused by the Monorail punching through space and time, as Major tells us?
Another nice colorful picture. I wonder why California Kid was almost left out of the photo? Is that some sort of Hawaiian print on the lady's shirt? I bet the people on TSI are feeding the AEDs. Not sure what animatronic ducks eat though. And what is that sign in the background between California Kid and the CM? "BER...". Maybe it's the Bertha Mae Keelboat?
Very nice Randos, Major.
And what is that sign in the background between California Kid and the CM? "BER...".
ReplyDeleteJB, the pic wasn't taken at Disneyland. It was taken at Knott's and that sign reads, "BERRY STAND." Okay, I'm kidding....you were right, it's for the Berth Mae.
I think I see a single tear drop in the corner of the Native American's eye. I'm sure it's because of the cigarette butt and crushed paper cup that someone had just thrown down at his feet.
The MARK 7 AUTOPIA began testing and some integration in late 1967 in Tomorrowland only. full change over to MARK 7 Autopia’s in Tomorrowland was completed in 1968. In 1969 the Fantasyland Autopia Mark 7 change over was complete. The earliest MARK 7 Autopia cars can be identified by their “oyster” ( that’s the actual name) color headrests. The same material was used for the padded bucket seats of the 1969 MARK 3 Monorails.
ReplyDeleteI see the Santa Fe signs are still up in photo 1. At the time of this photo, there were similar signs on rail crossings near my home, I passed them every day on the school bus and the Super Chief ran from Fresno to Bakersfield. These signs made Tomorrowland so much more real to me, the monorail was just around the corner, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteJB, those antennas are on the station roof, they broadcast between the stations and the trains to keep track of progress and report issues. One of our CM brethren described this several years ago.
So, is the California Kid supposed to be in the picture or not? The indecision is killing me. It’s a great photo, the bright colors, layered backgrounds and people having fun, the best parts of a day in the Park.
Nanook, I was pretty sure about 1967 being the intro date for the Mark VII cars, but I am hoping for the month, too! The sky is nice and dark blue in the Indian Village photo (at least it isn’t milky white!), but perhaps not as saturated as in some pix.
ReplyDeleteJB, the antennas are there to pick up KRTH 101, for all the oldies! So funny that in our time, The Cure qualifies as an “oldies” band. I think that lady’s blouse is some sort of ethnic design - Asian? The Peter Pan collar doesn’t look very authentic, though. Nobody wants a photo of California Kid, he’s not cool enough! And yes, definitely the Bertha Mae.
TokyoMagic!, oh you! However, I have seen plenty of photos of Native Americans at Knott’s being sold on eBay as “from Disneyland”. That was me who threw the cigarette butt on the ground - I laughed while doing it!
Mike Cozart, oh gosh, well I was wrong, I didn’t know that the Mark VIIs did not get introduced so late in ’67 (and into ’68). Funny how photos of the Fantasyland Autopia are so relatively scarce, I’m not sure why. Thanks for the info.
JG, I’ve told the story of my temptation to steal a Santa Fe sign in Ventura, which I never did. You know, stealing is bad and all that. And then one day it was gone, and I felt dumb that I didn’t take it! I also had heard that the antennas were for inter-park communications, so thank you for verifying. I think that the California Kid was photobombing the woman’s picture.
Hey - there's some of that 1959 fencing, a small portion of which survives back in the "wilds" behind Three Fences.
ReplyDeleteThat's Schrödinger's Kid. He is both in and out of the picture at the same time.
Love the fruit on the lady's sandals. And look - a portable stump!
JG, weird to think that one of the most famous passenger trains in American history only ran about 100 miles between two mid-size cities in California's Central Valley.
Thanks, Major!
Well, Chuck, I think the Super Chief went on north to San Francisco, and I never figured out if it went on to LA.
ReplyDeleteAmtrak never did, some dispute over track rights.
Just my 8 y.o. Memories
JG
"I bet the people on TSI are feeding the AEDs."
ReplyDeleteJB, I think our pretty lady was trying to feed the AEDs, earlier....see the bandaid on her arm?
"Hey - there's some of that 1959 fencing, a small portion of which survives back in the "wilds" behind Three Fences."
Chuck, I'm confused. As usual. Are you saying that the surviving fencing is IN this picture, OR saying it NOW survives? Or both? I really do care, being a Disney Geek.
Thanks, Major.
JG, the Super Chief actually went from Chicago to Los Angeles. Your memories are probably of the Golden Gate, which ran between Oakland and Bakersfield via Fresno.
ReplyDeleteSue, what I meant was that this is the same style of fence that survives today at Three Fences rather than the actual surviving segment of fence. The surviving segment is on the other side of the sub lagoon, roughly in line with the “Voyage” sign in today’s photo.
We rode the Super Chief from Chicago to LA in 1963. I have some fun memories from that train ride, and still have the tickets, etc., that I’ll have to share here sometime. My dad saved everything, including his list of trip expenses.
ReplyDeleteChuck, now i understand about the fencing. Thank you.