I have two beautiful vintage photos for you today - both taken late in the day. Or is it early in the evening?
We'll start with this pretty shot of the Rivers of America, from "sometime in the 1950s". The shadows cast by Tom Sawyer Island are growing longer and longer, but the Conestoga Wagon on the far shore is still bathed in warm sunlight. Two Canoes race side by side, there is nothing more exciting.
Next is this twilight photo of Main Street, from April 1975. Everyone loves Main Street when all the lights come on. Being April, the trees have not leafed out quite yet, and I'll bet it got chilly, but don't you wish you were there at that time?
Those ARE beauties, Major! I wonder if the canoes will now be renamed something like, Tiana's Bayou Canoes, since Critter Country is being renamed Bayou Country. And how exactly does Winnie The Pooh fit into a bayou theme? Maybe now at the end of his ride, an alligator will be eating him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these beauties, Major!
There's a little toddler just behind the CM Canoer (in yellow), AND HE'S NOT PADDLING!!! No freeloaders here, kid! Give him/her a paddle like everybody else! At the rear of the Canoe, it looks lie Little Orphan Annie (in red with white trim) is having trouble with her paddle. There's also a couple of AEDs following not far behind... PADDLE FASTER!!! To the right of the Conestoga Wagon it looks like there might be a herd of blurry elk. (They're much more rare than the other kind.)
ReplyDeleteWow, Main Street looks really crowded for an evening shot. Maybe that's normal, but for some reason I expect to see fewer people at night. I feel like I just want to stand on this corner and look at the lights for a while, listen to the ambient music, and the murmur of the crowd.
Tokyo!, and Eeyore's stuffings will be all over the place. Piglet, being quite small, will be in the gator's belly.
Love these 'golden hour' photos. Thanks, Major.
An awesome shot of an authentic Frontierland: looking like a land of frontier. Not sure why anyone would want to disturb this mood- especially at golden hour. The canoes are a peaceful ride despite the bit of work it takes. As long as everyone paddles a little: you are good. The grump in me, and my OCD, wants everyone to be in unison: but I not sure that would ever be possible. You always end up clunking the people in front, or behind. Kids should just sit and not engage: they are never in sync with this: but I get it: they want to help too! I wouldn't mind riding in a covered wagon either: looks very peaceful after the noise and chaos of the Fantasyland and Tomorrowlands of the world. Main Street at this time of the day was at it's best: when the lights first come on. And when they come on there is a lot of excitement and reaction: it's a good moment in time and very memorable. Disneyland takes on a different vibe at night: which we all know: and all very purposefully designed. The trees without leaves still do not have scale: I like them: but I get it. I don't mind the mini trees now: and to everyones point: we do want to see the buildings too. I can smell popcorn and vanilla through this photo: and there is also a smell of hot pavement: not a tar smell: just a hot smell as Main Street (the actual street) cools down: but you can still feel the heat emanating from the earth below. I also hear "honk honk" and a few tunes from Hello Dolly in the background: and some "clip clop" from horses. Guests were always kind of wound up about using horses: even 40 years ago...Percheron's love to work...and they were so very coddled. No one needs to worry. The gas lights are always a nice touch: and I hear that they are on 24/7 now. They came in handy during the blackout: the only light source besides all the flashlights we were using. Disneyland in the absolute darkness is also pretty cool as well: and so very quiet. Thanks Major!
ReplyDeleteSure, there are other lands: Adventureland with a tree and a boat ride; Frontierland with canoes and a fort; Fantasyland with a castle and a carousel; Tomorrowland with a rocket. Even if it isn't a "Land," proper, was there ever a more fully-formed and realized realm than Main Street, U.S.A? Everything necessary for life in a small town was there: Train station, local government buildings; fire station; shops for every necessity; public transportation. It's all there, more complete than any other "land."
ReplyDeleteI love Main Street.
“Come for the pictures, stay for the comments”.
ReplyDeleteIn which Bu and Steve provide a prose Poem and a description of Main Street worthy of the illustrations.
The first photo was taken before the seismic event that resulted in a volcano behind Main Street and the geologic upthrusting of Cascade Peak.
And I am content to believe that I am in photo 2 since I visited the Park in April 1975, and it was all as Bu describes it.
Thanks Major, outstanding post today.
JG
TokyoMagic!, you can’t put the word “Bayou” in too many times if you ask me. The new fireworks show should be something like “Bayou Wishes, Bayou Magic, and Bayou Dreams”. Winnie the Pooh will now have a Creole accent.
ReplyDeleteJB, if there’s one thing I hate, it’s toddlers who don’t pull their weight. Who are you, the Tsar of Russia? You know what happened to HIM. I would probably be one of the people who had trouble with his paddle - in fact I would probably lose mine in the water and watch it float away behind us. You are right, for an April evening in 1975, Main Street looks unusually busy. But beautiful!
Bu, I’ve gone on and on about how wonderful the old Frontierland was. The large areas with no attractions really helped to sell the illusion, plus it was peaceful and pretty. The only way people would paddle in unison is if you had somebody yelling “STROKE!”, which might not be ideal. I agree, it’s probably best if kids just don’t. I don’t think there’s a person in the world who doesn’t love Main Street at night. And if there is, I don’t want anything to do with that person. The trees are a conundrum, because I love big trees, but they really do block all of those buildings, and even views of the castle. No good. There’s a guy called DisneyChris who has a website with tons of Disney attraction sounds, and he adds the ambient noises you mentioned - crowd murmers, horse clip-clops, horn honks, etc. Part of me wants those tracks “clean”, but I also do like the way those sounds put you right there. I’m glad the horses are well cared for and that (as far as we can tell) they enjoy what they do. Wow, Disneyland in a blackout, that must be so weird/cool!
Steve DeGaetano, you are so right about Main Street, and as I’ve said here before, my appreciation for that “Land” has only grown over the years. When I was younger and dumber, I just wanted to hurry through to get to the rides! Now I can spend lots of time strolling and riding the vehicles.
JG, I guess those prose poems were nice, though neither Bu nor Steve used the word “daffodil”, which is practically required if you ask me. I sure wish I’d seen the dramatic “birth” of Cascade Peak! My family was on the east coast in 1975, so I know I can’t be in that second photo. Sadly.
@ Steve DeGaetano-
ReplyDelete"... was there ever a more fully-formed and realized realm than Main Street, U.S.A? Everything necessary for life in a small town was there."
And let's not forget The Wizard of Bras and ladies 'foundation garments'...
Thanks, Major.
The irony of removing the name "Critter Country" is that there are critters throughout Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Disney has lost it.
ReplyDeleteI’ve experienced a few short black- outs at Disneyland … but many 75% Disney caused “black-outs” ; when the park was exceptionally busy - usually during holidays management would announce keeping Main Street open longer … we often got out shifts extended.. as a lead we were ALWAYS the ones extended and it almost ALWAYS meant when we were closed up to head to the Emporium to help out no mater what costume you were In!! Many times we would be open or at least still have guests in as late as 1 or or even 2 am ….. but the park lighting is on timers and all park lights auto reduced about 2 hours after scheduled park closing … so on those hectic days with shop extensions like the emporium filled with guests Main Street and the shop interiors would suddenly dim to 80% …. While it’s not exactly a black -out it was always surprising and starling to guests!! Operations would realize what they forgot to have adjusted and it would be corrected after a few minutes of confusion and excitement. ( of course the cash registers remained filling functional !! Lol)
ReplyDeleteMore disturbing that a black-out at Disneyland was on the day of the terrorist attacks of 9-11. Management quickly decided Disneyland would not open that day …. We were gearing up for inventory that week I remember so since leads started at 7am we stayed and helped count stuff while scheduling called and canceled all other non management shifts ( and they got full pay that day ) front gate had to stay staffed with security to turn the guests away who had walked to Disneyland from surrounding hotels … the parking lots had been kept closed . A single cast parking lot tram ( they used the old blue and yellow trans still for castmembers ) still was operating to return employees whose shifts were being canceled . By noon all employees were except security and some maintenance were told to leave Disneyland … area managers took managers and us leads to breakfast .. we found a COCOS restaurant that remained open … but in the way out of Disneyland in the bright noon day sun it was DEAD QUIET!! So background music … no utility vehicles .. no maintenance going on … no testing going on … no guests … nothing!!! It was one of the eeriest things I’ve every experienced!
ReplyDeleteNanook, I’ve heard rumors that there was going to be a companion store, “The King of Jock Straps”.
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, I AGREE!
Mike Cozart, I once went to the park during a pouring rain (which thankfully let up as the day progressed), and the power went out - but only for moments. However, that messed up all of the big rides! We couldn’t do ANYTHING. So we went and ate an early lunch, and watched as they ran empty Big Thunder trains one after another, until they finally reopened everything. I think the Haunted Mansion and Indy were two of the last rides to get up and running. Not that this has anything to really do with a blackout, but I would imagine that the power going out for an extended length of time would really screw things up. I don’t really want to be at the park during a blackout, since people tend to panic, but it’s more a sort of fantasy of what it would be like, sort of like a Scooby Doo situation.
Mike Cozart, I’ve read other accounts of the park on 9/11. I feel bad for any guests who made their way to Anaheim, but I do think that keeping the park closed was the right decision. I was working at the Studio at the time, and we suddenly had many major security changes, including having our vehicles inspected - they’d use those mirrors to see if we had bombs attached to the undersides of our Toyotas, and the guards would ask us random security questions. I was no longer allowed to drop off my mail and packages in the mail room (in case of mysterious packets of anthrax or something). It was very strange.
Major ; yes AFTER 9/11 Disneyland and WDI changed drastically security wise. Another thing that happened right after I’d tons of employees were getting fired because Disney ran full security checks on all existing employees and fired people who had anything sketchy in their records : most weee fired because they had lied on applications when they first were hired … it was weird … people who had worked 10 years were let go because they had lied about being arrested for things like dui’s or reckless driving … lists of people got the boot because they lied about their schooling or degrees etc … why Disney hadn’t done this years before is unknown … but after 9/11 they were checking on everyone already within the company. Other post 9-11 changes included ID swipe locks on all backstage offices and accesses … at WDI TOO. Even today a 85 year old security man checks you and your vehicle driving in in the mornings and as you leave the lot at the end of the day. Don’t confuse his friendly amicable demeanor… he’s looking in and about the inside of your car.
ReplyDeleteSunset on Rivers of America... Seems more like a Disney World thing. I planned trips to see things before they closed in the past, but I'm so annoyed at the decision to remove RoA and Tom Sawyer Island, I don't think I'm going to do it this time.
ReplyDelete