Friday November 8 (Irene's Birthday)
Today is our friend Irene's birthday; and though she's gone, we can still remember her and think of all the fun she's given us with the many photos that she's shared with us. And hey, here are more! As I'm sure most of you remember, these photo were taken by her brother Bruce or by his friend James. AKA "The Dream Team".
This first one, from "sometime in the 1990s" is unusual, a look from a Monorail as it glided alongside Harbor Boulevard. There's the McDonalds! And in the distance is the Disneyland sign - the one that was built in 1989. It was 30% bigger than the old sign, and was there until 1999. Prince's favorite year. So... is our Monorail headed back toward the park?
Here's another unusual Monorail view, this time taken from the Monorail station during the construction of the NEW New Tomorrowland. The one that everyone loved so much! I don't know if this was taken at the same time as the previous photo, though it is very possible. It almost looks like the photographer not only stuck his camera out of a Monorail window, but stood up (or held the camera above his head?). Anyway, in the distance you can see that the Peoplemover is gone, the Rocket Jets have been replaced with whatever that thing is, but Space Mountain has not been painted "bronze" yet.
And lastly, here's a photo that I believe was taken over at the Plaza Gardens, featuring three classic attraction posters. I've always wondered if these were actual vintage silkscreen examples, or if they'd been replaced with repros by this time?
That's it for now... there is still a small stash of photos left from the Irene collection. Many thanks to the Dream Team.
8 comments:
Oh, Major-
You know perfectly-well that Monorail is heading back toward the Park.
Thanks, Major.
It feels good to keep Irene and the rest of the Dream Team as part of our little group. Thanks, Major.
That "thing" on top of what-till-recently was the PeopleMover looks like a really neat flat ride. But I guess it's just some sort of decorative theming. I have very mixed feelings about this photo. Yes, it's interesting and it historically documents the Tomorrowland changes of this period. But geez... so many wrong decisions!
An interesting artistic decision, not showing any Bobsleds actually on/in the Matterhorn; just in the "Alpine lakes". I guess they wanted to preserve the scale of the Mountain.
Thanks to Irene (happy birthday!) and the Dream Team. And thanks again to Major P.
Those attraction posters were indeed original vintage screenprinted ! And when the last were used up before sending the rest to the Disney Gallery to sell , they were framed up open faced with no protective covering. In the late 90’s when Carnation Gardens was remodeled for the last time all the attraction posters were replaced with the 1970’s -90’s screen printed posters … also without any plexi or glass protection . In about a month the posters are stained with ketchup and other food stuff.
Here’s a toast to Irene and her family, good friends over the years. I’m grateful for their contributions. Thanks for posting these, Major.
Yes in photo 1, the monorail train is inbound, returning to the Park. I’m enjoying the Harbor Blvd view. Re Brown Tomorrowland, could have been better. Sigh.
Sad about those posters, but what can you do?
JG
Nanook, if I knew perfectly well, I wouldn’t have asked!
JB, I’m thinking that there’s maybe another 20 (or so) pictures from Irene, I’ll try to divvy them up and make them last. The Peoplemover was flat-ish, our Disneyland version actually did go up and down a few grades at certain points. I know what you mean about the mixed feelings, the New “New Tomorrowland” was kind of a disaster, though I sure remember lots of excitement before it opened. Having tried my hand at making my own fake attraction posters, I appreciate the difficulty in showing something as large as the Matterhorn, but still having a dynamic composition.
Mike Cozart, argh, I never like stories about how the original silkscreened posters were so abused. I realize that they weren’t valued in the way that they are today, and perhaps they had piles of them in a warehouse someplace, but still. Those posters made an impact on me when I was a kid, which is why I finally collected as many as I could when I saw them at auction (and elsewhere).
JG, it is weird to think of Irene not being with us, even though it has been two years since she passed. Clearly I’m all mixed up with the Monorail!
Is that McDonald's still there? If it is, it must really 'rake in the dough' in that location....the Happiest McDonald's on Earth.
"Having tried my hand at making my own fake attraction posters...."
Major, you sure did a great job with the Viewliner poster you designed, a few years back. It still appears in multiple places online, outside of GDB...and even 'for sale.'
Thank you, Major, for highlighting Irene and The Dream Team, today. They will always be remembered and loved.
A toast to Irene.
Could you really just hang out the window of a monorail and take a picture? I would have thought you'd get a school bus-worthy lecture if you did that.
McDonald's is still there. It's been refreshed a couple times and doesn't have the same look, but it's still there bringing in that dough!
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