Sunday, November 10, 2024

Schweitzer Falls, August 1961

SNOOZLES™. Jungle Cruise Snoozles, the most common variety. And while these are not the worst photos I've ever shared, they are not very good either. But hey, at least they feature Schweitzer Falls, back when it was a proper waterfall, and not the leaky faucet that it is today. In this first "standard view", we get to appreciate this natural wonder, backed by a lush jungle full of deadly-but-adorable animals!  


But of course the outstanding feature of any cruise along the Rivers of the World is a view of the BACK SIDE OF WATER. The sunlight shimmers through the cascade, and the roar drowns out the sound of rare aquatic lions sneaking up to eat us.


 

11 comments:

Lou and Sue said...

Seeing these images reminds me of KS’s incident on the skiff…where it stalled and floated under the Falls —and then sank, with KS in it. :oD

Nice Cruisel Snoozles, today — thanks, Major.

JB said...

If it weren't for the tilted camera angle this would be a pretty nice picture of Schweitzer Falls. As it is, It's making me a little dizzy.
"Leaky faucet"; now I'm confused: Are the falls named after Dr. Schweitzer, or Dr. Leaky? Or maybe his assistant Dr. Faucet?

Were they doing the "back side of water" joke in 1961? I'm wondering, because it seems doubtful that the photographer would have used a precious frame of film on the back side of the falls unless the Skipper had drawn their attention to it with that joke. Well, maybe he would take a picture of it even without the joke; it IS rather photogenic.
Aquatic lions? It's the flying hippos you really have to worry about!

Sue, maybe these should be called "Cruizles".

Thanks, Major.

Lou and Sue said...

^ Yez!

zach said...

The Aquatic Lions opened for us once in the 60's. Thanks, Major!

Bu said...

I'm not sure about labeling these Snoozles(tm)....maybe "AB" or "AlmostBlurzle"(tm)....but enjoyable all the same. Dr. Albert Falls would be so proud that his water feature have become world famous without being cliche. Not sure that in '61 the wisecrackers have come into full fruition, with the Jungle Cruise being more "real" than toungue-in-cheek. As with all jungles, now monkeys have taken over, and wouldn't it be fun to cage the whole thing in and put real monkeys in there: leaping into boats trying to get Candy Palace English Toffee out of guests carry-ons...I can hear in my mind's imagination hearing "my hair! my hair!" as the primates maurade boats, with guests jumping into the murky waters....sounds like a fun time. Thanks for the Snoozley-Blurzley Sunday Major!

JG said...

Yes, the famous Falls, before the penury-induced drought, and the funny-once jokes.

Dr. Schweitzer gets short shrift these days, I guess this is a 21st Century Hard Fact.

I like the Dutch angle, as long as all the water doesn’t spill out of the edge of the frame.

Great pictures, Major, thank you!

JG

K. Martinez said...

These are nice pics of Albert Falls. I especially love the darkness with the illuminated backside of water.

Thanks, Major.

Major Pepperidge said...

Lou and Sue, this is why I never get on a skiff!!

JB, I guess I could have straightened out the image in Photoshop. But it would have taken 10 seconds, and I have a LOT of TV to watch. You understand. Those Kardashians aren’t going to watch themselves. (Or are they?). Ha ha, “Dr. Leaky”, love it. I’m not sure when the Jungle Cruise switched to the jokey version, but my guess is that they were doing it by 1961. Not sure exactly what the impetus was. Were people just bored by it? Flying hippos are a worry, but you can usually see them from far away.

Lou and Sue, it’s not a bad idea, but I’m afraid precedent has been set and I would cost too much to retool.

zach, I’m surprised you remember that concert, if you know what I mean!

Bu, it’s true, these are not the worst Snoozles in the world, but Jungle Cruise pictures also have the misfortune of being taken on vehicles that are on a set track, so most photos tend to be just like all the others. Maybe one of our brilliant Junior Gorillas knows when the Jungle Cruise became purposely funny. It’s actually pretty humorous to listen to the early record album narrated by Thurl Ravenscroft, I don’t recall a single joke (though it’s been years since I listened to it, so maybe there are a few). They should take some of the monkeys that just escaped from that lab and let them live happy lives in the trees of the Cruise. They could fling real poop at the boats!

JG, I guess it’s just too expensive to run a powerful water pump for Schweitzer Falls? Although there are other perfectly respectable waterfalls in Disneyland and DCA. I’m more of a Dr. Livingston fan myself! The Dutch angle makes me think that some detective is about to get whacked.

K. Martinez, hey, I always like it when readers enjoy the photos, even if they are Snoozles!

DBenson said...

Did anybody see the Jungle Cruise movie? Recall thinking it wasn't so much bad as ... familiar. Very, very familiar for anyone who knows Indiana Jones and Jack Sparrow. Like the Francis the Talking Mule pictures, which are all the same movie in different settings.

Dean Finder said...

I wonder if there are enough pictures of the Jungle Cruise to make a 30 or 60 fps silent movie of the ride. I'd guess maybe not through the dark temple section and load/unload but almost everything else.

Lou and Sue said...

Dean, you have another brilliant idea!