Tomorrowland, August 1970
Here are two nice views from Tomorrowland, from the Summer of 1970. I could have been in these pictures! But I'm not.
First up is this neat look at the Rocket Jets/Peoplemover/Space Bar platform, with a little bit of the Carousel of Progress to the left. And there's the many-trunked Senegal Palm in the foreground, it is pretty striking, I can see why somebody thought it would be a nice addition to Tomorrowland. I miss taking the gantry up to the Rocket Jets, or the escalator up to the Peoplemover.
The Coca-Cola Tomorrowland Terrace is hopping this evening, with The Entertainment Committee rockin' the house! The guitarist and bassist are dressed like Beach Boys, but I only have eyes for the two cute gals. In the background, some folks take in the view from the upper level of the Carousel of Progress (having just viewed the fabulous Progress City model), while others walk down the ramp to ground level.
13 comments:
Major-
Back when the 'new' Tomorrowland was The Place - especially when the 'Entertainment Committee' was performing-!
Thanks, Major.
That Senegal Palm was there at least until 2017.
Thanks as always Major
"I miss taking the gantry up to the Rocket Jets, or the escalator up to the Peoplemover." I miss having an actual Tomorrowland, where things look futuristic and exciting, instead of a static, colorless not-much-going-on-Land.
I like the multi-trunked Senegal Palm. It looks like some sort of alien plant-life you'd see in the future. Disney should make an effort to plant other other-worldly-looking flora in Tomorrowland.
Today's VFA goes to the guy on the left wearing shorts, calf-length black socks, black shoes, and a green plaid shirt tucked into his shorts. Shouldn't we be able to see the Matterhorn through the trunks of the Senegal Palm? I mean, I know that Senegal is nowhere near Switzerland, but still...
"The guitarist and bassist are dressed like Beach Boys". Don't forget the drummer and the piano (organ?) player! "Entertainment Committee", I guess the committee couldn't get an actual band for the Disneyland gig, so the committee itself took the stage. The show must go on!
These are indeed "nice views from Tomorrowland". Thanks, Major.
That stunning specimen of Senegal Palm was Bill Evans pride and joy. Of all Disney plants (at Walt’s homes and parks), this was by far the most important. His family had spent years importing plants from around the world to see what would work - or could be made to thrive - in Southern California. Others were scrubbed from roadways, demolished homes and depleted nurseries…but this palm was transplanted at great expense to be a proper focal point. Its loss was devastating the park when in was raised to be replaced by ‘edible’ landscape in Tomorrowland.
Thanks for a spectacular look at her today.
MS
I miss Tomorrowland. What is there today is only a pale shadow of how it used to be.
That was an amazing tree, I can only hope it went to a good home, but the minds that could imagine getting rid of it probably couldn’t conceive of conserving it after.
I never cared for the modern music on offer in TL, but the spectacle was pretty amazing, with the fully equipped stage rising out of the ground with the band in place. A brilliant notion.
Thanks for the look back, Major.
JG
Nanook, I’m not sure I could handle the hard rock of the Entertainment Committee, but I still appreciate their artistry!
walterworld, wow, that’s much later than I expected.
JB, it’s always a strange phenomenon when the folks at Disneyland somehow make things worse instead of better when they make changes. Can they not see it? Or do they not care? The Senegal Palm was nice, but guests sometimes witnessed its feeding - bloody chunks of meat thrown into the air, and caught in the trees whipping branches. I believe that the Matterhorn should be just out of frame to our right. I noticed that the Entertainment Committee also has a trumpeter, I wonder what songs needed a trumpet?
MS, amazing to think that Eisner preferred a boring edible landscape to that spectacular palm tree. Argh.
JG, if I was a betting man, I’d wager that the Senegal Palm was bulldozed rather than carefully transplanted. But I’d be happy to lose that bet. I kind of like the “rock” music in Tomorrowland, probably because it’s been a tradition for well over 50 years. I remember a band dressed in faux punk attire, with fake mohawks and Ska-style dark glasses (?!), it was very amusing.
Major-
"I noticed that the Entertainment Committee also has a trumpeter, I wonder what songs needed a trumpet?"
They were doing a tribute to the Tijuana Brass, naturally.
The first pic is wonderful with the Senegal palm and Tomorrowland centerpiece (Rocket Jets/PeopleMover structure).
I loved the various palms and plant life that were part of Tomorrowland '67. It gave it a futuristic flair. The imagineers, designers, landscapists and landscapers really knew what they were doing back in those days then. Theme Park design feels like a lost art these days.
A perfect Tomorrowland, in every way. That the specimen tree was removed is beyond comprehension: even to an amateur it's quite a thing to behold. Coke Terrace in it's prime...was always so very loud behind the counter...no wonder I have hearing problems today: but that may have something to do with the other blasting disco music of the 70's. I digress...and would like to visit 1970 Disneyland NOW. These photos make me happy! Thanks Major.
The Tomorrowland Senegal Palm grouping is still in Tomorrowland- it’s in a greatly reduced planter near the current AUTOPIA exit. The arched trunks of the plan need gui wires to help in support …. But hey … when you are 60 lots of people need extra support for their trunks. The planter as purple-ish- blue glass balls added in for a dash of tacky - probably done by the same amateur’s who did the recent HAUNTED MANSION grounds extension … also adding big box garden center tchotchkes.
@ MIKE-
Thanks for info-!
Thanks for that info on the Senegal palm Mike, they always manage to ruin it, right? Haven't been back there since 2018. Oh well...
Thanks again Major!
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