Beautiful Randos
I have two interesting Randos for you today, starting with this wonderful photo from June, 1970, it looks like our photographer is aboard a Peoplemover train that is just leaving the station. There aren't a lot of passengers on the trains in front of us, which is always a surprise. But down below... ay caramba!
I wondered if a new attraction might have drawn all of those people to Tomorrowland, but it must have just been a busy June day. To the left, Adventure Thru Inner Space has quite a line, but don't worry, it moved quickly. Many others are taking advantage of the "built in" benches to rest their weary feet.
Next is this interesting view from the Skyway, circa August, 1971. We're above Fantasyland, looking down on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. If you look carefully, you can see the "Hell" scene on the ride's painted mural. Our gondola is heading toward the Matterhorn, where a bobsled is visible, and you should know what that means! I hope you bought a Lottery ticket. In moments, we will be in Tomorrowland, but we can already see into the future, with the Rocket Jets and the Carousel of Progress in the distance.
16 comments:
Major-
The POV from the 1st image is very compelling and makes one happy to be 'above all the hub-bub', below.
"In moments, we will be in Tomorrowland, but we can already see into the future, with the Rocket Jets and the Carousel of Progress in the distance".
Let's not forget the Grand Hotel... it's so 'futuristic'-!
Thanks, Major.
I can see a portion of my favorite Disneyland flower beds -- the purple and yellow Tomorrowland swirly ones! [Bu, do you have yours planted, yet?]
Thanks, Major.
Wonderful photos that we can jump into... and then crack our heads open when we hit the slurry. BUT IT'LL BE WORTH IT!!!
1970. Back when Disneyland guests still dressed reasonably well. Not a single tank top or pajama bottom in sight. Although a couple of the gals are weaing pants that look like they could double as PJ bottoms. This is one of those pictures that says, "we are there!"
I LOVE the lighting in the 2nd photo! It looks surreal; like a page from a Little Golden Book. Looking at the Skyway tower ahead of us, it looks like our photographer is leaning way out beyond the 'cage' to get this photo. Hmm, which side of the tower is the photographer on? Left or right? The cyan-colored gondola is coming toward us, right? It looks like the photog might be on the same side. Which would make us heading toward the Fantasyland Chalet. I'm conflabbergasted. This one is special enough that I'm saving it.
Nice photos AGAIN! Thanks, Major.
My first trip to Disneyland (outside the womb ) was in 1970. I was on my dad’s shoulder and remember seeing a PeopleMover train scurry above and I pointed excitedly “what’s that!!!???” My dad said it’s The PeopleMover and we are going on that next!” I thought its name meant the people ridding inside were making the PeopleMover cars go …. With their feet - just like the Flintstone cars. I remember being surprised when we boarded a car and there was a floor and no place for the people’s feet to push the PeopleMover cars along…..
Beautiful pictures today - a Tomorrowland and a Disneyland we will never see again but in memories and photos.
That part of the Matterhorn where we can see the bobsled, is yet another section that was enclosed for the 1978 remodel. That section of track became the pitch black area right after coming off of the chain lift, and also where the Abominable Snowman's eyes would light up. It's too bad they got rid of that effect. It's too bad they got rid of the fog effect. It's too bad they felt a need to change the look of the Abominable Snowman. It's too bad they designed horribly uncomfortable new bobsleds. It's too bad that they ruin everything.
Having said that.....I did like the 1978 changes. I think it was an improvement, overall. But then, that was before they started to ruin everything.
The '78 changes to the Matterhorn caused a flurry of excitement in ads in the local papers...I think it was "look what's got into the Matterhorn..." with the looming eyes that TM speaks about in that first dark area at the top of the lift. I can remember the pre-darkness as well as the post...and the "pre 78" I actually liked a lot as you could see how high you climbed after the somewhat "technical" looking "inside of Matterhorn": which was not glamorous at all at that time. The three kids in pic #1 with the Disneyland bag seem to be from another space and time: with the fashions..and the general "look"...where are the parents? They look rather grown up. Maybe they are European? A line for Inner Space: well: that means something: a very very very busy day. I will (forensically) point out a few things: empty PeopleMover cars....this is a sign that the crowds have not made it up that far yet through Tomorrowland...which probably indicates that this "faux" crowd MAY not indicate the general state of attendance on this day...but indicated that possibly a parade had just ended....this is what it would look like for a good 15 minutes after a parade before the crowd leveled itself out. This is probably why there are crowds at Inner Space...and not full cars on the PeopleMover as crowds tend to just go to the closest ride, and in a "sheep like" way, join the people that have already gathered at the amazing Inner Space. There seems to be a balloon vendor there in the distance: which after parades you tended to get "sucked into" the crowds. Now, you may be saying that there are crowds headed back into the parade zone as well: but this is probably the "normal" crowded day...but it's mixed into the parade crowd, which makes it seem like it's busier than it really is....if you look beyond the crowd, it thins out a bit there in the "swirly planter area"....and unfortunately, no: I have not planted my beds yet...it's a bit too wet and damp at the moment: but they are coming! The Grand Hotel: even back in the 80's is was kind of referred to as a dumpy version of the Disneyland Hotel. I agree that tank tops belong at the beach or in a gym, and pajamas belong in bed, or at a slumber party: the trend transcends Disneyland and into airports and other public spaces...and I am officially a "grumpy old man". Thanks Major!
Hey! Those Peoplemover tracks need something on them that moves much faster! Or not at all! Yeah, let's do that instead! TRE
I spot Future Denny's! Let's run over and have a Grand Slam in the next decade! Then we can bop back to 1970 and Ride Mr. Toad! Yay!
These are Peak Disneyland, no doubt about it!
I like the lower viewpoint on the PeopleMover pic, nothing visible beyond but trees, we are in that City of the Future and the Plaza is the city park with swirly annual beds. Primary colors for all the trains, a World on the Move. Back when we thought we could trust Monsanto. I would gladly wait in a line like that for another trip through ATIS… …Star Tours? Not so much. And for the record, I oppose tank tops for men in all situations, especially the gym.
And so much in the second pic, bobsleds, the dandelion flowers in Alice’s garden, the precognitive glimpse of the Toadster’s eventual end, the Rocket Jets, the Coke sign, Denny’s, the sheer mad exuberance of those old dark ride facades, a tiny glimpse of the souvenir stand in Alpine Gardens, and the piece of resistance, the Castle roof with all its ventilator glory! Even the Grand Hotel! I’ve recounted our disappointment with that establishment, no need to repeat it here, but I’d stay there again gladly and even eat at Chao’s, if it meant I could visit this Park one more day.
Thanks Major, lots of nostalgia today, which means I’m happy about feeling sad.
JG
Nanook, I was thinking the same thing, “I’m glad we’re up here!”. And yet… I need to see Adventure Thru Inner Space sooner or later.
Lou and Sue, yes, you can see a teeny tiny bit of the swirly flower beds!
JB, three months in traction is definitely worth it! I’m not sure I’ve actually seen anybody wearing pajamas at the park, but it wouldn’t surprise me I guess. There really is something about the lighting in the second photo, as if shadows are about to overtake Fantasyland down below (though it does look too early for that to happen). I believe our photographer was on the left cable, but I can also convince my brain that he was on the other side.
Mike Cozart, I wish I remembered my first trip (or two) to Disneyland; based on one particular photo, I must have been about four years old, which would have put me there a few years before you went. I always liked the Peoplemover, especially the platform that rotated at exactly the same speed as the trains, so that you just stepped on with no fuss. Brilliant!
TokyoMagic!, I’m amazed that you know (or remember) the layout of the Matterhorn so well that you can tell which parts are now enclosed. I sure never had that level of knowledge. I don’t know why they can’t still have the glowing red eyes, it would still work even with the fancier Abominable Snowman. Which i still haven’t seen, by the way, the ride was operating, but the Snowman animatronic must have been down, because I did not see him at all.
TokyoMagic!, wait, they ruin EVERYTHING?
Bu, I remember being very excited at the prospect of additional thrills on the Matterhorn - the idea of adding an Abominable Snowman was pretty great! I sadly do not really remember the pre-78 interior. I’ve posted a photo of one of those bags here on GDB, since I have one in my collection. It’s funny, I would expect Europeans to generally dress better than Americans, and yet I do remember going to the park and seeing what I believe were Austrians, wearing lots of bright colors. It was probably the 80s, admittedly. But they stood out! Adventure Thru Inner Space, one of my all-time favorite rides. I’ve often wondered what they would do if they ever built an updated version (not that that’s ever going to happen)? I suppose this could be a post-parade surge, but it’s hard to tell. I know that there were the occasional supercrowds back then. Wasn’t there a day when there were 80,000 guests? Sounds horrible for all involved. I’ve never personally cared for tank tops, but that’s just me.
Stu29573, man, those dumb Rocket Rods, they really did ruin everything. For a “just OK” ride that lasted perhaps one minute? That’s what it seemed like, anyway. I miss our Peoplemover so much!
JG, I didn’t really think about how you can only see trees above the Peoplemover track, but it’s almost like a “berm effect”, separating us from the rest of the park. I think those Peoplemover trains in those colors look so great, Bob Gurr did it again. I still wonder about the angled roofs, why not a simple shallow dome? Maybe for strength? Or just because it looked cool? I’m sure there’s a reason. Denny’s - never really a place I loved, though in my youth, when I’d stay out to the wee hours, my friends always wanted to go to Denny’s to hang out for a while. By that time I was ready to go home and sleep. I’m sure the waitresses loved big tables full of people who barely ordered anything. Who knew that the castle needed so much ventilation? I guess it’s better to have too much rather than too little.
Major, when you run old-timey cars indoors, you need a lot of ventilation.
Love the first photo. I'm so used to seeing the reverse angle of the Tomorrowland entrance that I guess I never realized that there were corporate logos on the angles that faced back into Tomorrowland. That's pretty cool.
MAJOR: the PeopleMover canopies are designed that way to prevent water from collecting on the roof then pouring down in a waterfall onto guests bellow when the canopies raise and lower. Not really visible in photos, the canopy featured a lip around the entire edge … on the end corners that tilt down are small drilled holes that let water constantly drain and not collect in large quantities. The zig zag design while very modern was actually copied from a plastic bathroom soap dish - in reverse keeping the bar of soap above any collecting water.
Bob Gurr did not come up with the final 1967 colors - John Hench did. The first colors were MOLDED into the ABS plastic bodies. When the ABS bodies warped in the sun their first year , the PeopleMover cars were re-fitted with fiberglass bodies panels in 1968. The colors were very similar on the fiberglass bodied s … all used marine boat finishes of the day. While the new fiberglass bodies were added , the cars also received other improvements during the 1968 down time including new speakers , the first safety bars and new push platens bellow the bodies.
Incidentally orange was also selected to have been one of the original PeopleMover car colors … but was held off because of the expense of the ABS molding - when the fiberglass replacements went on the orange was left off again - also probably due to costs.. Against the white ( DL 1/64 tech white) roof and coupler covers , the orange would have been rather striking.
^ Orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream... a Creamsicle!
^ Dreamsicle! That's what they're called in my area. :o)
Dreamy…nice slice of Mary mosaic, the striped shopping bag, and all that tournament trompe-l'œil.
MS
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