Tomorrowland, August 1960
Let's start your week out on a high note with a few nice Tomorrowland views from August, 1960. I should be more impartial, I suppose, but vintage Tomorrowland is the place that I love the most. Just like when I was a kid.
A mother poses with her two boys (in identical outfits) next to the Astro Jets, which was truly a generic "off the shelf" ride (I've seen photos of others just like it at different parks), but I know how undeveloped Tomorrowland was in the early days, and how Walt and his Imagineers needed to provide more attractions. It did look great in pictures, too! Overhead, the Skyway, and to the right, the Monorail, which had just begun taking guests to the Disneyland Hotel this year.
All of the slides in this bunch have a warm color cast for some reason, but it gives them a kind of nostalgic look. I don't want to be rude, but Screechy the Iggle looks like he needs to do a few sit-ups. Stop eating those dropped hotdogs, Screech. I'm noticing the group of girls to the left, all wearing the same style of souvenir hat. They instantly became a gang!
10 comments:
Major-
"... the Monorail, which had just begun taking guests to the Disneyland Hotel this year".
Not a Mark I monorail; and not in 1960. (Major, I think you better lay off the schnapps-!).
Thanks, Major.
The Astro Jet nearest us is the "Regulus". Seems like we discussed their names before. Did all the Jets have 'star' names? Yes, the boys' outfits are identical, but little bro's shirt is half untucked! Such sloppiness is NOT to be tolerated in 1960! Get with the plan, little guy. Mom's purse looks all frosty, like it's icing over. (I guess it's some sort of fleecy fabric?) I think she has a prototype cold fusion device in her bag. No Bobsleds today, but this is a fine picture of early Tomorrowland.
"Screechy the Iggle". Hunh, I didn't know that Screechy was a native Philadelphian. Maybe that round tummy is from eating too many Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Screechy must've flown to sunny SoCal to escape the bitter Philadelphia winters. The boy on the right is wearing a pair of thongs (aka, flip flops). My dad's photos from this era also have that warm color tone; I like it!
Thanks for the trip to early Tomorrowland, Major.
JB, yes, I think I remember that all the AJ vehicles were named after stars. I think the D*vel*nd blog has pictures of all of them, not sure. I wish I could ride today.
Usually Tomorrowland is target-rich environment for trash cans, but I can’t see any in photo 1, maybe 2 in photo 2. The drinking fountains are clearly seen, each with a wood box booster step so the smaller kids can use them.
Mom looks kind of tired, I don’t blame her. The color pics have aged well though. Thank you Major!
JG
Yes, JB, I think they did all have star names. My favorite was the Desi Arnaz. The thing that did the ride (oops! "Attraction") in was when they switched out the regular headlights with super bright LEDs. A few spins and guests were blind as bats! ( which aren't really blind at all, of course)
The second picture does indeed show the infamous Happy Hat Gang. They terrorized folds by being overly cheerful and helpful. The horror....
Oh, some too soon, just a sliver of a trash can is visible in photo 1! I feel better now.
JG
Tomorrowland also used to be my favorite land: many moons ago. Like Screechy, I also want to screech at today's Tomorrowland. I am hoping that someone has vision and sense and a budget. With so much happening with Disneyland Forward construction wise OUTSIDE of Disneyland, I'm not sure these things will get the attention they deserve. That being said, I'm not sure I understood Screechy to be so dominant in the space. Wow. That's a whole lotta bird for a ride about cars. The cars are super duper cool, and I would like one to drive to my local market please. Boys dressed the same...I can see some push back on that...they have their sleeves rolled up exactly the same too. Untucked boy has a future on Main St. Vehicles and the Mark Twain where he can have his vest unbuttoned whenever he wants. Mom looks a bit pensive...I'm not sure this is Mom though...it might be Grandma. The boy on the right seems very planted and hope he grew into those flippers. It seems like those long limbs would indicate that now that kid is probably a giant. The Matterhorn seems very "new" in it's coloring...before it became more silvery, and less "concrete". The three car Monorail is fantastic. I actually liked that it said "Alweg" on many things...it gave it some gravitas that no one would understand today. Except for us nerds. The hat sisters look like a flock of nuns...I like those "Small World" hats....before Small World was even a thought. I'm not sure why that rectangle is painted navy on the bucket tower...hmmm....worth some forensics. I'm sure it's not for nothing, as everything has a story, and probably 3 meetings with 10 people arguing about what shade of blue it should be. Wait a minute, that's my life..... I'll leave it there, thanks Major to the trip to an old but still fantastical Tomorrowland.
I remember riding those round skyway buckets. My mom and sister on seats and me sitting on my mom's lap. I also remember riding the Autopia with my dad. And now I want to go into the Wayback Machine to 1963 (my first year at Disneyland).
Nice original Tomorrowland pics. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I meant to say that the Mr. Toad cars went to the Hotel. Sorry! And I will NEVER stop drinking schnapps.
JB, yes, all of the Astro Jets had star names. Tony Curtis, Audrey Hepburn, etc. HA HA! Boy I really got you. I sort of like the half-untucked look, as if mom *tried* to keep her boy looking tidy, but knew it was a fool’s errand. A cold fusion device (which keeps things cold, as we all know) would be very handy on a hot day at the park. Er… why would Screechy the Iggle be from Philadelphia?
JG, you can find the list of Astro Jet vehicle names online without looking too hard. Daveland did recently (or fairly recently) do a post with photos of all of the rockets. In the world of Tomorrow, there will be no trash! I love those old drinking fountains, just for kids.
Stu29573, you and I are alike in a lot of ways. For instance, we both love liverwurst and grape jelly sandwiches. And we like corny jokes about stars! “Super bright LEDs”… the “Paint the Night” parade might not be quite that bright, but it is pretty dazzling. A friend thought it was way too over the top!
JG, that’s not for trash, that’s for newly-fallen meteorites.
Bu, I admit that Tomorrowland has lost some of its luster in recent years. For me there’s not a lot to do beyond Space Mountain, and Star Tours just because the line is usually short. I don’t want the Nemo subs to go away, necessarily, but I also didn’t ride that one. The whole “Disneyland Forward” thing left me pretty non-plussed, I can’t get excited about Avatarland. Maybe it will be great. Ha ha, Untucked Boy definitely has a future as a CM! You’re right, that might be grandma and not mom. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. This is when the Matterhorn still had its original paint, much darker “rock”, which I liked, but it is true that a lighter color helps with “aerial perspective”, making it look bigger because it is “further away”. I do sort of wish that the Alweg name was still on the Monorails, but that won’t happen. They gots to pay that money! A smart art director once pointed out to me that the Big Top support poles at circuses were usually painted a color at the base, I’ve always wondered if some similar rationale was used for the Skyway supports?
K. Martinez, I feel like I must have been on those old round gondolas, but then again, it's possible that my parents and grandparents skipped that ride! I wish I had a clearer memory of such things. I definitely remember the Autopia, mostly because my car kept stalling and I caused traffic jams!
@ JG & Major-
"I think the D*vel*nd blog has pictures of all of them"
Yes... LOOK HERE.
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