Two Randos
Randos. You know the drill by now! Let's start with this view of some topiaries, as seen in a backstage area visible from the Disneyland Railroad. This one is from October 1965, which is from about seven months before It's a Small World would debut on March 30, 1966 in Fantasyland. If you remember, we had another view of topiaries in the same area, only from about two year earlier - it amazed me that they were already working on them for Disneyland before IASW had opened at the New York World's Fair.
On a side note, GDB friend MS sent me a link to an episode of the old "Disneyland" TV show - all about "Disneyland '61". The whole thing is a fun blast to the past, hosted by Walt himself. If you skip to 1:45 into the episode, you'll see Walt present a fairly amazing concept for topiaries that never came to pass. Many thanks to MS for sharing this with me (and by extension, with you)!
Speaking of 1961, here's a scan from a slide dated "October, 1961", it almost feels like an "oops" photo. "Dangit! I didn't mean to press the button!". And yet it is still kind of fun, with the yellow Monorail's tail cone in the extreme foreground - that boy has a great seat, and you can tell he's pretty happy about it. In the distance is the classic "Old Tomorrowland".
7 comments:
Major-
That 2nd image has a bit of charm to it in its [possibly] mistaken capture. We can also see the 'center tower' from the Astrojets attraction behind Juniors head.
Thanks, Major.
I'm trying to guess what that fuzzy grayish-green critter is in the foreground. The back half looks sorta like a poodle. While the front half looks sorta like an alligator... a doggigator? The elephants are looking very robust and healthy.
Awww, I wanna see waltzing topiaries at Disneyland. (Or at least on YouTube.) I suppose it never happened because they probably figured out pretty quick that those turntables and other mechanical things would always be breaking down. Thanks for the link, MS.
Do you suppose that "boy in the bubble" is locked in there and will be returning to the Disneyland Hotel station? It's a pretty neat photo, actually, even if it IS an 'oops'. Kind of startling to see that huge Monorail looming in the picture; like a monstrous great white shark.
Purty neat Randos, Major. Thanks.
MAJOR: the topiaries are that far along because they were not developed for It’s A Small World but were being grown with intent of using them for GARDENS OF THE GODS and RAINBOW ROAD TO OZ /THE WIZARDS PALACE . When both those attractions were shelved they we re-used ( some of them anyway) for IT’s A Small World.
A cast Disneyland newsletter from the late 1970’s mentions NEW topiaries are being developed for the FANTASIA attraction and even motorized topiaries for a transitional area from Fantasyland to DISCOVERY BAY.
Motorized and animated topiaries were also discussed in the mid 1980’s for a re-do of the waterways to Walt Disney World’s PLAZA SWAN BOATS.
The video shows what was - and remains in my memory - one of the best attractions ever built at the park: the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland. It was huge - it was essentially a whole other "land", full of Disney touches, even including a "dark ride" portion.
In its first iteration, Disneyland park was essentially a real-life version of what we saw on television, and, like the show, a large portion of the park was dedicated to "real life adventures", like The Jungle Cruise, Rivers of America, and Nature's Wonderland. The park - and show - were meant to educate as well as entertain.
That effort has faded over the years, but I am blessed to still remember how it was. I was there in '61, too.
Good info about the topiaries. Interesting to see how design ideas shifted and reformed as time went on.
Thank you for the video, MS. Fun to see these again. I had hoped that the Disney+ streaming would show these, alas.
I think that final pic is so great. I’ve had 60+ years of Park visits and never had a ride in either the nose or tail cones. Lucky kid.
Thanks Major!
JG
Thanks for the additiinal input, Mike! That makes sense that they were being grown for other (defunct) attractions. If you really think about it, there's no direct tie-in for IASM and the topiaries. There seems to be to us because we've always seen them together. Looking at the situation that way makes it make perfect sense!
Nanook, at least photo #2 is relatively level, which might mean it was taken on purpose! Yep, I see the Astrojets tower, with the distinctive checkerboard pattern.
JB, that foreground figure is fascinating, like a teddy bear with a porpoise head. Or something. They should do completely phantasmagorical creatures, since they can make anything they want! I am sure you’re right, the realities of making the topiaries spin and dance was just too problematic, although Walt usually got what he wanted IF he really truly wanted it, cost be damned. I’m not sure how they dealt with Monorail passengers going to the Hotel, versus coming from the Hotel. Did they check to see that they had an admission before they were allowed to board?
Mike Cozart, I think I have seen artwork (by Marc Davis?) from Garden of the Gods. I’m still not really clear what that attraction would have been. It’s kind of surprising that they would have gotten as far as having some nearly-complete topiaries for Gardens of the Gods. Was the Rainbow Road to Oz a standalone attraction? I thought that the Oz stuff was going to be an addition to Storybook Land. It’s too bad that they never cracked the code for a great Fantasia attraction, that would have been amazing! It sounds like the potential use of moving topiaries is a case of “no idea ever goes away”!
Hogarth, I agree with you, the more I see of Nature’s Wonderland, the more impressed I am. The sheer scale and beauty, with “mountains”, streams, deserts, forests… it was an incredible achievement. I am happy that I got to ride it, but wish I remembered it more vividly. I just saw something online that said “Rainbow Caverns are set to return in a new incarnation in 2026 that is being added to the attraction”. Really?? Hard to believe that NW has been gone for nearly 50 years now. The park has definitely dumped “education” as a goal. Is it because visitors don’t want to be educated? Or because the park only wants to do movie tie-ins now?
JG, I’ve wondered if it would be possible for those old “Disneyland” TV shows to be restored and remastered? I guess it’s too expensive, though they could continue to use them for decades if they did it. Imagine seeing the footage, crisp and clear, with good color (for the NBC episodes), and better sound?
Stu29573, I think the topiaries must have been inspired by examples Walt saw during his visits to Europe. I thought that Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen might have had them, but looking it up, it doesn’t appear that topiaries are a feature there. I’m sure you’re right, the topiaries “fit” with IASW mostly because they’ve always been together.
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