Fantasyland, 1973
Here's a pair of pretty good Fantasyland views, circa 1973. Starting with this photo of Alice, the Walrus, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit. The whole gang! They're walking past Alice's ride, which makes sense (as much as anything involving her story can make sense). It's like a mini parade, I wonder where they were all headed? A few kids had to approach the group - when are they ever going to have a chance like this again? "I like the part where you shrink and talk to the Caterpillar!".
Meanwhile, over at the Storybook Land Canal Boats, a guide tells everyone to keep their head, hands, arms and legs inside the boat at all times, or they'll regret it. There's something about the look on her face that lets them know she's not kidding. It looks like broad-brimmed hats were part of the costume at this point (though one CM is not wearing one), perhaps it was during the hot summer months. This is kind of an unusual angle, and I like the quality of light, with the warm sunlight contrasting with the cooler areas of shadow.
12 comments:
Major-
In the first image, I think it was Alice who was doing the talking to the kid. She was extolling the virtues of Whole Life vs. Term life insurance-!
Thanks, Major.
A nice photo of the Alice characters meeting the public. I don't recall ever seeing the Walrus before. It occurs to me that the Mad Hatter's hair looks like meringue. The lady on the left has removed her shoes; we can see one of her bare feet. The shoes look like they would have tall spiky heels; very unsensible, hence the bare feet.
I too, like the contrast of light and shadow in the Canal Boat photo. We see only a tiny bit of Monstro, but he still looks scary! I like how his teeth are chipped and irregular, making him look even more menacing. They really should do something about that termite mound in the foreground. Bad show. :p
Thanks for today's interesting study of light and shadow, Major.
I find that first photo really touching. It's the look on the kid's face, and Alice's, too. She looks truly interested. I just hope that she wasn't actually thinking, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, so you've seen my movie 9 times.....great, but you don't know how badly I need to get backstage right now and have a smoke!"
JB, I posted a pic of the Walrus in WDW's Fantasyland, last March!
Thanks for the better than "pretty good" Fantasyland photos, Major!
She was extolling the virtues of Whole Life vs. Term life insurance-!
Nanook, HA! She was telling the kid, "Remember the "3 P's......Price, Price, and Price!"
Disney life insurance had the Grim Reaper-esque Ghost of Christmas Future from Mickey's Christmas Carol and the catchphrase "See Ya Real Soon" on the jacket.
It didn't sell well.
Two more of my favorite things Disney as a 13 year old (and now, too, I guess). Alice with her blue dress (♫) and Storybook Canal Boat CMs. If I had been that little boy back then I would have hyperventilated for sure.
A tiny sliver of Monorail track is a reminder of the depth of activity and a snow covered mountain right next to us.
These are mighty fine photos today. Thanks, Major
Zach
Nanook, now that you’ve brought it up, are you sure you have enough coverage??
JB, we have seen the Walrus on GDB before, but he’s not a commonly-seen character. I wish they’d bring him out these days, it would be fun! You’re right about the Mad Hatter’s hair, maybe that’s what mercury poisoning does to you. As a kid, I thought Monstro was terrifying, and I love that they made him a permanent part of Fantasyland, big teeth and all. Termite mounds aren’t so bad, just poke in a stick, and… instant snack!
TokyoMagic!, you’re right, Alice is really connecting with that kid, it’s super nice. I’ll bet that all these years later, that boy (now man) remembers that encounter! I’m sure I saw your photo of the Walrus at WDW, but I’ll go back and look for it.
TokyoMagic!, if there’s one thing kids love talking about, it’s life insurance! Also capital gains taxes.
Dean Finder, now THAT I’d love to see!
zach, I’m sure more than a few boys had a thing for pretty blond Alice! Good eye on the Monorail track. We KNOW the Matterhorn is there, even if we can’t see it.
I wonder if the characters had prescribed routes or limits, start here, walk this route, and vanish backstage here…? Avoid crossing the streams where Alice meets the Spaceman etc.?
Barefoot girl has had it with those shoes, no more Louboutons for her! Stroll out to DTD and buy a new pair… oh wait…
I remember the Hatter character, I squeezed his nose once, cold and rubbery, just like mine today.
I like the straw hats, too bad they didn’t stay as part of the outfit, it’s a good look, and functional too.
Thank you for Fantasyland Major, makes me happy.
JG
JG: Characters had very prescribed localities...not to be deviated...BUT...they were a squirrely bunch...."shocking" that they would go "off book"...as the sweeper Vern would say, "Those ^##&&%$! characters!" Vern hated the characters. To his point: they would cause havoc, and make the sweepers jobs harder when they started flinging popcorn all over...or stealing dustpans, etc. It was cute for the guests...absolutely not for Vern...and the others...lots of eye-rolling as they stood there waiting to clean up debris. The Mad Hatter later became a face character and a buddy of mine Donny played him quite a bit...and I think....wow: just looked him up: STILL working...and still a character. What a good happy soul he was/is. Now to the BOATS...YES! keep those fingers in the boat at that dock. I'm not sure if you have noticed when sliding into the quay...it is perilously close to that cement...I know from experience because I am one of those who goes out of my way to not follow rules...because that is how you get things done...including squished fingers. The Attraction Hostess is giving off Anne of Green Gables vibes...that series was playing during "my Disneyland time" and although the first wasn't a WDP, it certainly had the heart to be..hence "Anne of Avonlea" et al...and the Disney Channel also aired the non Disney series as well. I was happy that Anne and Gilbert finally got married...but after that it turned a bit "Hallmarky".... I think I liked him better when he was pulling her pig tails. You can still visit all of those Green Gables locations..including the "real" house on PEI: where I would like to visit one day. I say all this because the TG's were VERY into that story, and the storyline would repeat itself in the phone room. It is a lovely story if you haven't seen it. Thanks Major.
The Walrus's claim to fame is that he and the Carpenter lured a bunch of happy little oysters from their oyster bed with the promise of fun, and then the Walrus ate them all (The time has come to FEED!). Would little kids who remembered that scene eagerly run to meet him, unless they were oyster-eaters themselves?
Also, the poem is being presented by Tweedledee and Tweedledum, so one may suspect the brothers are making it all up. So that would be a fantasy within a fantasy within a fantasy.
JG, I can only assume that the characters had places to stand or routes to follow, it makes sense. Though I’ve also seen Black Bart out by the ticket booths, so that’s different. I can’t imagine walking through Disneyland barefoot - for many reasons. It’s just a bad idea! If the Mad Hatter’s nose was cold, that meant he was healthy. Somehow those broad-brimmed straw hats feel European to me, though I can’t really say why. Van Gogh wore one!
Bu, it’s odd that Vern got so bent out of shape by something as minor as some popcorn to sweep up. And even the taking of pans or brooms could be taken with a sense of humor. Vern sounds like he needed a hug! After all, the characters were a very popular feature of the park. Sure, the sweepers worked hard and were very necessary, but they were almost an “invisible” element. Move through the crowd silently, brush up any fallen refuse, and disappear! Like magic. Anne of Green Gables, I remember watching that many years ago on PBS, and having a thing for the girl who played Anne. No idea what her name is. I never watched another story from that series of books, so I can’t say if they were any good. Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth were so good! But I digress.
DBenson, that story about the Walrus and the oysters, portrayed in the cartoon as if they were little babies, is very dark! I haven’t watched Alice in Wonderland in many years - I love the way it looks, but recall that I found it less enjoyable that I wished, even though it does have many great moments.
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