Fantasyland, November 1961
I've got two standard views of vintage Fantasyland for you, starting with this look at the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, circa November 1961. The late afternoon sunlight imbues the scene with a nice warm glow. Thanks to the wisdom and good posture of Junior Gorillas, I know that the entry door has moved from mid-ship to further toward the stern. This prevents the accumulation of barnacles and weeds, according to Chuck. Overhead, a Skyway gondola looks like it might get caught in the rigging of the ship.
From a different lot of slides, but also from November 1961, comes this photo of the Dumbi. Or rather of the EXIT sign? The flying elephants don't seem to be the main focus. Let's describe this composition as "artistic", that will go a long way. I don't mind it!
6 comments:
Skully’s spying on us!
Major-
In spite of merely 'saluting' the Exit sign from the Dumbo Flying Elephants attraction, you gotta love the exquisite sharpness and warm light quality of the image.
Thanks, Major.
What an attractive mood the lighting creates in this photo. I like the bright highlight above the door. The Gondola fits right in with its bronze color. Forget "might get caught in the rigging"; it looks like it already has! It's camouflaging itself to look like a crow's nest. Speaking of camouflage, Skully is doing a great job of it! [edit: as Sue noted!]
Yes. Let's call it "artistic". Note how the photographer has purposely left out key elements of the composition to pique our interest. A piece of every Dumbi is out of frame; including the one on the left, the tip of his ear is missing; and Timothy is headless. The artist is telling us that it is impossible to truly see an object in its entirety... Such is life.
The Dumbi look especially shiny. They must have been waxed with Lemon Pledge earlier that morning. (I bet Shiny Boy received the same treatment.) Despite the missing bits and the over-emphasis on the Exit sign, this is a nice picture!
Better than average photos today, Major. Thanks.
Ah, the Pirate Ship! The only thing that could have made it better was if they had unleashed a broadside every now and then, totally at random! Get those nerves working in Fanrasyland! And maybe they could have raided other attractions now and then. I'm all about action, baby!
I really think they should have gone with the pink elephants version of Dumbo. And given every kid a shot of whiskey and the beginning of the ride! If the kids got blotto, then the crew of the Pirate Ship could have captured them to make tuna burgers!
I've got great ideas, but no one will listen! (Or make eye contact)
I will always love my long-lost Tuna Boat. What a nice picture, in what has become termed as Golden Hour. Since I have only the haziest of memories of the interior, I would love to know how that entrance reconfiguration worked.
We can love the oddly framed Dumbo picture because it has lots of good details, just not all in a composition. Interesting that there are multiple exits to facilitate fast unloading. Those signs imitating banners are fun, I bet all of them ended up at Mike Cozart’s house.
Thanks Major!
JG
Lou and Sue, what do you expect from a giant skull??
Nanook, I do love that afternoon warm lighting! I wish the photos weren’t canted to the left, but somebody had some wonky equalibrium.
JB, there’s just something about the look of those old metallic Skyway gondolas, it’s unlike the paint that we’d see on anything today. Maybe it’s just nostalgia kicking in, but they look great. I think we are giving the photographer the benefit of the doubt if we say that photo #2 is artistic… it’s not a great photo! I feel a little guilty sharing pix like this, maybe it should have been a Snoozle?
Stu29573, just as long as the broadsides aren’t too noisy! I’m very jumpy, and tend to let out little screams whenever I’m startled (this happens about twice a minute). I do think the pink elephants would have been fun, maybe somebody decided that it was in poor taste? One lucky kid should be given a flask on each ride - a flask that they will keep forever of course (but they have to drink it).
JG, even after seeing three zillion pictures of the Pirate Ship, it still impresses with its level of detail and beauty. On occasion I’ll still see a slide labeled “Pirate Ride”, I wonder if they just walked past and assumed it must be a ride? My friend Mr. X noticed a little waterfall in the background that has not worked at Storybook Land for years, it drives him crazy every time he sees that the water pump is kaput.
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