Here's a pair of scans from August, 1980. It's amazing to consider that 1980 is considered "long, long ago" to some people. And... they are right! Let's begin with this shot of City Hall, gleaming in the morning sunshine. There is a family in which each member is wearing a red shirt (or even red shorts in two instances), they are the happiest family in the world. When they were far apart, they'd communicate by cawing like crows. It's normal! A chipmunk is casually walking to the left - or maybe he's posing for a photo. The popcorn vendor has a few customers, they couldn't even get past Town Square without a snack.
Next, a woman is happy to be posing with one of the Three Li'l Pigs. He's a sailor, so he must be the Piper Pig. Where do you think that brick wall is located? I'm thrown by the hedge to the left. Piper Pig sure has an interesting hat, I think all Americans should wear hats like that at all times. Big red bow tie is optional.
Wow, they grow chipmunks BIG in SoCal! Around these parts they only get to be a few inches. When this huge monstrosity of a rodent begs for popcorn, you'd better give him the entire box... or else! The Red Family (don't forget the knee-high socks!) almost look like performers. They'll be appearing on the Tomorrowland Stage as "Up With People Who Wear Red".
ReplyDeleteThe Pig isn't the only one wearing a strange-looking hat. The gal posing with him is wearing an even stranger hat! Why, it almost looks like a giant pig's ear! Weird choice for a hat, but to each his own. I just noticed the Pig's expression... he either stuck his curly tail into a light socket, or he just drank 50 cups of really strong coffee. Maybe this is part of the Firehouse?
I seem to have made fun of your photos again, Major, instead of noting how colorful and crisp and esthetically pleasing they are. Thanks.
I think I see one of the other pigs, in the first shot, on the right.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Bu is at that popcorn wagon, though we can’t see the person. I’m not sure what month he started in DL — I think in September of that year ?? If so, then that wouldn’t be him…
Thanks, Major. Fun pics.
JB, ha! That is a funny expression on the pig.
ReplyDeleteThe Red Family must be Commies. I bet they were sent to Disneyland specifically, to do some spying. But "Dad" didn't know that if he was going to wear shorts in 1980, they needed to be short shorts, like his kids are wearing. If those even are his kids. If they are even kids! Those Commie spies are sneaky.
ReplyDeleteI believe that wall in the second pic is at the far west end of the Global Van Lines locker building (just before the large gate that leads backstage). I would try to confirm that by looking at Google "street view", but they RUINED the facade of that building, so it no longer looks the same. I bet Mike or Bu will let us know if I'm correct.
Thank you, Major.
Here we go. This is the location.of that second photo. By 1980, the truck and attraction posters were gone, and they had let the low hedge plants grow much taller:
ReplyDeletehttps://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/global-van-lines-truck-july-12-1968.html
Sorry, I tried to make that address above a link, but Blogger wasn't letting me for some reason.
Sue: I don’t even see popcorn in the wagon. It appears to be morning and it’s not polite to eat pie or popcorn at breakfast time.
ReplyDeleteTOKYO yes that’s the old global van line building .. it would soon become the National Rent A Car Disneyland information center ( lost & found and lockers ) and a 1903 Autocar would be parked out front. New themed posters would go up on the building made to look like an auto livery rental office “why horse around when you can drive!??” NATIONAL CAR RENTAL - the official car rental of Disneyland.
After Disneyland’s 25th when these pictures date from Disney had announced that tickets would be phased out …. I remember feeling sad about it … but at the same time we were already using the MKC unlimited passport ….
Mike, we also hadn't used tickets for a while, by the time they eliminated them. I always liked picking out a pin or button (from the souvenir stands just past the entrance tunnels), to pin my "Unlimited Passport" onto my shirt or jacket. I have three plastic character pins that were used for that......Mickey, Donald, and Pluto. On the Pluto pin, someone forgot to paint his ears black, so they are the same color as his face.
ReplyDeleteThe Red Family's invasion only got as far as It's a Small World, where they were all captured and the kids were turned into doll stand-ins and the adults were tasked with loading boats....FOREVER! (Insert evil laugh). Hey, Disney don't play.
ReplyDeleteI hope nobody ever tried to drop a postcard into Piper's hat. I mean, what else would that weird rectangle be for? I bet he would never "see" it coming!
Great view of City Hall! I can never look at it now without thinking of Bu, and same with popcorn. In fact, although I rarely have popcorn outside a movie theater, having some to eat while walking down Main Street sounds really fun.
ReplyDeleteFun fact, while this chipmunk is enormous and intimidating, the regular small ones can be very destructive of one’s camp food. One of the Scouts unwittingly packed one up in his backpack (the munk had crawled into his food bag) and hiked all day through Philmont with the freeloader gnawing away at his pemmican. This is why I always check my backpack in Disneyland. But I think I would notice a chipmunk that big.
Nice work on photo 2, Tokyo. I’ve always thought that was a weird hat.
Thanks Major, much appreciated!
JG
JB, we feed chipmunks irradiated peanuts so that they grow to 5, 8, sometimes 12 feet tall. I forget WHY we do it, but I’m sure there’s a good reason. I’m sure the Red Family figured that they couldn’t get lost or separated if they all wore fire-engine red. Are you telling me that you never wear a pig’s ear hat? Where are you from, FRANCE?
ReplyDeleteLou and Sue, yes I think you are right about the other pig, maybe all three were milling around Town Square. Separate and conquer.
Lou and Sue, the pig really does have a weird expression, like he’s been “goosed”.
TokyoMagic!, you’d think that Commies would want to keep more of a low profile, but then again, they are proud to be Commies. “Do you have beets?”, they would ask at the popcorn wagon. “No, comrade, I’m sorry”. “Not even potatoes?”. I agree, they ruined that beautiful Global Van Lines building, it went from “interesting” to “you wouldn’t look at it twice”.
TokyoMagic!, aha, thank you, and thank you for the link! The taller hedge plants especially threw me.
Mike Cozart, you’re right, the popcorn wagon looks empty. On second viewing, the Red Family is standing a bit behind the wagon, so I guess they were not getting a snack just yet. I remember loving the passports, and being able to go on any ride as many times as I wanted. But as a fan of Disneyland History, the ticket books were such a part of each visit, and planning on what to do with your remaining coupons was a big deal.
TokyoMagic!, I think I’ve seen photos of people wearing their paper passports, pinned to their shirts. I never had to do that.
stu29573, I am going to steal your idea and make it into an A24 horror movie that will gross $80 million dollars in its first weekend! I thought of those London mailboxes too, just blue instead of red.
JG, it didn’t occur to me that Bu might have been working at the park in these photos - until Sue mentioned it. I’d love it if Bu chimed in. I eat popcorn very rarely, though I do like it a lot. I never buy it at Disneyland, and basically never buy it when I go to the movies. I think many of the Chipmunk cartoons with Donald basically have them destroying his house/garden/train set, those rodents were cute, but destructive.
Hello "Junior's"....and thanks Sue for the ping! After some sluthing I found out that my hire date and first day in 1980 was October 25th. No wonder every October 25th, I think..."this day is a "something" but it's not my birthday or anyone else's....well, now we all know. I always thought it was earlier...but I suppose in 1980 I was visiting the Park quite a lot, so perhaps it felt like "work" (?). In any case: yes: Popcorn Wagon...not open early: correct. And this particular one: which I think was "PC 1" was only there Summer, then high days and holy days. I spent most of the Summer of '81 on this wagon. Lot's going on in Town Square....very very slow in Summer. People do not eat popcorn when it's hot: then at night: an explosion of thousands of dollars worth of Popcorn. So basically: that wagon was for Electrical Parade business...and worth hauling it out and paying the payroll for it. So: it related to a chipmunk. The sweepers HATED popcorn. And Vern: often on Main Street HATED characters: who just created chaos and mess. So, when kids playing with the chipmunks got over excited and projectile vomited onto a bench....with the chipmunk not realizing then was dancing and squirming around in the barf...Vern stood there in disgust..."that's right....wriggle around in the puke...*^^$$*## characters!" He was kind of a miserable guy. Seems like he would be there forever: perhaps he was. Anyway: moving on to Pigs and City Hall...I think I've told the story of the guest coming into City Hall to formally file a complaint against the Pig who ran up to her and said "MOMMY!".....well...she wasn't small...and it's hard to not laugh when someone says this to you...but I kept it in. From what I remember the character was more "in trouble" for speaking rather than saying "Mommy". Ahhh...those crazy characters...and yes: like Vern says: they caused chaos, and were messy....and generally wanted free balloons and popcorn and ice cream....I think this was a "thing" I was shielded from....to get support from the guests...."oh come on...give Tweedle Dee an ice cream bar"....well....someone did...because those characters came back...and like real chipmunks...causing havoc and chaos...They are all staring at my Boysenberries...waiting patiently for the first sign of ripeness...until then...wriggling around the yard. Thanks Major and Sue!
ReplyDeleteBu, ah, so you were there a bit after today’s photos. Oh well. Funny that the date still tickles some axons in your head! How often did you visit the park? More than once a month? I’ve always wondered, if I lived closer, and had the money, would I have gone all the time? I can only imagine how much popcorn was sold after dark, and how many balloons were sold as customers walked out of the park. Sounds like Vern was blaming the characters for something they couldn’t control. Did kids really get so excited that they would barf? I suppose anything is possible, but I feel like the woman claiming that one of the pigs called her “mommy” was a fib so that she could get a cash settlement. Like the woman who claimed a pig groped her, when the arms just hang there, unable to grope anything. An amusement park is just going to have certain messes, maybe Vern needed to be transferred to another department. There will be spills, and “accidents”, and all kinds of disasters, big and small. Ha, keep those vermin away from your Boysenberries!!
ReplyDelete