The Magic Kingdom, November 1982
I recently scanned a batch of slides from Florida's Magic Kingdom, date-stamped "November, 1982" - over 40 years old! - and while they are a little bit on the dark side, it gives them a certain dramatic atmosphere that I find to be visually interesting.
Let's begin with this photo in Fantasyland, with It's a Small World right in front of us. That taller building definitely echoes medieval architecture that you might see in Yurp. I'm assuming that a dark ride is near us to the left, any idea what that would be? The good old Skyway glides overhead, against some pretty clouds.
The Richard F. Irvine was the only steamboat on the Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America by 1982 (the "Admiral Joe Fowler" had been destroyed by me in 1990). And of course it was refurbished and renamed the Liberty Belle in 1996. I wonder if they got tired of explaining just who the heck Richard F. Irvine was to guests? The dark shadows give this a film noir feeling.
Even with the dark areas, this is a very pretty scene. All gone now, incredibly.
Here's locomotive No. 3, the Roger E. Broggie. Please let me know if you have any idea where this photo was taken (Frontierland of course, but was the train stopped at a station?). Also, could a guest walk up to that low rope fence and lick the locomotive? I'm not asking for me, just so you know, but for a friend.
And finally, howsabout a beautiful look at the Star Jets (atop the Wedway Peoplemover station). I love the "lifting body" (is that the right term?) vehicles, still circling a mighty Saturn V rocket. I'm sure there's some interesting stuff at ground level, but we can't see it.
Stay tuned for more WDW scans!
6 comments:
Major-
"I'm assuming that a dark ride is near us to the left, any idea what that would be?"
I believe that's still part of IaSW.
I love the 'dark images' with all their drama and crushed blacks-!
Thanks, Major.
I tried Googling "Yurp" to see where it was. It kept giving me someplace called "Europe"... stupid Google. ;-p
1) Wow, dramatic indeed. I love it! A little too dark for people watching, but man, those buildings are lit perfectly! Keepin' it, keepin' it, keepin' it! I thought maybe those shields/coat of arms above the dark ride might provide a clue to which ride it is, but it didn't help (not to me anyway).
2) Film noir: I think I see Bogie on the lower deck, hanging back in the shadows. Looks like they've got a full compliment of guests!
3) Looks like a print version of a painting that one would see in the living rooms of Anytown, USA, circa 1955.
4) "could a guest walk up to that low rope fence and lick the locomotive? I'm not asking for me, just so you know, but for a friend." Major, you have weird friends, especially here on GDB. ;-) We can see a smidgen of a structure on the left with an awning. Maybe that will help identify this location?
5) Those palm trees really make the StarJets look special! And spectacular! Beautiful scene. I'm keep, keep, keepin' this one too!
Nanook, you may be right about it being part of IASW. I walked past that facade in '76 and it looks vaguely familiar.
A nice Saturday travelog, Major. Still Disney, but different! Thanks.
That first image does look cool with the special lighting—but those darn skyway buckets are all tangled-up in that wall sconce.
Fun pics, thank you, Major.
^ I meant “light sconce”
^ Yet another example of forced perspective. :-)
Yep, Nanook is correct. Those "tournament tent" facades are all a part of the It's a Small World queue and loading area.
I wonder what they did with the Richard F. Irvine/Liberty Belle? Did they just scrap it? They could dock it over near the Fort Wilderness Resort and let the alligators and brain-eating amoebas take it over. Or put a Madame Medusa figure and some other characters from "The Rescuers" on it, and charge guests beaucoup bucks to take their picture with the characters. People just LOVE to pay extra for stuff like that.
Major, the "ground floor" of the Astro Jets tower has a Lunching Pad snack bar, just like Disneyland's structure used to.
Thanks for the vintage WDW pics, Major!
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