The Magic Kingdom, November 1982
I'm continuing a look at some scans of Magic Kingdom scans from 1982. They're pretty nice, though some are a bit darker than I'd like. In this case it gives the photos an interesting quality, or at least I think so.
We'll start with two Skyway views looking down into the beautiful lagoon of Vulcania - the flooded volcanic crater where Captain Nemo has his lair. It's pretty cool - as long as the volcano stays dormant.
Florida's "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" debuted in 1980, so it was still fairly new. From this angle it appears that the bulk of the ride is at the crest of a low hill - or is that just an illusion?
Here's the obligatory photo of Cinderella Castle, but it's a beauty.
Here's the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square. From what I understand, this is still a pretty popular attraction in Florida (tell me if I am mistaken). As of this writing, I thought I saw an announcement on Facebook that this attraction would be closing, but I'm not sure if that is correct.
And finally (for today), another Skyway view, this time looking down on the Grand Prix Raceway. With so much land, I would have expected the Florida "Autopia" to be massive and full of fun features, but the "raceway" concept actually limited the creativity - you're just on a big racetrack. Imagine if they'd made a rolling landscape with hills and forests and creeks. Or something! I'm sure I'm speaking heresy to those who love it just the way it is.
There will be one more blog post with November, 1982 photos!
6 comments:
Major-
Nice images - which always trigger great memories for me. Those Nautilus 'subs' are such beauties-!
Thanks, Major.
"as long as the volcano stays dormant". Turns out, it wasn't the volcano that Nemo and crew needed to worry about. It was the invasion of plush animals! (Didn't they replace the Lagoon with Pooh and friends?) The Orlando Lagoon reminds me of Crater Lake, here in Oregon; also a water-filled volcanic crater. Except, Crater Lake is several miles across. Not sure if the WDW Lagoon was always this dark sapphire blue or if it's due to the 35mm slide being dark, but I like this hue; it looks more real.
Ooh, I like the 2nd one! It's a keeper! So I did. Keep it, that is.
The Castle looks majestic in these subdued colors. Then they TREd it so it looks like a Salvador Dali fever dream. [sigh]
Major, I share your opinion of the Grand Prix Raceway; it's BORING!
Too dark, or not, these are great images, Major. Thanks.
Just checked and "20,000 Leagues" premiered back in 1954, was re-released in 1963, and sailed once more in 1971. The last coincided with the opening of WDW. Coincidence or plugging a major Magic Kingdom attraction?
Like many Disney films, it was kept alive between releases with books, comics, and merchandise. And also like many Disney films, it would stay off television screens until home video killed the re-release cash cow. How many of you knew all about "20,000 Leagues" and/or other Disney films years before finally seeing them complete, either in theaters or on "World of Color"? For that matter, how many of you mature folk were shocked the first time you saw a Disney classic on, say, TBS?
Anyway, the Nautilus is so darn cool it rated an exhibit in Disneyland (the eventual ride was themed to modern Navy vessels), Tokyo Disneyland (a prop Nautilus and a ride with different vehicles), and Disneyland Paris (a walk-through of the movie Nautilus, with squid attack at the window). A parody Nautilus surfaced in "Rescue Rangers", captained by a fish with imitation James Mason voice.
We will not speak of the Disney television version starring Michael Caine.
Those nautilus subs were beautiful!! By the late 70’s the sub - mostly of fiberglass exterior , were leaking terribly from the thunderous waterfalls as the subs entered and exited the show building. The quick solution was to weaken the waterfalls. It’s still terrible 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea - such a vacation kingdom icon was removed … Toad- Removed! Rivers of America - removed!!
If you rode GRAND PRIX RACEWAY in the early years - it was exciting !! The cars were dispatched in racing groups after a countdown and racing start lights … two castmembers would wave a checker flag and you we OFF on a race ! The attraction features special SFX along the raceway using recordings of actual forumula racecar - so the small 7mph cars felt and sounded like you were going much faster than reality. Throughout the raceway were grandstand speaker updates for your racing companions as if it was a real race. Disneyland was in FREEWAY TERRITORY …. Walt Disney World was built in AUTO RACING TERRITORY !! Vacation Kingdom guests LOVED IT!!
All the original 1971 and 1975 Grand Prix Raceway cars were retired several years ago and were replaced with slightly used 1983 GRAND CIRCUIT RACEWAY cars from Tokyo Disneyland .
I think I’ve mentioned before that I have some photos from the 1970’s of Disneyland’s Penny Arcade … and among the Disneyland attraction posters displayed on the walls , is a WDW Grand Prix Raceway poster and a WDW Small World poster. I always thought they were put up by mistake - but over time myself and some poster collector friends speculate that Disney may intentionally displayed WDW posters at Disneyland as a promotion of the Florida park. The Disney Celebrity Sports Center in Colorado displayed attraction posters from BOTH parks .
Major, there is a slight incline in that area approaching Big Thunder. It looks steeper in your photo, so I wonder if if that has been changed at some point? Or maybe it's like you said, it's an illusion making it appear steeper.
Mike, I didn't know that the TDL "Raceway" vehicles were now being used in WDW. Do the cars brake automatically if you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, just like they did in Tokyo? Or did that also involve a mechanism or sensor under the roadway, as well? If that's the case, then I don't even need to ask if they installed the system in WDW, because I know Disney is too cheap to do that! That is what I love about the Tokyo parks and their owners, the Oriental Land Company. They aren't as concerned about spending the big bucks, in order to get a something really incredible, instead of getting something half-a**ed like we get here in the U.S.
Thanks, Major!
For those who are interested in attraction posters and their "restoration," here is a YouTube video showing a torn Haunted Mansion poster being "restore." I think if it was mine, I might just frame it in it's torn, but original state. Still, what this company was able to do was pretty incredible, but I bet it is very costly.
Haunted Mansion Poster Restoration Video on YouTube
That video is 17 minutes long. For a shorter/tighter version of the video and poster restoration, here is a 3 minute condensed version on Facebook (for those who have a F.B. account):
Haunted Mansion Poster Restoration Video Condensed Version on Facebook
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