Beautiful Fantasyland, 1960s
Fantasyland has always been the most "Disney" of all the lands, with its movie-themed dark rides right near the Castle. It had lots more to offer as well, as we can see in this first great photo, taken (I presume) from a Skyway gondola as it backed into the Fantasyland chalet. There's the beautiful Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, the Mad Tea Party, the Carrousel, Casey Jr., and even the Matterhorn is part of Fantasyland.
Hello, Captain Guy! I just found a vintage article online that said that Guy Exon played "Captain Kidd". I was never aware that the peg-legged pirate had a name. Meanwhile, that boy in blue is not showing proper deference and will soon walk the plank.
16 comments:
I love these images! What a great time to be in Disneyland.
Today's deep, philosophical question [directed to Boomers]:
"What is Martinizing and why does it only take an hour?"
Thanks, Major.
Major-
Fantasyland - beautiful indeed-! There's an interesting parallax illusion visible in the 1st image of the messenger and communication cables, which run across the center of each Skyway tower, appears to be a part of the 'outbound' moving steel cable from the Chalet. That would be a bad thing, indeed, and decidedly not beautiful at all-!
Thanks, Major.
@ Sue-
There's an old joke about how authorities cracked a money-laundering ring after spotting a sign outside a Manhattan cleaners that read: "One-Hour Martinizing/Two-Hour Money Laundering."
Wow, BUSY! Like you said, so very Disney. The Matterhorn looks like a Hershey's Kiss with part of the foil still attached. In these early years, The 'Horn looked so dark because the lava had just cooled enough to solidify after being thrust up into the orange and walnut grove. Not sure what's going on with that guy on the right in front of the Teacups. He's got his arms up in the air like that video game character in the movie "Free Guy". Or maybe he's hoisting his child up onto his shoulders? Excellent photo! I'm adding it to my collection.
I've also always liked those colorful benches. I wonder if that lady has an 8-piece fried chicken in that large red plaid bag; right next to the dirty diapers. I bet they got really good TV reception inside the Tuna Boat, with all those masts and rigging lines soaking up the signals.
"Captain Kidd", huh? I thought it was pretty well established the the Capt'n was named Guy. I wonder if it makes any difference that the article you mentioned was 'vintage'? Maybe people were just as loose and ignorant of the facts back then as they are now? Still, I would tend to believe the vintage article.
Sue, I think we talked about 'Martinizing' here on GDB long ago? (Or maybe I'm conflating it with another site I frequent.) I remember reading about the origin of the word, etc..
Really nice photos, Major. Thanks.
The first pic is really wonderful with the Skyway, Matterhorn and Pirate Ship Restaurant overlooking Fantasyland. Always liked the Skyway support towers which were unique to Disneyland's Fantasyland and pre-1967 Tomorrowland.
Thanks, Major.
In that first pic, there is an angled line/slope inside the Matterhorn's right Skyway opening. I'm assuming this is the rockwork under the chain lift that we are seeing? I don't remember noticing that before, in similar pics taken from this spot.
I remember that the L.A. County Fairgrounds had concrete benches like the ones that used to be in Fantasyland. I'm not sure when they removed them. Maybe it was when they ripped out the Fairground's mid-century modern clock tower, the suspended monorail, and the super cool neon Fun Zone entrance arch and signage.
Thanks, Major!
That is one kinetic photo! As I look carefully, I see the 'right side of water' on the Matterhorn. No one is on the Teacups, it must be taking a breather.
Thanks, Major!
Moonliner Alert!
These are fantastic shots! I have the pirate ship model (the later, non-Disney branded edition) but I've never finished it because the paint scheme is...well...challenging. Maybe someday!
Love it. Look at that waterfall go!
MS
The first shot is a real beaut, with all those gorgeous, colorful attractions cheek by jowl. And there's a joke struggling to get out there, with Captain Kidd played by a man named Guy, talking to a kid, but I can't seem to make it work. Is the kid's last name Mann? I need a script doctor here.
Any talk of pirate ships and blue skies gets "How Beautifully Blue the Sky" from The Pirates of Penzance stuck in my head. I've sung it in three productions and countless revues, so it's kind of a Pavlovian response at this point.
Lou and Sue, only 2 people in the world can answer that question!
Nanook, ya see, they shouldn’t have made that sign. HEY, maybe that’s the joke? I’m new to this planet!
Nanook, I see what you mean about the cables, I guess maybe that wouldn’t work out so well.
JB, I KNEW that the Matterhorn was a volcano! Why is there such a big coverup?? I think maybe the “arms up” guy is either putting a sweatshirt on, or taking it off. Maybe. Mmmm, 8-piece fried chicken. The dirty diapers at a nutty flavor (sorry). I think we, the fans, know the pirate as “Captain Guy”, but I don’t know if the guests knew that. Perhaps he really was playing “Captain Kidd”? We’ll need an expert on this one. I can’t remember if we talked about Martinizing before, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
K. Martinez, it’s funny, I like the Skyway support towers too, though I’m sure that some Disneyland officials thought of them as an unfortunate necessity.
TokyoMagic!, aha, good eye! I’m surprised I didn’t notice that angled slope. Now I’ll have to go back and see if we can spot it in similar photos. Ha, you forgot to add “TRE” to your post!
zach, yeah, that waterfall is not just falling straight down, it’s arcing out a bit, and they appear to have built the Matterhorn to match it.
Stu29573, since the Moonliner still says “TWA”, this has to be 1960 or before. Paint that pirate ship model, I believe in you!
MS, does that particular waterfall still exist??
Melissa, the kid’s name is “Who”! Did Gilbert and Sullivan ever write an operetta about robots, monster trucks, and explosions? If so they would have become famous instead of lost to obscurity (!).
Did Gilbert and Sullivan ever write an operetta about robots, monster trucks, and explosions?
There's one show where the baritone gets eaten by a bear. It usually happens offstage, but I always swore if I got to direct a production, I'd blow the budget on a bear suit and a fight choreographer.
I'd pay to see that!
"Now I’ll have to go back and see if we can spot it in similar photos. Ha, you forgot to add “TRE” to your post!"
Major, I know there is a pic out there of that slope and with a bobsled on it.....and the photo might even be one of yours. But I know it was taken from a Skyway gondola that had either just entered the Matterhorn, or was just about to. And I just noticed that not only can we see the slope in today's pic, but we can see the safety railing alongside it! And I was this close to saying, "They ruin everything, don't they!", because they DID ruin the L.A. County Fairgrounds......just like EVERYTHING else, gosh darn it!
"I wonder if that lady has an 8-piece fried chicken in that large red plaid bag; right next to the dirty diapers."
JB, ha, ha! I remember back in the day, the cut-up whole chickens included 10 pieces. I remember there was always a neck and a back included. I don't think they include the back and the neck in the whole cut-up chickens anymore, at least not at the stores that I go to. The back and the neck were my great-grandmother's favorite pieces, for some odd reason. There isn't very much meat on them.... especially the neck. So, if they aren't including them in the package, what are they doing with them? Or maybe they have genetically bred chickens that don't have backs or necks? Like those special chickens they breed that are boneless (thank you, Gary Larson!)
Tokyo!, I haven't seen any backs or necks in packages of chicken for a long time either. It is indeed odd that your great-grandmother cherished those particular pieces. Probably a 'Great Depression" thing.
Ha! I remember the "Boneless Chicken Ranch" Far Side cartoon very well. I especially liked the limp chicken draped over the sign.
I'd imagine that the organs and other unappetizing parts of the chicken wind up in animal feed, and the bony parts are boiled into chicken broth and stock. All of that bone broth that the primal diet people were drinking had to come from somewhere.
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