Two From July 1964

I've got some genuine SNOOZERS for you today. Starting with this view of one of my favorite Jungle Cruise scenes, the Lost Safari. Hey, they're not lost, I see them right there! Maybe they should call them the Totally Hosed Safari? I am reminded of a scan that I shared back in 2009 that showed this scene in an incomplete state. I'll link to it HERE since many of you probably haven't seen it.

While I have shared many MANY photos of the Rivers of America, and plenty from this same general vantage point, this one is fun because we have one canoe, two rafts, and even the nose of the Mark Twain peeking in from the right. Walt wanted his river to be busy, and he got it.

Scenes From the Fair

Say! Why don't we take a look at some scans from the wonderful New York World's Fair? All of these are from the second season (1965). 

The Fair was chock-full of interesting and impressive buildings, each one trying to lure guests in their direction, but come on... that giant Uniroyal tire Ferris Wheel is about as great as can be. Whoever thought of it should have been given the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, and the Pillsbury Bake-off Prize. We also see the swoopy SKF "parasol", shooting up 82 feet into the air, like a rocket trail made solid. That's apparently where guests would get sample ball bearings which they later threw at Mr. Lincoln to see if he flinched. There's also the green cheese moon dome from the Travel and Transportation pavilion.   

From the undulating Moon Deck of the Eastman Kodak pavilion we get a nice view of the Tower of the Four Winds, beloved by many, but disliked by the man who actually designed it (Rolly Crump, as you know). It lacked the delicacy that he'd hoped for, basically. Hey, it looks great to me. It was part of the Pepsi Cola pavilion, where guests could see "It's a Small World". Behind the Tower of the Four Winds is the Better Living Center.

We are all familiar with Disney's various Monorails, which ride on top of their elevated tracks, but for many years the idea of monorails had them suspended from an overhead track. And you know what? It's not bad! Two-car trains circle the Lake Amusement Area 40 feet in the air in the latest refinement of a concept that has been called the transportation idea of the future. On the World's Fair monorail, built by American Machine & Foundry Company, trains ride below the track, suspended from overhead power units with rubber tires. The route is a loop 4,000 feet long, with three trains traveling in one direction while four others travel in the opposite direction on a parallel track.

And here's a great view of the Avis Antique Car Ride, from Arrow Development. Open-topped antique cars, reproduced to five-eighths scale, provide a pleasant ride through an old-fashioned country setting. Each car seats up to five, and anyone 10 years or over can drive. A single pedal - accelerator and brake combined - controls the one-cylinder engine that pushes the cars along at a top speed of four miles an hour; the ride takes four minutes. Avis also operates a rental service for automobiles and power boats at the Marina landing. 

Here's the backside of the Belgian Village, as seen from the Meadow Lake Bridge that crossed over the Long Island Expressway to the Amusement Zone. Imagine seeing this unusual sight as you commuted to work every day! It seems inconceivable that any New Yorker could resist at least one visit to the Fair.

Never fear, I have lots more NYWF slides for you!

Main Street, 1973

Today I am finally tackling a folder of scans that I believe are from 1973 (though some may have been taken over the space of a year or two), from a batch of 35mm negatives that my friend Mr. X gave to me many years ago. In fact, I scanned these about nine years ago, and was "saving them". For what? Who knows! But it's time. You've seen a few of them already, but there are still roughly 50 photos that I am looking forward to sharing. Mr. X took some nice pictures!

First up is this lovely shot from Main Street U.S.A., as guests walk toward the castle past the GAF Photo Salon (Kodak ended their long sponsorship in 1970, and GAF stepped in on December 20th, 1970). Notice the woman to the left, checking to see what time it is - late afternoon, judging by the shadows. I love this clear, colorful look at Main Street, atypical of the sort of photos that one usually finds.

This next one is a view of Town Square. No big deal, right? You'd think that I would be more excited by a vintage view of the Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow, or the Viewliner. But it's so great! Vivid color and implied energy with people walking here and there. This is a Disneyland photo that I would love to step into.

Next, just a detail, with more of those people, and a popcorn cart. Scanning negatives is tricky (for me, anyway), determining the correct colors involves a lot of guesswork, but I like the overall warm tones - a perfect day.

And there's the beautiful train station, with the Horse Drawn Streetcar closer to us (is that a security guard?), and possible Fourth of July patriotic bunting on the lamp post. 

Stay tuned, there are some real beauties in this batch! Thank you, Mr. X, for giving these negatives to me.

Fantasyland, July 1976

Today's photos are from 1976; it's interesting to me how slide transparencies can look different depending on the era that they are from. Obviously we have clues like hairstyles and fashions to help place them in their proper context, but the film itself also differs. These seem to have a slightly warm look to them, which is very appealing if you ask me. 

You know what is also appealing? Those caterpillar vehicles from the "Alice in Wonderland" attraction. If a giant caterpillar was crawling toward me I would probably run in horror, but I'm happy to ride in one! Look at him, he couldn't be more snooty, which is part of why I love him.

Meanwhile, over on Casey Jr., a murder occurred! Not really, but wasn't that exciting to read? Instead, two nice ladies are about to experience the low-tech (but wonderful) charms of miniature tableaus from their favorite stories. And as most of you know, everything is more fun when you are wearing a bucket hat, so the gal in green will be having a great time.

More Frontierland Scans

Let's take a look at more scans from the Mysterious Benefactor, shall we? As usual, all of these are from Frontierland. I had to skip a bunch of extremely dark scans of the Columbia, but they were very similar to examples that we've already seen. Still, I don't like to skip stuff.

This one is interesting because it shows one of the "hoodoos" from the Big Thunder Mountain Railway while it was still under construction. Notice the unpainted gunite (?) at the bottom edges. They're almost done though! Which would probably date this photo to perhaps July or August of 1979, since the ride debuted at Disneyland on September 2nd of that year.

Well, maybe I was wrong about the previous photo, the next two are supposedly from "5-1979", and the big hoodoo looks just the same. I would not be surprised if the listed date isn't strictly correct. Anyway, we see a line of hungry guests waiting at a cart in the pre-churro era (1979 P.C.). How about "carne frijoles"? They just scooped it directly into your hands, which is why you had to pay first.

You could also get a nice apple empanada, which sounds darn tasty. Wash it all down with a cup of water right from the river. Full of healthful minerals, and maybe some parasites too. I love the little cart, which looks like it could be right out of a high school play about food vendors looking for love (with music by the guys who did "Hair").

And here's one final scan - you can see one spar of the Columbia, which means you are getting your full money's worth. Guests are walking up the steps and ramp, but they have all left their 200-pound bales of cotton behind. I hate when that happens. Cotton was used for currency, and you could also make a funny Santa beard out of it. Say, what's the deal with that mysterious trap door in the lower right? Is it the entrance to Walt's other apartment?

 Many thanks to the Mysterious Benefactor!

"Walt Disney's Disneyland" Part Seven

Today marks the seventh and FINAL installment featuring scans from JGs copy of "Walt Disney's Disneyland", a classic book that must have sold many millions of copies over the years in its various updated versions.

Jus copy is from 1973 (I believe), and at that time the venerable Haunted Mansion had only been open for four years at that time. It still had that "New Ghost Smell". I'm sure that when the Imagineers were working on this ride, they could not have imagined how popular it would become, still finding legions of fans over 50 years later.

And speaking of new attractions, the Country Bear Jamboree was even newer. No, I'm not going to make any cracks about a "New Bear Smell", that would be pushing it. The Country Bears debuted at the Magic Kingdom in Florida on October 1, 1971, and the Disneyland version opened just five months later on March 4, 1972.

There's Teddi Barra. Yes, a bear with a feather boa. On a swing. Wearing a hat. Just another day at Disneyland! To the right is a greenish photo of the Hungry Bear restaurant, which (as I've said before) has always been one of my favorite places to dine and relax and take in the view of the river activity.

If you put your ear right up to your computer (or phone or tablet), you can actually hear the songs from the Country Bear Jamboree playing! 

Oh boy, the Main Street Electrical Parade, which was another new feature at Disneyland, having debuted in the summer of 1972. There was just something about this parade! The millions of twinkling lights, the electrosynthomagnetic sounds of "Baroque Hoedown", why, it was the bee's knees.

That hippo pulling the circus wagon shows one of the early flat parade figures, I believe that those were slowly phased out. While parades are always popular at Disneyland, I don't know if any were as beloved as the Main Street Electrical Parade. It has come and gone several times, last closing in 2016. Will it ever come back? If so, I wouldn't be surprised.

Author Marty Sklar loved to talk about all of the kings, queens, presidents, and other VIPs who came from all over the world to see Disneyland. I had to ask him to not mention me, since I am very publicity-shy.

I love a good wide-angle view of It's a Small World. The text tells us about a man who managed to get excused from jury duty by telling the judge of his planned trip to Disneyland. I'll have to try that one!

Walt wanted his later attractions to be so full of details that guests couldn't possibly see it all in just one ride, and that photo from It's a Small World demonstrates that philosophy. Notice the animatronic singing dolls as compared to the more simple doll figures.

Say, what gives! The final page of text is an ad for Walt Disney World in Florida! Which was brand-new at that time. I do remember how much I wanted to go see this newer bigger park, but it still hasn't happened (for many reasons), and I fear that I missed it when it was at its best.

Still, the editors have wrapped things up with an photo of Sleeping Beauty Castle at night, with dozens of fireworks lighting the sky - a classic Disneyland image if there ever was one.

Well, that's it! Seven parts shared over seven weeks. Many thanks to JG for taking the time to scan his copy and share it with all of us, I hope that you enjoyed visiting "Walt Disney's Disneyland"!

Fantasyland Scenes, April 1980

Fantasyland has undergone many changes over the years; for the first few decades those changes were a bit more subtle than the ones that came post-1983. Sure, some rides were added, like "it's a small world" in 1965, and some beautiful landmarks such as Skull Rock in 1960, and the old "medieval faire" façades seemed to last and last. 

However, today's photo, taken from the Pirate Ship, shows things like the decorative "fence" (that seems like the wrong word, but my brain can't come up with anything better) that now surrounded the Mad Tea Party - it didn't really seem necessary, but it was a good place to ad lighting, which looked great at night. The graphic design and color scheme of the dark ride buildings façades changed a lot too. Take a look here, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is in shades of pumpkin-orange, deep crimson, yellow, and pink.

You can see how the outside of "Toad" looked just four years earlier.

Another vintage view (1960) from almost the same vantage point as the first photo. You can see that the Peter Pan façade is also different, and the tent over the Carrousel is striped here. 

Also from 1980 comes this unusual (and maybe not-great?) view, also from the Pirate Ship, looking at the area more eastward rather than southward; the photographer was standing way up on the ship's poop deck (heh heh) looking toward Skull Rock. This is such a strange angle that we are almost behind the big skull. And as you know, being behind a big skull is good luck. Probably.

Two From October, 1967

Here are two so-so snoozers for your Sunday morning. I apologize in advance.

Disneyland has Horseless Carriages, but they also had HorseFULL Carriages. Just look at all that horse! He's got pep in his step because he just won a pile of money betting on the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the Boston Red Sox in seven games. But what does a horse do with money?? I hope he buys real estate.

It's the Mark Twain. Yep, there it is. It looks great, as usual, but you have to admit that this isn't a very interesting photo. 

School Kids, May 1960

Kids! I don't know what's wrong with these kids today! Say, that reminds me of a song. And it reminds me of today's scans, featuring lots and lots of kids, circa 1960. They appear to be gathered on what might be a school playground (location unknown), but they're just standing around, waiting for something to happen.

As is often the case, the girls gather in their own groups, while boys will gather into their own bunches elsewhere. These slides are date-stamped "May 1960", but of course they may have been taken months earlier. Or not! It looks like it was somewhat chilly, though it was not the dead of winter. I notice that all of these young ladies are wearing skirts/dresses, no Capris or dungarees just yet. 

Uh-oh, boys and girls are standing way too close to each other, causing a warp in the space-time continuum. Luckily there is a teacher (?) to the extreme right to make sure that nobody misbehaves. Jimmy Doyle, I'm looking at YOU.

Whew, all the boys are gone now. We all know that girls don't ever get up to anything bad. I really do wonder if this was just a recess period, though nobody is playing. Maybe they're waiting for Conrad Birdie to show up? 

Two Randos Plus a Bonus!

Happy April Fool's Day! Due to lack of time, I didn't have anything fun to share with you today, but one of the Junior Gorillas generously sent along this funny photo from July 1972, with a mom, grandma, and an extremely squirmy little boy, posing in front of the Mickey floral portrait at the Magic Kingdom. The kid might actually be transforming into a werewolf before our very eyes!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program. This one is (obviously) from the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, looking down from the poop deck (heh heh). Mr. Smee himself, looking more svelte than usual (is he wearing a Santa hat??), smiles up at us. Which probably means that Captain Hook is right behind us, ready to keelhaul us, or make us walk the plank, or some such nautical shenanigans. I hope I don't have my hatches battened down.

Next we have Gus-Gus and Jacques, Cinderella's two mouse pals, walking through Fantasyland, with the Matterhorn chalet in the background. I don't see too many photos of these rodents, which makes me wonder if there had been a recent rerelease of "Cinderella". Meanwhile, when kids see giant mice walking through the park, they like to march along. It's a natural instinct.