Thank You so much for that tour, and the background info. The people Movers were cool, and they gave you an overview of this corner of Disneyland. They also dipped into some of the rides, and displays in Tomorrowland, and gave a bit of a " sampler". You could decide what you wanted to see next. I guess the last couple of visits to Disneyland, I never even noticed they were gone. I'll miss them, just like the skyway. Probably years of wear and tear take their toll, and Disney probably has to justify the popularity of the ride, and the ridership, versus having repair vehicles custom made. At least that sounds like it might be a reason to discontinue a ride. Autopia is very popular, and they keep coming out with upgraded vehicles. Motor Boat Cruise faded away.
I see on your models you have Space Mountain, and the Astro Jets. Glad you modeled those, they're classics. My brother and I tried to hit as many rides as possible, but we had our "short list" . In younger years, that was Tom Sawyer's, the Trains ( the big train around the perimeter) and Nature's Wonderland. Mark Twain, and the Horse Cars on Main Street.
In teen years, it was all about the Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, and the Matterhorn. Space Mountain came along later, and I am sure it would have been on our short list, too. We discovered we could ride these popular rides early in the day, then they would be too crowded all day, and we would check out other things. But, after 9 p.m., the lines would shorten, and you could go back for a "second helping". The crowds really thinned out after the fireworks.
The last time at Disneyland, I don't remember the Horse Cars, the Omnibus, or the antique autos on Main Street. Is this something that became impractical with the heavy foot traffic on Main Street ? Many times there are throngs of people walking, it must be very difficult to maneuver a vehicle safely.
Postwar Paulthe People Mover is gone ?
Sad to say, yes, one of the most creative rides is just a skeleton these days. But in better days:
The Peoplemover (1967 to 1995) was based on technology WED designed for the Ford pavillion at the 1964 New York World's Fair. It was called the "Magic Skyway":
The real "highway in the sky"
The outshoot of the concept was that the peoplemover was supposed to become the basic public transportation system of EPCOT. And if you know anything about what EPCOT was supposed to be, you know it didn't mean "theme park".
Tomorrowland was the "long term test-bed" for much of the EPCOT technology and had Walt lived, his Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow would have been built. It's hard to say whether it would have succeeded, but it definately would have been built.
The track was early tech though, and nowhere near as advanced as the system that was installed at Walt Disney World. Where the original version used rubber tires to coax the vehicles along, the later WDW system relies on magnetic induction to pull and then push the cars down the track.
In 1995 the Peoplemover closed and was replaced for a short time by the problematic "Rocket Rods"
While the Peoplemover glided you around Tomorrowland for 16 minutes, the Rocket Rods did the whole tour in 3!
That crazy thing that you're looking at in the background of the photo above isn't a ride. It's what replaced the Astro Jets on top of Rocket Tower Plaza. It's called the "Observatron" and it just sort of whirls around on it's own.
After being closed a lot, the Rods shut down permanently in September of 2000 after only a 2 year run.
I don't have a lot of room to play with, but I hope to build a little representation of the Peoplemover some day:
I'll probably only be able to build a simple "dogbone" track between the Orbitor and the entrance plaza. Clearance issues make it impracticable to have it tour much of Tomorrowland since it would be 12 inches off the floor to cross over the Monorail. But I could easily modify the Skyway buckets for a reasonable facsimile:
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Break it to me gently:
so, the People Mover is gone ? There is no justice! I really liked that one, and I thought it added a lot to Tomorrowland. I recall riding the early Astro Jets, and making them go up and down. And I remember the '66 remodel, because I have a fear of heights, and they kinda creeped me out. Only 1 time after the remodel. Too high up !
Disneyland keeps changin', the things that have come, and gone.
I really think your models are great, and you have done it justice.
Bravo !
In 1955 highways were "futuristic". So deciding to put one in Tomorrowland was sort of a "no-brainer" but since nobody knew what a mini freeway would look like, it took some doing to come up with it. In the early days the cars had bumpers, not rails and were styled by Bob Gurr after "a Porsche 550 Spider and a custom Ferrari he had once seen":
And employee "cops" patrolled the roads in cars that ran just a tiny bit faster than tghe ones the guests used:
Around 1957 the lanes narrowed but the "bumper car style" operation remained:
The second loading station:
And check out the cars of the 60's!
The modern version:
But wait! There's more!
The autopia was so popular they built a second version! It was called the "Midget Autopia", "Junior Autopia" or "Fantasyland Autopia". The loading station was just a tent. It boarded adjacent to the very short lived "Mickey Mouse Club Circus" which you can see in the background.. (The tent was later used as a picnic grounds behind Fantasyland)
Early on it looked a lot like it's Tomorrowland sibling:
But it evolved into more of a "kiddie ride":
Mad Tea Party.
This one's from opening day, July 18, 1955:
If you said Disneyland opened on July 17th, you'd be half right! That day was for press and invited guests only. The 18th is when the park officially started receiving guests. And here they are, guests #1 and #2:
Back to the tea party...compare this photo from the 50's:
To this modern view:
The added landscaping is really effective at making you feel like you're in another world and not just a feet feet away from the ride next door! And talk about a great use of lighting!
The original 1956 Astro Jets:
Definitely styled to match the Moonliner!
In 1966 Tomorrowland was remodeled and the jets came off the ground and went up on top of the new "Rocket Tower" which also housed the Peoplemover:
Less "Buck Rogers" and more "Cape Canaveral":
In 1998 Tomorrowland received yet another facelift and this time around it took on the "Retro Futurism" look which is also known as "Steampunk". Now known as the "Astro Orbitor", it's back down on the ground:
In fact, it's out in front of the old Peoplemover track at the entrance to Tomorrowland:
Which in my opinion places it too close to the hub:
Disneyland has alsways been a bit tight, but this is too close to Sleeping Beauty Castle in my opinion.
Dumbo did have the same type of control. You can see the joystick here:
The early packy derms weren't too comfortable looking:
They were also a lot harder to get in and out of. Maybe some guests complained!
And yes, that's Jayne Mansfield! The Dumbii eventually got cutouts for far easier loading:]
Compare the original machine in the photo above with the gold plated version that was installed in 1982:
My versions of Dumbo, the Mad Tea Party, the Autopia and the Astro Orbitor. (To keep it in Lionel-land ):
Oh, those pictures, and the memories they stir ! The island was fun ! I think my flashlight came from the trading post.
Thinking now about:
RideS You can control yourself.
Number one on this list would be Autopia. I think Walt Disney had a good grasp on what would be interesting to kids. What kid would not want to drive a car ? Autopia gave kids that opportunity. There was a rail in the center of the road that would catch the car if it got too far off track. You had about a 2 foot leeway left or right before the rail would catch, and prevent the car from going off the road. And, you did not even have to steer at all, and just let the rail guide you. But, kids loved driving the cars ! But power was very limited, and you only had a brake and gas petal. You would get in, and step on the gas petal all the way to the floor, and very slowly, that big hemi of what seemed like a lawnmower engine would slowly get you up to a full 5 mph. But, you were really driving, turning the wheel, and everything. Kids loved it. When teenage years came, there are some things that would only occur to a teenage mind. " Hey, let's not use the brake at all, and slam into cars that are stopped in front of us " . It became bumper cars ! Fortunately, Disney thought of everything,and the bumpers were heavily sprung, and had a rubber coating. The steering wheels had a thick rubber covering as well. My daughter loved driving when she was younger as well, although only I could reach the petals. It was a team sport ! They added a nice touch though. They gave her an Autopia driver's license.
what I call the " Speed Boats" ( actually that's hilarious when you think of the actual speed) , and is really called the " Motor Boat Cruise" was right next door to Autopia. Same concept: you drive it yourself. Same lawnmower engine... Petal to the metal, very little actually happening...
The tea cups.
This was fun for a family, or group. The cups were mounted on a spinning turntable,and in the center of each cup was what looked like a round coffee table . Everyone would grab the table and turn it with all their might. This would Make the tea cup spin at a dizzying speed on what was already a spinning turntable. Riotous laughter would break out trying to see how fast we could make it spin. Then came the hard part: trying to stand up and walk once the ride ended...
The Rocket Jets
in old Tomorrowland, these simple looking rockets spinning on a center rocket appeared to be one of the most basic carnival rides. But there was a twist: each rocket had a lever you could move to make the rocket go up or down ! You controlled the height. If I remember correctly, Dumbo also had this ability to control the height.
talking about Nara Dreamland, I was not aware of this. But in '99 and 2001 when my daughter was small, we went to Sanrio Puroland. This is a theme park outside of Tokyo based on the Sanrio characters. Batz Maru, Hello Kitty, and the whole gang. Rides, parades, gift shops, and shows.
A wee revision:
I am remembering only 1 petal in the Autopia cars, push it down to go, release and brakes would apply, somewhat gently.
Rafts
Tom and Huck's treehouse
Old Mill
Fishing pier
Pontoon bridge
Castle Rock
Fort Wilderness
The secret tunnel (who puts a sign on one of these things? )
It's been since 1991 for me!
Postwar PaulThe quality of the lighting at Disneyland is a memory all by itself.
I've never seen anyone better at capturing that magic than Matthew Hansen: https://hansencreative.smugmug.com/Disney/Disneyland/
The Twain (which I never get tired of looking at!):
Except for the peaks of BTM, it doesn't look much different from this 1956 view:
Walt's plan for Main Street was to have it represent the "turn of technology". The period when "Old Dobbin was being replaced by the horseless carriage, and the gas light was giving way to the electric lamp". Most of us rush past everything too quickly to notice the planned ambiance. At least not till later in life. What do kids know about ambiance anyways!
From the 1962 guided tour script "Main Street is patterned after a typical, small American town at the turn of the century. All of the business establishments on Main Street were in business at the turn of the century or are of the same type as those found then. The gaslights are authentic and were brought from cities as Philadelphia, Baltirmore and some older sections of Los Angeles. There are many interesting and unusual shops along Main Street I'm sure you'll want to visit later. You might also like to stop by Carefree Corner, the official information and registration center here in the park. They have a registration book from each of the 50 states. They will be happy to present you with a souvenir copy of the Declaration of Independence. Incidentally, if you are just a bit worn out at the end of your tour, remember to stop by the Upjohn Pharmacy for your free vitamin pills. As we walk up Main Street I will point out the many shops to you so you may visit them after the tour if you like. A small sign above the east tunnel entrance states: Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. Let's now go up Main Street U.S.A. for a look at the world of yesterday."
The architects model for Main Street:
Somehow you just can't beat a black and white photo for capturing those simple lamps:
And there are the windows of course:
The lighting was based largely on the 3 great turn of the century parks of Coney Island: Luna, Steeplechase and Dreamland.
20,000 leagues Under the Sea at Luna:
There was also a Matterhorn but I couldn't find a photo.
Ever hear of Nara Dreamland? IKt's the park in Japan that looked like it was built using Disneyland postcards and Pola buildings as a guide!
In it's heyday:
The opening of a "real" Disneyland in 1982 essentially spelled D-O-O-M for this knock-off. It sat abandoned for years as time did it's task.
Tell me that's NOT a Pola church!
I'll leave you with the name of this coaster to contemplate...
Postwar Paul dee point I be tryin' to make mon, is dee Matterhorn she be goin' up too tracs, and be splittin' at dee top. Dose dat bee entrain' from dee right bee off in' from dee right no problem, mon. Dose from dee left bee go dat way too. Irie. iriE.Pass dee Dutchie, mon.
Yeah this pic here was about the best one I could find that showed both the left and right boarding platforms:
Yes, and can you imagine to have been in Paris ( the city of light) , about 1899, in Montmartre? It must have been exciting when cities electrified their lighting. It was high tech stuff.
Maybe we talk a little about Tom Sawyers Island. My brother and I really loved this place, it was quite easy to spend a couple of hours there. Just a lot of good , old fashioned entertainment. First, there was the raft ride to get out there. Many trails around the island. Things you would expect, like a pontoon bridge. I think there was a fort of some sort. But the main attraction was the caves, and underground passages, and there were several, including " *** Joe's Cave" . They seemed to crisscross the island. My brother and I became separated somehow, but just as " all roads lead to Rome" ,we both managed to pop up at the fort at the same time. We grabbed a cold drink at a stand there at the fort. There was a gift shop, and I bought a flashlight ( how did they know? So useful for the caves ) . One cave had some stalacmite and stalactite formations. I think there was a suspension bridge of some sort also. One of the caves actually popped up right inside the fort .
Paul, yout last comment reminds me of something I read a while back.
When Tomas Edison was going to give his first public demonstration of electric lighting it was in the winter of 1880. Edison rigged electric lights around the exterior of the Menlo Park lab and just before the evening of the demonstration there was a light snowfall, not enough to keep people away but just enough to carpet the ground.
After dark, when Edison threw the switch not only did the lamps work perfectly but the fresh-fallen snow intensified the effect, those who saw it said it looked like a winter fairyland. Some were moved to tears at the sheer beauty.
"...coming out of the gas lamp era" indeed! Can you imagine what it was like?
Some wondered openly how the "Wizard of Menlo Park" managed to arrange for a snowfall!
Now that I've shown that guy the door, your models are fantastic. I have got to get back to Disneyland again, it's been since 2008, so I must be due. The quality of the lighting at Disneyland is a memory all by itself. For example,the boarding area for the Mark Twain at night is truly remarkable. Hundreds of small bulbs tracing the outline of the boarding structure. This is what you would call creating a mood with light. And Main Street itself is a really excellent example of the use of lighting. Basically, using hundreds of small bulbs to outline structures creates an old time feel. Nowadays, we tends to use much fewer , but maybe more powerful lights. There was a time that electrical lighting was considered modern, coming out of the gas lamp era. Main Street creates the atmosphere at night with the lighting.
Great pictures once again ! The Orange Juice place was indeed Sunkist. I never realized there was a hill existing at Disneyland before the Matterhorn was built. I've never seen Disneyland without the Matterhorn! It's such a landmark, you can see from all over
Let me start this again:
Jusr Writin' ma memoirs...
dee point I be tryin' to make mon, is dee Matterhorn she be goin' up too tracs, and be splittin' at dee top. Dose dat bee entrain' from dee right bee off in' from dee right no problem, mon. Dose from dee left bee go dat way too. Irie. iriE.Pass dee Dutchie, mon.
It's hard to suppress me inner Bob Marley...
Some of what I've been working on...
East Main Street
Opera House
This is why I need a new Main Street....
That also means a new Tomorrowland to go along with it.
And it packs a lot of firepower too. The tall section towards the left with the four circles in octagons has ten 14 volt bulbs in that one small piece alone and the whole facade will need at least 12 more. Luckily the 100 14v gow's I ordered from Hong Kong arrived today and I won't need to have half finished models all over the place waiting for the package to arrive.
So mini Disneyland is moving ahead one facade at a time.
Holiday Hill:
Also known as Snow Hill, you could ride up there to look at the park from the high vantage point.
Walt introduces the Matterhorn. Notice that the model of Sleeping Beauty Castle shows it in it's original configuration with the top half reversed from what was built.
The new topper for Holiday Hill:
The ques from the top:
The Christmas Star:
Alice:
Everybody visited Disneyland! From Liz Taylor to the King of Thailand.
After the 1982 remodel of Fantasyland:
Teacups next door:
Well THIS Alice certainly looks like she's in "wonderland"
This one's a bit better:
Original exterior:
and after 1982:
Karma?
Cobwebs a plenty!
But what your mom probably felt was the Spanish Moss-like stuff hanging from the trees in the forest:
Sometimes it had "sails"
Let's ride my favorite ride with Walt!
Note the emergency exit
Quite a bit different after 82
Florida looks more like the original
Just a couple of doors down from the Penny Arcade
You could eat your ice cream in the flower market.
The main shop became a bakery as the ice cream shop moved into the courtyard where the plastic flowers were once displayed.
ummmm....where are the machines?
Well at least Esmeralda is still there!
Accross the street was the Srystal Arcade. But it didn't have penny machines.
Your best bet for an orange drink was at the Sunkist Citrus House:
It's the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor now:
If you'll excuse me I think I need one of these!
Great pictures!
I rode Space Mountain at Walt Disney World with my friend Shotgun Charlie back in 1975. How'd we know it was a roller coaster in the dark? Maybe all the screams we were hearing should have clued us in.
Thank goodness there were no "smoke-free" zones back then. After the ride it took a half-hour and five cigarettes for me to stop shaking.
"Hey Wayne, you wanna go again?"
"%&#$ NO!"
I-don't-like-roller-coasters!
We just LOVED the live steam trains though! As I recall, the lake ferrys were steam-powered as well and looked a lot like Hudson River steamers from the 1890's. I've got some slides I took then somewhere here in the "Fortress Firelock," but who knows where?
Thanks for the great pictures, brings back those great memories. I practically grew up there.Here's a few more:
The ( does it really matter ?) Horn.
Many of the rides at Disneyland, especially the most popular ones, had 2 separate lines, and 2 separate tracks. This was true of Autopia, the Speed Boats, People Movers, and many others. The Matterhorn Bobsleds had 2 lines, one wrapping around the right side of the mountain, one around the left. This was obviously to allow more people to be able to ride. My older brother, in his quest to maximize the number of rides in the time allowed, and to maximize the thrill level, had somehow become convinced that the Matterhorn Bobsled track on the right ran at a higher, and more thrilling speed than the one on the left. So, the brainwashing continued, to the point 2 young fools would go out of their way to seek out the track on the right at all costs, and would prefer to wait in a long line, or come back later to ride the one on the right. I look at it now and wonder " what were we thinking? " .
Right next to the Matterhorn was the "Alice in Wonderland " ride. Many of the rides in Fantasyland were based on Walt's animated pictures, and this ride was one of the best.I always remember that track that was pure fantasy, resembling giant leaves , you would zig zag your way into Alice's world. There was a "Snow White" ride, and the witch was somewhat menacing.I was very young when I last went on this one, but my Mom recalls what felt like spider webs dangling, and touching as you went through. Many of the rides in Fantasyland were some of the very oldest at Disneyland, and were completely revamped a few years back. Peter Pan : what a makeover!
I like your picture of the Hills Brothers Coffee house on Main Street. I remember very well. There was also a Carnation Ice cream parlor. There was also a Penny Arcade, and I have a vague memory of a place with an Orange Juice drink, maybe some kind of Ice Cream float. Lots of refreshments for hot summer days !
Babes in Toyland is available on both DVD and Blu-Ray: https://www.disneystore.com/titles/b/mn/1013602/ as are some of my all time favorite movies:
Come to think of it, since the Disney Co. now does Star Wars and Marvel, if they owned the Star Trek franchise they'd own ALL of my favorite movies! Scary!
Postwar PaulLon Chaney's " Phantom of the Opera"
At the Main Street Cinema, of course!
Not reaaallyyy a theatre though!
Ever wonder what Space Mountain reaaaalllyyyy looks like?
Concept sketch for the Moonliner, wouldn't this have been awesome!?!
The rocket was one of the few things they really had the time and resources to do a good job on for opening day, thanks in large part to TWA of course.
Under the Moonliner you can see how it's engine system modeled the control veins of a V2. One of the real V2 engines was on display nearby.
Hmmmm.....this guy looks familiar....
I wonder how much Harry would weigh on the moon without his hat?
In 1960 sponsorship switched to Douglas:
The Phantom Boats:
The original versions were a mechanical nightmare and had the habit of stranding guests in the lagoon. The second version vessels of the "Motor Boat Cruise" had a better operational record but they weren't popular:
But they did last into the 90's. Here's the dock as it looks nowadays:
Tomorrowland Terrace:
It was a pop-up!
Still in use:
Hmmm....isn't this guy on the right a model railroader?
Or does he just look like one?
Arrival:
What a classic car show!
Hop on the tram:
Mark your ticket:
Buy your ticket books:
And maybe a balloon or two
And welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth!
Nowadays....
There's just a gaggle of multi-level parking structures like you'd see in any and every major city.
That's one piece that isn't lost in Orlando. You'll always (we hope and pray) be separated from the Magic Kingdom by the Seven Seas Lagoon. I remember the old days, when you drove for miles through forests on a twisting turning road before you had any sight at all of Walt Disney World. And then when you finally got the car parked and rode the trams into the Transportation and Ticket Center, you found yourself separated from the park by an enourmous (to a kid anyways) body of water. On the boat ride over they'd tell you all about the new and exciting things they were working on. (We usually took the ferry because there were always huge lines for the Monorails. We'd ride them in the afternoons or during parades when they were less crowded.) But that sense of anticipation was only heightened by being made to wait "just a bit longer" to finally get to Disney World!
Toad Hall:
Mr. Toad is from "The Wind in the Willows" which was released as "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad".
Don't ride with this guy:
Or this guy:
Or this guy!
Audie Murphy was probably safer!
It looks much prettier now:
It's interresting how some rides flourished on one coast and flopped on the other. Mr Toad's Wild: Western success, eastern flop. Country Bear Jamboree: Western flop, eastern success.
Disney did do a animated feature length movie starring Mr. Toad called "The Wind In The Willows," based on the book of the same name, I don't remember the name of the author but I remember reading the book after seeing the Disney film. Again, I thought the Disney film was a LOT better than the book. The film was hilarious, especially the ending with Mr. Toad's new hobby! The book, a bit dry, at least to me.
Just looked it up, Kenneth Grahame wrote the book, a children's novel, in 1908.
Thoughts, memories, and other rubbish...
Also on Main Street, there was a time when Lon Chaney's " Phantom of the Opera" was playing, either at the Opera House ( most likely) , or where " Mr. Leakin'" would later share his Great Moments. This would have probably been the mid sixties. This would have provided a break from August temperatures in Anaheim, to relax and enjoy the A.C. But a 90 minute movie, no matter how good it is, cuts seriously into Ride Time.
Early Tomorrowland:
as I mentioned before, in my opinion, Tomorrowland did not come into its own until much later. I feel the coming of "Space Mountain" really anchored this area, and competed well with other parts of the park. I remember being thoroughly unimpressed with early Tomorrowland. Imagine the anticipation of waiting in line for "Rocket to the Moon",seeing that impressive, tall rocket. But when you get inside ? Nothing much, just the seats shaking! It was anticlimactic! Then you step outside, and they are flying model airplanes. It just didn't excite.
But in came the People Movers, then Space Mountain, cool stuff!
What happened to the "Speed Boats" ? I think I only rode this once. It was back behind Autopia.
They had concerts in Tomorrowland, many big names. Chuck Berry , among others. In the 70's, when Disco was king, my friends and I saw the Tramps ( Disco Inferno) .Remember them ? Tomorrowland had a unique concept for their stage : it would be underground, and the band would start playing, and it would slowly raise up to normal stage height.Really cool effect! And, it would descend as they finished their set. So, Tomorrowland really came a long way from modest beginnings.
Special Nights:
Disneyland would sell tickets to groups, they would close the park to the public at 7:30, or 8:00. The groups would have the park to themselves from 8:00 to midnight, or 1:00a.m. I went to a few of these.I went with a church group, then " Navy Night", and a night sold to Local Companies, for their employees and children. With the church group, the bus broke down on the way home, and we were out all night !
The Parking Lot
part of the Disneyland experience was pulling into that massive parking lot.( talk about " dude, where's my car ? "). They were so organized, though. A very long multiple unit tram would stop at every corner of that parking lot to pick up passengers." Remember you are parked in section EE". This was the first ride of the day! You could see the monorail, the Matterhorn, and the Main Street Station, and train. This is now "Disney'sCalifornia Adventure", which is cool in it's own way, and parking has moved offsite. I liked seeing Disneyland from the parking lot, and the excitement would build as the tram brings you up to the ticket booth.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride:
I think this was either a "short" , or a scene from a feature length movie, but they made it into a ride.At the end of the ride, you enter a train tunnel, and coming straight at you is a very bright headlight, and all the train sounds. Just at the very moment of impact, the doors swing open, and you are safely back at the loading area. What a relief !
It's hard to know with these old memories, but this one was a little clearer than some of the others. Thank You !
Your excellent research seems to indicate my first trip to Disneyland was in '61 or '62, not '59 or '60, as I had originally thought. Babes in Toyland was a big deal then, and they were proud of it, and promoted it at that time. I still have a soft spot for this film, I loved it as a kid.
I am scouring the back pages in my mind for anything we haven't already covered...
Hey! I found something:
From Yesterland: The Babes in Toyland Exhibit operated from December 1961 to September 1963. This display of props from Walt Disney’s 1961 movie Babes in Toyland was the first attraction at the Main Street Opera House. Before that, it had been used as a lumber mill.
Mostly accurate, the lumber mill was farter down the street and was intended only as a viewblock to a section of the park announced but not built called "International Street".
Moved back a year:
Renamed "Liberty Street", also never built:
And became a coffee shop:
But this is where Disneyland could have had a "Hall of Presidents" if things had worked out differently:
Back to Babes in Toyland, I don't know who these people are, but they're posing in front of some of the props!
Well I remember seeing "Babes in Toyland" when I was a kid back in the 60's and liked it (hey, when you're a kid you like just about anything that's colorful) but even then I thought the Laurel and Hardy film "March Of The Wooden Soldiers," sometimes called "Babes in Toyland" was a LOT better. When I was growing up in Northern New Jersey Channel 11 (WPIX) out of New York used to show it every Thanksgiving, and I understand they still do.
God bless Stan and Ollie, they were the best!
Here 'ya go, folks! The action-packed climax of the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDdhg8CyeUo
Nothin' like a good bayonet charge to put a smile on this old Marine's face!
A work of genius film-making. Eighty-three years have come and gone, there have been other versions of "Babes In Toyland," but no-one, no-one, has topped the 1934 version, ever.
So many remakes of films done in those days have fallen flat.
What did they know about film-making in the 1930's that isn't known now?
I have just had an epiphany:
maybe this is a Truly Awful movie, and I am the last person on earth that enjoys it. O.K. I can live with that !
Great pictures of the Toy Soldiers! Did not mean to inflict my taste in movies, but was trying to illustrate the point that Disney promoted this film heavily, " once upon a time " . The trees from the " forest of no return" , which is a scene in " Babes in Toyland" , where on display indoors on Main Street, possibly where the pictured layout is displayed. For a small child, it was a " celebrity sighting ", if you can imagine. It was awesome to see !
I went into a Disney store a few years back, they had many videos, and DVD's. When I asked the salesperson if they had " Babes in Toyland", she replied " oh, that old thing..." Disney is trying to destroy all evidence ! But, check it out, if you get a chance. You might be surprised !
Oh, and be careful with Japanese Dvd's. Some countries are formatted differently, and may not play on your machine. Our friend took some U.S. dvd's back to Japan, and could not use them. Another fiend sent a VHS tape from Australia, and it would not play here. But, you can have it converted, though.
Just sayin'
Just for the sake of fun, let's take a look at the greatest Disneyland model railroad ever built.
If you want to find it, and if it's on display at all, it will be at the Opera House on Main Street.
You may also be lucky enough to see the original model of Sleeping Beauty Castle:
So, if you want to build it all as a model railroad, you better go Z!
Watched a show on Disney film-making a while back, and...
"Babes in Toyland" is a film the Disney organization would prefer to forget. Those involved at the time said it really wasn't one of their better efforts and just barely broke even at the box office. However, all the lessons they learned doing "Babes", what to do and what NOT to do they applied to "Mary Poppins," and as we all know that one was a roaring success. Every time I catch a bit of it I'm still amazed at how good it is. "M-P" is one of the very few films that are better than the book they're based on, in my opinion anyway. I read the book when I was in sixth grade, back in the Pleistocene Era.
"Song Of The South," not available for obvious reasons here in the US, although copies made for the Japanese market show up here from time to time. If you don't mind Japanese sub-titles it's the only way to go. Apparantly it's very popular in Japan.
Hey! I just discovered another soldier!
Still looking for those trees...
You can get a copy of "Song of the South", but it'll be the Asian Region DVD. Disney Japan had them, might still be around somewhere.
Quite an army!
Still going strong in 1980:
But of course, if we're going to talk parades...
Cue the Baroque Hoedown!
You can still see it at Disney's California Adventure Park:
By the way, if you think Babes in Toyland is hard to get, try looking for Song of the South.
artyoung Penny: The singer of the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" was Thurl Ravenscroft, better known as the voice of Tony the Tiger and the singer of "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch" in the TV "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".
Penny: The singer of the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" was Thurl Ravenscroft, better known as the voice of Tony the Tiger and the singer of "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch" in the TV "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".
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