Sunday, September 07, 2008

Disneyland in Focus: Carousel of Progress, Pt. 3



The Carousel of Progress has rotated the audience from the 1890’s right into the Roaring Twenties, and summertime no less. Each rotation took guests not only into a new era, but a new season.



The joys of ironing:





The family is enjoying the radio, before TV invaded the scene.





The 20’s wouldn’t be complete without a flapper:





What could be worse than having 250 people catch you in the bathtub?!? First view is from the NY World’s Fair, 2nd is from the Disneyland version:





Come back tomorrow for the 1940’s! See more vintage Carousel of Progress photos at my regular website.

5 comments:

  1. What an amazing series of pictures! Obviously taken by a Disneyland insider.

    Notice how Uncle Orville's toes are extra long so that folks in the back row could see them wiggle!

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  2. I'm still drooling! Wow! I am loving these photos! When COP moved to Florida, they kept the mother ironing in the 1920's scene, but in the last redo, they had her "sewing" instead. Also in the move, the daughter was changed so that she was looking for a job as she told her father that "it isn't always going to be a man's world" (maybe the women's lib influence of the 70's?). In the last redo she was changed so that she is wearing a statue of liberty costume. So Dave, can you tell me why the Disney Co. doesn't just leave a good thing alone? Walt Disney had a major hand in the directing of this show, like the toe wiggling idea that the Major mentioned. This attraction should be returned to it's orginal glory and then left alone! They could put it back at DL and have the upstairs be the "Innoventions Dream Home". It would be a win/win for fans and Disney.

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  3. My opinion, Tokyomagic: The world has changed. Back in the 60’s, Walt Disney was not only alive, he was a trusted individual who was a household name. Very few questioned his judgment or taste. Now, 50 years later, Walt is gone and the world is a different place. Many of the decisions he made back then would never fly with the general public (take “Song of the South”), and sad to say...the general public is the one who pays the bills. On the plus side, the Anaheim park seems to have undergone major changes since the 50th that honor those of us who still hold the original park dear.

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  4. I know you are right, Dave. I just think it's sad that people are no longer fascinated by the audio-animatronics like we were/are. It's not like people see them every day or have them in their homes. I guess eveybody wants a "thrill" or to be soaked by water when they go to a theme park now. If they updated COP and had the father and his family all holding high powered squirt guns so they could "hose down" the audience, maybe then it would get a good turn out!

    I'm really looking forward to your post for tomorrow....and the next day...and hoping there is even one more after that for Progress City!

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