Friday, March 20, 2009

50 Years Ago: Submarine Voyage Construction



What was happening 50 years ago at Disneyland? Let me show you in this first photo! One of the 3 major attractions being introduced that summer was the Submarine Voyage. In this March 1959 photo, you can see the subs in the dock, waiting to be unveiled, the track that guided the subs, as well as the rockwork without any water. In the background, the Matterhorn appears to be very close to being finished, ready for the Skyway buckets to ride through.

Shot #2 appears to be a few suits conversing with the workmen in the soon-to-be-lagoon:



See more Disneyland Submarine Voyage photos at my website.

5 comments:

Thufer said...

two excellent pictures. love seeing the sub lagoon without water.

Katella Gate said...

These photos really put the Disneyland timeline into perspective. It seems that just yesterday, we celebrated the park's 50th anniversary, and now we are coming up on the 50th for the Subs.

It is really a testimony to the popularity of Disneyland that in 5 years, Walt could go from counting pennies for the original construction budget in 1955 to having enough dough (or credit with the banks) to undertake the enormous expansions of the 1959-1960 season.

None of these attractions were cheap, or half-hearted, or derivative.

Major Pepperidge said...

Could that be Rolly Crump in the second photo? Second man from the left. It's a long shot, but it does sort of look like him!

Learning Spanish at 41 said...

Very, very neat, thanks!!

Chris Merritt said...

Not sure if that is Crump - but that is definitely Claude Coats 3rd from left. Makes sense - he was Subs art director. Neat! I assume this is from the Bruce Gordon estate, yeah?