Our 12/56 photographer started snapping pics from his Skyway bucket as he approached Snow Hill, and he just kept on snapping! No boats in the Motor Boat Cruise lake today.
Plenty of room for a Matterhorn or a House of the Future here.
The Fantasyland Autopia and the soon-to-be-gone Disneyland Circus:
Storybook Land theming has recently been added to the Casey Junior attraction:
The teacups are spinning...urp!
And a closeup of the Mickey Mouse Club Theater:
Coming in for a landing, we have a view of the Dumbo attraction:
Last one for today is an early evening view of the teacups...urp, again:
See more Disneyland entrance photos at my website.
Absolutely Stunning Dave! The first few really give a great sense of where things were in 1956!
ReplyDeleteI thought the second Autopia was called "Junior Autopia" but the 1956 sign says "Autopia of Fantasyland"? Does it say "Jr." in that blue circle?
Awesome series - Thanks!
Tim - I often get confused by all the Autopias, but I believe the Junior and Fantasyland Autopia names refer to the same attraction. Can't tell what's in the blue circle; pretty blurry!
ReplyDeleteThose are a true treasure. Just delightful.
ReplyDeleteBoy, those are some super nice, super early shots! Yes, I believe that "Jr." is in that blue circle, that is definitely the Junior Autopia, which later became just the Fantasyland Autopia. That photo is fantastic! The shot at dusk is a beauty too.
ReplyDeleteBTW, that lake was for the Phantom Boats, although the boats are clearly gone by this point.
OMG! I have been squealing with delight for the past 5 minutes! (My co-workers must think I've gone nuts...) WONDERFUL photos!!!
ReplyDeleteThose daytime shots, with the park nearly empty...give me my time machine!
ReplyDeleteYep, these are pretty freakin' incredible!
ReplyDeleteI know that Fort Wilderness was built on the island, but could any part of it been built backstage? In that pre-Alice shot (5th shot from top), it looks like two stockade towers are sitting in the backstage area. Maybe it's just me....
Dave, the term "Fantasyland Autopia" refers specifically to the attraction open from 1959 to 1999. It is interesting that the sign says "Jr. Autopia of Fantasyland" as I haven't come across that in a printed source.
ReplyDeleteExcellent series!