Still enjoying your time travel trip back to Disneyland circa 1950's? Today will provide a few more tiny tips to help keep you from being disoriented in the Disneyland of yore. You can still hop aboard the Disneyland Railroad and journey over to Tomorrowland. That much hasn't changed. In fact, you can even travel on the exact same train (The E.P. Ripley), as seen in this October 2011 comparison photo:
Obviously the landscaping has matured over the years. If you decide to head over to the Submarine Voyage, that might be where the biggest shock occurs. If you're expecting the bright yellow subs that take you to visit Nemo, you'll be greatly disappointed. Or actually, in my case...you'll be very happy. In this July 1959 photo, guests are enjoying the recently christened Disneyland fleet of submarines that take them on a magical journey through liquid space. In all of its gray glory, The Triton sub looks like it just came from U.S. Government surplus.
Today, this is what you'd see at the very same dock:
Here is a glorious view of The Autopia & The Monorail, circa 1959. Just like today, the area is scented with the fumes of gasoline.
For all you detail nuts, I've zoomed in on a few portions of this particular shot:
Let's face it; the heart of that image is the gleaming Red Monorail, recently christened by the Nixon family:
If Tomorrowland is too newfangled for you, you could always wander over to Frontierland and visit Tom Sawyer's Island. These July 1959 young ladies are crossing the Suspension Bridge. Hope they don't drop their purses and brochures into the water!
The bridge is still there today, but it's got all kinds of pirate stuff nearby. In fact, Tom Sawyer is barely a memory here as Jack Sparrow and his gang have pretty much taken over the island.
Pirates or not, I have to admit that the Island is still very lively and the youngsters seem to get a huge kick out of exploring it. The only disappointment I saw the other week on my most recent visit was a number of kids checking out Fort Wilderness and trying to open up the gates. Like the rest of us, they want to be able to go inside like the original guests of Disneyland could.
See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web page.
5 comments:
First, I am so happy and excited by the fact that submarines once again set sail in the park. (Thank you)
That being said, while looking at the picture of the 'gray' I could smell the salt in the air, I could feel the wind in my hair and I see a nation going boldly and with strength into a real future. While 'yellow' is international I am not embolden and proud of what was coming tomorrow.
Boy, those are some wonderful photos! Love the "then and now" images, and would love to see more of those. Great Monorail/Autopia picture, and the photo of the girls on the Suspension Bridge is charming.
Thank you Dave, words fail me otherwise.
Re: Ft. Wilderness. Judging from the Google Earth overhead view, the fort is now mostly a break room for the cast. Lots of umbrellas in the central yard.
JG
When you zoomed in to that Autopia photo, did you notice the kid in the foliage???
Love this post!
Connie - I don't see it; where? Are you sure it isn't a light fixture? Or maybe I'm just blind as a bat to it!
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