I still can't believe I was able to acquire this image; it is such a classically retro photo of the cast members at the entrance for the Rocket to the Moon attraction in Tomorrowland. The date of this slide is July 7, 1963, at which time TWA had pulled their sponsorship of the Moonliner and it became the Douglas Moonliner, after new sponsor Douglas Aircraft Company.
Here's how the Moonliner looked after the changeover; notice the steam coming out of it.
These tots are looking into scenes of who-knows-what in the entry queue:
I had to zoom in to get a better look at the spheres on the wall:
This March 1966 shot of the Douglas Moonliner is interesting because of what's going on at left:
The Flight Circle had left by this time. Thanks to Cox Pilot I have a little more information about the model cars being sold:
"Good old Hobbyland is where Bart Klapinksi went to work after the Flight Circle closed in '65. He might be behind that counter when this shot was taken. Great models. Ones you can't get any more."
See more vintage Disneyland Moonliner and Rocket to the Moon photos on my Moonliner web page.
The image to (our) right of the one you zoomed in on; an illustration of Mars perhaps?
ReplyDeleteYou know, I never cared for the Douglas paint scheme. I think one issue is that the large lettering in the logo messes with the perspective and makes the rocket look smaller. Also, red on white looks more agressive IMHO...
ReplyDeleteHi Dave: Great images! As I recall, the images those kids are looking at are 3-D models of a moon station, etc. I was still there in 1963, but had left mid-summer for Naval Air Training. I came back the following summer and stayed until 1965, when the Circle closed and Tomorrowland was getting ready for the big re-build.
ReplyDeleteCoxPilot
That first images is a winner. I love it!
ReplyDeleteChiana - Good to hear from you - wondered what happened to you!
ReplyDeleteStu - I agree; I prefer the TWA theming.
Lee - I should have known that you'd know what was in those spheres!
That antenna thing in the lady castmember's hair is beckoning to me. Yes ma'am, I will ride Flight to the Moon, whatever you say ma'am.
ReplyDeleteThanks for date info. I was curious about the color change. I remember the rocket as TWA red and don't recall the blue at all, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteSome of the pictures in the queue area are vaguely familiar, not sure if ghost memories from this era, or if those pics were reproduced in books I read later.
I remember also, my first flight on an airliner was on TWA, knowing they would have a moonliner someday made it extra special. I wonder if I still have those plastic wings?
Thank you Dave, very informative.
JG