Alice in Wonderland was a little late to the game; almost three years late, as her opening at Disneyland didn’t occur until June 1958. These are some of the earliest images of the attraction, from July 1958. What I love about this first image is that it captures the Omnibus on its original route, when it actually drove into Fantasyland. The steps on the right in the detail shot below took guests up to Holiday Hill, which is where the Matterhorn would materialize one year later.
The female cast members were attired like the animate heroine:
This August 1958 was taken from overhead by a guest on a Skyway bucket (as was the first shot):
Three Alices, but no blondes!
Three from September 1958:
This one also shows the path up to Holiday Hill (entrance at the left of the photo):
Yup, themed trash cans were around even in 1958:
This black and white image is also from 1958; Skyway buckets float over Holiday Hill:
Mom takes the three kids out for a spin:
Sadly, no vintage interior shots in my collection. Hopefully these exterior views will suffice!
See more Disneyland Alice photos at my website.
That's what I love about these shots. Never mind the central foreground, it's what you see in the background corner that ends up being a surprise. I don't see too many pics of Holiday Hill. I've seen some yours that show the top as a dirt trail but I never knew there was a sidewalk with steps going around the base. That exit vine from Alice is amazing to see without today's evacuation handrails.
ReplyDeleteI always liked popping out of the ride, winding my way down the vine. From the Fantasy within to the Fantasy, sounds and sights outside until we came to a stop. KS
ReplyDeleteI love this ride, it is so different in it's way, climbing up imperceptibly over Mr. Toad, and then back down the outside, back in and around. So very 3D, and I think this might be one ride that the revisions have improved. I don't even mind the handrails (much).
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see the male CM's in the "Air Force" uniform, while Alices wear pinafores.
As far as the trash cans, my new obsession, I haven't seen any themed cans dated reliably earlier than 1958, so I am assuming that the decor began around the end of 1957, since I have also seen reliably dated photos of the plain green ones of that 1957 date. I am fascinated by how many cans are often visible in the most mundane photos, there must be hundreds of cans across the park, and now with recycling bins, twice as many. No excuse for dropping trash in Disneyland.
Thanks for the comprehensive photos, Dave.
JG
KS - I've never taken the time to compare the lengths of the dark rides, but having the vehicle go outside and come back in - it always felt like you got something extra with Alice!
ReplyDeleteJG - I need to delve deeper into my collection and do a trashcan post!
Agreed on those, too. I vaguely recall all of those trashcans were hand painted. I would assume today's metal trashcans just have a vinyl wrap but the more I think about it, I don't really recall any modern ones aside from barrel shaped ones in frontier land and those are commonplace at many parks by now.
ReplyDeleteI like to call this style of can the "Waste Paper Shield" and per research, there are at least 4 different color schemes that have been used at Disneyland (https://www.magicaltrash.com/post/651378017583644672/disney-trash-can-disneyland-waste-paper-shield-1981)
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