Skyway Madness

Anyone in the mood for a Skyway blowout? Let's start with an image from 1956, when the Skyway attraction at Disneyland first began operation. What? No Matterhorn? That's correct. Just a big mound of dirt, which came from where the Castle is. It had to go somewhere to make room for the foundation and the moat. I guess that kind of makes it royal dirt.

The rest of today's images are from August, 1959.



Call me a Peeping Tom if you'd like, but I love looking into the buckets and getting a closer view. You can also see the Richfield Autopia Eagle on the right side of the frame.





This detailed view provides a better look at the Astrojet attraction.



On first glance, this one kind of stinks because of the bar running down the center of the frame.



With a little cropping, it becomes a magnificent overhead view of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship.



Tuna boats for all!

See more vintage Disneyland Skyway photos my main website.

1960's Tomorrowland: A Place On The Move

Anyone who has seen my photos knows that "The Wizard of Oz" played a major part in how I process my photos. The rich over-saturated palette of the 1939 Technicolor masterpiece often causes me to go a bit overboard when I work on my images in Lightroom and Photoshop. Despite that, I also have a passion for monochromatic photography, which can create just as many moods with the wide range of shadows that exist between the black and white. This group of post-1965 black and white images begins with the Astro-Jet attraction, which was located between the Submarine Voyage and the Moonliner.



Zooming in to shot #2, you can see The Space Bar, as well as a poster advertising The Sounds of Soul in the background.



In a "You Are There" moment, this young lass slowly travels towards The Matterhorn in a Skyway Bucket.



Looking the opposite way, she got a photo of the Tomorrowland Skyway Station.



I had to zoom in for a closeup of the Autopia Eagle. Because of the square shape of the Skyway Buckets, I knew that these photos were at least 1965; because the Astro Jets were still on the ground, I knew that the "New" Tomorrowland had not occurred yet, placing these photos in the 1965-66 range.



The bucket continues to propel forward, bringing it closer to the Matterhorn:



Last shot for today shows a stylish gal, posing in front of the Fantasyland Skyway Station:



After surviving a journey on the Skway, she looks like she could conquer the world.

See more Astro Jet photos on my Astro Jet web page.

Skyway Madness

Soaring gracefully over the park, the Skyway attraction offered transportation between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland while providing a scenic rest for weary guests who had been walking all day. Here is a May 1960 shot, taken from one of the buckets as it glided over the Autopia.



Zooming in, this has got to be the best view of the Richfield Eagle in my collection; you can even see his red glaring eyes!



Howzabout those saucer hats with the red ties? This photo shows the easy temptation of Skyway passengers who felt the need to target the guests below on the Alice attraction with spitballs and other assorted ammunition.



By 1965, the round Skyway bucket had been transformed into the square shaped shown here:



Daveland reader Bill H. captured this colorful October 1980 view of the buckets over Fantasyland. Guests still had 14 years left to enjoy this attraction before its removal.



See more vintage Disneyland Skyway photos on my Skyway web page.

Disneyland September 1962, Pt. 3

Riding a Skyway bucket afforded our September 1962 photographer(s) this view of the Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland. Looks like a diver is searching for buried treasure...or maybe Mermaids...or Nemo perhaps?



From the other side of the bucket (apparently this photographer didn't mind moving their body around while floating over Disneyland).



And the view towards the Matterhorn, back when the Richfield Eagle proudly watched over the Autopia attraction that it sponsored:



For a totally different vibe, join me in Adventureland for this carved Tiki figure:



And a few from the Jungle Cruise:



Let's zoom in and see the passengers and cast members and what they're wearing:







Back in 1962, guests (and their children) were much smarter. Protective netting, bumpers along the dock, and other various safety features were not necessary. What happened to us in the last 50 years? Have we devolved?



The Mark Twain with construction walls on the left, hiding the destruction of the Chicken Plantation Restaurant and the progress on New Orleans Square.



The faithful "wooden" Indian stands guard over the Frontier Trading Post:



See more vintage and current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland photo web pages.

October 1956: Before & After Quartet

From trash to treasure, this very red vintage print from 1956 looks hopeless...until a little magic from Photoshop is applied—and some blood, sweat, and tears. For those of you who don't use Photoshop, contrary to popular belief, there isn't a button called "fix and restore photo." Oh how I wish there were.



This view of the Castle really amazes me; not just because I was able to bring some of the color back...



But because the park looks so young. No Snow White Wishing Well, no House of the Future, and no Matterhorn!



A view of the Mark Twain and a very undeveloped Rivers of America:



And for the grand finale, here is the reason I bought this set of four: a Skyway shot of the Fantasyland Autopia. BEFORE:



and AFTER:



It looks so sparse & tiny!



See more Disneyland photos at my regular website.

Monorail medley

Sorry for the late post; I just got back from DLand and am a little wiped out—those Spring Break crowds can sure wear a guy out! So, to tide you over until I get my second wind, here are 3 images of the Monorail. First one is a badly faded 1959/1960 image of the Monorail passing over the Nautilus and The Submarine Voyage. The Richfield Eagle can be seen looming overhead in the background.

Shot #2 is a Mark 3 Monorail from 1968, passing by the entrance to the park:



This color 1968 view of the Blue Monorail was taken from the beloved parking lot. I have a feeling that once DCA finishes its huge memory, the old parking lot will not be quite as beloved as before. You can see in the closeup shot that Santa Fe still had their fingers on things as of 1968:





See more Disneyland Monorail photos at my website.

1956 in Glorious Color: Autopia Action!

In 1956, The Autopia spawned a sequel: The Junior Autopia, in the a chunk of real estate near Storybook Land. As you can see by the undeveloped land around it, The Junior Autopia was extremely junior when this shot was taken. The Mickey Mouse Club Circus Tent is still standing, although at this point, The MMC has most likely “left the building.” Here are some cool detail shots showing vintage cars, the Richfield Eagle, and a few other treats.







And here’s the original; the one that started it all:



It’s funny now to imagine that there were 2 or more attractions involving driving a car on the road. Today, in Southern California, I can’t wait to get off the freeway away from all the traffic. However, back in the 1950’s, freeways were a glimpse of the future and represented progress and speed. See more Disneyland Autopia photos at my website.