Behind The Storybook, June 1958

Sometimes I have to look at a photo a few times to catch all the wonderful details, like this one shot from the Disneyland Skyway showing the Storybook Land attraction. Zooming into the background, you can see the Fantasyland Viewliner station as well as the Junior Autopia. Yes, back in the day there were multiple Autopias.

I was not aware that there were TWO bridges for the Viewliner with the Santa Fe sign. Or, quite possibly I knew at one time and forgot over the years. I’m sure “Anonymous” will let me know my error.

Here’s the one that spanned over the Motor Boat Cruise attraction:


See more Disneyland Storybook photos at my main website.

The Autopia, 1950's-style

Today’s first photo of the Tomorrowland Autopia is from the same March 1956 batch as yesterday’s post. In the background is the Mickey Mouse Club Circus tent, still lingering even though Mickey Mouse no longer inhabited by the tent by this time. However, as Jason from Parkendium pointed out, the large tent was gone by January 1956, which means this slide was shot earlier (and developed in March). 

The next two shots are from one year later, where we see Roddy & Sharon...



and Jennifer & Caroline zipping around the track, with the Fantasyland Depot behind them.



More Autopia photo fun at my main website.

You Are There: Skyway Journey 9/3/58

Yesterday, I took you on a September 3, 1958 journey through the Adventureland Classic, The Jungle Cruise. Today's post recreates a ride on the Skyway as our vintage photographer experienced it on the very same day. The first photo (from a different photographer, but the same month and year) illustrates our starting point: The Tomorrowland Skyway station.

On our left side is the Moonliner/Rocket to the Moon attraction:



Zooming in for a better look at the entry area:



As we continue to sail over Tomorrowland in our Skyway bucket, you can see the top of the Viewliner station in the lower left-hand corner:



Are you an Autopia fan? Well, then you're in luck! In Fantasyland, younger guests can enjoy the Junior and Midget Autopias!



Zooming in, you can see the Motor Boat Cruise attraction in the background:



And a better look at the Midget Autopia course:



Moving on, we get a birds-eye view of Storybook Land and Monstro, the Whale:



And the caterpillar vehicle from the recently opened Alice in Wonderland attraction:



More Alice with the Mad Tea Party:



and on the right is Cinderella's Castle:



Ta-da! Our journey has ended and we have landed at the Fantasyland Skyway Station:



In case you'd forgotten, back in the day guests had to buy tickets for each individual attraction. The Skyway was 25¢ per ride or 50¢ for a round trip.



Get your "B" tickets ready if you want to board a Skyway bucket!

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

Disneyland Diary, 1956

Today, we advance to 1956. Please keep in mind that this text was from before 1985, and that the information provided should be taken in the context of that time period.

ADDITIONS

New adventures for 1956 proved quickly that Walt Disney would keep his promise of Disneyland's continued growth. Added to the show were:



• TOM SAWYER ISLAND - Frontierland
• SKYWAY (aerial tramway between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland)
• TOM SAWYER ISLAND RAFTS - Frontierland
• ASTRO-JETS (now the "Rocket Jets") - Tomorrowland
• HORSELESS CARRIAGE - Main Street, U.S.A.
• INDIAN WAR CANOES (now the "Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes") = Frontierland



• JUNIOR AUTOPIA - Fantasyland
• OMNIBUS - Main Street, U.S.A.
• RAINBOW CAVERNS MINE TRAIN (since removed) - Frontierland
• STORYBOOK LAND CANAL BOATS (redesigned) - Fantasyland
• RAINBOW RIDGE PACK MULES (since removed) - Frontierland
• RAINBOW MOUNTAIN STAGE COACHES (since removed) - Frontierland
• INDIAN VILLAGE, featuring live shows (removed for construction of Bear Country) - Frontierland



HIGHLIGHTS

Disneyland's five millionth guest walked through the entrance gates in October.

At year's end, Disneyland had welcomed guests from every state and from 60 foreign nations.

The holiday season featured scorees of youth music groups perofrming in "Christmas Bowl."



This year marked the debut of the Park's spectacular fireworks displays, which highlighted the summer season.

Park hosted its first old-fashioned Easter Parade April 1.

FAMOUS GUESTS

• President Sukarno of Indonesia (May)
• Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the U.S. (December)

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web pages.

TPE: The OTHER Autopias!

Today at Disneyland, there is one Autopia. However, back in the day, it almost seemed like there were Autopias EVERYWHERE! There was the Tomorrowland Autopia, The Fantasyland Autopia/Junior Autopia (1956—1999), and finally...the politically incorrect Midget Autopia (April 23, 1957 to 1966)! I would definitely want to see first-hand each and every one of these alternative Autopias.

Here you can see both Fantasyland and Midget Autopia tracks, as well as The Viewliner:



A few shots from the Fantasyland/Junior Autopias:













Note that the Omnibus once traveled into Tomorrowland/Fantasyland:



And the Midget Autopia:





My favorite part of this attraction is seeing the gleeful abandon on the faces of these little tots. It is so refreshing. Kids need more of that today.



























See more vintage & current Autopia photos on my Autopia web page.

Disneyland, July 28, 1958, Pt. 2

What could be better than a Sunday in vintage Fantasyland? Let's cross over the drawbridge and get to it! A trip in a Skyway Bucket can give you a beautiful overview of the scenery between Fantasyland and Tomrrowland...and is only steps away from a tasty Tuna Boat luncheon!



What a tease...you can see the Viewliner Tressel...but no Viewliner! Instead, we see guests taking a (very) leisurely cruise in a Motor Boat.



And now a few birds-eye view shots taken from the Skyway on the way to Tomrorowland.







Monstro looks as if he could eat the lighthouse ticket booth for Storybook Land!



Kudos to an Anonymous reader today who noticed the Viewliner in the upper-right-hand corner of the Monstro shot:





Anybody notice that we cruised right through the Matterhorn? No? Well, perhaps that's because these were shot almost a year before that famous mountain was completed.



Zooming in on the previous image you can get a better view of the Tomorrowland Depot.



This was also back in the day when there were multiple Autopias at Disneyland, including the Junior Autopia featured here:



The final two shots from today are from the same batch, but I am guessing that they are from two separate trips on the Skyway. Our photographer must have loved The Skyway!





See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.