1959 Disneyland, pt. 3: Random Big Finish

I’m talking hodge-podge here, folks...but not necessarily in a bad way. The Jungle Cruise is packing ’em in, back when the Skippers were dressed in tropical shirts and straw hats that helped keep the Anaheim sun from burning their heads. The Mekong Maiden has since been retired and no longer works the JC circuit.

This photo was too early for the Swiss Family Robinson Tree (and seemed to be the wrong location, too), so I am guessing it is from the Treehouse on Tom Sawyer Island.



Over in Storybook Land, only 2 of the 3 windmills made it into our photographer’s frame:



I’d never noticed this sign before: Giant’s Patchwork Quilt. I believe this sign has long since disappeared, too:



Another guess is that this one was shot from a Storybook Land Canal Boat, showing the undercarriage of a Skyway Bucket:



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Sailing Through Sundays on The JC: The Mekong Maiden, September 1962

Here are three images from a September 1962 journey aboard the Mekong Maiden.





To those of you who celebrate it, Happy Easter! May you win first place in the Easter Parade.



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Sailing Through Sundays on The Jungle Cruise: Dock Area, 1956

Here’s a rare view of the Jungle Cruise Dock & Original Boathouse...WITHOUT any guests! Note the Mekong Maiden in the foreground. Shot #2 is an undated 1950’s view of the Lanai.



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Sailing Through Sundays on The Jungle Cruise: Mekong Maiden

The Mekong Maiden is now "enjoying" retirement. Both of the Maidens were removed and scrapped after the redesign of the JC due to Indy. The subsequent redesign of the boats themselves(making them longer) also contributed to their removal; the spacing of the boats during the tour could not support the Maidens.

And while we are at the dock, I am going to throw in 2 from March 1962 showing the Zambesi Miss and the dock signage.





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Sailing Through Sundays on The JC: Boat Names Pt. 2

Tech Skip had requested a pic of the Mekong Maiden, who no longer sails on the Nile River, and naturally Kevin Kidney came up with this 1970’s image. Thanks for pulling through again, Kevin! I am also including his shot of the Amazon Belle & Suwanee Lady signs, as I do not believe they were included in the last Boat Name post, either.





TECH SKIP: “Mekong and Maggie were pulled when the boats became bigger. At least that was the explanation I was given. Also the boats went from the specific 1900's circus style to the rugged style they have today. The boats each had a specific theme at first. They were themed with props, one would be a music boat, or a floating kitchen, or an artists boat. This is also when the signs matured from simple names to specific fonts, patterns, and artwork. This Mekong is different from the 1 I have seen, likewise I've seen 2 different ones of the Maggie... so I am not sure how often they changed the paint job.”

Tech Skip requested a side-by-side comparison of the Boat Signs (for all you armchair enthusiasts who don't want to click multiple times yourselves), so here they are. Again, thanks to Kevin for supplying the 70's version pics:



Any other skippers that would like to contribute material can email me at dvdpicasso@aol.com. See more Disneyland Jungle Cruise photos at my website.

Disneyland 1956, The Semi-Grand Finale

Today’s Trio rounds out this fabulous 1956 series, beginning with an Adventureland/Frontierland/New Orleans Street photo taken from the bridge that I believe would have gone to the original Indian Village location. This is approximately where the Treehouse is currently located. While in Adventureland, we have a Jungle Cruise dock area photo, showing the not-so-often photographed Mekong Maiden in the foreground:



The last one for this series is a lackluster view of Tomorrowland, featuring the TWA Moonliner and some gorgeous chicken wire.



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Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 9

For those of you still with me, today is the last day of this October 1966 series, and we end it with a rowsing tour of the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland. So hop on the Mekong Maiden and let’s go! Shot #2 is the touching scene of an elephant with her baby, having fun in the water, while a smiling croc waits nearby.



More frolicking elephants:



Even today, this is one of the hardest areas to shoot, due to the lighting and the cliffs behind the elephant; my shots usually come out too dark. This photographer feels my pain...



In these old photos, I never can tell which of these African Bull Elephants is the mother-in-law; you be the judge.



Fortunately for these hungry lions, Imagineers took pity on them baking on the hot sun and eventually built them a cave.



The African Veldt scene, full of the twisted humor of one of my Disney favorites, Marc Davis:



Plenty o’ skulls to choose from for you headhunters:

The infamous Native dance, sure to be popular at the next event you attend:



Back to present day, here is a construction shot of the Plaza Pavilion, which is undergoing a rehab to improve the kitchen, so that it can be used for prep for other restaurants about to go under the knife as well. Good planning there! Hopefully this will pave the way for a return of the Tahitian Terrace. Talk about Year of a Million Dreams...



See more vintage and current Disneyland Jungle Cruise photos at my Jungle Cruise web page.