Rain in Tomorrowland, 1958

If you’re an old-timer like me, you know this song is bull:

Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California, but girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours

This August 1958 image of the Tomorrowland Depot at Disneyland is all the proof you need!



Just look at those yellow slickers the cast members are wearing! Despite the rain, it must have still been pretty warm, judging by the shorts most of the guests are wearing.



Note the Autopia Richfield Eagle and the Skyway pylon; both long gone.



In case that song is stuck in your head, might as well watch it on youtube!



See more Disneyland DLRR Tomorrowland Depot photos at my main website.

Skyway

Today I present to you a few vintage Skyway shots as many of you return to work after a three day weekend. This June 1960 shot shows the Tomorrowland Skyway Station.

I believe the train seen here in Tomorrowland visible in this detailed view is the Fred Gurley.



Look at those cast members wearing ties. What a different time it was.



This February 1965 view shows the Matterhorn and was shot from a bucket departing the Tomorrowland station…or about to enter it! I am sure there is a Disneyland geek out there who can tell.



A detailed view of the buckets:



More Skyway photos at my main website.

Grand Circle Tour, 1950's-style

Using a mix of "old" and "new" (as in previously and not previously published) photos, today's post will give you a Grand Circle Tour around the park, starting with two Summer 1955 images at the Main Street Train Station. It's difficult not to get excited as you approach the entrance gates and see the E.P. Ripley patiently waiting at the Main Street Train Station for its next load of guests.



Can you imagine taking a spin around the park with this guy at the helm?



The C.K. Holliday is parked at the Frontierland Depot in this 1950's shot:



This 1956 photo shows the original Fantasyland Depot:



Going in a bit closer you can see guests exiting the Depot area, attempting to decide which attraction they will experience next. One of the Autopias? Storybook Land, perhaps?



A closeup of the Fantasyland Depot Ticket Booth:



Last stop on the Tour is the Tomorrowland Depot, circa September 3, 1958. #3, The Fred Gurley, is pulling into the Depot, only a few months after its March 28th debut.



Seeing these photos all together makes me yearn for a REAL trip aboard one of the beloved trains.

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

1950's Disneyland Railroad Goodies

Stamped January 1959, these first two shots were taken during the Christmas season. You can see the wreath and garland hanging at the Main Street Train Station. The colorful benches are a mystery to me, as I have never seen those in this location before. I love the coloring of this photo, as it captures the beauty of sunset just as the lights on the station are becoming visible.

The next shot from this photographer shows the Fred Gurley pulling into the station; off to the right is a parking lot full of vintage autos (well, they weren't vintage at the time, but they are now).



Last one today is also 1959 and is a rare view of the hardly photographed Tomorrowland Depot. This Googie-style station is a hidden gem at the back of the park, and typically the one with the shortest lines.



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

Disneyland Guided Tour, Circa 1962: Tomorrowland Station

My Tomorrowland Train Station photo collection is sparse; the closest vintage shot I could get was this June 1961 image showing the train pulling into the station. Back to the tour!

TOMORROWLAND STATION

You may be interested to know that the Santa Fe Train we are on is a model of the old steam engines used at the turn of the century, rebuilt and constructed at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. There are three complete trains* on our Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad and each train may make 13,500 round trips yearly accounting for over 15,500 miles. Entering the tunnel ahead we will soon view the highlight of our train trip, the beautiful Grand Canyon Diorama.

*The three trains mentioned were the C.K. Holiday, train #1 which debuted in 1955:



The E.P. Ripley, train #2 which also debuted in 1955:



and the Fred Gurley, train #3, which debuted in 1958:



Here's one of the Grand Canyon Passenger car at the Tomorrowland stop:



as well as a detailed view:



These shots show the official opening of the Grand Canyon Diorama on March 31, 1958:





Two vintage images of the Grand Canyon Diorama itself. At this time, the Primeval World wonders had not been added yet.





To resume your vintage tour, come back tomorrow and meet us back on Main Street!

See more vintage and current Disneyland Tomorrowland Railroad photos on my Disneyland Railroad Tomorrowland Station page.

Hello, Viewliner!

This September 1958 image shows the attraction that has the dubious distinction of being the shortest-lived in early Disneyland history: The Viewliner. I love the retro design of its engine and cars, even if its size does make it appear toy-like. By zooming in, we can see all kinds of other interesting details from this one photo.

Here, you can easily see what a tight fit this smaller-scale train means for guests cramped into the back of the train:



At the Tomorrowland Depot, you can see a banner advertising the new Grand Canyon Diorama:



For the many inquiring minds out there, here is a photo of my Fruit Cocktail Egg Nog Pie; no Christmas dinner is complete without this retro classic! Note: I substituted a graham cracker crust for the regular pie crust.



To see a vintage ad & recipe, head on over to Tim’s Vintage Disneyland Ticket Blog.

See more Disneyland Viewliner photos at my main website.

Wednesday WOW: More Viewliner

The Viewliner lives forever in my Holy Grail folder of images to find; rarely would I let the opportunity go by to get one. Lasting barely a year, it was replaced by the larger and sleeker Monorail that still exists in the park. This June 1958 Skyway shot shows the Tomorrowland Viewliner at the Station. Of course, the zoom-in closeup is included at no extra charge. At its scaled size, it almost looks like a toy train!



Zooming in to read the ticket holder sign:



Over at the Tomorrowland Train Depot, you can see the edge of the banner proclaiming the Grand Canyon Diorama:



New vs. old in this posed shot featuring The Viewliner next to the C.K. Holliday:





It may be corny, but this is probably my favorite time for the park, while it’s still enjoying a naive infancy, which was changed by the time 1959 came around. See more Disneyland Viewliner photos at my website.

Disneyland, January 3, 1960: Skyway over Disneyland

Today’s post is a visual “you are there” trip on the Skyway buckets from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. Many of the slides in my vintage collection document this trip. The first few shots show us Storybook Land, beginning with an image of Cinderella’s Castle high atop the miniature mountain.



Being able to look over the berm sure does break that wall of fantasy, and makes a somewhat strong case of why the Skyway had its share of detractors.



As we fly over the Submarine Voyage attraction, we know that our trip in the Skyway is just about finished.



If we hurry, we MIGHT just be able to catch that beautiful blue Monorail sitting at the station!



See more Disneyland Skyway photos at my website.

Disneyland Trip, Undated, Pt. 2

Part 2 of our undated series starts off with this view of the Autopia and Matterhorn, with the Skyway plugging along in the background. In shot #2, you can practically hear the “All aboard!” I believe this shot is from the Tomorrowland Depot.



Photo #3 gives us a glimpse of the Chicken Plantation as well as a number of guests enjoying a little fishing on the Rivers of America...today, I’d be afraid to catch and eat anything that swam in those murky waters!



Last one for today is of Fowler’s Harbor, with a Keelboat and the Columbia in sight.



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

Indian Village, July 1960

Replaced by Critters and Pooh, the Indian Village was a nice touch of the Frontier that gave guests a nice combo of fun and education, commonly known as funucation. Here are two from July 1960; the 2nd shot is postcard-perfect.



Here’s one from July 1961; I am guessing it was taken from the Train between the Fantasyland and Tomorrowland Depots; experts?



See more vintage and current Disneyland Indian Village photos on my regular website.