Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Alice in Disneyland

Here's a fun photo featuring Alice and the White Rabbit, hanging out in front of the Red Wagon Restaurant (circa July 1964 and NOT 1974 as my original typo said). I was digging through a box of already-scanned slides, and didn't remember this image... I think it really is new to GDB. 

Alice appears to be addressing the crowd; I can't imagine what she would be saying; could she be encouraging guests to eat at the restaurant? Is she selling quality Amway products?  We may never know. What I do know is that she is cute as a button. 


And now for a repeat, keeping the "Alice" theme... here's a great photo (1960) of one of the wonderful caterpillar vehicles from the Alice in Wonderland dark ride, as it makes it's winding way down a giant leafy ramp. As of this writing, the exterior of this ride is a disaster, with ugly safety railings and tacked-on temporary decorations; hopefully somebody will come up with an attractive solution that will make the outside of this ride fun and amazing again.


15 comments:

Chiana_Chat said...

Alice is cuter than any button. I'd ask her to dinner. I'd have the rabbit for dinner (though I'd expect dinner would run late!).

What does the DINNER sign say under DINNER? Surely not Rabbit Southwestern.

From our right. Mrs. Knotts has come to try the competition.
What's the guy holding?
The little girl is really excited!
The boy has an idea: tie himself to Alice's apron strings.
His dad (they have the same barber) is either smoking or whistling but it's 1964 and that's ok.
Let's get jealous at whoever Alice is looking at.
Meanwhile leaning girl Stacey Sees is trying to see if that's a rabbit in the er... this is a family blog, I mean checking if the White Rabbit's watch is on time.
Mrs. Sees is writing down her sins.
Other leaning girl is just trying to see why the other girl is leaning.
Does farmer Fred have a microphone in his hand?

And behind PolkaDot Ginger is a mobile, proof this pic was taken by a time traveler. Either JG has done it or Doctor Who is here to save his companion Alice from the evil Time Rabbit (is too; how many other rabbits do you know who know about time?).

Glad to see the repeat pic too. The kid may not be able to see very well but Grandma is having a blast!

TokyoMagic! said...

That Alice looks familiar. I think she might have been used in one of the old ViewMaster sets (in a shot with the White Rabbit in front of the castle?)

Orange Co Native said...

Hello Major,

The first photograph I would hazard to guess is not from 1974. The styles of clothing for men and women and hairstyles is more like 1955-1960. The boy on Alice's left hand against the post would not be dressed like that in 1974.

Just thought I would let you know.

Chiana_Chat said...

@ Orange Co Native - I tink he just typo'd. The pic itself is named 7_64 Alice so I think he meant '64.

Besides, by July 1965, the Red Wagon Inn had re-opened as the Plaza Inn.

K. Martinez said...

Chiana_Chat, According to another blog the Red Wagon Inn DINNER sign says "DINNER being served - Special Menu for Children." That sounds about right to me.

Chiana_Chat said...

Thank you, K. Martinez. :)

Nancy said...

Alice certainly has the crowd's attention, whatever she is saying. She sure is pretty, and the White Rabbit looks really good for an earlier costume!

I love the Alice ride, one of the things I envy Disneyland for, tho if they are closing forever Snow White Scary Adventure at WDW, then NOTHING is sacred. Come on! :-(

Matt said...

1960s Alice is the best, it's those knee-high socks that get me :)

Major Pepperidge said...

Hi everybody! Yes, "1974" was a typo. A really dumb one, too!

Chiana, K. Martinez already (correctly) answered your question about the sign. Is Mrs. Knott holding a purple baseball bat? Somehow, at that age, I'm guessing that the little boy was more interested in the White Rabbit than Alice. She's a yucky girl, after all! The guy appears to be holding a camera case; and what IS that little girl looking at, anyway! Farmer Fred is singing "Danke Schoen".

TokyoMagic!, I am almost positive I have seen that Alice before, possibly even on this blog. I'll have to check my Viewmasters to see if that's her, that would be cool.

1974 is a typo!

K. Martinez, I think those children's menus pop up on ebay fairly regularly… in fact I might even have one or two somewhere.

Nancy, I think that this Alice looks like she probably could beat up her brothers; she's not the delicate, proper English girl from the movie.

Matt, I think most guys like Alice. A lot!

JG said...

@Chiana, ha, I have been caught. That is my mobile phone to the left in photo one.

Hard to get that up to my ear in this glass helmet, but I always take it time-traveling. Never know when you need to phone home.

I would definitely buy some Amway from Alice, and photo 2 is just great as well.

I remember the old leaves (pre1983) were made of bent rebar, the crisscross pattern was clearly visible on the painted stems. Can't remember when I realized that, but it was an epiphany when I realized that somebody was buying off-the-shelf materials to make Disneyland.

Now, of course, the replacement stems are perfectly smooth. I hope they can spare a few more bucks to make this ride right, it really is a classic.

JG

Rick West said...

The tragedy is the MESS that Alice has been left with for almost two YEARS now at Disneyland. That beautiful exterior completely covered by green tarp and wooden planks because someone there was "concerned" for the "potential" of a hazard there (i.e. someone falling from the leaves). Thus, the park wrapped it like a construction site and it's been that way ever since. It's disgusting - and the only response I've ever received is, "..waiting for a suitable and proper design."

IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS! IT'S A DARK RIDE! Disneyland was built in a year and a day! Sorry - I ain't buying that corporate line of bull.

Off my soapbox now.

David said...

That ride is certainly Dark. It's a creepy ride for anyone over a certain age and understands this can happen when we don't say crack is whack.

JG said...

@Rick. My biggest fear is that they are planning to Johnny Depp-ify it the way they did POC.

It would be better to have it burn down than to change it to the look of that bizarre awful remake.

At least we would have the memory.

JG

Melissa said...

Alice is saying, "Dudes! DUDES! You have GOT to eat in this place! They have this amazing cake, and it says 'Eat Me' right on the cake!"

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, you should NEVER admit that you are a time traveller! Just let the other person look crazy.

Rick West, AMEN to that! Rant away… I was thinking the same thing, even if I didn't write it.

David, my favorite rides are often the trippiest. That's why I loved Adventure Thru Inner Space so much!

JG, I never even thought about Johnny Depp being added to Alice. Nooooooooooo!

Melissa, she probably says it in a husky "Peppermint Patty" voice too!