Thursday, December 19, 2013

Matterhorn - February 1964

It's a chilly February morning, and Tomorrowland is not quite deserted - but there sure aren't many people! Still, it's never too early to be lifted 30 feet in the air and spun around. It's a good way to get those morning cobwebs out of your brain. I guess the Skyway was down for refurbishment, which must have been a bummer for that day's visitors. Love those weird light fixtures that remind me of olives on a toothpick.


Hmmm, maybe the Matterhorn was down for repairs too? I can't tell if that waterfall is off or just barely trickling. There's no sign of bobsleds. The streets are still wet from their early morning scrubbing.


10 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

On careful observation it does appear as if the waterfall has a steady, albeit thin, stream of water.

And as for those "olives", I'll take mine in a martini - "...stirred, not shaken - bruises the gin-!"

Thanks, Major.

bigbrian-nc.com said...

Love the "conning tower" with the window in it in the sign for the submarine voyage. tough the fact that it is painted white almost makes it blend in to the point where it makes you think that someone wanted it to disappear.

Melissa said...

Between the martini-olive lighting and the Clock of the World that was shaped like a giant bartender’s jigger, Tomorrowland was just a parade of subliminal suggestions about drinking, wasn’t it? Maybe it was a clever technique to get parents to hop on the Monorail and take a quick break at the Disneyland Hotel bar.

I love the head in the sober gray fedora popping into the frame in the bottom left of the first picture, making sure things don’t get out of hand.

Tom said...

Wow - a shot that includes Matterhorn, Astro Jets, Submarine Voyage, Monorail and the Yacht Bar in frame. Amazing!
So I'm guessing this was taken from the Space Bar?

K. Martinez said...

The first shot has an almost chilly look to it matching the coldness of the Matterhorn.

Tom - That amazing shot was definitely taken from the Space Bar.

JG said...

The Matterhorn looks forlorn without it's falls.

Also, the monorail track looks really close to the ground in pic 2.

Surely it is not that way now? Must have been raised sometime along the way.

JG

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, yeah, it's like somebody turned off the spigot, but didn't quite crank it all the way. "Bruises the gin", I've always wondered if that's complete BS! But it sure sounds cool.

bigbrian, with so much competing for the eye's attention, I'm not sure what they could have done. Maybe day-glo pink? I like it better the way it is (was)!

Melissa, I know the animators were famous for their alcohol intake, maybe it was the same way with Imagineers. Maybe the sober gray fedora was supported by Harry S. Truman's noggin!

Tom, besides being able to see all that stuff, it's just a pretty picture. In my opinion, anyway. K. Martinez helpfully answered about the Space Bar!

K. Martinez, well, it was February after all, so the chill was probably real. "California chilly", at least.

JG, you are right, the track does look really low, like a tall person could jump up and slap the side of a passing Monorail. It MUST have been raised at some point… I wonder if I can find a recent photo from the same angle? Good eye!

Nanook said...

@Major-

"Bruises the gin", freely stolen from Mame/Auntie Mame.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, wow, I thought that was a James Bond thing.

Melissa said...

I like bruised bananas and peaches, so you can pass me any bruised gin you're not gonna use!