St. Patrick's Day at Walt Disney World - 1970's

Today we have a couple shots from what I believe to be a St. Patrick's Day parade at Walt Disney World in the early 1970's.

Here's a close up of Mickey and Minnie. If this wasn't a St. Patrick's Day parade, I would like to know why they were both dressed all in green. After all, Disneyland used to have a St. Patrick's Day parade, once upon a time. Does anyone know for sure if Walt Disney World used to have one too? .

Also from the same parade, is this shot of Liberty Square's Fife and Drum Corps. The color in this photo is so much better than the previous shot.....I'm not sure why. A lot of my vintage Walt Disney World slides have a weird, hazy, faded color to them. I was able to color correct some of the slides, but there are some that I wasn't able to do very much with. Maybe I just don't have the right software!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

E.J. Peaker In Mary Blair-Land

Hey Osmonds, it's E.J. Peaker.....THE MOVIE STAR, and she's ready for The Love Bug Parade on Main Street! She left home right after lunch, but she should've left right after breakfast, because The Love Bug Parade was actually last year.


Did I hear somebody out there ask, "Who's E.J. Peaker?" Well, do you remember seeing "Hello Dolly?" Do you remember Miss Molly's Dress Shop? Remember Minnie Fay, the assistant? Well, that was E.J. Peaker....THE MOVIE STAR! Here we see her standing in front of the large Mary Blair mural, which was in Tomorrowland from 1967 to 1987. This was a publicity shot for "The Wonderful World of Disney" episode entitled, "Disneyland Showtime."

This show originally aired in March of 1970 and would sometimes show up in later years on "Vault Disney" on the Disney Channel. The episode can be watched here on YouTube.

Here's a better shot of the mural....it also shows which part of the mural she's standing in front of in the publicity photo above.

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Here's another shot, taken from the other direction.

There's a kind of walk you walk, when the world's undone you. There's a kind of walk you walk when the neighbors shun you. Just watch the show and you'll understand....she's simply too groovy for words.

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Oh yeah, the episode also shows her singing on The Tomorrowland Stage and The Mark Twain Steamboat. You'll also see the Kids of the Kingdom sing, "This Land Is Your Land" while riding extinct attractions like the Skyway, the Pack Mules, Nature's Wonderland Mine Train, and the Keel Boats. At the end of the show, everyone rides through the newly opened Haunted Mansion, which makes E.J. feel kind of "creepy all over!"

Snow White's Blind Date With Rob Lowe

Do you have ten minutes to spare? Do you want to watch a train wreck?


Maybe "wreck" is a little too strong of a word, but what I'm referring to is the Alan Carr ("Grease") produced opening number for the Oscars, 21 years ago. You'll see Snow White shake hands with Tom Hanks, dance alongside her "blind date," Rob Lowe, sing a special version of "Proud Mary," attempt some Tina Turner moves, bump and grind in a lineup of chorus boys, and share the stage with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Vincent Price, Dorothy Lamour, Cyd Charisse and Alice Faye. Did I mention that the number also features Merv Griffin singing, "I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts?"


The number ends with Snow White coming out in a dress that rivals a Disneyland Electrical Parade float, while at the same time donning a headdress in the shape of Grauman's Chinese Theater....which Lily Tomlin ends up hiding inside of! Do you think I'm making this up? Have I completely lost you all at this point? Well, you can watch a clip of the whole thing here, but watch it soon if you have any interest because many of the YouTube listings for this that I have seen in the past have been removed because of copyright infringement. Disney even sued the Academy over the use of Snow White's likeness without their permission and defamation of the Snow White character. They later accepted an apology and a settlement that the footage never be aired or seen again.

Here's what a New York Times article dated March 31, 1989 had to say about that lawsuit:

"The Walt Disney Company filed suit Thursday against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, alleging unauthorized use of its Snow White character in what it called an unflattering opening number of the nationally televised Oscar awards ceremony Wednesday night. The suit, filed in United States District Court, alleges copyright infringement of the Snow White character, unfair competition and violation of the state anti-dilution law, which protects the value of a trademark. The show began with an actress dressed as Snow White being interviewed in the lobby of the Shrine Auditorium, and then following a chorus to the stage. The actress then sang spoofs of popular songs rewritten with Oscar-oriented lyrics. The show was broadcast live on ABC. Bruce Davis, the academy's executive administrator, declined comment on the suit, saying, ''Not only do we not have any comment, but we haven't even seen it.''"

A few months later, the incident was parodied by a certain artist.....

Happy Oscar Weekend, everyone!

A Visit to Captain EO-Land

It's back! Almost 13 years after it's last showing, Captain EO has made a return to Disneyland. Personally, I'm very happy about this. It's not because it was my all-time favorite Disneyland attraction, although I did enjoy it a thousand times more than what replaced it. It's just the fact that ANY retired attraction that gets to make a return to Disneyland gives me hope for more of this happening in the future.

I was practically shocked out of my wits to see the 1967 version of "America The Beautiful" make a return to the CircleVision Theater in 1996. Until then, I don't think anything like that had happened before. Then the Canoes made a return to the Rivers of America after being closed for a year in the late 1990's. The Submarine Voyage also made a return, even if it does have a new theme now. We've also gotten to see the reopening of the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-thru. Now if we could just see the PeopleMover come back.....oh, and Adventure Thru Inner Space......and the return of the Carousel Theater as an ACTUAL theater....oh, and Nature's Wonderland. Am I being too greedy? Okay, just the PeopleMover would be a nice start!

So Captain EO is back, but how long will it stay? Well, Wikipedia already has the closing date listed for it as January 2, 2011, but knowing Disney, that date isn't necessarily set in stone. Whether it stays one year or ten years, will probably depend on how popular it is and whether or not Disney wants to spend the money to put something else into that space. In the meantime, I thought that it might be fun to go back through the history of this particular attraction "space" at Disneyland and look at all the different things that have sat on that spot over the years. Ready for another time traveling post? The time machine is engaged........here we go!

In the beginning, there were the Flying Saucers. Speaking of returns, they're coming back too, but this time to DCA. They are going to be redesigned as "hovering tires." Will they be as visually attractive as the 1960's Tomorrowland version? I guess, we will just have to wait and see.


Next, there was the Tomorrowland Stage which played host to The Kids of the Kingdom, The All American College Marching Band, The Osmonds, E. J. Peaker , the broadcast of the 1969 moon landing, and a whole lot more during it's nine year run.

In the 1970's, when Space Mountain was planned for this spot, a stage was worked into the design so that outdoor stage shows could continue in Tomorrowland.

After EPCOT CENTER opened in 1982, the 3-D movie "Magic Journeys" premiered at Disneyland on the Space Mt./Space Stage. Of course, since it was an outdoor theater, performances couldn't begin until "Nightfall."

Then in 1986, this pleasant open air space was walled up, changing the appearance of the original Space Mountain Complex forever. The newly enclosed area was renamed The Magic Eye Theater and hosted Captain EO for the next ten and a half years. Personally, I would have rather seen a temporary ceiling and walls go up around this space, so as the film's attendance declined over the years (which it did), it could have been shown only at night, allowing for the Space Stage to be utilized again during the day.

The photo above was taken in 1997 after Captain EO had already closed permanently. Note the empty case that once held the attraction poster. Below is a photo of the poster and the display case from two years earlier.

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These next two photos were also taken in 1997 after the attraction closed. Notice the construction reflected in the sign in the first pic. The construction that was taking place was the conversion of The Carousel Theater into Innoventions.....UGH!

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Below.....original sign or "Tribute" sign?

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Next, this space hosted another EPCOT film, "Honey I Shrunk The Audience"....a film that fit in perfectly with the new depressing "Brown Tomorrowland" of 1998. I was never a fan of this film and actually found it almost painful to sit through. This is one attraction that I hope never returns to Disneyland! Bye-bye H.I.S.T.A.!

WELCOME BACK, CAPTAIN EO!!!

POST UPDATE: Check out my newer post: Captain EO-Land At Tokyo Disneyland!

Walt Disney World 1974 - Tom Sawyer Island

Let's take a trip to Tom Sawyer Island at Walt Disney World.

Wait, let's take a time traveling trip to the island. Below is the same view of Harper's Mill as seen above, but this shot was taken in July of 1974.....just about a year after the island opened.

Compare this next photo of the mill and the landing to photos taken just one year earlier when the island was under construction (click here for those construction pics).

Now, we'll take a raft over to the island. Three WDW employee's will be riding along with us....the two on the left work in security, but where does that lady in the yellow skirt (or is that a skort?) work? The windmill (Potter's Mill) on the island can be seen in the background and the Haunted Mansion, located on the other side of the island and the river can also be seen. It would not be visible from this angle today due to the almost 40 years of vegetation growth.

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We've arrived on the island, but the two security guards have stayed behind on the raft. I wonder what that was all about? Checking for stowaways? Yippies? Did WDW ever have a problem with Yippies?

Here's a sign welcoming us to the island.

The sign reads:

WELCUM!

IF'N YOU LIKE DARK CAVES, MYSTERY MINES, BOTTOMLESS PITS, SHAKEY BRIDGES N BIG ROCKS YOU HAVE COME TO THE BEST PLACE I KNOW. IF'N YOU DON'T LIKE CREEPY OLD SCARY PLACES DON'T WORRY......HUCK FINN AN MYSELF WUZ PLENTY SCARED TOO. HUCK WUZ MORE SCARED THAN ME.

TOM

WUZ NOT!

HUCK

Now let's mosey on over to Harper's Mill. Hmmm, there's another sign.

This sign reads:

HARPER'S MILL

THIS HERE DESERTED GRIST MILL WUZ NAMED AFTER MY FRIEN JOE HARPER'S OLD MAN. IF N YOU CHOOZE TO GO INSIDE, PLEASE DON'T SCARE THE BIRDS THAT YOU WILL FIND THERE UNLESS SOME NO GOOD DONE SCARED EM BEFORE YOU DID.

TOM SAWYER

We'll be heading back now. Sorry for such a short trip, but I don't have anymore vintage island shots. Fort Langhorn can be seen here in the distance as we leave the island.

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If we zoom in on the shot above we can also see one of the totem poles over on the mainland.

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Ah, we got back safely and we're back in the present too. I hope everyone enjoyed this little Walt Disney World time traveling trip!

Roger Rabbit "Hearts" Jessica Rabbit & Squeaker Postcard

In honor of Valentine's Day this weekend, we have a photo of Roger Rabbit all decked out in a tuxedo. He's holding a heart-shaped box of chocolates in one hand and a picture of his wife, Jessica Rabbit in the other. The wallpaper in the background even contains silhouettes of Jessica Rabbit and Baby Herman. This was a Main St. window display at Disneyland in February of 1996. The window was located next to The Candy Palace on Main Street and is the same window as this one that contained a paper sculpture of the Castle for Disneyland's 25th birthday in 1980. Sixteen years had passed since I took that first pic and I had now learned that if you are going use a flash to take a photo of something behind glass, you have to shoot it at an angle to avoid seeing the reflection of the flash!

I'm throwing this image in just because of it's heart-shaped background. This is one of my earliest Disneyland souvenirs from childhood. It's a "squeaker" postcard. These are called squeakers because they are extra thick with a little device located inside and when squeezed in the middle, they let out a "squeak." The pin hole at the top is there because as a kid, I had this pinned to a bulletin board in my bedroom.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!!!

Walt Disney World - Steamboats of The Magic Kingdom

Today we will be staying with the theme from last week, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. These first two photos are from the early 70's and show the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat alongside it's dock in Liberty Square. This paddle wheeler was named after Joe Fowler, the retired Navy Admiral that played an important role in the construction of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The ship was very similar in appearance to Disneyland's Mark Twain Riverboat.

 

Unfortunately, the Admiral Joe Fowler was damaged beyond repair during a 1980 rehab, so it was permanently removed from service at that time and scrapped. (In 1999 however, one of the ferries that take guests from the Ticket and Transportation Center across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom, was renamed the Admiral Joe Fowler. That boat had previously been known as the Magic Kingdom I.)

Below, is a 2007 photo that I took from almost the same spot along the riverbank as the photo above. The Haunted Mansion is still visible off in the distance, but notice how much the vegetation has grown over the years.

In 1973, a second riverboat, the Richard F. Irvine was introduce to the Rivers of America and actually coexisted with the Admiral Joe Fowler until 1980. This boat was completely refurbished in 1996 and was renamed the Liberty Belle as seen below. Note the single smoke stack on this vessel. I am wondering why Disney built a second riverboat that so closely resembled the original....especially when that original boat was still in operation. How curious!

I had heard that parts of the Admiral Joe Fowler were later reused in the construction of Tokyo Disneyland's Mark Twain Riverboat, which opened in 1983, but I haven't been able to confirm that for sure. Does anyone out there know if that's true? This last photo is from 2009 and shows Tokyo Disneyland's Mark Twain sitting alongside it's dock in Westernland. Splash Mountain can also be seen off in the distance.