Vintage Snapshot: Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-Kind Antiques and Curios

I miss Sid Cahuenga.  During the early years of the Disney-MGM Studios, this retail location just inside the front gate was a gold mine of movie memorabilia.  I personally procured numerous items including movie one-sheets, press photos and other assorted ephemera dating back as far as the 1950s and 1960s.  The authentic memorabilia that was the store's hallmark diminished over the years until the retail incarnation finally closed in 2013.  Retaining its theme, it was repurposed for MyMagic+ and has since evolved into a PhotoPass support and service center.

Snapshot: Alligator Swamp R.I.P.

The Rivers of America was sadly on its deathbed when I visited Walt Disney World this past June.  The barricades were mere weeks away when Alane and I took one last trip on the Liberty Belle riverboat.  It was a bittersweet voyage as it brought back memories of my first visit to the Magic Kingdom in 1973 when I would have circled the waterway in either the Admiral Joe Fowler or the then recently christened Richard R. Levine.  The mostly static vignettes viewed from the decks remained every bit as charming as they did five decades ago.  Alligator Swamp is now but a Snapshot and a happy memory.

Theme Parkeology: The Mark Twain Cave

Underground caves are a key element of many of Mark Twain's books, but most especially The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  Imagineers saw fit to include such settings on the various Tom Sawyer Islands at Disney Parks in Florida, Anaheim and Tokyo. The inspiration behind those dark enclosed mazes, where youngsters scamper happily while their adult counterparts frequently slide, trip and bump their heads, lies within Missouri, a state already quite rich in Disney history and theme park relevance.

Visiting the Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, Missouri is like traveling back in time.  It retains a mid-twentieth century roadside attraction ambiance that stands in stark contrast to the slick, polished presentation of a Disney theme park attraction, an observation ironic in both context and history.  But the cave is indeed the place that inspired the literary McDougal's Cave, where Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher are terrorized by the actions of the villainous Injun Joe.  The Hannibal attraction's website provides the following brief history of the "real" cave:

Earliest documentation says the cave was discovered in the winter of 1819-1820 when Jack Simms and his dog when on a hunting trip. His dog chased a panther, which a sport in those days, into a small opening on the side of a hill. Since it was late in the day, he blocked the entrance, came back with his brother and torches the next day. They had to be awestruck upon what they discovered once inside. From that time on the cave has been rediscovered everyday by someone. This fabulous cave was written about in five of Mark Twain's books. The cave has been seen by millions of people since that time which includes, presidents, villains, heroes and most important those of us who are interested in history, literature and science.

It is most certainly quite fun to occasionally bump into the rough-edged reality behind the carefully crafted and idealized Disney-created fantasy.

From Tom Sawyer Island at Walt Disney World

The Ghosts of Marceline: The Midget Autopia

It was a somewhat haunting experience, to say the least.

My son and I arrived in Marceline, Missouri early on a Tuesday morning in the midst of an unrelenting thunderstorm.  It served to make this very small and quiet Midwest town even quieter.  We had some time to kill before the Walt Disney Hometown Museum opened, so we decided to drive to the south end of town and see the Walt Disney Municipal Park.  There we would find the remains of an early Disneyland attraction: the Midget Autopia.

A postcard of the Midget Autopia at Disneyland

The park seemed a quiet place, regardless of the poor weather.  It appeared as an almost forgotten area.  The nearby swimming pool was drained and apparently retired.  Playground equipment looked old and unmaintained.  I wondered if the park was more the destination of visiting Disney enthusiasts than Marceline residents.

The Midget Autopia was donated to Marceline during the summer of 1966.  The attraction had been removed from Disneyland when Tomorrowland received its famous makeover in the late 1960s.  It opened for the younger residents of Marceline following a dedication ceremony on July 3, 1966.  A faded and weather-stained dedication plaque remains:

Relocated from the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland as a gift to the children of this community from Marceline's favorite sons Walt and Roy Disney.  Accepted in appreciation July 1966 Mayor C. A. Young

It presents a mystery for the uninitiated; no sign remains of the former attraction, and it is not identified by name on the plaque.

What is left of the Midget Autopia lies now in stark contrast to the flash and flair we have come to associate with Disney entertainment.  Forgive the cliche, but it was indeed part of a much simpler time, especially in relation to the Disney Company and the corporate behemoth it has now evolved into.  A simple queue, cement tracks, a tunnel and overpass, and very sincere words on a small standing monument are what remains to remind us of this once bright moment in  both Disney history and the chronicles of Marceline.

Vintage Snapshot! - Early Crate Parkeology

 

Among our favorite theme parkeology subjects here at 2719 Hyperion are crates.  They are literally littered throughout all of the Disney parks, and Imagineers just love to label them with inside jokes and clever references.  But here is in fact a Vintage Snapshot of early Walt Disney World crates with inscriptions that mean . . . nothing?

Dating from 1972, these Jungle Cruise crates bear reference to Leon Okerman and R. H. Jeschke.  Okerman hails from 4006 7th Street in Orange, New Jersey, while Jeschke resides at 3250 9th Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia.  Both addresses are non-existent, at least according to current street map resources.  Okerman and Jeschke are especially unusual names but turn up virtually nothing from popular Internet search engines.

Is it possible that Leon and R. H. sprang wholly from the imagination of an early Disney World Imagineer?  Readers, I welcome whatever insight or theories you may have on this parkeological mystery.

Snapshot! - The Crocodile and the Vane

In continuing our celebration of Peter Pan this week, we travel today to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  Two of my favorite Fantasyland details relate to the architecture of Peter Pan's Flight.  Tick-Tock the crocodile guards over the attraction's exit, likely on the lookout for any sign of the villainous Captain Hook.  Perched above the croc on a nearby rooftop is a weather vane that cleverly takes the shape of Hook's pirate ship.

Of note--Tick-Tock is an unofficial nickname for the character.  Official Disney texts simply identify the beast as "the Crocodile."

Vintage Snapshot! - Bongo and Lulubelle

Back in the late 1970s, the Disney character canon was not as densely populated as it is today.  Hence, the visibility of two characters who were rarely seen in theme park-costumed finery--Bongo and his lady friend Lulubelle.  Both characters were born from the Bongo segment of the 1947 animated feature Fun and Fancy Free, which was in turn based on a short story by Sinclair Lewis.  In this Vintage Snapshot, Bongo and Lulubelle stroll through Liberty Square as part of Dumbo's Circus Parade.  The circus theme is likely the reason for their inclusion; Bongo was a circus bear who escaped into the wilderness where he eventually met and fell in love with Lulubelle.

Vintage Snapshot! - Caballeros in Revue

Decades before they appropriated the River of Time at EPCOT, Donald, Jose and Panchito first performed at Walt Disney World in the rather short-lived Fantasyland attraction, The Mickey Mouse Revue.  The audio-animatronic trio performed their namesake song as part of the production.  After a nine-year tenure in Florida, the show was exported to Tokyo Disneyland where it enjoyed a much longer lifespan, closing just recently in 2009.

Don Rosa's Never Published Disney-MGM Comic

Ah, what might have been . . . 

As part of an upcoming collection of Don Rosa Donald Duck stories, Boom! Comics is releasing a previously unpublished work that would have tied into the opening of the Disney-MGM Studios back in 1989.  The Starstruck Duck, only produced as rough breakdowns, chronicled Donald and his nephews visiting the Disney World theme park and Donald's quest for the autograph of the world's biggest star--Mickey Mouse.  Even in its very rough draft state, the story is still very clever and entertaining.  It is part of Walt Disney Treasury: Donald Duck Volume 1, the first in a series of trade paperbacks reprinting Rosa's Donald Duck stories in chronological order.

The web site Comics Alliance has made available all ten pages for your reading pleasure.  Take a look!

Lost Imagineering: We The People

Another very regrettable lost dream from the truly amazing concept that was Disney's America.  Press material from 1993 provided this description of what was likely to have been one of the park's premiere attractions:

We The People 1870-1930
Framed by a building resembling Ellis Island, We The People recognizes the courage and triumph of our immigrant heritage - from the earliest of settlers to the latest political refugees.  A powerful multimedia attraction, We The People explores and explains how the conflicts among these varied cultures continues to help shape this nation.

Vinatage Snapshot! - Rafts on the Rivers

This panorama of the Rivers of America at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom highlights potential raft congestion as guests are ferried to and from Tom Sawyer's Island.  The image dates from 1979.  Construction cranes can be seen on the right; work was well under way to bring Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to realization.  The docks for the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes can be seen in the foreground.

Vintage Snapshot! - Skyway to Tomorrowland

The Skyway was a Magic Kingdom mainstay during the park's first few decades, as demonstrated by this photograph from 1977.  Steve Birnbaum provided this description in the 1988 edition of his famous guidebook:

Entered from near Peter Pan's Flight, this aerial tram transports guests one-way to Tomorrowland.  En route it's possible to see the clear aquamarine pool traversed by Captain Nemo's ship, the striped tent tops of Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, Tomorrowland's Grand Prix and the not-so-wonderful rooftops of the buildings where many Magic Kingdom adventures actually take place.

Vintage Snapshot! - Building a Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was a work-in-progress when this photograph was taken in 1979.   According to author and Imagineer Jason Surrell in his book The Disney Mountains, "At two and a half acres, the attraction was a full twenty-five percent larger than the Disneyland adaptation."  He adds, "At 197 feet (and change) tall, Big Thunder became the tallest 'mountain' in Florida, a record that hasn't been broken, even by the mighty Mount Everest."

Vintage Snapshot! - Futureport

It was the gateway to one of Walt Disney World's most beloved attractions, a relatively simple backlit display that can still evoke idealistic visions of future living.  The Futureport remains an almost iconic representation of first generation EPCOT, and names such as Brava Centauri, and Mesa Verde are bittersweet reminders of a level of Imagineering achievement that will likely never be reached again.  While Horizons the attraction sadly fell into neglected obsolescence, even more tragic is that Horizons the idea and concept is something no longer embraced or celebrated by the Walt Disney Company.

Vintage Snapshot! - The Gullywhumper

It's been quite some time since the Mike Fink Keelboats navigated the Rivers of America at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.  This Vintage Snapshot! returns us to 1977 where we see the Gullywhumper plying those waters.  The entrance to the Haunted Mansion can be seen in the background.  Despite their obvious Frontierland roots, the keelboats launched from Liberty Square at a dock just adjacent to the Haunted Mansion.  They ceased operation at Walt Disney World sometime in 1997, shortly after the Disneyland version of the Gullywhumper tipped over and dunked a boatload of guests at that park.

Explore the 2719 Hyperion Archives:

Snapshot Disneyland! - The Gullywhumper

Rocketeer Parkeology

Relating to our recent posts celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the feature film The Rocketeer, our latest theme parkeology expedition unearths a famous helmet and jet pack and spotlights a certain character who traded aviation mechanics for frozen concoctions.

The Rocketeer was well showcased at the then still Disney-MGM Studios when it was released to theaters during the summer of 1991.  Sometime shortly thereafter, Lakeside Newsstand, a small retail venue facing Echo Lake was transformed into Peevy's Polar Pipeline, a refreshment stand specializing in frozen drinks.  Peevy is a prominent character in both the Rocketeer movie and the comics stories that inspired it.  Created by writer-artist Dave Stevens, Peevy is a combination scientist-inventor-airplane mechanic and a faithful friend to Rocketeer alter-ego Cliff Secord.  He was portrayed in the film by actor Alan Arkin.

The decor of Peevy's Polar Pipeline features a number of artifacts from the film, most prominent among them being the iconic Rocketeer helmet and corresponding jet pack.  A sharp eye will also notice a framed newspaper headlining the Rocketeer's first public appearance, a pennant for Bigelow's Air Circus and a replica of the jet pack's schematics that Jenny returns to Peevy near the end of the movie.

Historically, the Rocketeer appeared as part of the nightly Sorcery in the Sky fireworks show at the Studios during the summer of 1991.  In addition, the Bulldog Cafe exterior set piece from the movie resided on the Studio Backlot for a number of years.

I would like to send out a very special acknowledgment and thank you to Jessica from If We Can Dream It . . . who pointed out Peevy's Polar Pipeline to me all the way back in October of 2007.  Jessica was a true online pioneer of theme park details and created one of the first Disney World-related blogs to feature such content. 

Vintage Snapshot! - Fantasyland Steampunk

It was a first class E-Ticket during the first decade of Walt Disney World, but photographs such as this one are among the few tangible reminders of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  This particular image from 1974 offers a rare glimpse of the attraction's exit area.  It is increasingly hard to imagine the scale and scope of the lagoon that once occupied the northern portion of Fantasyland, especially as that area now evolves into something new and wholly different from Jules Verne-inspired science fiction.  When I was a young man of twelve years, the Nautilus was the be all and end all of the Magic Kingdom.

Vintage Snapshot! - The Main Street Flower Market

I will take a moment in regard to this particular Vintage Snapshot to wax editorially.  One of my primary criticisms of Walt Disney World in last decade or so has been the desire on the part of management to sacrifice aesthetics for increased consumerism.  Such a maneuver is what brought about the end of the Main Street Flower Market, shown here in this photograph from 1975.  The Flower Market was without a doubt one of the most beautiful set pieces in all of the Magic Kingdom; an expanded Emporium now occupies that area.

Vintage Snapshot! - Cinderella and Her Castle

Cinderella Castle serves as an appropriate backdrop for its namesake princess in this photograph from 1981.  Cinderella rides within her coach as it crosses the bridge that leads into Liberty Square.  She and her coachmen were part of the Tencenial Parade that celebrated Walt Disney World's 10th anniversary throughout 1981 and 1982.

Vintage Snapshot! - All Aboard in Frontierland

The original Frontierland train station in Walt Disney World was a somewhat modest and unassuming structure when now compared to its contemporary counterpart.  This Vintage Snapshot dates back to 1975, years before the landscape of Frontierland, and the station itself, was dramatically re-imagineered to accommodate an E-Ticket attraction of epic size and proportions: Splash Mountain.  Also notable are the vintage 1970s-era blue strollers parked in the foreground.  Classic ankle killers of the highest order!