I’ve said it before. eBay is the root of everything evil in collecting. It is home to the enablers who allow us to feed our addictions to what ever it may be that brings us happiness. And thank your favorite deity that it has treasures like the images found here in today’s effort!
Since I last chatted about the evils of eBay, things haven’t changed a great deal. I still have way too many things I look at. My favorite searches is maxed out at the 100 limit. Even though I may not make as many purchases as I once did or sell as many items as I have, I still manage to spend the virtual morning wandering the virtual aisles at the nation’s garage sale or flea market. (And yes, I have done the real thing more than a few times, including visits to the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena.)
So while browsing for something or other among the billion items available on eBay, I managed to find a disc for sale that had a series of vintage Disneyland views. Normally, I see some of these and say, “Gee, those are nice.”, and move along to another item of interest.
For me, this is a somewhat apocryphal image. Without a lot of differences, this is pretty much the sight that greeted the Colton family along Harbor Blvd on our first Disneyland visit in the summer of 1966. So, when I come across a view like this, well, it’s nice to have a copy of it. This time, I saw something that said “you have to buy this.”
Sure, there are some nice views around the park in earlier times. Like this one from 1957 of the Santa Fe & Disneyland passenger train pulled by the “E.P. Ripley” at the Main Street Station. Imagine dressing up for a day at the Park like the folks on the right!
Even the children are well dressed! And the hats, just classic. But those shoes... tired feet ahead waiting in lines.
Or this 1965 afternoon view of the Submarine lagoon as the “Skipjack” sails away from the dock in Tomorrowland on another journey into liquid space:
Perhaps it was this great night view of the Coca Cola Refreshment Corner from 1965. I don’t know what time it is, but it sure is one quiet night at the Park!
Not to mention, there is no sign of a piano or an extremely genial ragtime piano player anywhere to be seen...
All very interesting, to be sure...
No, the one image that sold me on having to buy a disc of these images was this one. It’s 1957 and we’re definitely in line to board a sturdy boat for a cruise along the rivers and through the Jungles of Adventureland.
Want to guess why? Look closely. See if you can find what caught my eye...
Jungle Cruise skippers have always had a reputation, well earned, for being shall we say, “individuals”. And taking a glance at this one, there’s the lure of a good time ahead on this trip, even before we board the boat and leave civilization behind at the dock.
First and foremost, he’s wearing a beard and a mustache! Seeing someone with both and the smile on his face tells of a jaunty attitude, waiting to take us off for a good time. And many of us remember when both types of facial enhancement were absolutely not allowed as part of the Disney image on stage.
Second, the next time someone complains about drab, simple costumes, remember this one. Yet, I would be willing to bet that it was extremely comfortable on those summer Southern California days - both on the boat and on the dock.
Finally, for the collector in me, look at his hat. He’s wearing one of the earliest Disneyland cast member badges. It’s got a three-digit number. Is this cool or what? I don’t want to even think what one of these, the real thing, would go for in what I’m sure would be a spirited eBay auction!
I’ve never seen an image of one in use before, and well, this just has a high “Disney collector geek” factor for me.
All together, this image tells a great tale of what it must have been like to be a Cast Member in those early days at Disneyland. It sure looks like there was fun for everyone - Cast Member and Guest alike.
Needless to say, I did purchase a disc of images. Thanks again to Nicepictures, for allowing me to share these images with you today today. If you would like to check out some of his other images, look over these eBay items he has listed. Some interesting images from all around the world...
And be sure to check back in the coming weeks as I’ll have a few more classic Disneyland images to share with you.
