Posted by My good friend Hubert Cheng sent me these beautiful vintage Disneyland photos from his family’s trip in the early 80’s. I say early 80’s because Hubert is unable to remember the exact year but I do know that it was after 1979 (due to pictures of an operating Big Thunder Mountain which opened it 1979) and before 1983 (construction on the “New Fantasyland” had not yet begun in these pictures).
Hubert and his dad seen here on the classic Motor Boat Cruise.
Here the Cheng family is seen in Frontierland with the brand new Big Thunder Mountain in the background. Notice the stroller parking lines and text painted on the ground. Even in the old days some things were inexplicably out of theme!
This great picture shows the Storybook Land boats in their original color scheme. Did you know that Disney officially considers the Storybook Land Canal Boats an opening day attraction when it actually is not? The attraction originally opened as Canal Boats of the World. It did not feature any of the miniature houses like it does today. Without the famous miniatures the ride went though banks of dirt showing nothing at all. The attraction closed 2 month after the park opened so after budget could finally be obtained to build and add the miniatures. In June of 1956 (11 months after the park opened) The Storybook Land Canal Boats officially opened as the version we all know and love.
Here is another shot of the Storybook Land boats using it’s original loading dock. During the 1983 New Fantasyland remodel the dock was moved from it’s original location (near where the Mad Tea Party is located today) to it’s current location just off of the parade route
Hubert and his brother seen here playing on Tom Sawyer’s Island
Here is a shot of the recently opened Big Thunder Mountain which looks almost exactly the same as it does today!
This picture was taken from the Peoplemover and I lover it because when you look closely you realize there is so much going on in it. The Rocket Jets are in their rightful place atop the Peoplemover platform, the Peoplemover cars have their beautiful original color scheme (although i do admit I am a bigger fan of the grey paint jobs they received in 1986), The Skyway can be seen flying through the middle of the Matterhorn, and off in the distance you can see the spires of It’s a Small World.
A picture from inside the Peoplemover car. In the distance you can see the extinct attraction Mission to Mars where Red Rocket’s Pizza Port is currently located.
Mr Cheng and Hubert having a great time!
This is Hubert (rocking the awesome checkered Vans shoes) with an early version of the Pooh character.
