Last week, we ran some great vintage Walt Disney World photos from Trevor Clor. You all liked them so much that I’ve got even more for you this week! These photos were taken by Trevor’s grandparents, Robert and Corliss Marowske, and are dated February 1972 (though, that’s just the date the film was processed). The first photo does show some Christmas decorations on City Hall, so that gives us a pretty good clue as to the season – these photos were very likely from December of 1971. You can see the previous article here.
We’ve got some Christmas decorations up at City Hall! The clock reads 3:35, so I would assume that the three o’clock parade has finished and the crowd is starting to disperse. So, let’s head down Main Street.
It’s a busy Main Street! You can still see the trees that used to line the shops. Notice the signage over Casey’s Corner? Oh, wait, it was called Refreshment Corner (Coke Corner) until 1995.
We’re getting late in the afternoon. The lights are coming on and you can see the difference that the trees make in the feel of Main Street and the Hub.
What different view of the forecourt! Notice how visible the Fantasyland buildings are behind the Castle?
As we head into Adventureland, let’s take a look at that lady’s hair.
The growth of the foliage around the Treehouse is pretty amazing after 40 years. Of course, it’s an almost great shot of the trash can, too.
What a superb shot! Obviously, the photographer was framing the castle, but I love the glimpse of the second story of Adventureland.
We’ve got a few shots of the Jungle Cruise. A few things have changed and not just the growth of the jungle.
Those gorillas are still working on turning over that jeep!
It’s okay; they’re all wearing their trunks.
Such a great perspective from the Skyway. You don’t see photos from this angle very often. You can see the Enchanted Tiki Room in the back. If you look towards the top left, you get a sense of the town atmosphere created by the rooflines in Liberty Square and Frontierland.
Also, the Columbia Harbour House didn’t open until 1972. There’s no signage on the building (even today, there are only a menu plaque by the door and a rooster sign that signifis the restaurant), so I wonder if this photo pre-dates the February 1972 mark or the signage was late. Dave Smith’s excellent Disney Encyclopedia lists the restaurant opening on October 1, 1971, but we know it didn’t open until 1972.
I could look at Skyway photos all day. The triangular planters are fantastic. The building in the lower-right corner was a camera-related store in the late 1980s, selling film and other film-related needs. According to a few early GAF Guides, it was a ticket booth. Anyone know for sure?
A great shot of 20,000 Leagues. You can see the show building and the monorail beam to the roundhouse in the background.
The Contemporary Resort parking lot is pretty full!
Tomorrowland is looking a little bleak in this photo! At least you can see the end of the area. When Space Mountain was built, there was a great little waiting area for people that weren’t quite interested in Space Mountain.
What a fantastic photo from the Frontierland side of the Rivers of America. Tom Sawyer Island is still just a dream. You can see the uncovered queue of the Haunted Mansion. It truly looks like the spooky house on the hill. Notice the entry to the Mansion actually looks like a mausoleum? It’s a view you can’t see today. It’s also a great shot of the riverboat and the dock.
What did you notice about the changes over the past 40 years? Are they changes for the better or worse?
Again, a special thanks to Trevor Clor for submitting these fantastic photos from his grandparents, Robert and Corliss Marowske.
Do you have any older Walt Disney World photos or video you’d like to share? If so, please email [email protected] and I’ll be happy to feature them in a future article.
ImagiNERDing is written and edited by George Taylor
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December 17, 2012 at 4:13 am
Great Article George
As I said in the last article, the Magic kingdom has come a long way and it is vgood to see some defunct rides when they were operating.
Hopefully, you have more images to show us over the coming weeks
Thanks Again George
Trumpet
December 17, 2012 at 7:05 am
Thanks!
I really love vintage photos. When I was double checking a building, it led me into a two-hour research moment (meaning I went through two or three boxes of brochures and maps to hunt down a fact) that led me into another future post…
December 17, 2012 at 6:15 am
It’s amazing to see how much the trees and plants have grown in the last 40 years…it’s crazy to see how “empty” it all looks without the trees!
Also, you’d think after 40 years, those gorillas would find a new mechanic!
December 17, 2012 at 7:08 am
Hey…if it ain’t broke…no, wait…ah… never-mind.
December 17, 2012 at 6:44 am
In general, I’m a huge fan of trees, but the Magic Kingdom could sure use a pruning initiative.
December 17, 2012 at 8:12 am
I’m not sure where you think they should prune. They’ve removed all the large trees from Main Street and installed shrubs in the hub in place of the beautiful old trees. It leaves Main Street all the way to the castle looking bare and not as warm and lived in as it should. The deforestation of the Magic Kingdom has not been a positive thing for the park.
December 17, 2012 at 7:14 am
I miss the trees in he hub. I know it was for line of sight, but they really added a nice atmosphere.
Thanks for the comment!
December 17, 2012 at 9:50 am
In the picture from the skyway, the kiosk in the bottom center was a ticket booth. The building to the right was the camera store. I’m a geek, what can I say?
December 17, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Thanks! I spent some time researching and found the Castle Camera shop
but I wanted to confirm that the small building was a ticket booth. I know it was turned into a film stand after the tickets were done away with.
December 18, 2012 at 7:14 am
Exactly, it became a film booth, and over time the camera shop went away…
December 18, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Same thing at Disneyland in front of iasw–the old ticket booth is now a film kiosk.
IIRC, in MK’s Tomorrowland the ticket booth backed up to Grand Prix Raceway and later became a DVC location.
Oddly, the only booths I remember at both parks are Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
December 18, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Ticket Booths:
Let me think….there was one in AdventureLand at WDW, very close to the entrance to the Jungle Cruise.
There was one on Main Street, but I can’t remember where – I think it was near the train station, maybe on the exhibition hall side?
And if memory serves there were two ticket booths in FantasyLand, one in the location we’ve been discussing, the other just outside of Mr. Toad.
December 17, 2012 at 9:56 am
“As we head into Adventureland, let’s take a look at that lady’s hair.”
*falls over laughing*
December 17, 2012 at 1:51 pm
I’m glad that somebody saw that!
Thanks, Amy.
December 17, 2012 at 11:43 am
It is cool to see the skyride. As everyone points out, Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Tommorowland areas really lack the sense of motion they had when the skyride, submarines, monorail and people mover were all running together.
I have an old book I found in a used book store called “The Magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World”. It appears to be from around 1979 and it also has some great shots of the parks in their glory days. (As well as a lot of feathered hair.) I’ve seen it available on the Internet and highly recommend it for fans of classic Disney park pics.
December 17, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Interesting to see Disney Legend Mark Davis’s new show additions in this Florida Jungle Cruise in Feb.1972 that would later be added to Disneyland’s. The 26 foot Python Snake in the tree looked even more realistic when it was done at Disneyland. Now its all black and needs repainting. as Disney Legend John Hench approved it back then. I’m a Shel Silverstrin fan of The Giving Tree and all that they add to the parks. Hate to see the mature trees go. They are just expanding as the parks do.
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