June 8, 2007: Submarine Voyage Construction and the Submarine Voyage in 1959

[Werner Weiss]

This week, I have nine vintage photographs from 1958 and 1959. Be sure look in background to see Anaheim in 1959.

Link to Submarine Voyage Construction and the Submarine Voyage in 1959 at Yesterland.

Will Disneyland ever again open six attractions, including three "E" ticket attractions, the same year?

Please discuss the pictures and the article here.

[PhaseBlue]

Very nice, as always, Werner. I recently made a thread about how the original ride was built in a mere nine months. Some people argued that the lagoon was already there, from the Phantom Boats. Those photos prove otherwise. Keep up the good work!

[Wren]

Great pictures. I was surprised to see that the old cast member uniforms looked like authentic navy uniforms. Added a nice touch

[nwray1]

Any details on inside the show building? Space between water and roof? Does that roof leak? Difficult to evacuate if the ride breaks down? Please share!

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by nwray1

Any details on inside the show building? Space between water and roof? Does that roof leak? Difficult to evacuate if the ride breaks down? Please share!

Unfortunately, I don't have those answers.

"E" Ticket Magazine, number 34, Fall 2000, devotes the cover and 16 pages to the Submarine Voyage (18 pages if you count a 2-page aerial photo of Tomorowland from 1959)—but I don't recall answers to those specific questions in the article.

[Alchimedes]

Perfect timing for the opening this week. This is great stuff Werner!
I really enjoyed these photos.

Seeing the backgrounds of Anahiem back then, gives you a real perspective of the times.

[sediment]

Side question: I see these pictures that show the Autopia, and I'm wondering when the guide track was put in. I've never seen Autopia in person without it, but I've only been visiting since 1979.

Thanks in advance.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by sediment

Side question: I see these pictures that show the Autopia, and I'm wondering when the guide track was put in. I've never seen Autopia in person without it, but I've only been visiting since 1979.

That's a good question, and I don't have an answer.

Does anyone else reading this thread know the answer?

[Athlonacon]

These pictures are simply amazing. It's so very neat to see the Submarine Voyage being constructed, to know all the "future" memories that would be made there and what kind of glorious run it would have. It's one thing to have nostalgic pictures from the past, but to have pictures *before* anyone's memories even began is just fantastic. It's entire 39-year run lay ahead of it, not behind it.

It's also really weird to see a Tomorrowland without the PeopleMover or Carousel of Progress. We think of those things as so old and nostalgic, but at the time these pictures were taken, the park had such a bright and fantastic future ahead of it. It gives me hope that the current Tomorrowland may have some bright future ahead of it, given the state of it in 1959 and the fact that by 1967 it was improved 100%. Perhaps it gives the Tomorrowland of 2007 a chance to do what it has done once before. After all, looking at it from 1959 in retrospect, it really improved itself.

[Athlonacon]

This really shows the slide that the uniforms have taken nowadays. Back then the uniforms were so detailed, the CMs could practically walk on to a military base. Cold War themes aside, it's the *details* that really stand out to me. Now that the subs are themed towards exploration, they should be just as detailed as the military uniforms of the past. There is no reason that the sub operators should look like they're wearing off-the-rack clothes from Wal-Mart. Don't get me wrong, I buy 2 for $5 shirts all the time, but this is Disneyland we're talking about. The uniforms should be good enough for *Hollywood*. It really shows a disrespect to Disneyland's traditions when CMs have belts hanging off their slacks and plain Wal-Mart white shirts with some stripes stitched into them.

I can't believe that John Lasseter would let these uniforms past the drawing board, but we'll have to see how well he does after the first attraction fully supervised by him from beginning to end does.

[sediment]

Originally Posted by Werner Weiss

That's a good question, and I don't have an answer.

Does anyone else reading this thread know the answer?

Opie might know. He's pretty old. (That's a good way to get an answer, reminding him of his age?)

[sediment]

Opie says the guide rail was installed in 1965. Thanks, Opie!
So, you can add "rail-guideless Autopia" to Yesterland.