I’m not exactly sure what’s so fascinating about this found footage of Disneyland from 1957, especially since I generally don’t find myself nostalgic for time periods that I wasn’t alive for, but the next time I’m having a rough day, I might just watch these baby boomers ride the Astro-Jets.
This article appears in Feb 2-8, 2012.
I think for me it’s that everyone is well-dressed and well-mannered, AND you can actually see pavement. The last time I was at Disneyland (the day after Christmas 2006) it was so crowded it was like being in an overflowing river of people, impossible to navigate, think, or stand still. We were there two days and only managed to ride 5 rides.
I agree with Lunazen. Love the dresses. Being from the east I could hardly dream of seeing Disneyland. But watching this I realize that it was very much like other amusement parks and similar venues that I did go to. This little film took me back to my childhood. But I also noticed some things that were not so good in the Old Days. Everybody’s white! (almost)
That brought back a lot of memories! My first visit was in the late ’60’s when admission was a whopping $2.95 and you bought books of tickets. Most of the “good” rides were “E” tickets and I think they were about 60 cents each. I have hundreds of photos I took during that time. I haven’t been back in years but the idea of milling crowds of thousands of people doesn’t sound like much fun at my age.
I was impressed by the blue skies! Remember when the sky was blue.
I am impressed with the tolerance of Mickey’s alcoholism
I see that I have drawn 3 dislikes. I wonder why. Because I noticed something that I took for granted in 1957?
I liked the film. It really captures the era. I felt like I was back at one of the parks with my Mommy and Daddy and little sister. Last year my sister and I were looking at old photos and there we all were, in our dresses, all clean and neat. Notice how all these people are not only well dressed but they are impeccably clean and their hair is combed. While walking around a park for hours! Amazing.
The big amusement parks in our area, Crystal Beach and – later – Fantasy Island were sometimes a lot more crowded than Disneyland appears to be here. But we couldn’t even imagine standing in line for hours for one ride. The longest I can remember waiting would have been at some of the exhibits at the New York Worlds Fair, particularly to see the Pieta. My kids would have liked to go to Six Flags more often but we only took them a couple times. It just isn’t much fun — or cost-effective — to spend so much money to stand in line or fight through crowds.
I live in Southern Arizona now and still have not been to Disneyland. I have thought about going, probably to fulfill the childhood dream. It certainly won’t be the same. I will probably be dismayed at the crowds and prices. (How DO people afford to take their kids?) But I will smile at the excitement of little children. Even if they have tousled hair and ketchup-stained t-shirts. (T-shirts! They were underwear in 1957!) Maybe even BECAUSE the tousles and ketchup make them look adorable and happy. (How DID Mom keep us so clean and combed?) And I will take for granted the fact that I am surrounded by faces of many different colors and features.