Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: The New Tomorrowland, Disneyland, 1969

The New Tomorrowland, Disneyland, 1969

Vintage slides of Disneyland are among my favorite finds - especially old slides of Tomorrowland. It’s the least photographed land in the Magic Kingdom - which leads me to the SLIDE-OF-THE-WEEK: THE NEW TOMORROWLAND, 1969.

When I was a kid in the 60s and 70s I thought that Tomorrowland was the coolest place to be — inside or outside of Disneyland. My two favorite attractions were there – America the Beautiful and Carousel of Progress. Now that I think of it, America the Beautiful is my favorite movie ever. And it was projected in the round! How amazing was that? The circle-vision effect of the film being projected all-around, together with the blaring optimistic arrangement of America the Beautiful - the song - was literally dizzying. It was a great high. The Carousel of Progress trip through time was an even better high. Yes, I still can’t get the theme song out of my mind. I’m humming it right now! When I was six I watched man land on the moon live on a giant monitor in Tomorrowland and then rode Flight to Mars.

The most eagerly anticipated and fondly remembered days of my childhood were spent at Disneyland. A trip there became the standard from which I judged the experiences I had everywhere else I went. I remember thinking Southern California was the greatest place on earth, not because our beautiful snowcapped mountain peaks, wildflowers in the desert and waves crashing on the sandy seashore. It was because we had Disneyland. When I was about five some relatives came out to visit from Oklahoma. I thought we were superior to them because we had Disneyland and they didn’t.

Here’s to you and Disneyland’s 50th!

Charles Phoenix

Visit Charles’ site, God Bless Americana, or join his Yahoo Group.