ANAHEIM, Calif., May 26—DISNEYLAND MONORAIL EXTENDED—Motorists traveling along Harbor boulevard in Anaheim, Calif., get a possible foretaste of the future as a train rolls over the extended Disneyland-Alweg monorail system. More than a mile and a half of concrete beamway has been added to the line, connecting Disneyland hotel with the amusement park. The monorail is the first in the U.S. to run adjacent to a major traffic artery.

It was an exciting time for transportation and the Monorail in 1961. How I wish the Monorail had caught on nationwide, and not just in Las Vegas! Many a time when I am caught in a traffic jam, I look at the center divide of the freeway and wish that there was a Monorail overhead. Had Walt lived, I have a feeling he would have made one happen in Los Angeles at the very least.

Here are some color photos from the same time period, showing the sleek and beautiful Disneyland Monorail, back when it still held the promise of the future!

Hmmm...farmer's-tractor-type-vehicle or Monorail. Yup...I'm choosing the Monorail!









I'm digging the vintage autos, too!



Oh, to ride in the cone! What a treat!



Time to zoom in so we can drool over the Alweg logo!



Here's the yellow monorail speeding round the corner of the Matterhorn, with the Skyway floating overhead:



Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter. See more vintage & current Monorail photos at my regular website.

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Welcome to Tomorrowland! The Clock of The World greets us at the entrance with its wacky retro-futuristic styling that is reminiscent of a blender (too bad it didn't dispense margaritas!).

Today's batch of images from October 1960 documents a journey aboard the Skyway, from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland. This is as close as you're going to get to the real thing which was removed back in 1994. So step into your bucket, fasten yourself in, and enjoy your trip!

















Be careful when stepping out of your Skyway bucket! Hope you enjoyed your one-way trip aboard The Skyway. Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter. See more vintage Skyway photos at my regular website.

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From days of old on Main Street U.S.A. to the Clock of the World in Tomorrowland, this BW 1950’s set has it all!



This shot of the Moonliner and the Flight Circle looks as if the photographer tried to develop the negatives himself...and failed miserably!



See more vintage & current Tomorrowland photos at my regular website.

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One underwater shot, as we wrap up the '59 series today. The rest are just more technicolor eye candy for you to drool over.





This one is like going to Vegas with its sensory overload of attractions: The Skyway, Rocket to the Moon/Moonliner, Submarine Voyage, The Monorail



And for you nosey-noos, just a few conch shells on the rocks in the previous shot. Nothing to see here folks, just move along.





Today, the Submarine Voyage is drawing crowds again, this time themed to tie-into Pixar’s "Finding Nemo." It sure is good to have the lagoon moving again.







See more vintage Submarine Voyage photos at my regular website.

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First off, many thanks for the kind comments on the Half Marathon - much appreciated! And now onto the good stuff! One of the most beloved extractions of bygone days at Disneyland is the Carousel of Progress. Originating at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the theater rotated in a circle and showed the audience different scenes following the progression of inventions in the “modern” home over the course of approximately 70 years. Shot #1 shows Walt himself (who was extremely proud of this show) with the miniature model of the show. Shot #2 shows a concept rendering of the original show unloading area for Disneyland (before they figured out that guests had to go up or down to see the model, not into the building’s core as shown).



And here’s a construction photo in “New” Tomorrowland as the COP show building is being built.



Here are four views of the finished attraction building/exterior signage, sponsored by General Electric:









MANY MANY thanks to an anonymous reader who furnished the images and information for this amazing series of photos. The support of the readers out there in blogland is amazing. See more vintage Carousel of Progress photos at my regular website. “Nightmare Before Christmas” fans—this Tim Burton classic is now available on Blu-ray, and also features a way cool tour of the Haunted Mansion (NBC version). Available at Amazon.com.

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By the time this posts, I should be walking to the starting gate for the Disneyland Half Marathon. I am going for it again, hoping to beat my time from last year...and also hoping that the temperatures are much cooler as well. Today’s photo is from the 50’s (most likely 1956/57), with a nice overhead shot of Tomorrowland. This is probably taken before Cox Pilot began work at the Flight Circle, but nevertheless, I am including a closeup shot of that area.



This view shows us the large promo “book” for the Skyway:



Hope you are all enjoying the Labor Day weekend; I know I am looking forward to some Plaza Inn Fried Chicken after my race! See more vintage & current Tomorrowland photos at my regular website. “Nightmare Before Christmas” fans—this Tim Burton classic is now available on Blu-ray, and also features a way cool tour of the Haunted Mansion (NBC version). Available at Amazon.com.

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Hope you all like the Castle, because today’s post is 100% Castle! Over at the Adventureland entrance, our photographer took this long shot of the park’s centerpoint. Shot #2 brings us a little closer:



Here are some Black Swans; something you just don’t see at the park anymore.





This gal just doesn’t look quite comfortable being the object of the photographer’s camera.



She’s trying...she really is. Maybe she was afraid of the Black Swans. Note the House of the Future and Moonliner in the background.



Last one for today:



See more vintage & current Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Castle photos at my regular website.

For a low-key film from the makers of "Sideways,” check out “Smart People,” starring Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker (in a nice departure from her role in "Sex and the City," and Thomas Haden Church (who pretty much steals the movie from the other 2).

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