Friday, July 11, 2008

2fer Post / 2 Day Passports & RIDE MONORAIL RED

Today’s post is a 2fer! Two posts for the price of one.

Up first, from July 11 & 12, 1983, this a pair of “2 Day Passports”. It’s hard to believe these are 25 years old, 1983 seems like just yesterday, plus a few thousand days.







The 1983 Guide book does not list the price of the tickets, but notice it says “Value” next to the amounts. On the old ticket books the word “Value” was not the amount you paid, rather it was the total face value of the tickets. I wonder what the actual price of these tickets was.








****** TRIP REPORT *******


I went to Disneyland yesterday to see if the 8:00am to 9:30am light crowd window was still open like it was last Thursday, and it sure was! Maybe it’s the gas prices causing the lighter crowds? After arriving at the main gate at 7:57am, I was thru the turn-style at 8:00am and noticed the New Red Monorail zooming past on the beam.

It was straight to the monorail station for me, I was ready for my first ride on the Mark VII! As I approached the station I saw the old Purple Monorail and figured the new Red Monorail was not going to be in use. A few people boarded old Purple then it took off before I got up to the station.

This is how the station looked when I arrived at the top. The nice gentlemen working the station told me the new Red Mark VII would be there in 8 minutes and I was welcome to board when it arrived!!!!!






Here she is on her way into Tomorrowland and the station.








First I went into the front passenger area, and took a few pictures. Then Captain William stepped in and said “Since there is only you and one other person on this trip, do you want to sit up front with me?” You don’t have to ask me twice!







Nice Captain’s chair! Check out the Chrome Joystick! The front was a little roomier than the sitting area on the old ones, but pretty much the same, I think the glass is just larger. The air conditioning works great up here, although it was still only about 8:15am.






Do you want to ride in the new Monorail? Here you go. Well, it's an amateur video taken with my digital camera, and it only runs ½ way thru the loop, but you get the idea. It’s smooth, quiet and fast.










The submarine dry dock area as seen from the monorail. Fun little three wheeled bikes.






At the risk of repeating myself, the park is empty for the first hour.






If you want girls to wave at you, ride the top deck of the Omnibus and keep taking flash pictures, they love it!





Tomorrow: Since I will be on my way to Walt Disney World, we’ll have some Vintage EPCOT tickets for Saturday’s post.

5 comments:

Daveland said...

These are excellent - the next best thing to being there! I truly love the design of the new Monorails; so what if they don't have air conditioning?!? They LOOK great!

Major Pepperidge said...

Wow, great photos of the new Monorail. This design is a HUGE improvement on the boxy "Lear jet" look of the old ones. No bubble dome, but you can't have it all, I guess.

So what's going on next to the Corner Cafe, something's all covered up in tarps!

The Viewliner Limited said...

Fantastic pics Tim. What a great looking monorail, inside and out.

Katella Gate said...

I am still astonished that the Monorail doesn't make a stop at the Grand Californian. I know it's "just across the plaza" from Disneyland, but it's all about perceived value (what they call "magic" in Disneyspeak).

And look how far the the original Disneyland Hotel terminal is from the present placement of the Hotel.

Are all these missteps an expression of the resentment of the cost of repositioning the tracks when the Indiana Show building when it back in the 90's?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the ride!