Entrance & Exit
Today's first photo shows a nice family portrait in December 1960. Junior is holding some sort of a Christmas treat, and is apparently expecting a flood. His two sisters are wearing appropriately colored socks for the season. The one on the left looks like she's not too sure about this place, while big sis to the right smiles sweetly.
Some details in the background: the exit, and some bike racks just outside (can you imagine being a kid and living close enough to ride your bike to Disneyland whenever you wanted to?), The Ken-L Land Pet Motel, and the exit turnstyles out into the vast parking lot. To the extreme right is a Disneyland map, probably on display next to the east news stand.
And just for yucks, here's a damaged slide of the exit, from 1955. Through the blur you can see that there must have been no bike racks at that point, kids just left them leaning against the chain link fence. Did anybody lock up their bikes back then? 
4 comments:
Regarding the second photo...I've always thought those low wire railings around the planters and grass looked dangerous. I wonder how many people ended up tripping over them? Does anyone know when they started installing the taller heavy-duty railings?
Great photos! I think "Flood Boy" isn't sure about the place either. Funny how the background is just as interesting as the subjects! Thanks!
A late (sadly) friend of mine grew up within biking distance of the Park. He told me that he and his friends would ride to the parking lot exits and ask for leftover tickets. Yes, they got a lot of As and Bs, but a decent number of Cs, Ds and Es too. He said cars with out of state license plates were the most lucrative. Once they had enough good tickets, they'd have a day in the Park for only the cost of admission.
Can you imagine parents allowing their kids to even ride to the Park today?
You know, it's weird. That front entrance looks so...plain... by todays standards. Now there's themed front gates, elaborate gated through ways and whimsical decorations. Back in the day it seemed purely functional.
I can't decide which is cooler, though.
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