Town Square Snoozles, June 1962
Today's SNOOZLES™ are a bit nicer than the usual dreck (as you can see) - perfectly nice photos of the Town Square area, circa 1962. Looking at the thumbnails, you might not even detect anything amiss - but they do suffer from a lack of focus, which is a bummer. I love the laid-back atmosphere and subdued colors; looks like there's a bit of the old "June Gloom" to help keep temperatures in check.
Presumably it's a little later in the day, and the clouds have burned off. To the left, a CM walks toward us - did he work on the Horse Drawn Streetcars? There appears to be some sort of sign in front of City Hall (to the left of the steps), I don't recall seeing that before. I wonder what it said?
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Hmm, the cannon is pretty much in focus, everything else is a little woozy. The people on the right are the most wooziliest; there must be a disturbance in the Force over there. This is another photo where you can put your ear close to your screen and hear organ music from across the street; but it sounds a little blurry.
Oh my, two CMs with vests unbuttoned. Someone will have something to say about that! (Personally, I think it looks more natural; true-to-life.) The older gent striding across the street is gonna bop someone over the head with his rolled-up something-or-other. I have no idea what the sign says, but it has an interesting multi-legged support. The row of eucalyptus(?) trees looks nice behind City Hall.
Like you said, Major, a bit nicer Snoozles than usual. Thanks.
JB, that rolled-up item is a Disneyland Pictorial Souvenir Guide. Shortly after purchasing it, the man had an encounter with a visitor from the future. That visitor explained to him that if he folds the booklet in half, it will drastically affect it's future value.
Unfortunately, at the end of the day, the man dropped the rolled-up booklet while riding the parking lot tram, and a car immediately drove over it.
1962: "Walt Disney's Disneyland"....a land before New Orleans Square, Audio Animatronics, the PeopleMover, it's a small world.....looks like a quiet park...with trees (very bushy...in scale, but out of scale...) and yes: UNBUTTONED VESTS! CRIMES AGAINST ALL THINGS GOOD AND HOLY! THERE! I've said it....moving on...it's kind of an odd thing in the work world, where people go to their office building perhaps nondescript, or possible more descript: like the Empire State Building...and here is my old office building, that I see frequently, and regularly. It's strangely surreal, and a bit like seeing yourself in TV shows, where it's you...and you were there...but it's not you, you....it's a different you, strangely not you...not sure really how to articulate all of this, but it's something for the Dr. later. The sign "Disneyland CITY HALL" I think had a few iterations...I saw a photo a few days ago that looked like it was just simply painted on...and then there are others with gold lettering, and later raised gold lettering...many iterations. The sign down below that said and says "Guest Relations" and "Press Information"....just FYI: we had no press information in there...no press kits, no check ins, and I never encountered a press person ever...other than when someone from Publicity/PR was possibly meeting someone in there...we definitely got a lot of press at the Comp Booth: and again: I don't think I ever passed out a press kit, or anything else. Press did get in for free by showing their official press pass...which is very much an official thing, and hard to replicate....we would still have to call it in as they waited, and they would have to bring the certificate to us to issue the tickets....which is probably why the office stayed where it was there on Town Square above the bank. If it was a weekend...yes...we would have to call someone at home, with the certificate being issued by the GR lead. Everything had to have a back up/documentation with ticket media. Press passes 95% of the time: they liked 24 hours notice...and weren't exactly "whee" at the last minute with an "I'm here" especially if it was for some po-dunk little paper in the middle of nowhere... Everyone had to show ID: no ID, no tickets. If we turned someone away: a report had to be written and documented. As other people waited, it was our responsibility to track down why people who said they had comp tickets, did not...so you'd call all over God's creation....or have the GR Lead call the Studio/WED/Et al....tracking things down. This always happened on a busy day...with a line of people...generally "comp people" are not fun people...generally....and the ones who "don't you know who I am" are the most delightful. Celebrities had to show ID as well. And if they did not have it, we would have to get approval to issue from the issuing office...which was all documented. In one case: I forgot who it was...but someone super famous...didn't have an ID...we called a supervisor who simply said..."Umm...it is HIM?!" uh...yes.
"Ugh...Just give him the tickets...." (with an eye-roll) BUT we had to DOCUMENT that they had no ID, then make sure whoever/whatever office issued the tickets were aware they had to ID. We were all mystified why people drove down to Disneyland without a drivers license...with a "I forgot"...the people at the Studio were especially super pissed off if people came without ID, as it was hard to verify who they were: and people work angles...so often times they wanted to talk to the people voice to voice...to verify legitimacy. Gold Pass quests were not questioned, but we still had to get an approval...it was a lot of rig-a-ma-roll out there if things didn't go as planned. When we became the Annual Pass processing center it became even more ridiculous if you were working solo and had to take someones photo...while working the window...etc etc. I'm not sure why they had the TG's do all that stuff...seems like the Ticket Seller Teamster types would have a problem with it...in any case: I've said quite enough. Happy snoozle Sunday, thanks Major.
For some reason, I notice in these pictures how “simple” the central island is, just lawn and pavement, with the cannons sitting out alone. Now the island is all cluttered up with little fences, benches (not a bad thing), fences that go in and out around the benches, and other complex planter objects. Just fussy.
I imagine Bu sitting in the humid darkness of the Jungle Cruise island hut, after seeing the streetcar conductor with an unbuttoned vest, whispering “…the horror… …the horror…”
Thanks Major, I like the quiet uncluttered views today.
JG
JB, the photographer was into old-timey armaments, and who can blame him? “Think of the carnage!”. I hear organ music all the time, but I live in a church. I’m sorry to be contrary, Bu, but it must have been OK to have your vest unbuttoned back in those days, we just see it too often! There’s the letter of the law, and then there is real practical life. What could the old guy have in his hand?
TokyoMagic!, a rolled up pictorial guide would be good to wallop people with - it has enough heft, and the coated stock makes the pages fairly stiff. However, if I could go back in time, I would definitely tell him he was ruining the value of that thing. He should have bought it on the way out of the park!
Bu, I think the “quiet park” look is why we so often joke about it looking like Willoughby in that Twilight Zone episode. It’s the ideal little town! I never thought about how people who worked at the park for years think of Disneyland as their “workplace”, as in “Hey, there was my office”. I see myself in old TV shows all the time, I’m always staring straight at the camera and glaring. I thought that the lettering on City Hall had always been gilded raised letters, but I am not prepared to fight over it. Huh, funny that they had a sign for “Press Information”, but it didn’t mean anything. I know that people who wrote to the park (like TokyoMagic!) would get cool goodies for free in the mail. I’ve mentioned this before, but I wrote to the studio twice when I was a kid (because I was a dork), and never got a response of any kind. Probably because I dropped too many f-bombs? I thought a press pass was just a piece of paper stuck in a hatband. “Yes, I work for the Maple Tree Gazette”. I’m going to go to the park with a Mr. Microphone, and wear a brown 1970s suit with wide lapels, and see if I can convince them that I am a reporter. “My dad is Tom Brokaw!”. Nepo babies get all the preferential treatment. I hope someday that a person will say, “Do you know who I am?” to me, I will say, “Mr. T?” no matter who they are. They’ll appreciate my puckish sense of humor.
Bu, I kind of panic if I accidentally leave the house without my wallet, it has happened on very rare occasions. On the other hand, I know someone who forgets their wallet nearly every day. I am kind of surprised that the park didn’t have a policy, “I’m very sorry sir, but without a valid ID, we can’t allow you inside”. “But it’s me, Mr. T!”. See what I did there? I feel sorry for the employees who were expected to do 15 tasks at once, but at least they were paid top-dollar (sarcasm).
JG, yes, I can never complain about benches. I watched one of Jenny Nicholson’s videos about Galaxy’s Edge, and she pointed out that the land is designed to get people out, so there is no desire to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. There are no benches made out of Yodinium. Bu was definitely a taskmaster, he is a nice fellow, but I would be afraid to have him as my supervisor! I guess I would just have to work at Knott's instead.
Tokyo!, the guy would've been better off folding the Guide in half in the first place! Something needs to be done about those meddlesome visitors from the future.
Bu, HA! Thanks for taking the bait on the unbuttoned vests, and running with it. (I knew you would!) And thanks for all the other Disney lore. Working the City Hall shift and dealing with all the guests (pleasant and un) is a job I will leave to you. I wouldn't have the patience.
JG, I noticed the same thing about the cluttered-up Town Square island. Nowadays, you can hardly tell it's the same place. It looks nice, in it's own way, but sort of ruins the overall vibe of the Square. Harder to see the building through all the hedges, trees, and fences.
Major, Aha! So YOU were the traveler from the future who told the old guy not to fold, or roll up, his Guide! I know you said "if" you could go back in time... but we all know you've been working on your Time Machine for years. You must have got it working!
A bench made of Yodinium would be soft and squishy and green and have a few wispy hairs embedded in it.
I think the CM on the left in the second picture is one of the train conductors, mostly because of the hat badge.
At first I thought the CM was a railroad conductor - but if you look closely at his belt he’s wearing a coin-collector/change maker …. These were worn by the Streetcar cast members & the Omnibus motorman …. And all attractions used similar costumes … the CM is also walking alongside a vehicle … I’m pretty sure it’s an Omnibus.
The drivers and motormen on the Horseless Carriages and Fire Engines used fare boxes …I’m uncertain if they also used coin collector belts .
JB, anybody who buys a souvenir guidebook and then immediately folds it is clearly suffering from some sort of severe mental abnormality. It isn’t natural! I would not do well working at City Hall, there is a YouTuber who talked about working there, and her secret to success is that nothing ever upset her, no matter how abusive the guest could be. It’s a life lesson too! I have to admit that I don’t remember if Town Square was cluttered up the last time I was there (earlier this year), I was too excited about all the things I was about to see further along. I can neither confirm nor deny if my time machine is working or not!
Anonymous, I will take your word for it! Don’t streetcar drivers have hat badges too?
Mike Cozart, ah, good eye on the change maker. As a kid, I wanted one of those so much. “What is that magical device??”. And getting to use one as part of a job seemed beyond amazing. Now that you’ve pointed that out, I agree that the CM must work the Omnibus or a Streetcar.
Sue, it’s probably a fried chicken.
Awww, Chuck beat me to it! And don't forget... she was also carrying all the "fixings" in her purse! Or is that "fixin's"?
Major, I guess I was lucky to get responses (and sometimes free goodies) when I wrote to the company. I did only send my letters to the park (1313 Harbor Blvd.), but there were a couple times when they forwarded my letter to W.E.D., in Glendale.
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