Disneyland Hotel Ephemera
Here's a selection of vintage paper items from the Disneyland Hotel. Where I never stayed. I also never got a pony for Christmas. This unassuming item is only about 4" X 5" when in its fully-folded state. "Why, this small item is hardly worth my time!", one might say while polishing one's monocle.
Flip open one fold, and you get some general info - lots of impressive numbers. 1,000 deluxe rooms! 30,000 square foot exhibition room! 25 conference, meeting, and banquet rooms! 80 feral cats!
Further unfolding reveals artwork that is so great that the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel looks like poop by comparison! Just look at those sweet spot illustrations. And for some classic Hotel amenities, such as Dancing Waters, Water World Shows, Pedal Boat Rides, Miniature Golf, real golf, and yes, even a Game Room. There is also an assortment of restaurants to suit your mood, from a cantina with dancing and cocktails to the "Top of the Park" (cocktails, but no dancing). And there's the Monorail Bar (not cafe)!
Flip the thing over, and there's a handy map so that you won't get lost and cry. While this brochure (or is it a pamphlet?) is undated, the Bonita Tower is not on the Hotel site yet, and that opened sometime in 1978.
Hotel doily, well hotel doily, it's so nice to see you back where you belong! I'm sorry, Melissa, I could not resist.
I couldn't think of a song to accompany this cocktail napkin, but you have to admit that it's the greatest napkin in history.
8 comments:
Major-
On July 1, 1978, 119 of the guest rooms of the Bonita Tower opened; and by August, the remaining guest rooms were fully open.
What I'm curious about is the area north of the heliport labelled as "Luau Grounds - special area for Hawaiian parties". Just what was that??
Thanks, Major.
Hey! I didn't see nuthin' 'bout no feral cats in that brochure! Bait 'n switch I tell ya!
The nuclear family on the cover looks just a bit too happy, if you ask me. And Sis needs a chin reduction procedure.
The "Dancing Waters" blurb says "No admission". Does that mean "no entry fee" or just "no entry" or maybe "we deny everything"?
There's a whole lot of "Luncheon" going on here.
I think I can see The Dent and The Stain on the cocktail napkin. Also, Fudgie, a Bobsled, and at least two AEDs... I may have accidentally doubled my meds tonight.
I poked fun at your brochure, but it's actually quite thorough, detailed, and informative. Thanks, Major.
It’s interesting that the interior of the brochure seems to use the correct graphics and logos for the lounges , restaurants etc. ( except I’m not certain about TOP OF THE PARK) I signage used at the MONORAIL BAR was not modern like the brochure uses…. In fact the Interior of the bar was mostly “mid century old time” with the actual bar inside was done to look like a San Francisco cable car and the rest of the decor was streetcar and cable car related …. And the graphics were very “main Street” like. I have a hours of operation door sign to the hotel monorail bar and it even looks old fashioned.
Nanook, the "Luau Grounds" was just a medium-sized swimming pool, filled entirely with Dole Whip.
I wonder if the "Tiffy's Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor" in the Plaza Building, was the same Tiffy's Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor" that was located just down the street, on the corner of Katella Ave. and West St.? Did that business relocate at some point? By the way, that establishment was torn down in 2020.
Thanks for sharing your DL Hotel ephemera with us, Major.
As a kid things like this brochure would go into an envelope, to go into another envelope to go into a shoebox that would go into a dark closet only to be taken out with very very clean hands. I remember the graphics of the nuclear family: but I think that they made some return appearances in later years or perhaps a decade. I don't know who that Gene guy is, but certainly they were very invested in him to print his name on the thousands of brochures that were printed and distributed. Soooooo many restaurant choices! All part of keeping people on property: the choices are not as robust these days, and I miss the "hotel coffee shop" experience in general when I travel. It seems that there usually was the "nice" restaurant...with a coffee shop next door sharing the same kitchen....I can't think of one hotel I've been to in the past 20 years that has had this experience. There certainly are hotels that have a regular restaurant, and then another "name" restaurant to boot....maybe it's all the same thing....I digress...Sometimes you don't want a steak in a red leatherette booth....and sometimes you do: looks like the Disneyland Hotel provided a wealth of options: including the "Crown and Pillow"....I do understand the reference...but I had to look at it twice to see if "pillow" was the intended word. "Crown and Anchor", "Crown and Capstan" "Crown and Crow" "Crown and Horse".....crown and pillow? Sounds kind of mamby-pamby....more like a tea room than pub...perhaps it was? The Disneyland Hotel font is just a wee bit different than the WDP "Disneyland" font...but it looks kind of 1955 old school font...with some added elements. It was very distinctive, and I remember as a kid waxing poetic about the differences. I do miss this old style resort hotel experience: with the myriad of activities, where you don't have to go through a police scanner to get something to eat, or a reservation months and months in advance. Ahhhh....my grumpy old man appears.....thanks Major for the major posting. I want a bumper sticker that says "Take me to Tiffy's".
Somewhere recently I saw past pictures of an area on DL’s property where outside parties were held….like for business conventions. People were setting up and the decor looked tropical, IIRC. Now I don’t remember whose blog post I was looking at….or maybe they were pictures in my dad’s collection that I haven’t scanned yet?? Does anyone recall seeing those? Am wondering if those were from that mystery area….
Oh no, Tiffy’s is gone? @#$&!!
Come for the multitude of dining options, stay for the feral cats. I see there is a sand beach, no doubt specifically for the feral cats.
I do love the wide variety of restaurants, I think the closest we get to this now is some of the Hawaii destination resorts miles from other development, or maybe a cruise ship.
I remember these graphics for the Monorail Bar. I’d place this piece in early to mid 70’s, but that’s just a guess. I’m keeping this because of the handy map to these places that are now gone. Also keeping the Greatest Napkin in History because reasons. I wonder if Herb Ryman realized his Castle Design would become the single most recognized ad graphic for Disney since the Mouse?
Thanks Major!
JG
Nanook, yes, that was about the only clue I could find that helped to sort of date this item, though I suppose it could be from years before 1978. “Luau Grounds” I wonder if that’s what we see in Lou and Sue’s 1984 photo ?
JB, I suggest that you talk to the manager about the feral cat issue, you might get a coupon for a free “extremely small” soda at one of the restaurants. It’s true, poor Sis does look a bit misshapen here. I assume the “no admission” for the dancing waters meant that it was free to everyone, but I don’t really know. I wonder if “luncheons” were a bigger deal at the Hotel than dinners? Maybe lots of people took a midday break from the park and the restaurants were full of club sandwich eaters.
Mike Cozart, I’ve seen similar graphics for the Monorail Bar on another Disneyland Hotel item (which I have scanned but have not yet shared) - it does seem strange that the lettering here is so “modern” when in fact the actual restaurant had an old-time atmosphere. Then again, it’s odd that a restaurant named for the futuristic Monorail had Main Street-ish theme?
TokyoMagic!, it’s OK to swim in Dole Whip because it’s non-dairy! We don’t know what Dole Whip IS, but we know what it ISN’T. “Tiffy’s”, now that’s a name, though I admit that I kind of like it because it feels like an actual family name. Like the restaurant named after Sir Lionel Fuddrucker.
Bu, if you ever find your carefully stored brochures in a random box somewhere, send them to me! As you can see, I love this stuff. I’m careful with my paper items, but apparently not as careful as you - I don’t own a single pair of those white cotton gloves that are worn by archivists. Instead I make sure to eat a big plate of ribs before sorting through my paper ephemera. I suppose Gene was there before your time, and being able to “call him” made it feel like a personal touch. I do love the selection of restaurants, and I agree, the humble (yet wonderful) hotel coffee shop is much-missed. Coffee shops in general seem to be a dying breed, though I don’t understand WHY. I guess fast food establishments fill the need for a quick bite to eat, though of course they lack the niceties of a classic coffee shop. The Crown and Pillow, I get it too, but it’s a little odd. How British was the place? Could you order a nice plate of fish and chips? What about steak and kidney pie? They had Watney’s Lager, on draft, which was presumably a desirable thing. No idea if Watney’s still exists. I need a shirt that reads “Take Me to Tiffy’s”!
Lou and Sue, I don’t recall seeing any photos along the lines of your description, so either they are part of your dad’s collection, or you saw them on some other (inferior) blog!
JG, ha ha, I didn’t think about the sand beach and cats, but it does remind me of a kid at school stepping in… *something* that a cat left behind. I was just glad it was him instead of me. The whole Disneyland Hotel experience from that era seems so relaxed and civilized compared to today, lots of comfortable options for whatever mood you were in. Want to dance? Need a cocktail? Do you just want a good lunch(eon) before your afternoon nap? They have you covered! There are variations of this Hotel flyer, but I only have this one, I’m sort of curious as to how much the Hotel grounds change. Someday I’ll get another one.
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