Main Street Views, July 17, 1980
It's time for more photos from Lou Perry - Sue B's father (she scanned these). Lou apparently took a ton of photos during Disneyland's 25th anniversary, and these pix were taken on July 17th, 1980 - the actual anniversary day.
If you happened to visit the park and didn't already know that it was the park's 25th "birthday" (having somehow avoided the avalanche of publicity), there were banners along Main Street to inform you. I was also there, yelling the big news to people passing by. Don't worry, it was friendly yelling (i.e. less spit flying).
There's some low-key bunting on City Hall, and Old Glory was flying as usual. Some say guests might see a pale, haunted face in one of those round windows, but it's too scary so I'll never look.
Looking at the shadows, this is well into the afternoon, but the crowds don't seem as crazy and I would expect on such a significant day. You'd think that many locals would stop by to take part in the celebration. Looking through the trees in the Plaza, it appears that there is some sort of giant "cake" on display. Chonklit, I hope.
We're outside the Coca Cola Refreshment Corner. Why yes, I'd love a refreshment. Not too much ice, I ain't paying for frozen water! That vertical sign always makes me think of a thermometer.
And finally, here's a nice view as seen from Main Street Station. The giant cake is gone, guests ate it like piranhas eating a water buffalo. They all had chocolate on their faces for the rest of the day. Pooh is in the lower left corner, greeting some fans. It looks like it was a fun day!
MANY THANKS to Lou and Sue!
4 comments:
Major-
Why yes, I was there on 'that' July 17th. I don't know why Lou didn't capture my picture. It's interesting to note the lack of crowds for such a big 'encomium' for The Happiest Place on Earth. Oh, for the days of moderation.
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
1) OK, what is that thing the guy on the right is holding? I thought maybe it's a churro. But 'A', I'm not sure the Park had churros in 1980. And 'B', it looks too weird to be a churro. Is that a tassel on top? And those are some mighty short shorts Miss Pink is wearing. Her legs go on forever!
2) An interesting close-up shot of City Hall. Another example of Mr. Perry documenting pretty much everything at Disneyland.
3 Major, before I brought up the full-size image I thought that you were 'making a funny' by suggesting that the Castle was the giant cake. But I see it now. [JB's face turns red.] Maybe Jessica Rabbit jumped out of that cake! (I know, 1980 was several years before the Roger Rabbit movie came out. But they're Toons; they existed in the 'tooniverse' before they became famous in the movie!)
4) It's appropriate that the "Refreshments" sign looks like a thermometer because, as I'm sure you know, there were many Coca Cola branded thermometers that looked very similar to that.
5) I think the cake was honey-flavored, and Pooh ate it all. And your piranha analogy is fitting because Pooh can get very dangerous when someone comes between him and anything 'hunny'! Even the Killer Swans take cover! Through the magic of Lou Perry's photography, the gal on the right, in blue and white, is holding up a giant white beach ball.
Many thanks to Lou, Sue, and Major.
Wow, in that first pic, Kristy McNichols' illegitimate half-sister just happened to walk into the frame as Lou was taking the picture.
That close-up shot is of the Emporium, rather than City Hall.
That disappearing cake is a mystery. I know they had a real cake in front of the Castle for Mickey's 50th birthday. I don't think this cake for the 25th was a real cake. But if it wasn't real and they weren't serving it to guests (like they did with the cake for Mickey's 50th), then why did it disappear later in the day? JB, maybe it was a scantily clad Minnie that jumped out of the cake? Or maybe Lillian Disney?
Thanks for sharing the great pics, Lou, Sue, and Major!
Oh, and the park was open for 25 hours that day. Sue, do you have Lou's 25th birthday button and party hat? And did he see Syreeta perform that day? I hope so!
Disneyland's 25th Birthday - 25 Hour Party Stuff
.....what is that thing the guy on the right is holding? I thought maybe it's a churro. But 'A', I'm not sure the Park had churros in 1980.
JB, you are right, the park didn't sell churros back in 1980. Or light sabers. Or bubble wands. That item is one of the Disneyland merchandise bags that was used from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. It looks like the top is folded over. I bet that guy bought one of those giant candy sticks at the Candy Palace or the Castle Candy Shoppe, or maybe one of those long skinny pencils with a rubber character head on the end, which were available at multiple locations throughout the park.
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