Here's another great batch of Disneyland Hotel photos, taken by Lou Perry back in November of 1980 (nearly 46 years ago !), scanned and shared with us by Lou's daughter, Sue B. I feel a bit handicapped by my own unfamiliarity with the Hotel's grounds and history, so hopefully the Junior Gorillas can chime in if they see anything of note.
I believe that we're looking at the Sierra Tower (I'll probably be wrong a lot today!), as a pair of guests explores the area; back in these days, there were some cool water features, including waterfalls that one could walk beneath/behind.
There's the Marina, with boats "from around the world". Most were just for display, though there were paddle boats that guests could rent if they needed a workout (and let's face it, they've been hitting the Zingers more than they should). To the right I believe we are looking at Seaports of the Pacific. I think that's the Marina Tower looming over everything.
Here's more of the "Water Wonderland". The milky blue-green water is interesting, like glacial runoff. The structure to the right is the Shipyard Inn. If there's one place tourists want to be, it's a shipyard. The sights! The sounds! The smells! The vermin! Especially the vermin.
Rather than just a small sailboat, this looks like a scaled-down version of a bigger craft. Built especially for the Marina, presumably? Every four months, a hotel employee had to scrape the AA barnacles from the hull.
Perhaps this was the view from Lou's room - once again, there's the Seaports of the Pacific pagoda. Is that brown wall where the Dancing Waters was performed? I thought that there is a pool in the distance, but now that I've looked at a map, I think that was labeled as "Papeete Beach".
We're not done with the 1980 Disneyland Hotel yet! Sue has more photos from Lou to share with us. THANKS, Sue!
Major-
ReplyDeleteJust a couple of corrections on your ID's - the first image is the Niña Tower and the second image is the Pinta Tower. Other than that, you're spot-on-!
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
I like how the 'bamboo' chairs add a splash of color to the first scene.
ReplyDelete2) Anyone know what that bamboo pole was for, next to the thatched roof?
3) Major, be thankful of the vermin. Three-fourths of the restaurants menu depends on the vermin! (joking,joking,joking)
4) AA barnacles are the worst kind! As soon as you begin to scrape them, they start singing a cheery song that eats into your brain.
Hmm, In the last pic, I suppose that rusty tin roof was made to look that way intentionally? Otherwise...oh, my!
More Disney documentation by Lou Perry. Thanks, Lou. And thanks, Major.
^ Oops, forgot to thank Sue!... Thanks, Sue!
ReplyDeleteThe faux “rusted” corrugated steel roof was a segue structure from MEXICO and becoming SAN FRANCISCO…. In the harbor of the Pacific you’d find a scaled down Monterey Schooner , a Chinese Junk , and a California Tuna Boat . There was also a peppering of smaller real boats for effect .
ReplyDeleteThe Seaports of the Pacific & Water Wonderland gave the Disneyland Hotel a feeling of being much more elaborate and special. The worst thing was relocating a noisy hotel pool making the current hotel feel like a cheap - tired California apartment building!
The hotel tower in that first pic is the Bonita Tower, named after Jack Wrather's wife, Bonita Granville.......the MOVIE STAR! The tower was briefly renamed the Wonder Tower, but then the name was changed to the current "Frontier" tower. That brown tile jacuzzi-looking basin held koi fish, but there were also koi fish in that lower section of water (that the couple is looking down into). I took a pic from almost the exact same spot as Lou back in 2010, shortly before they bulldozed the hotel's waterfall area.
ReplyDeleteThe tower in the second pic is the Sierra Tower, which was briefly renamed the Dreams Tower, and is the Adventure Tower today. I think this has been mentioned here before, but the Shipyard Inn's structure is still there. It was first renamed "Hook's Pointe", and now it houses Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam's.
Major, yes.....that wall in the last pic was the backdrop for the Dancing Waters show.
These are some really great pics. I miss this version of the DL Hotel grounds. They ruin everything, don't they?
Thank you Lou, Sue, and Major!
The water features were one of the best things about the landscaping at the old Disneyland Hotel. I loved those little pools and waterfalls, but trying to interact with the fish could be intensely frustrating. They’d make eye contact, then turn away, blushing. I guess they just couldn’t help being koi.
ReplyDeleteAh, the Shipyard Inn! Mrs. Chuck and I dined there on our second anniversary, and let me tell you, there is nothing more romantic than the the sights, sounds, and smells of arc welding while enjoying a nice meal of vermincelli. We enjoyed ourselves so much that they finally had to start flooding the dry dock to get us to leave.
That brown wall was originally built as the backstop for the Firing Squad Follies, which explains both its color and the high-pressure water jets installed in front of it to hose it down. They were forced to change the program’s format when they couldn’t find any more cast members who were dying to be a part of the show.
Thanks again, Lou, Sue, and the Major, too!
Glorious pics as always. Love seeing new angles of old favorite places! I really miss those waterfalls.
ReplyDeleteThis is all new to me, thank you Lou and Sue!
ReplyDeleteNothing like shipyard vermin to get up an appetite. To be honest, I think all this theming crammed into a small space is a bit random and overwhelming. I’d prefer to be whelmed over in Disneyland, I guess.
I somewhat prefer the theming of the hotel today, with each tower having its own theme, but the overall area being just lush landscape and vaguely neutral. Maybe if I had experienced this version, I’d miss it more.
Thanks Major!
JG
Nanook, I knew I’d get something wrong!
ReplyDeleteJB, I didn’t even notice the bamboo chairs. Because it’s all about ME! What do these photos of the Disneyland Hotel have to do with me? Nothing! I once had a vermin melt at the DH, and it was delicious, best I’ve ever had. AA barnacles sound a lot like brain slugs. Maybe they’re related? I’m sure any visible rust was there for the sake off “character”.
JB, Yes, thank you to Sue.
Mike Cozart, huh, I did not know that there were “areas”, or at least I did not think about it until you pointed it out. Why is there no “Oxnard Wharf”?? Pure favoritism. The only times I’ve gone over to the Hotel to look around it has either been cold, or at night, so it’s been pretty quiet. I imagine a hot summer day might be different!
TokyoMagic!, I saw an old poster for a Nancy Drew movie starring Bonita Granville, it was kind of fun to see. I remember the various renaming of the towers, I miss the old names. I wonder why they felt like they had to do that? I guess the Marina Tower didn’t work once they tore out the actual marina, and they were tired of explaining the name of the Bonita Tower. Now they have nice boring names.
Chuck, I’m not sure I’ve ever tried to make eye contact with a koi fish, but now I should try it just to say I have done it. I do like the aromas of arc welding, bilge water, rotting jellyfish, etc. Invigorating! Man, I am bummed that I never saw the Firing Squad Follies, I seem to recall that it was one of Walt’s last suggestions for the Hotel.
Tom, the Hotel sure looked like a lovely place back in those days.
JG, I’m sort of surprised that they devoted so much real estate to that miniature “ocean”, but it was a cool and unusual idea. I’m sure one of the reasons it was removed is that they had plans for things that would bring in more money. Now they’ve added a whole additional DVC tower, incredibly. For folks who need to go to Disneyland 30 times a year I guess?
Thank you everyone (except Chuck*) for all the nice comments and interesting info. I'm glad you like these photos.
ReplyDelete* JK, Chuck. :oD