Celebrating Disneyland's 70th Birthday - LATE EDITION

 Well folks, I screwed up. You know it, I know it, and Tom Cruise knows it. I neglected to mention Disneyland's monumental 70th birthday yesterday! My excuse is that I have been writing these blog posts months in advance, and the BIG DAY wasn't at the forefront of my mind in November (or whenever I wrote it). However, thanks to the generosity of some Junior Gorillas who went to Disneyland with me back in early June, who sent some photos from that trip, I can do a quick recovery. 

SOME people love to point out that the park actually opened to the general public on July 18th, and since I am one of those annoying people, that's what I'm going to use as my justification to share these photos. To be clear, these are photos not taken by me, since I failed in that regard. The shutterbugs that I was with were much more conscientious about recording scenes and details than I will ever be.

Starting with a walk through Downtown Disney, there were signs all over the place, just in case you (like me) forgot that it was a special occasion. Notice the June Gloom, which was nice because it kept the temperatures down in the early part of the day. The sun finally came out by 1:00 or 2:00.

Over at the Wonderground Gallery they had a book signing (more on that in a second), and they had this nice poster in the window. They chose a very specific color combination for the 70th, with a cerulean blue, lilac, purple, and gold (with some others hues sprinkled in for flavor).

Like I said, the sun did eventually come out, giving us glorious blue skies! Temperatures hovered around 80º, warm but not too bad.

One of the reasons we went to the park was to celebrate the release of "The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland", by Chris Merritt and Don Hahn. Your old pal Major Pepperidge has a few photos in it, as does the Mysterious Benefactor, and Lou Perry (along with some other friends of GDB). Some of us wanted to be there for the book release and signing! After a failed attempt in Downtown Disney earlier (the Wonderground Gallery was not prepared for the number of people who showed up), we had much better luck at the "in park" signing later that day. 

Here's Chris and Don! No wonder they are so proud of their book, it is truly amazing, and for any of you fans of Disneyland history and "Walt's Disneyland", there is no better book to own! I highly recommend it.

Sue B. got an early copy (with a special cover) thanks to her D-23 membership, it's SO incredible that she could take this picture of her dad (Lou Perry) holding the book. We've seen MANY of his photos, some  going back to 1956!

The book was on display in various places around the park and hotels, an enticement for folks considering joining up with D-23.

Unsurprisingly, both days were very busy - I know that Friday was sold out (I assume that Saturday was as well), so it was plenty crowded, and yet we did still manage to do a lot of attractions. Some had lines that never abated, I missed out on "Rise of the Resistance", which is amazing, whether you like Star Wars or not. It made me waver on my self-imposed rule that I would never pay for "Lightning Lane" - by the time I'd spent what I'd spent, that additional cost would have really been negligible. 

Thanks to some extreme generosity from an unnamed person in our group, I got to enjoy a meal (sitting at a waterside table) inside the beautiful Blue Bayou restaurant. I should mention that we did ride "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" that first day; it is colorful and fun, with some good animatronics. I will always miss "Splash Mountain", but we had ourselves a very good time on TBA. I got good and wet, but it was OK!

The rest of these are night photos, and you can't go wrong with those. Here's City Hall. Sometimes I saw lines of people waiting to go inside; maybe they had complaints? Or did they all want their "This is my first trip to Disneyland" (or "Today is my birthday") buttons?

Our friend Bu used to work in City Hall. He ruled with an iron fist!

The Firehouse is best known as the location of Walt Disney's grilled cheese sandwich press.

Sleeping Beauty Castle has colorful lights in the "Disneyland 70" hues, but it is not as blinged-out as it has been in the past!

The Mad Tea Party, with those lanterns overhead, is certainly one of the prettiest sights in the park at night. Disneyland had officially "ended its operating day" when this photo was taken, you can see a Cast Member coming in from the right, about to spoil the scene with a sign that he plopped right in the middle of the turntable.

A bit earlier, we watched the late showing of the "Paint the Night" parade. The first showing was a complete mob scene, gumming up the Main Street and IASW areas with thousands of people. But by the second performance, a lot of guests had left the park, and you could comfortably watch it! One could argue that it is "over the top", but I admit that I ultimately enjoyed it.

These last three were taken as the final moments of our second night came to a close. We walked down Main Street (shops full of people buying those last-minute souvenirs), and lingered by the train station.

We even sat on a bench, watched people funneling toward the exit, and enjoyed the cool night air, the relative calm, the music loop, and of course the beauty of the lights.

And finally, this last one is super-nice; as you can see, it was past 1:00 AM, the park had been closed for over an hour, and there was hardly a person to be seen. I can't imagine any Disneyland fan not loving this view!

That does it for this tribute to Disneyland's 70th Birthday (late edition)! MANY THANKS to my fellow park-goers for sharing their nice photos. I realize that this is kind of a departure from the usual stuff you'll see on GDB, and I hope that you enjoyed it.

Kids of the Kingdom, August 1970

Hey, look! It's the Kids of the Kingdom! Purveyors of Positivity. It's August of 1970, and those crazy Kids are performing on a stage in Tomorrowland that would eventually be a part of the Space Mountain queue. And there is not a seat available. Standing Room Only! Looking at the famous 1968 record album, I see that there are TWO Burt Bacharach ("What the World Needs Now", "Say a Little Prayer", "This Guy's In Love With You" - to name but a few) medleys; one on Side A, one on Side B; a song from Peter, Paul, and Mary ("I Dig Rock and Roll Music"), a song from "Thoroughly Modern Millie", and even "The Bare Necessities".

Over a year ago I received an email from one of the former Kids, Linda Piesik, whose name I got wrong in my blog posts (it was hard to decipher the handwriting on the photo), she is visible in pictures HERE and HERE. Linda said... I was having such a great time. I too remember going to Carnation Plaza and watching Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke and so many more! I couldn’t believe I was just walking across the Park at the end of the day and seeing that kind of talent!

And the rides later at night! Awesome! Especially the Matterhorn and Big Thunder!

I’ve often tried to explain how easy Disneyland was back in the day. My grandchildren can’t even fathom. 

I left the park after our 71 season came to an end. I wanted to move on and see what else I could do. I’m happy to say I made a semi successful career as a singer.  Traveled the world first class and in a road band. So from one end to another. 

My stage name was Leda Grace. I recorded an album on Polydor Records. You can find me on You Tube.

Thank you for writing in, Linda, it was great to hear from you!

Vintage Los Angeles Postcards, Part 2

Here is PART 2 of a series of blog posts featuring some vintage Los Angeles postcards that belong to Steve DeGaetano - cards that he purchased in New Orleans Square at the "One of a Kind Shop". He graciously offered to scan them and provide some accompanying text, which is pretty awesome. Let's get to the cards!

LA-06: This card has no caption other than “A beautiful southern California garden.” 

LA-07: “Pershing Square is located in the heart of the downtown shopping district, close to theatres, café and leading hotels. It affords a delightful resting place for countless visitors and Southern Californians. Beneath the park is located the world’s largest underground garage – three floor levels accommodating over 2,000 cars.” (See a few photos from Pershing Square HERE).

LA-08: “Olvera Street is located near the Plaza, and the new Union Station. The street is typical of Old Mexico – an interesting quarter of colorful Bazaars, where vendors display their quaint pottery, candle and basket novelties. The oldest house in Los Angeles is located on this historical street.” (See some vintage Olvera Street photos HERE).

LA-09: This card has no caption other than “Fountain, Pershing Square, Los Angeles, California.” Probably can be paired with LA-07. (There are a few more views of Pershing Square HERE)

LA-10: This card has no caption other than “Broadway looking north, Los Angeles, Calif.”

MANY THANKS to Steve DeGaetano, I know that scanning and writing can be more time-consuming than it looks. We have two more Vintage LA Postcard posts to come!

Vintage Disneyland Paper

Vintage Disneyland paper? Yes please!

First up is this somewhat scarce brochure, undated but surely from 1955. We all know that Santa Fe sponsored the Disneyland Railroad, you'd see their distinctive logo on Main Street Station as you walked into the park. It only made sense that they'd advertise this new park in order to get the most out of their investment. Perhaps the sepia-tone ink was supposed to evoke and olde-timey look, but I admit that I wish this one was a bit more colorful. It's nice to see that shot of the C.K. Holliday and the E.P. Ripley side by side in Frontierland.

I can't help being caught up in the "romance of the rails", imagine taking the Grand Canyon Pullman if you lived in, say, Chicago. I guess you'd wind up at Union Station in Los Angeles? Not exactly next door to Anaheim.

The fact that they mention the opening date is a clue that this brochure was released before then; notice that admission for adults is a cool $1.00! An "elephant train" will transport guests from the parking lot to the main gate. Minimum walking distance, 1.4 miles? I mean, OK. Last year I walked over 10 miles (according to an app on my phone) on one particular day! I'm also noticing a mention of buckboards as a ride option - other than seeing opening-day use of buckboards, I'm not sure that they were used, otherwise.

Next is something perhaps a bit more mundane - a flyer that I believe is from the 1970s - possibly 1973 - with advice to new (and not-so-new) guests on the best way to see Disneyland. "With your segmented eyes", would be my answer. Professor Ludwig Von Drake is the character used here, very unusual. 

Note to graphic designers: red type on a pink background is hard to read! But oh well. Here are your ticket book options. Go on, get the Deluxe 15, it's only one additional dollar! What a value. Are there really "more than 25 fine restaurant and refreshment centers"? I had no idea.   

Most of the advice on the inside is perfectly reasonable. Though even if I had a room at the Disneyland Hotel, I'd have a tough time taking an afternoon break, as nice as it sounds. How about a dip in the Olympic-size pool, followed by a light lunch and maybe even a nap? Return in the evening to watch the fireworks, dance to the top-notch musical acts around the park, and catch the late performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade. Not a bad way to spend a day!

Entrance & Streetcar

I'm down to the last few scans from a lot of loose oversized transparencies; some were from late 1955, but I'm going to go ahead and posit that these are from the end of 1956.  First up is this nice bright and clear view of the ticket booths, tiny structures marginally bigger than a telephone booth. Perhaps the cast members inside felt cozy! The beautiful passenger train cars are in front of Main Street Station. It's not even 10:00 in the morning, but there aren't many people buying tickets. Perhaps it is a lot more busy inside the park?

Meanwhile, enjoy those Christmas decorations. It's CHRISTMAS IN JULY! I zoomed in because I always get a laugh when I see that "NO PICNIC LUNCHES" sign, how many grandmother's faces fell when they hefted their baskets full of sandwiches? Further to the left (at an angle) is a sign for a Toys For Tots toy drive.

Nope! The park isn't more crowded inside. As many of you know, in the early years, the off-season could mean that the park was almost shockingly devoid of guests; "Jason's Disneyland Almanac" sometimes tells of attendance numbers of 4,000 (or less!), while a busy day just a week or two later could attract nearly 30,000 people. I love this nice shot of a Horse Drawn Streetcar, that kid with his classic Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers hoping aboard. "Hold it, Mac!", he cried, with a candy cigarette between his teeth.

 

Snoozles From August, 1970

I have some proper Snoozles™ for you today, real stinkers from beyond the grave. Well, they're not from beyond the grave, but you have to admit that that sounded cool. 

One of my favorite scenes is the Sacred Elephant Bathing Pool, which was added in 1962; and of those squeaky-clean elephants, I particularly like the fellow enjoying a cool shower beneath a tropical waterfall. He's having the best time! The trouble with this photo is that it is not good. 

Oh boy, how's this for a Snoozle? It looks like our photographer was suddenly inspired to try to capture a passing Keelboat. QUICK! But those Keelboats are sneaky, it slipped behind that shrub on Tom Sawyer Island in a jiffy, leaving us with this extremely "meh" images.

 

Knott's Berry Farm

I've chosen a selection of vintage Knott's Berry Farm scans for today. First up is a pair of photos featuring the Antique Auto Ride (later the Tijuana Taxis). The slides are undated, but I'm going to guess that they are from the early 1960s, based on the boy's buzzcuts. Two steering wheels helped to prevent tantrums and tears. The Antique Auto Ride had two different kinds of vehicles, Maxwell Speedsters and Ford Model T Runabouts. The blue car below is a Maxwell.

And the car in this next photo is a Ford! Did Arrow Development (who did so much work for Walt Disney) design this ride? Or did Bud Hurlbut have anything to do with it? I love the glossy dark leaves of that magnolia tree, those always remind me of my grandma, who loved them so much.

Next, a Ghost Town photo from the 1950s. It's the US Post Office! Perhaps your parcel traveled by Pony Express. Could guests send letters or postcards with a Knott's Berry Farm postmark? Next door is the Wells Fargo building, is this where one would get a ticket for the Stagecoach ride? I have questions.
 

Next is this photo of the Church Of The Reflections, though nobody knows why it had that name. This slide was so washed-out that you could hardly see the image, but Photoshop helped. Hey, there's the train!

And finally, next to Old MacDonald's Farm was the Seal Pool. Full of seals, ya see. They ate little anchovies all day long; the guy to the left is hoping he can get Sammy to leap up for his treat. But Sammy has his pride. "What am I, a funny clown to you? I'm an artist!". All of the trees and blooming bougainvillea make the park feel very pleasant. 

A Pair From August, 1963

I have two nicer-than-usual scans for you on this fabulous Friday! Starting with a look at the Douglas Moonliner. This might even meet the criteria to be a "postcard-worthy" scene; there is no higher honor. A single blue Skyway gondolas is partly hidden behind the rocket, and the Tomorrowland terminal for the Skyway is back to the right. Divorced from context, the large angled shape to the right (part of the Rocket to the Moon building) is kind of startling. Love the telephone booth in the left foreground!

Next, also from August of '63, is this photo of a zooming Monorail - zooming so fast that the camera's shutter couldn't capture it without a little bit of motion blur! It's in the western(ish) part of the parking lot, near the fence that separated the real world from the world of fantasy. 

I'm sure you noticed the mounds of dirt, along with some pickup trucks and what might be some sort of earth-mover. Massive changes were underway in Frontierland, including the earliest construction of the Haunted Mansion, the removal of the Plantation House, and changes to the Indian Village. Of course some of those changes eventually became part of New Orleans Square. 

Fort Wilderness

It's BIRTHDAY TIME again! This time, let's all send good wishes to our friend Andrew. Possibly the youngest Junior Gorilla? Or the youngest who comments, at any rate. Sue B. has provided a funny photo for the occasion - this extremely intense baby celebrating the completion of one trip around the Sun. Those feet look poised to destroy the cake, I hope it survived. Big Sis looks on adoringly, while Big Brother might be holding a wrapped gift.

Here's yet another selection of scans from the Mysterious Benefactor! They all feature Fort Wilderness on Tom Sawyer Island. 

As the trees and shrubs continued to mature, the island got more and more beautiful. From some angles, the log fort might even be hard to see. I noticed that cable attached to the tree to the left, was the tree in danger of tipping over? When I worked at the Disney studio, many of the old trees had similar cables that supported some of the large branches that might potentially come crashing down.

I love this sun-drenched photo, and the spots of color provided by the guest's clothing inside the fort.

Moose antlers used to be the international symbol of welcome!

Inside the walls of the fort, guests would find a rustic, homey place for soldiers and officers, and the occasional pioneer in need of aid. The man to the right is happy to learn a little history! "Why didn't they just drive their Chevrolets across the prairie?". Meanwhile, enjoy those trashcans that look like cut logs.

Here's an unusual angle which I believe was behind the fort, you can just see the humble little graveyard, with guests paying their respects to those unfortunate souls who never reached their destination.

Hey, this one is flopped! Or was it flipped? But I'm leaving it as is. A Cavalry officer is probably telling exciting stories of his adventures on the plains. The guest at the bottom of the photo is wearing a deerstalker cap, just like Sherlock Holmes. Was it purchased at a souvenir hat stand? 

The fort closed forever in 2003 after years of neglect, and it was torn down in 2007, replaced with a structure built for Fantasmic! performers. It looks pretty lame.