The Happiest Parking Lot On Earth, September 1964
Whenever I post photos of Disneyland's old parking lot, I seem to get a lot of positive response. I don't know if it's a backlash directed at Disney's California Adventure, or if it's just nostalgia for the park the way it was years ago. Either way, here are three pictures of that massive parking lot from 1964.
Our photographer snapped his photos from the Monorail as it was returning to the park from the Disneyland Hotel. Across the way is the blue Monorail, with the iconic original Disneyland sign behind it.
We must be aboard the red Monorail, because you can see the yellow version on the track to the right. There's the Hotel Disneyland! Wow, that's a lot of cars...that's mine in the foreground to the right, the real old-timer! (I wish)
This last one's a little bit blurry, but you can see that it won't be long until we head on back into Tomorrowland...a Tomorrowland that still has a Rocket to the Moon, Flying Saucers, and the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea walk-thru.
10 comments:
Great shots. Love the DL sign and the pre-south-Sierra-Tower DLH (I mean, HD)!
Call me nuts, but to me the parking lot was overture and prologue to a day at the Park -- a transition zone between the ordinary world and the extraordinary. I think most of America knew the drill: kids electric with excitement because they were there but not-yet-totally There; adults grabbing stuff from cars and trying to keep organized; everyone acting out, one way or another, their anticipation of the day ahead. You'd want to hurry, but the distance of the walk to the ticket booths or the wait for the tram slowed you down, held you back, prolonged the transition, heightened the anticipation -- an effect not unlike waiting in line on the opening night of a much-anticipated movie. And all the while, clearly visible across the sea of cars, was the ultimate weenie: Disneyland itself.
I won't mention my reaction when the lot was replaced by DCA, as this is a family blog.
I wonder if the photographer found his car?
Just found your blog last night and spent hours just looking. Great stuff. I've linked to your monorail post on my blog. Hope that was ok?
Nice work!
I have said it before, the anticipation of things to come while standing in this parking lot waiting to go inside was amazing. Great pictures.
Half the fun is looking at the cars of the period in the lot. And as for the first post, that was an eloquent entry. Those of us who experienced "the Lot" (at 50 cents) will treasure those memories of anticipation and transition. Still, I feel the use of the lot as it is now is an improvement, capable of handling and dispersing the massive crowds of the day. It's just a new era and there's lots more people to accomodate. I think we treasure DL because its size remains consistent with the time it was born. And that in and of itself triggers happy memories for those of us who lived it. DL literally transports you back in your memory without any prodding. Fortunately it hasn't been "supersized" like just about every nearby development and freeway. That's why the larger parks will never "feel" like DL, despite being impressive in their own right.
OH! I miss the Bambi section.
One of the last times I visited the parking lot was on a birthday trip. I spent the day with my friend David Mumford from WDI. (He was great! Gave me a great tour around the park) When it was time to leave he and I spent a good half hour searching for my car! I was cursing it back then, but what I wouldn't give to relive that day again.
:)
I so miss the parking lot and not because of what DCA is. It was like another attraction. What an amazing expanse of land and the anticipation was always so great! We always walked , no matter where we were parked. Going for jeans and sweatshirts in the late afternoon, coming back to your car late at night, ah the memories.
Correct me if I'm wrong but these photos are in reverse chronological order. The last one should be 1st as we head out of TL and into the parking lot, then farther out, then the 1st photo should be last as we head back to the park.
I always search for my car in the employees parking, just off Harbor. I always parked along the fence, just under the Monorail, no matter how far away it was. That was the only PARALELL parking. I had a 1954 Jaguar EK-20 roadster (dark green). None of the shots ever seem to be of that area, but one can only hope.
I miss many things about the old Disneyland. That abomination of a parking lot is not one of them. Blessings to the parking structure and the tram!
In the second shot you can see a red Ford Mustang. Must have been a hot new car at the time! (Not that is still isn't!)
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