Seems to me we haven't seen a photo of Sleeping Beauty's Castle for at least a few minutes. Symptoms include double-vision, tremors, nausea, vertigo, ringing in the ears, and the ability to fly (I have to admit, that last symptom is pretty cool). Merry Christmas, castle!
1955 was a significant year for Disneyland, only I forget why. Here's a photo from that year, with the Coca-Cola Refreshment Center (where "Pepsi" was a four-letter word). This was back in the days when there was only one Coke. No "Coke Zero", "Diet Coke", "Coke Black" (I loved that stuff!), and so on. Well, OK, maybe you could have ordered a cherry Coke, but they had to mix it up special. Next flavor experiment: peanut butter Coke.
Tomorrowland! As captured in a fuzzy, screamingly magenta slide. I did my best to restore it, but it's only "so so". The Yacht Bar is so strange... I guess they thought that yachting would be a big deal in the future?
Main Street USA looks pretty sleepy in this oddly greenish-tinted photo. Two gentlemen are a little too interested in the flag pole, while the rest of the family stares at the Horse Drawn Carriage, trying to screw up the courage to climb aboard.
1955 was a significant year for Disneyland, only I forget why. Here's a photo from that year, with the Coca-Cola Refreshment Center (where "Pepsi" was a four-letter word). This was back in the days when there was only one Coke. No "Coke Zero", "Diet Coke", "Coke Black" (I loved that stuff!), and so on. Well, OK, maybe you could have ordered a cherry Coke, but they had to mix it up special. Next flavor experiment: peanut butter Coke.
Tomorrowland! As captured in a fuzzy, screamingly magenta slide. I did my best to restore it, but it's only "so so". The Yacht Bar is so strange... I guess they thought that yachting would be a big deal in the future?
Main Street USA looks pretty sleepy in this oddly greenish-tinted photo. Two gentlemen are a little too interested in the flag pole, while the rest of the family stares at the Horse Drawn Carriage, trying to screw up the courage to climb aboard.
mmmmmMUNCH!
ReplyDeleteHm that is a nice castle pic though somehow friendly... a friendly castle, what a concept... Strange but I'm almost sure I've seen those guys somewhere, the guy with the hat and friend. I can't place it.
What's with the horse saw or whatever it's called and sign blocking the entrance to the Coke Corner? Was it hazardous changing the carbonation cannisters? A bust after the Coke dealers tore it up and it's under repairs? Or was it just still being built inside? Nowadays there's the whole seating area, pianist (if you're lucky) and everything there on the right. Yet... it still makes me want a real Coke. Which I can't even buy...
Oh yup I enjoy them Matterhorn pics and this one is a nice vintage view. Yacht Bar? Huh you're right that is odd. But maybe it was an association thing, to think there were Yachts in our future? With all the progress we'd all be so much better off... Instead we get Terminator. :(
That is a really tranquil Main St pic. I'd like to go stroll in there and help people it up. :)
"All persons wearing gray trousers please report to the castle entrance immediately. The group photo will be taken in fifteen minutes."
ReplyDelete(Very glad to see a nice long comment from the lately invisible Chiana Chat!)
Coke Black? That stuff was pure eeeeeevilllll--like the nuggets at the end of Time Bandits!
ReplyDeleteI was full after gorging on that awesome castle picture, but just like when I'm at Disneyland, I keep eating!!! Are you saying my Hover-Yacht isn't futuristic?
ReplyDeleteChiana, I don't know if we've seen those two fellas in any of my pictures before. Anything is possible, since I post things in mixed-up order.
ReplyDeleteDidn't even notice the gray trouser conspiracy!
Coke Black... Coca Cola and coffee, I thought it was good!
VDT, hover yachts are the exception to the rule, I should have said so!
Judging from the bunting in the last picture, a patriotic holiday is in the works.
ReplyDeleteAt the flagpole, is the man on the right wearing a uniform with a badge? There seems to be a bright reflection right there. Those two seem to me like a color guard tying up the halyard. Too bad we can't see the top of the pole.
Does anyone know how the colors are posted on this main pole, or are they now left up all the time (with spotlights)?
Seems like being the color guard at Disneyland could be a good gig. Also, is this flag the current flag of the day, (say 48 stars) or is the flag of the period of Main Street (similar to the one we saw on the Columbia a few days ago)?
JG
i have never heard of Coke Black...or is my blondness showing again!
ReplyDeletethe decorations for Christmas seem so sedate compared to how much they do it up nowadays. i like it
i love the Matterhorn photo a bunch. the bright sunshine and the odd exposure makes the "snow" really white and shiny!
as for Main Street, i still laugh every time i see a pic where no one is walking in the street. maybe its just a WDW thing, coz we ALWAYS walk in the street
thanks for the yummy buffet!
Wow, loved these photos. I want to walk down that little bit of sidewalk to the right of Coke Corner simply because it no longer exists. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteThe flags on the Main Street flagpole are whatever the current US "Flag du Jour" is and the California state flag. Based on the lack of a visible Matterhorn or more than 15 Guests, I'm guessing this would have been the 48-star flag of 1912-1959, although it's possible that filthy Beatniks have replaced it with their infamous "Coffee House Flag."
ReplyDeleteThe colors are raised every morning before Guests are admitted to the Park and are retired every afternoon. I haven't personally observed the event since 1998, but at that time it was lowered by a small detail ( I think 2 or 3) of Security Hosts. It used to be (and I hope still is) listed as one of the daily events on the free "Disneyland Today" maps you can get at the entrance or at Town Hall.
UPDATE: Just checked some photos of the flag lowering ceremony over at Daveland (http://davelandweb.com/cpts/) and found that, at least as of Feb 2007, the Security hosts are still lowering the flag. Also included in the photos are several of the Dapper Dans, so I'm assuming they also sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at the same time.
ReplyDeleteIRRELEVANT ASIDE: I received my first military promotion on 17 July, 1995, so my wife and I celebrated Disneyland's 40th by putting on my new rank that morning in front of the flagpole on Town Square. Later that afternoon I found myself on Town Square in my AF uniform at Retreat time, and it was a really moving experience to be able to render honors at a place that means and has meant so much to so many Americans - myself included.
JG, that photo is from 1955, so the bunting might be from opening-day ceremonies. Or for the 4th o' July, of course!
ReplyDeleteI think we can safely say that the flag was of the 48-star variety. Chuck, thanks for all the great info, and the story of you and your wife at Disneyland's 40th! I remember being there a few months after 9/11, and when they played the Star Spangled Banner, everyone was in tears!
We were there in Sept. of 2007 to see our son leave, from Camp Pendleton, to head out for his first tour in Iraq with his Marine unit. The next day we were there in the square at dusk and the Marine Corps Band was there and they were giving honors to a distinguished USMC Gunnery Sergeant. Then the Disneyland Color Guard lowered the flag as the Gunny and his associates rendered honors. Afterward we introduced ourselves and told them how much it meant to us in light of the reason for our trip, and we all had our pictures taken together (us, the Gunny, and the D'land Color Guard). It was and still is quite moving.
ReplyDeleteWow Chuck, Vaughan, great hearing those special moments, thanks for sharing them :)
ReplyDeleteAnon, thanks!
Yes, indeed, thank you very much for sharing those experiences.
ReplyDeleteBest regards.
JG