Oh yaz, oh yaz, it's time for some more vintage Instamatics!
We'll start with this pretty awesome picture of the old Aunt Jemima restaurant over in Frontierland. I could eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so this would still be a favorite of mine if it was around today; judging by the number of people, it was pretty popular back then, too. Does anybody know if guests could eat in the upstairs area visible in this photo?
Wowzers, look at all of the people on the Columbia. That must have been on one of the days where they gave away free cigarettes or something (that happened, right?). Old Glory waves inspiringly from the stern, while the Swiss Family Treehouse (with its red leaves) is right behind us. And hey, there's Aunt Jemima's restaurant, with the turquoise umbrellas.
Guess what I've never done? Well sure, I've never done that, but I've also never been inside Disneyland's City Hall. Not even to get one of those "It's My Birthday" pins, or to complain, or to demand the return of the Haunted Shack over at Knott's. Maybe if I had an annual pass I would take the time, but I'm always in too much of a hurry.
They still had pancakes after Aunt Jemima's Kitchen closed and became Magnolia Tree Terrace, then River Belle Terrace. Nowadays it's Mickey Mouse pancakes they serve; however the quality of the place hasn't been the same in the last few years. The upstairs has never been open to the public for dining that I know of.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been quite a few years since I’ve been inside Disneyland City Hall, but I remember in the old days they had a guest book in there you could sign as well as some wall plaques with a declaration of Disneyland Day from the mayors of Anaheim and Los Angeles as well as different community awards. It was something like that, but it's been so long ago so I’m a kind of foggy about it.
Speaking of different things you’ve never done, did you get a chance to go below deck on the Columbia on your last trip?
Nice instamatics today. Thanks!
The upper floors of the River Belle Terrace buildings have never been open to guests. They are Frontierland -Adventureland management offices. If fact right above the main entry to the restaurant behind the columns, is a meeting room. We used to have meetings in there back in the day. For some reason the walls featured framed photographs of early BEAR COUNTRY and some Frontierland signs.
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDeleteWell, candy cigarettes, at least. I believe it was college campus freshmen who were targeted for the real smoking thing.
Now, just where did I put my L&M's-??
Thanks, Major.
In additiona to the management offices, the upstairs of Aunt Jemima's also housed the dressing rooms for Betty Taylor and Fulton Burley. Wally Boag's dressing room was on the Adventureland side, so I think his was not literally above Aunt Jemima's.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had breakfast at Disneyland in years, but I have fond memories of Mickey Mouse pancakes at AJ's from when I was a kid.
Well, that's modern young whippersnappers for you these days, too busy to participate in local government. I'd like to know where we'd be today if young Martin van Buren had been too busy to stop by City Hall to get his birthday button, or if young Patrick Henry had been in too much of a hurry to get to Ye Mountain of Bigge Thunder to stop by and say, "Give me the Knott's Haunted Shack, or give me Death!"
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, I know you can still get pancakes for breakfast, but, since I go so seldom, I am in way too much of a hurry to sit down and enjoy a leisurely morning meal. Thanks for the info about the upstairs! As for City Hall, we had planned on checking it out, but then we entered via Tomorrowland and forgot about it. The Columbia was closed for repairs, so no luck this time!
ReplyDeleteMike, thank you for additional details! I wonder why there were so many Bear Country pix on the walls?
Nanook, as a kid I liked the idea of candy cigarettes more than the reality. Chalky, weird-tasting things. What the world needs is a delicious candy cigarette!
RemainSeatedPlease, more upstairs info, awesome! I would imagine that the dressing rooms must have had accommodations for taking a break (in other words, naps), with that crazy schedule that they stuck to for so many years.
Melissa, so young's don't participate in government because they're too busy? Playing their rock and roll and smoking their reefers and burning bras, is what I say!!
Major-
ReplyDeleteI'll get right on researching a more 'delicious' candy cigarette, just as soon as I roll-out the first shipment of Edible Windshield Wipers-!
I'll bet Wally Boag had all kinds of jokes about his dressing room being on the Adventureland side.
ReplyDelete