Walt Disney World "Vacationland" Magazine - Part 3

It's Ken Martinez time again! He's back for the third (and final) installment featuring the premier issue of "Walt Disney World Vacationland", from 1971. Heeeere's Ken:

Walt Disney World Vacationland Magazine Inaugural Edition Fall 1971 – Part 3 The Walt Disney World Resorts

As noted in the last post, like its sibling park in Anaheim, Walt Disney World had its own Vacationland Magazine published quarterly.  The articles shown here are from the inaugural edition of the magazine focused on Walt Disney World and other area attractions.  This is the final post in this series.

Here is a map of Walt Disney World’s “Vacation Kingdom” representing first year of operation.  I’ve always like the graphic style of this map. 

This is page one of a two-page article “Themed Resorts to Stay and Play In”.  Again, I love the artwork style and description of the hotels.

This is page two featuring more on the first two hotels on the Florida property.  What an easier and more relaxing era it must’ve been at Walt Disney World.

This is page one to another two-page article titled “Fort Wilderness” which covers the campground.   The photo here really portrays a tranquil environment.  I wonder if it’s still that way today.

This is page two of the Fort Wilderness article.

This ends the series on Walt Disney Worlds’ inaugural issue of Vacationland magazine. I hope you enjoyed this series.  Other Disney World stuff to come.

THANK YOU, KEN!

Two From June, 1958

Today I have one nice photo and another that is sort of interesting if you are in a certain frame of mind.

I get a kick out of this view of the eastern edge of the hub, on a beautiful (but breezy) day. Since it's 1958, the American flag only has 48 stars. Folks are relaxing on those roomy benches, and I have to admit that it looks pretty inviting - sitting in the sunshine, watching the other guests stroll by, and just taking it all in. I assume that in '58 they did not pipe in "area music", though perhaps they did.

The lady in the blue dress is wearing some sort of odd hat - maybe the same as the girl slightly to the right. Notice the sign for the new Alice in Wonderland attraction, as well as the attraction posters (Columbia, Grand Canyon Diorama, Astro Jets, 20,000 Leagues, and Skyway). 

I kind of wonder why the photographer took this picture; maybe it was an "oops". Still, it's an odd, oblique view of the castle, with a bit of scrubby hillside that would soon become part of the footprint of the mighty Matterhorn.

That Nutty Mark Twain, May 1958

I hope you can stand two more photos of the Mark Twain riverboat. Or, more likely, 200 more photos this year, since I have so many pictures of the darn thing. At least today's examples are pretty, in spite of some gloomy skies. 

The riverbank is lined with flowering shrubs. Why, I recognize the common Mountain Liverwurst, the fragrant Apricot Martian, and the always-popular Purple Loup Garou (I don't mean to brag or anything). A raft is about to head over to Tom Sawyer Island, and some guests are dining at the Swift Plantation House (our of frame to our left) so that they get a sweet view of all the action. 

Here's a closeup!

There's plenty of seats down on that lower deck - someday I'm going to have to try sitting there. But only if I can get right up front. That would be an interesting perspective on the river, since I have always raced to the top level (or "hurricane" deck).

Snoozerino Sunday

Have you ever had a couple of boxes of cereal that are almost empty? And then you decide to have a 1/3 of a bowl of Frosted Flakes, 1/3 of a bowl of Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries, and 1/3 of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles, just to use them all up? Well, I've chosen this sleepy Sunday to use up a few random snapshots. 

From January 1963 we get this odd angle of Town Square; I always like seeing those funny little souvenir stands... buy a guide book, why don'tcha! Looks like some members of a local high school sports team are visiting. The Bekins wagon can just be seen through the trees.

Also from January of '63 is this photo from the Jungle Cruise. On shore, colorfully-dressed natives are dancing. I guess they're happy to see us? 

And finally, here's an undated print featuring "It's a Small World" when it was painted all sorts of fruit colors. Berry pinks, sherbet oranges and yellows, and so on. Those dolls liked it better when it was classy white and gold!

Tijuana, April 1967

Let's go south of the border! Tijuana, that is; the destination for many Americanos who crave something different (and maybe even a little bit naughty). It shares a border with its sister city, San Diego, and it is one of the fastest-growing cities in Mexico.

Today's photos are from April, 1967. We'll start with this first one, looking west along Calle Benito Juarez (at the corner of Avenida Constitución). Say, it looks pretty cute! Restaurants, bars, and probably a few souvenir shops line the street. Love those classic cars, and even a classic scooter. In the distance, we can see the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Tijuana, which I supposed was ancient, but was in fact established in 1964. I guess that is ancient to some people.

Here's a screen grab via Google's "street view", which unfortunately was taken on a gray and gloomy day. Plus the cute cars are not there! Some of the same buildings are visible, though they have been repainted.

Meanwhile, at the nearby Avenida Revolución, you would find this classic spot for a humorous photo to send to your relatives. A poor burro (donkey?) has been painted to look like a zebra. Sombreros with a variety of funny phrases ("Just married", "Just divorced", "Cisco Kid", etc) can be worn in front of a glorious painted backdrop. In the days when I used to buy lots of boxes of random slides, I found more than a few photos from this same spot.

And what do you know, you can still have a wacky photo taken with a faux zebra! As you can see, this photo is from the future - 2019.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Tijuana.

Along Main Street, July 1972

The Wayback Machine has been set to July, 1972 - destination - Main Street, U.S.A. 

This first photo may not be the most exciting thing ever, but I love it so much. It's easy to imagine ourselves having just stepped into Town Square, and taking in this bustling, colorful scene. 

By '72, people are OK with walking in the street (for years they seemed to stick to the sidewalk, as a rule). The Main Street Cinema is showing Chaplin films rather than just Disney short subjects that you'll find today. 

Father and son are putting their 1972 iPhones in their back pockets! I wish I could go into the Emporium to see what kind of merchandise was available; after that I would go into the arcade and play some of those antique games of skill.

Next we have this nice shot of an Omnibus as it drops off passengers near Main Street Station. 

I have always loved the mini-posters that used to adorn the sides of the buses; in general they are faithful adaptations of their larger iterations, but I find it interesting that the Storybook Land example has a blue sky rather than the bright yellow found on the poster.

Extra! Extra! Here is a scan from "The E-Ticket" magazine (#31, Spring 1999), with an image showing an early version of the Storybook Land poster with a blue background, as Mike Cozart mentioned. The color reproduction is kind of terrible, but it's still pretty interesting!

1961 Rainbow Ridge

Even more than the Disneyland Railroad, the old Nature's Wonderland Railroad seems to be the realization of the ultimate model railroad layout. I can almost imagine the whole thing as it might look on an enormous table top; somehow we are magically shrunk so that we can hop on board and enjoy the  wonderful scenery - including the charming Rainbow Ridge. Maybe today I'll go to the dentist and have my teeth pulled, then I'll go to the saloon for a glass of rye whiskey, and then I'll get a haircut at the barber shop.

Legend has it that Jenny Lind (the "Swedish Nightingale") herself visited Rainbow Ridge and performed at the Opera House. The folks here never heard anything so pretty. 

This photo is just a bit blurry, but we can still make out some fun details, like the gilded "comedy" and "tragedy" masks on the Opera House, the little green benches nearby, or the potted plants hanging from the eaves of the little house up on the hillside. Notice the tiny ladder up there as well!

These buildings were not photographed quite as often as the previous examples, since they were at the extreme end of town. The U.S. Marshal's Office makes me feel less worried about bandits and scallawags. The red building was home to some freight offices, where your stage coach or wagon could be outfitted or repaired before you set off on your journey through the wilderness.

"Disneyland '66" Brochure

Today I have another fun paper item from Disneyland's days of yore. On the rarity scale I would rate this about a 5 out of 10 - not super scarce, but you can't wallpaper your living room with them, either. It's a nice multi-page item touting the new attractions that visitors would be able to enjoy.

Say, that cover's pretty classy! Not a single character to be seen on the front or back. I love the classic characters, but those old-timey designers didn't need to use them.

"It's a Small World" has been at the park for nearly my entire life, so it's hard to imagine the place without it. Folks love to mock it, but I love the attraction. The music, the Mary Blair/Rolly Crump designs, the humor, and the message of peace and unity just do it for me. Your mileage may vary.

New Orleans Square, wow! What an incredible addition to an already incredible park. Walt and his boys really outdid themselves. Of course, there was no "Pirates of the Caribbean" until 1967, and no "Haunted Mansion" until 1969, so for now the brochure emphasized charming shops, dining, and live music.

The addition of the Primeval World to the Disneyland Railroad's route was a stroke of genius. And as a kid, I always wanted to see the dinosaurs. Little did I know that they had come from the recent World's Fair in New York - in fact I probably did not know what a World's Fair was. 

Walt Disney World, Polynesian Resort 1971

Here are more very early photos from Walt Disney World, circa November 1971! All three of today's examples feature the Polynesian Resort - if you weren't staying at the Contemporary Hotel, you were probably staying at the Polynesian. (Can't I do both?). Mr. X took some neat pictures of the shops in this general area, but we'll see those in a future post.

As usual, my knowledge of all things WDW is next to nil, so I will have to rely on you guys! For instance... check out this parking lot. I like those lights! And there's enough avocado green for everyone. I think I can see a Monorail through the wooden slats, so this must be the station on WDW's Monorail loop. It all feels very sunny and inviting.

Tropical plants, tiki torches, and a lovely splashing waterfall are all things that I want in my own personal Polynesian-style estate. As is often the case, I have this strong urge to jump into that water, especially the upper pool, where I could relax with an ice-cold tiki cocktail while everyone else sweats it out in the heat.

Next we're looking toward more Polynesian resort structures, from the Seven Seas Lagoon. Where is everybody? Maybe November in Florida isn't as warm as I always thought. I presume that this was taken late in the afternoon - or else it was just a hazy day. My understanding is that, like the Contemporary, the Polynesian has been expanded considerably since these early days, increasing its capacity, but losing much of its original charm.

Pirate Arcade, 1971

Here are the last two scans of some 1971 snapshots that Mr. X gave to me. Don't worry, we have lots and lots more to come from him!

This example is one of my favorites, as it is a rare view inside the Pirate Arcade in New Orleans Square. The Pirate Arcade was home to a number of customized arcade games, including the three target shooters here. We've got the "Cap'n Hook" game, the "Cap'n Black" game, and "Freebooter Shooter". Some of these even included tiny "Pepper's Ghost" effects (dancing skeletons or some such spooky things). 

The portrait above the games doesn't really look like a Marc Davis piece to me... I wonder if it could have been done by Imagineer Colin Campbell? Of course it could be by somebody else entirely - chime in if you happen to know!

Meanwhile, here's good old "Fortune Red". I think he's brushed his teeth this month, just for you! For a small feel, Red would give you a card with appropriately piratey advice. As far as I know, Red is still in New Orleans Square.

In Frontierland, August 1967

Today I have a few lame photos to share - not the worst things I've ever seen, but they rate about a .5 on the Richter Scale. 

So... yeah. There's the front of the Golden Horseshoe Revue, sponsored by delicious Pepsi Cola. There might be an audience full of happy guests as they watch the classic show with Wally Boag, Betty Taylor, and the rest of them. I am jealous. 

Being 1967, some very bright colors are starting to make their appearances on clothing. Miss Pink Pants has a stylish short hairdo, and I can't help noticing the woman in the bright green dress, even though she is half obscured.

The hand-hewn logs of Frontierland's stockade entrance are pretty impressive. What a beautiful August day! Blue skies, brilliant sunshine... a nice souvenir hat would be a good thing to have. Notice that we can see red and yellow Peoplemover vehicles across the Plaza.

Highlining - September, 1965

My dad was not much of a shutterbug, so I was surprised to find today's photos while going through some boxes of family slides (mostly taken by my grandpa). They are dated "September, 1965", and were taken while my dad was aboard the USS Towers (DDG-9) - a guided missile destroyer that he served on for several years. I wish I could ask him about the photos, but he passed away three years ago.

It is possible that the Towers was heading toward the South China Sea and/or the Gulf of Tonkin, patrolling the waters east of Vietnam. The only notation on the four slides was the word "highlining", which appears to involve the transfer of supplies from one vessel to another via the use of ropes, pulleys, and nets.

This first photo is my favorite of the bunch, just because you get a sense of what it was like to be on that rather cramped deck. 

This one is pretty neat too, with an aircraft carrier - the USS Ranger (CV-61) in the distance; a transport helicopter hovers above the deck, while a smaller vessel flanks the carrier.

Clearly HQ has received our urgent request for more Beefaroni! 

I am imagining how tricky this must have been with two ships pitching and rolling, although the sea looks relatively placid. My dad didn't talk about his Navy days a lot (especially the time he spent in Vietnam... he would get quiet and look down at his hands and sort of mumble), but I do remember him talking about enduring some intense storms.

More supplies. Using my uncanny powers of deduction, I can tell that this net contains 100 bags of Utz potato chips.

I hope you have enjoyed today's salty photos!

Beautiful Frontierland, 1957

I have two very nice Frontierland views for you, circa 1957! Let's start with this lovely view of the Rivers of America - classic Disneyland! There's so much to like; how about the aluminum boats stored in Fowler's Harbor? Maintenance people had to get to the island some way. The Mark Twain looks super authentic, as does the old mill, and even the ramshackle treehouse on Tom Sawyer Island.

That duck (goose?) is too dumb to realize that he can just fly over that fence (or walk around it).

Here's a fun one! A lovable Stagecoach is loaded and ready for its trip around the Rainbow Desert (no "Nature's Wonderland" yet). The driver does not have "The Disney Look" - check out the cigarette! - but he was probably good with horses, so that's what mattered. A second coach is waiting to pick up more greenhorns, while just a few guests wait for a Mine Train in the background.

Two Random Slides

In the past - ten years ago or so - I used to be more selective about which slides I would scan for this blog, and which ones I would skip. Which means that there are some (not many) that I am now going back and scanning. Desperate times call for desperate measures! Except that I'm not that desperate. 

First up is this portrait (from February, 1964) of three ladies posing near the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship. Are they sisters? Maybe the middle one is the mother? We'll never know. What I do know is that the woman in the middle looks like someone who will not put up with any nonsense. The tropical plants and glimpse of the dining area in the distance (along with Cinderella's Castle) all add up to a pretty nice picture.

OK, this one (hand-dated "March 23, 1960") is driving me bananas. I could have sworn that I had scanned and posted this slide many years ago. But I sure can't locate it on the blog; I've used all kinds of key words in Google, and I even made a punch card for the UNIVAC computer that is in my basement, but with no results. (Prediction: one of you readers will find it before 8 o'clock in the morning!).

Anyway, it's an unusual angle, with Tiki's Tropical Imports to our right - there's a woven basket or purse for all occasions. Looks like a member of the Disneyland Band is hiding, just like Arte Johnson on "Laugh In". 

Walt Disney World "Vacationland" Magazine - Part 2

Here is part deux of Ken Martinez's issue No. 1 of "Walt Disney World Vacationland" magazine! Of course you've already read, enjoyed, and memorized part one, right? RIGHT?? Here's Ken:

Walt Disney World Vacationland Magazine Inaugural Edition Fall 1971 – Part 2 Cinderella Castle and Liberty Square

As noted in the last post, like its sibling park in Anaheim, Walt Disney World had its own Vacationland Magazine published quarterly.  The articles shown here are from the inaugural edition of the magazine focused on Walt Disney World and other area attractions.  This is part two.

This two page article titled “A Castle for Cinderella” mentions the Dorothea Redmond title murals inside the castle walkway and the original second story restaurant, King Stefan’s Banquet Hall.

Featured in this article is the “land” unique to Walt Disney World, Liberty Square and “The Hall of Presidents”.

Here is also mentioned the “Diamond Horseshoe Revue” which I do remember as being listed under Liberty Square instead of Frontierland.  But, so were the “Admiral Joe Fowler” and “Mike Fink Keelboats”.  In some ways, Frontierland and Liberty Square blended in together.

There’s more to come from this inaugural Vacationland magazine including articles on the Disney World resorts.  Hope you enjoyed today’s post.

Thank you, Ken!