We've all talked about the "pre-show" excitement of arriving at Disneyland, parking your vehicle in the giant lot, and taking a tram to the ticket booths. But the pre-fun isn't over yet!
This group of ladies pause for a group photo while waiting in a fairly long line at a ticket booth (maybe they got there just before the park opened). Will they get the "Jumbo 15" books instead of the "Big 10"? They look like sensible (but fun-loving) gals, let's just assume that they spent the extra $1.00!
These slides are date-stamped "June, 1963", but judging by those coats, I wouldn't be surprised if the photos were taken months before that. Maybe February.
And there they go! Their day at Disneyland officially begins the moment they step through the turnstiles. The lucky ducks. Think of all the wonderful things they can do in 1963! The older gentleman is with the gals, we'll see him with his wife in future posts.
Tra - la - la - la - la
ReplyDeleteLet’s go to DISNEY - LA
They all have similar taste in coats and purses! I shall call them Maggie, Margaret, Peggy, and Meg. And then in the second picture there’s another set of ladies with similar coats and hairstyles. It’s Vague Similarity Day at Disneyland!
ReplyDeleteSue, yeah...the photographer didn't quite get the whole sign in, did he/she?
ReplyDeleteLooking at all that white clothing in the first pic, just makes me think about how dirty they are going to get after cavorting around Tom Sawyer Island.
The man with them looks a little Walter Knott-ish.
I like the vents in the turnstile roof for the flowers. These are some great pictures. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not June. Except for the lady in the peach colored pants in the first pic. Probably from Michigan or somewhere like that she's just enjoying the balmy weather. Pretty groovy, utilitarian looking coats on the ladies taking tickets too. Ladies get one of those drab coats but the guys get one of those mustard colored jackets.
ReplyDeleteGreat ticket booths pics on a Monday Major. Thanks.
I do see a tiny, red Mickey flag just to the left of the big D in the second pic. Not seeing the vents Andrew. I might be looking in the wrong place.
Ah, you can just feel the excitement! I'm a firm believer that the anticipation of an event is just as fun as the event itself. That's why I just KNOW I'm winning the lottery next week! I'm having a blast right now! Yay!!!
ReplyDeleteI bet the combined weight of their purses exceeds the gross takeoff weight of a Boeing 737. Look at the size of them. They are all wearing sensible shoes except the first in line. She told the others " I don't care if my feet hurt, I just want to look good in case we run into Walt." The girl in the preppy plaid skirt is looking in her gargantuan hand bag for her money, a task that could take all morning. Seriously, what do you ladies put in those? Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteMajor, thanks for more “you are there” goodness. I hope they have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I was puzzled by your comment, but I get it now. The turnstile roof has openings corresponding to the planters in the ground below, ensuring the begonias get sunshine.
Mom had one of those straw purses, very much like a suitcase. She carried everything under the sun in that thing. Vick Vap-o-rub, hankies, cough drops, Sucrets, Kleenex, sunglasses, chapstick, lipstick, mirror, comb, nail file, clippers, keys, pens, wallet, coins. And it weighed a ton.
Major do we ever see the photographer? I like it when the parties switch off duties so we can see everyone having a good time.
I’m off to a job site today, will check in later.
JG
Lou and Sue, I wish I knew how that ended!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, their palette ranges from “oatmeal” to “ecru”. So exciting! I wonder if they all had those “inflatable” home hair dryers (you know, the kind that women used to wear on their heads)?
TokyoMagic!, the ladies DID make it over to Tom Sawyer Island, but I think they managed to avoid most of the mud and dirt. Except for the lady to the left, she just rolled in it! ;-) Maybe the man is Walter Knott’s brother Orville.
Andrew, are the vents there for the flowers, or are the flowers there because of the vents? I just blew your mind!
DrGoat, yeah, even with SoCal’s June Gloom I don’t think there would be so many overcoats, sweaters, and jackets. I never really noticed if ticket takers at the front gates were typically men or women, but they are definitely women in that second photo. Maybe men tended to be grumpy and a little drunk. You know how it goes. When Andrew said “vents” I think he was referring to the fact that there were gaps in the roof over the turnstile area, and there are geraniums (?) on the ground beneath each gap.
Stu29573, yes, this was the “point of no return”! Once they stepped through those turnstiles, they were IN. Funny you mentioned the lottery, I got gasoline last night and almost considered getting a ticket. But then I came to my sense.
Jonathan, listen, when a lady goes to Disneyland, she needs her lipstick, and tissues, and a hairbrush, and a small mirror, and money, and a switchblade, and some snacks, and… well, who knows! It could be anything! Poor women, I guess they get used to wearing those shoes. Give me sneakers every time.
JG, I always love good photos of the ticket booths and turnstiles! I don’t have that many in the scheme of things. Are those flowers begonias? I have no idea what a begonia even looks like. Purses are one thing, but a mother’s purse definitely has to be a portable dispensary. Why yes, she has an aspirin! If it starts raining, she has her plastic babushka neatly folded and ready for action. As far as I know, the photographer does not show up in any of the photos… I think this is fairly common. My brother in-law is a professional photographer and rarely shows up in any of the family pix.
Major-
ReplyDeleteYes, who can ever forget the anticipation while procuring ticket books-??? ANY size ticket books-! The real fun was truly about to begin.
'Mustard'-colored sport coats for the guys. And if they were really good at tearing Main Gate admission tickets, then they could sell houses at Century 21-! Of course, they liked to refer to the color as "gold"; but we know better, don't we-!
Although I've never noticed it before, we can see the official Kodak Picture Spot sign for snapping pictures in front of the Floral Mickey. (Just how many millions and millions and millions of images were shot in that spot-?)
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I was a receptionist at a Century 21 office in the evenings and on weekends, while in high school. I got so sick of wearing that “mandatory” jacket, that I have never worn that color since!
ReplyDeleteSue, it's funny how work mandated things can get under your skin. I used to work at Fox Photo and we were required to answer the phone, "It's a great day at Fox Photo!" It seldom was...
ReplyDeleteStu, you just reminded me of a part time job my mom had at an engraving company. She had to answer the phone, “Good morning, it’s a fine day for engraving, may I help you?” I would have choked the owner.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw that mustard-jacketed guy, I thought he was on his lunch hour from Century 21.
ReplyDelete@ Sue-
ReplyDeleteYes - no matter what color name is chosen - it's still mustard at the end of the day. And although I love the condiment - in all its iterations - it's rarely a good color choice to pair with human beings. 'Mustard' should be outlawed as a clothing color, as far as I'm concerned - and have it stick to eating - where it really shines.
Nanook, I think that the feeling you refer to is one of the reasons that unused vintage ticket books go for so much money! Mustard-colored sport coats are great, but I need a complete 3-piece suit in that color. It makes sense that there would be a Kodak Picture Spot right there by the floral portrait of Mickey - as you said, there must have been literally millions of photos taken right there.
ReplyDeleteLou and Sue, I admit that at the time, that color was pretty “yarg”, but now it has a retro appeal! Too bad you don’t still have the jacket.
Stu29573, maybe your employer thought that if you said that sentence enough, you would actually start to believe it? I feel sorry for the girls at “Hotdog On a Stick”, with those goofy uniforms, and yet… I’ve heard that those employees like their jobs.
Lou and Sue, it almost feels like there was a book out there, “25 customer service dos and 25 don’ts” or something. “Answer the phone and sound cheerful and helpful!”.
Melissa, maybe he was!
Nanook, I admit that I don’t have much yellow clothing. Or any. But I hate to put such a sunny color fashion jail.
OMG, I’m so tempted to answer my home phone with, “Good morning, it’s a fine day for engraving, may I help you?”
ReplyDeleteMelissa, you’ll have to say it with a smile in your voice, just like my mom did!! (She truly loved her job.). Then, for old-times sake I’ll call you. What I wouldn’t do to hear my mom say it again - as corny as it was!
ReplyDeleteMajor, yellow is a great color! Mustard - meh
That's the first time I've seen that Kodak Picture Spot at the very front of the park. Guess it was always hidden behind the turnstiles in other photos. I'm thinking it would be fun to get a Disneyland map and identify all the picture spot locations based on GDB photos! Come on, it would be fun…wouldn't it?
ReplyDeleteSorry I mentioned mustard when describing the ticket taker's jacket. I thought yellow, but mustard came out. Never liked yellow when it comes to apparel. Not even in the 60s. On the other hand, my Mom loved orange and yellow. Easy to spot her in a crowd.
ReplyDeleteI don't like answering the phone here at work, but sometimes it's unavoidable. All I have to say is "McGann and Associates", but I manage to mess it up occasionally anyway. You may not be surprised how many ways I can mess up the word McGann.
Nanook and Sunday Night, I bet we haven't seen that Kodak Picture Spot sign before, because it was always behind the photographers. That sign looks like it is just out there all by itself, in the middle of the open area. I wonder if anyone ever walked into the pole because they didn't were distracted and didn't notice it? Weren't those signs usually in, or up against planters, rocks, railings?
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDeleteThere were (are-?) all sorts of wonderful "suggestions" foisted upon those who talk on the telephone for a living. Apparently - if one 'literally smiles' when speaking on the phone, that 'feeling' will come through in your voice. See... "It IS a fine day for engraving"-!!!!
@ Sue-
Also, clothing sellers/designers love to refer to 'yellow' as 'gold' - even though the only way the true iridescence of gold can come through in clothing usually involves some sort of lamé fabric, and not just simply fabric dyed a "gold" color (which in reality is merely a deep yellow).
@ Sunday Night & TM!-
ReplyDeleteThat Kodak Picture Spot sign is very illusive. Here (from Daveland), from January, 1966 is one of the few other images of it I could find.
I had phone answering jobs for years, and I would somehow always lapse into that hyper-chirpy, rolling, bouncing rhythm. “GOOD Morning johnson ART Museum!”
ReplyDelete