Disneyland's Birthday, and More
I don't think I have managed to remember Disneyland's birthday even once, over the past 16 years. But our friend Sue sent me a few photos to share, featuring the Disneyland Band as they performed in an uncrowded Town Square! These are from July of 1979, and were taken by her cousin Stu; so at this point, Disneyland was a mere 24 years old. And now, here we are on the park's 67th birthday! Hard to believe.
Look at all those wonderful trees! And look, grass! Is there any grass left in Disneyland? I even enjoy seeing that fire hydrant, I'm not sure there are any hydrants out in the open like that anymore. While these photos are likely not from July 17th of 1979, I have to wonder if there was a celebration of any kind, and did crowds show up for the birthday?
Not to seem disrespectful, but I still have some "Snoozer" photos for you. To be honest, I had them here as "placeholders" before Sue reminded me that today was Disneyland's birthday, so by golly, I'm going to use them, consequences be damned! These are not from 1955, but they're still "early 50s", so you will be billed accordingly.
This one isn't too bad, really, it's just sort of a general view of a bunch of stuff. You've got Fowler's Harbor in the middle, with a mysterious cerulean blue raft of some kind. Walt's Secret Raft (it never gets old, folks!). A Keelboat is loading up with a bunch of opera singers (I can just tell, OK?), and they will sing the wordless chorus to "Ride of the Valkyries" as they sail around the river (accompanied by banjo of course). In the distance (to the right) we can see the Disneyland RR passing by.
Next is this odd photo from the grounds of the Disneyland Hotel. The "garden apartments" must have been brand-new at about this point. Imagine being a visitor from the frozen midwest, being able to walk out and pick an orange from one of those trees! My mom used to ship boxes full of citrus to our relatives in Wisconsin and Minnesota (before that sort of thing was frowned upon by the Department of Agriculture).
Ah, the sun in shining, finally! The photo is partially eclipsed by somebody's finger (to the left), but otherwise this is a pretty swell view of the Clock of the World. Suddenly I'm craving a martini. But first, a stop at the Bathroom of Tomorrow, because... well, you know.
Happy Birthday, Disneyland!
27 comments:
Major-
Wow - the color in cousin Stu's photos sure is wonderful - especially if red and white is your thing-! The Rivers of America - although kinda murky - are certainly inviting - especially as [either] the Tom Sawyer, or Injun Joe, or Becky Thatcher is just beckoning us to board.
"Imagine being a visitor from the frozen midwest, being able to walk out and pick an orange from one of those trees! My mom used to ship boxes full of citrus to our relatives in Wisconsin and Minnesota..."
OR - you could just call Mission Pak...
♫ Say the magic word
Say Mission Pak, and it's on its merry way.
No gift so bright, so gay, so right
Give the Mission Pak magic way-! ♩
Just give us the address, and we'll do the rest.
♬ To find your nearest Mission Pak store call
ADams 2-4184. ♫
Thanks, Major (& Sue). And Happy Birthday Disneyland. (Perhaps they'd love some 'fancy fruits' from Mission Pak to celebrate the day-!!)
Major, there is still a visible fire hydrant in that same spot in Town Square:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8104501,-117.9189055,3a,75y,209.73h,70.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD-YUgxcY8Ie-cILrOarugg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
I don't think that is a finger, in the last pic. It looks like a dust storm was moving into Tomorrowland, and most likely created by the Santa Ana winds blowing across Holiday Hill.
Thank you Lou, Sue, Stu, and the Major, too!
Happy birthday Disneyland! Thanks for the reminder, Sue - I’ve lost track of the calendar over the past few weeks with COVID in the house (we”re all fine - it’s affecting us like a bad cold - but as we have been contracting it sequentially, it’s really dragged this thing out).
I also like the color of Stu’s pictures. I especially like the dad taking pictures of his two boys on a bench in the second image. Years from now, they can show folks proof of that time they were backed by the Disneyland Band.
Thanks to the Major’s description of the Rivers of America photo, I have this odd, mental image of Jean Norman singing to the accompaniment of a young Billy Redden. In my mind, they are actually performing “Dueling Banjos” rather than “Ride of the Valkyries.” I also feel the urge to paddle faster.
I think with the last picture I finally figured out how to read the Clock of the World. The small, golden sphere below the white strip of numbers at the top is stationary along with the map of the world. That sphere features rotating numbers that show the current minute and also acts as a marker for local (Pacific) time. The white band of numbers rotates to the left and shows the current hour at the strip of the globe aligned below it on the map. Assuming my theory is correct, the current time at Disneyland was 13:55 (1:55 pm). Based on the way the hour band is aligned perfectly with the lines on the map, I’m also going to guess that the hour band moved one hour forward at the top of the hour rather than showing a slow, smooth rotation like you would see on the hour hand of most analog clock faces.
Thanks to everyone involved in the capturing, storing, scanning, and posting of these pictures!
TM!, that may be a swarm of bees rather than a dust storm. Thanks also for that link to the modern-day photo of Town Square. Was that taken during one of your family reunions? Nobody in it seems to have any facial features.
“But first, a stop at the Bathroom of Tomorrow”....to see Grant’s mom!
I love how the trash can and hydrant (pic #2) are standing and posing as proudly as are the world clock and Moonliner, in last pic. The trash can appears to be smiling a little.
I love the garden apartments angle. A quick run to the hotel coffee shop for breakfast and then off to celebrate Disneyland’s birthday. See you there!
Thanks, Major.
—Sue
Loving the D'land B'day pics.
Especially the Clock/Rocket pic of people posing for another pic. Is that the opposite of photo-bombing?
Sue, a Disneyland just wasn't complete without a visit to the BoT to see the charming exhibit coordinator, mom. I'm surprised she wasn't ever listed in guide books. :)
Thanks for the Park's birthday reminder Major. I always forget too.
No one in the first picture has a bag of C&H sugar. I am disappointed.
One classic Main Street trash can has to be enough. Tokyo, good catch on the fire hydrant, thanks for the link.
Not only do we see the blue barge, but the fish nets also, as seen from the reverse angle a few weeks back. I wonder what the barge was used for? They seemed a lot more casual about non-themed elements back then.
Nice picture of the hotel rooms, notice how exactly the louver openings align with the concrete block joint lines, the flanges are bigger than the openings of course.
Now that we have figured out the World Clock, let’s go ride the Phantom Boats and get stranded in the lagoon. Wave at Grant’s Mom on the way past, I’m sure she was working that day.
A fun mixed bag today, Major. Everyone have a good day and think of Disneyland.
JG
They should have had a whole Carousel of Bathrooms, with the plumbing of the Past, Present, and Future. Follow the typical American family into the smallest room in the house for a musical journey that will leave you feeling flushed with excitement!
Up for a few minutes while I recovering from my hip replacement. Don't believe the tale that you can golf within a few weeks. The defining term 'a few'. Now I know why the disabled parking placard is good thru Sept 20. Still progress is being made! That said..
Happy Birthday Disneyland! To think I joined the cast when you were only 13 well...I guess I am old now.
Melissa...the way Tomorrowland is these days, I wouldn't be surprised they would come up a BoT exhibit. And maybe it would be an improvement. But I digress...
JG...I can only guess that the barge was the maintenance platform for various work related issues on the river...including picking up the occasional mud hen that passed away and other debris.
Thanks Sue and Stu for the colorful pictures of the times I recall so well. KS
Nanook, I do like red and white, so I’m doing good! And come on, sure you can order citrus from Mission Pak, but there’s still nothing like picking an orange or two, right off the tree! I used to love to go out to my grandma’s orchard and pick a bag full of Valencias or Navels, or maybe some tangelos, it was the best thing ever, and I miss it to this day.
TokyoMagic!, interesting, I thought for sure that all of those hydrants had been relocated and/or hidden. Sticking a few trash cans in front doesn’t count as “hidden”, does it? I didn’t consider dust storms, and am ebarassed to admit it.
Chuck, on no! I’m sorry that your family has been dealing with Covid, but am glad to hear that the effects are not too severe. What’s the point of performing “Dueling Banjos” on banjos? That’s just what “they” will be expecting. And by that I mean the Commies. Besides, I prefer Dueling Theremins, it reminds me of my years on Omicron Persei 7. I knew how to read the Clock of The World, but did not consider that the “hours” moved forward one hour at a time, rather than in a smooth, constant motion. That’s an interesting detail, to me anyway.
Chuck, I see that my weird “left/right” dyslexia kicked in (I can’t explain it), the bees are on the left of course. I’ve corrected it so that it won’t go on my permanent record.
Sue, I wonder how many people were disappointed that they couldn’t “use” the Bathroom of Tomorrow? It’s just for looking! Lucky for Grant’s mom. Smiling trash cans, only at Disneyland. The Garden Apartments do appear to be very pleasant, but I would have a hard time picking those over being six or seven stories up in the Sierra Tower (just for the view).
Grant, hmmm, I never considered what the opposite of photo=bombing would be. Photo hugging? Nah, that’s not quite right. I’m not sure I knew your mom’s title was “exhibit coordinator”, do you know what that involved?
JG, ants frequently carried those bags of C&H sugar away, which is why you rarely see the bags in photos. It was a real problem. That second photo is from the same batch as the other one showing the blue barge, so good eye on that one. I’ve scanned a TON of ‘50s Disneyland photos lately. They’re not all great, but still, it’s Disneyland in the ‘50s. What’s not to like? My guess is that the barge was used for some kind of river music performance, even though this was pre-“Dixieland at Disneyland”. Thinking of the Phantom Boats… imagine if one of those crazy boats had somehow survived until today? It would be worth hundreds of thousands of bucks.
Melissa, what if the bathrooms of the future involve lasers? That’s my worry, to the point where I can’t sleep at night. I do like the idea of a “musical journey” while you are doing your thing. “Hello, Sherman Brothers, this is Walt. I have an assignment for you”.
KS, great to hear from you, and I’m glad that you are recovering from your hip replacement! Please refrain from playing “Twister” for at least two months. Yes, I don’t know about playing golf, but walking around fairly normally (with some caution) might be enough. You joined the Disneyland cast at a great time. Maybe the best time? Maybe a new “Bathroom of Tomorrow” could feature Johnny Depp. Can you believe that I give these ideas away for free? Maybe you are right about the barge being used for maintenance. Though it might have been a test for another river vehicle!
Happy birthday Disneyland! Nice band pics, cousin Stu. How do they keep their white shoes so spotless? I think I'll get some books at the Emporium. The spiky thing on the Clock of the World has never looked more threatening. I like the guy in the pith helmet in that photo. Thanks Major, Sue, and Stu.
Tokyo!, Ha! Before reading your dust storm comment, I had written: "Major, that's not a finger. Our photographer captured a rare moment when a dust storm was moving into Disneyland. No doubt caused by the hot Santa Ana winds." Weird minds think alike... or something. But since you already said that, I won't. ;-)
Chuck has laid claim to the "swarm of bees" theory, so I'm left with this: Someone just out of frame to the left was about to eat a chocolate truffle, bought from the Main Street Candy Palace, when they sneezed. Causing a huge cloud of cocoa powder to engulf most of Tomorrowland.
Melissa, I like your Carousel of Bathrooms idea. "You'll be tapping your feet in anxious anticipation!"
Thank you, Major, Sue, and Sue's Stu. I couldn't see today's post at the usual time (12:01). Was there a problem? Maybe at my end? (There's that Carousel of Bathrooms thing again.)
@Melissa - "No privacy 'tall round this place," indeed.
I just read this on another blog regarding driving your own car and parking at a WDW theme park—and I thought the Jr. Gorillas would find it ‘interesting’:
“Guests staying at non-Disney hotels will also be charged for parking at the theme parks. Standard parking for a car or motorcycle is currently $25 per day at the theme parks. Oversized vehicle parking (campers, RVs, limos, etc.) is $30 per day at the theme parks...
If you want to get a little closer to the action, you can buy access to a preferred parking area for $45-50 per day.”
It’s that last sentence that I found to be interesting.
—Sue
P.S. KS, it’s great to see you back!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!
In a rush today! Only have time to say MOONLINER ALERT! MOONLINER ALERT!
Oh, and the Clock of the World says its 1:55 p.m. ...I think...
Now I'll go read everybody else's comments! Have a great Sunday!
The Disneyland Hotel Garden wings at sone point had themes … the south end complex was called ORIENTAL GARDENS …I’ve found photos of 1970’s/80’s ORIENTAL GARDENS signage and themed directional “way finding map signs” . The north end of Garden units ( originally corporate units - later used for weddings) was called HAWAIIN GARDENS …but I’ve been unable to find images of the Themed signage and graphics … things people didn’t really take pictures of then.
After the “Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow” which by-the-way wound be impossible to fit into the Monsanto Home of Tomorrow, Disney was approached by the SCOTT BATHROOM TISSUE COMPANY ….. they desperately wanted a Disneyland attraction or exhibit based on their product. And WED tried many concepts …. There was a “Scott Tissue Magic Gardens” exhibit were Forrest animals explain the process of tree- to paper -to tissue products … then the futuristic TOMORROWLAND bathrooms designed by John Hench ( these concepts are shown in the John Hench book) …. The pavilion featured glass sculptures that upon Hench admitted looked like glass toilet paper rolls on vertical poles ….. the imagineers struggled with an attraction appropriate to showcase that company’s product . Marc Davis said everyone did “under the table” joke concepts for them to laugh about … until one day Marc had left his joke drawing out and Walt saw it. It featured a spiral mountain with a long line of guests waking up the mountain …. At the top was a old wooden outhouse with a chase light marquee reading “happiness is a long warm *** presented by Scott’s” Marc was embarrassed - Walt looked at it and said “ yeah I think we’ve gone as far as we can ……” and reluctantly turned SCOTTS away. Marc kept that outhouse sketch but wouldn’t let it be photographed- HOWEVER …. If you look through your Marc Davis E TICKET MAGAZINE back issues….. you’ll see the sketch accidentally appears in a background photo taken of him!!
Ken; good luck!! My mom had her hips replaced several years ago ….. she recovered very fast …. I was impressed as she isn’t very athletic….and hip surgery is a piece of cake compared to knee surgery ……. And now she needs knee surgery. If you ask her how her knees are doing she’ll without fail reply “ my low knee or my HI KNEE…..?” ( hiney).
Ken : does this mean you will be unable to participate in next week’s “Charleston- Tap -Clog” dance competition??
God speed in recovery Ken!
HAPPY 67th Disneyland!!!
Major, I doubt they’ll be expecting Jean Norman singing her half of “Dueling Banjos” operatically. It’s unpredictable moves like that that helped us win the Cold War.
Just noticed a group having their picture taken behind the Clock of the World. I wonder where that photo is today?
Oh...I won't be dancing anytime soon. Wait a minute...I found myself dancing in place to the music on the radio this morning! One day at a time. And yes, I have heard the knee is really the rough one. Thanks all!. KS
Nanook (and everyone else). That Mission Pack phone number is one of 2 phone numbers I still remember from my youth. The other is RIchmond 9-5171. Any guesses?
Ken: Here's to a speedy recovery!
Major-
"I do like the idea of a “musical journey” while you are doing your thing. “Hello, Sherman Brothers, this is Walt. I have an assignment for you.” " Major - sheer genius-! ♫ Just a spoonful of sugar helps...♬ You get the idea-!
@ Sunday Night-
I do remember that number: The Olympic Auditorium. And there's also the number for the local reservations office for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas: BRadshaw 2-8611. (Also the Sheraton: 800 325-3535); but, oh please - without real prefixes, it's simply ghastly-!
Happy Birthday Disneyland. It always is a day I remember and top of mind...however I rarely remember my own birthday. A few employees in my dept. at the Park have their birthday today too. I was strangely jealous. I was around for the 25 hour around the clock party- which was kind of a big deal at the time...Space Mountain at 4 in the morning. Why not? I remember it being pretty cold and damp and it wasn't busy at all when it got really early. I forced myself to stay up the entire time...but didn't make it. I forget what Hotel I stayed in...how odd...it may have been the Disneyland Hotel...Thanks Chuck for finally giving me the "how to" on the world clock. I could never figure it out. Now I know. I think it would be cool to recreate this clock somewhere...possibly not even in a Disney Park...is it copyrighted? Garden Rooms at the Hotel...Yes! Oranges! Yes! I have a fondness for those garden rooms, but as an employee I was a "tower snob". I think I've mentioned before that we used one of those garden rooms as a reception office with the beds and things taken out. I forget the events however. They had very lovely ground floor patios. What a luxury that would be now. I was going to ask about "no grass" in Town Square now...thanks TM for the current, yet disturbing, photo of Town Square. Looks like Outdoor Vending has quite a "new and whale size" look. Not sure why things need to be so horsey, colorful, and giant. I also don't understand a line for City Hall (?) What goes on there now? Is that the complaint line? I have a lot of questions, but I'm going to stop. The photo was taken in Summer...that is the only time "Popcorn 1" was used...and other peak days/times. You would think that Popcorn 1 would be at the hub...but that was "Popcorn 4". There was a method to the madness, but I forget. 6 was New Orleans Square, 8 was Big Thunder Trail....I'll have to dig deep for the other numbers. Ice Cream wagons had numbers as well. There was no ice cream wagon in Town Square in my time. Balloons only at night...and only during Summer...and wherever you were stationed with balloons you would have to stroll down to Main Street at closing to sell every last one....and you ALWAYS did. There is that blue thing at Fowlers Harbor. That is officially an eyesore. That has a story and I want to know it! What are those buildings in the distance where the Indian Village would be? An early Stovall Hotel? There is a Stovall Motor Hotel left on Katella. It lacks any kind of charm of "space" and "future" and other google type elements. At one point they bought an old Anaheim house which became "The White House" restaurant. "Lost and Found Louise" grew up in the house and it had quite a story. She was a character...I think in a previous post that she is photographed in I called her "Lucille", but her name was indeed Louise. When it was raining she used to say to us "make sure you wear your rubbers today!" The house has quite a history, and is still operating. I'm not sure why the Stovalls bought it and sold it, but it seems the Stovalls are around too...maybe a Stovall follows this blog. They are a major part of the Disneyland legacy..in my mind anyway. Who doesn't love an Atomic Lodge with a side of the Bathroom of the Future! (Thanks for that story MC...I'm surprised there isn't a "pay" toilet system now...with like fancy booths and whatnots...there was an app for "luxury toilets" in Manhattan...what happened to that?....) Happy Birthday Disneyland...67...wow...that zoomed by.
Bu, I don't remember an app for luxury toilets, but I do remember Charmin setting up free public toilets in midtown a few years ago. It was a big deal for the Thanksgiving parade that year.
Kathy!, maybe the Disneyland Band went through white shoes the way everyone else goes through paper towels. There was probably a large pile of soiled white shoes backstage!
JB, everyone has dust storms on the brain. What does it mean? Maybe bees were attracted to the could of cocoa powder? That would make you AND Chuck right. As for the late post today, I forgot to set the publish time to 12:01. Nanook notified me via email at about 12:30, and I happened to get home right about then, in time to rectify the issue.
Dean Finder, in the future there will be no privacy!
Sue, I guess it’s no surprise that they have found yet another way to nickel and dime their guests. “For people wanting to wear their own shoes in the park, an additional fee of $25 will be necessary”.
Stu29573, I see it! I see the Moonliner! Now what do I do?
Mike Cozart, I can only imagine what sort of rude gags the Imagineers cooked up for the proposed Scott Tissue sponsorship. Those guys were only human! How could they resist? And after growing up on a farm (at least for a few years), Walt was probably not too shocked at them, though he may have “tut-tutted”. Or maybe not! I guess it makes sense that they would at least try to make that sponsorship work, but there are some products that just aren’t going to work at a Disney Park. Odor eaters? Cough syrup? I’m sure you can think of plenty more, as can I.
Chuck, I am ashamed to admit that I had to look up Jean Norman, I am not familiar with her work. And could it be that those people behind the Clock of the World were posing for our photographer?
Anonymous, the way I dance is as if my feet are nailed to the floor, so nobody would ever kjnow if I had a hip replacement.
Sunday Night, I have no clue!
Nanook, those Sherman boys could write a catchy song about anything. I believe in them! Amazing that you remember those phone numbers, you must have really had them drilled into your brain.
Bu, I can’t imagine being at the park for a 25 hour party; I’ve heard stories of other long events, and some podcasts would mention that some guests got so sleepy that they would lay down in a convenient flower bed. I wonder if the cast members had to roust them somehow? I mean, that is not “good show”. I’ve always wished that Disney would make a nice working scale model of the Clock of Tomorrow, maybe it’s too complicated to make it without it costing too much. I love the idea of the complaints line at City Hall being one of the longest in the park. I wish I could remember which popcorn station Mr. X worked at, I think it was up at the Plaza. But I’m not sure. I don’t think that blue barge is that bad. It’s low, and in a little harbor, so it’s not like it’s “in your face”. I never heard of “Lost and Found Louise” before, yet another park character. I do agree that Stovalls and their hotels are a fun and notable piece of Disney park history, at least indirectly. I’ll bet they made a fortune catering to Disneyland guests.
KS, thanks for the barge info and hope your hip keeps improving. My BIL had a knee replaced recently, just saw him tonight, he’s biking, hiking, and walking just fine now. Glad to hear from you!
Re the Carousel of Bathrooms, great idea. I can’t imagine the talented group at WED not coming up with some of tissue tie-in that could get Scott to work, everybody loves a sly poop joke. Look at those irritating Charmin Bears on TV now. Didn’t Scott make anything else that could be referenced other than TP?
Loved those Stovall motels, never got to stay in one. I don’t know if they cost more, or if Dad just liked other places. I’d love to hear more stories about them and Lost-and-Found Louise.
I still remember my first office phone number, from having to repeat constantly to callers 42 years ago.
Thank you Major, I’m glad you fixed the post time. We all would been terribly worried about you if there was a day without a post.
JG
Major, that is interesting that the fire hydrant went from having one trash can next to it, to having two. I wonder if that is their attempt to "hide" it?
Chuck, yes...that was from one our largest family reunions, and I had to protect EVERYONE'S identities. And I think you are right. I believe that is a swarm of bees. I can even see Olivia de Havilland running from them, while delivering the best performance of her entire career:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNZnn3El3yE
JB, "Weird minds think alike!" Ha, ha!
KS, I am also wishing you a speedy recovery from your hip surgery!
Major, Jean Norman is one of those performers you’ve never heard of but have definitely have heard, with her soprano voice being featured in the Star Trek credits and as the voice of the opera singing ghost in the Haunted Mansion.
TM!, that movie scared the crap out of me in the summer of ‘78, and I’ve never actually seen it! The combination of the trailer, the fact that Africanized bees were in the news, and my best friend’s older brother using ithe concept as a vector for frightening us were enough (he also had me terrified of werewolves and brown recluse spiders). After seeing this clip, I’m wondering if I would have been a lot less scared had I actually seen the film.
Post a Comment