HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Everyone loves a helping of Leftuggies™, served warm with potato salad, mixed fruit on the side. Perfect for a summer day!
This first one is date-stamped "July 1961" - 61 years ago - and it shows grandma and grandpa as they prepared to board the Disneyland Railroad at Main Street Station. I assume that this the "Holiday Red" passenger cars. Because the stripes are red, see?
Next is this nice photo showing guests strolling through the winding streets of New Orleans Square in July of 1969. 53 years ago! Mother, Grandmother, and two kids stroll past the Blue Bayou restaurant, where it's nighttime, even during the day. In the background, the Pirate Arcade beckons!
Major-
ReplyDeleteOh, sonny boy... those pants: Those colors; those flares-! Perfect for the Fourth of July.
Thanks, Major - and a Happy 4th to all.
Is it just my silly cell phone(?) or my imagination(?)— but I can’t see the “Fourth” at the top of this post. Or did you type it in white, Major?? Red, white and blue...
ReplyDeleteI say we all meet to eat at the Blue Bayou and celebrate the holiday together. (Hopefully someone thought to make reservations six months ago.)
Happy “ “ of July, everyone!
—Sue
@ Sue-
ReplyDeleteIt's there for all to see on the 'Big Boy' screens. (I have the same issues when viewing the blog on my phone).
In the first pic, the girl on the train has a rather nondescript round, orange (or maybe red) Mickey balloon. Where are the balloon's ears?! It's gotta have ears!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that the lady standing behind Gramma and Grampa is with the same party. At least, she's posing and smiling with them. I bet her husband is taking the photo.
This is another one where you have to wonder why the original owners of this photo parted with it.
In the second pic, I like how the shot is framed by that archway. Also, the contrast between the bright sunny street and the dark and mysterious interiors.
Only one trashcan today. What is the world coming to? A day without trashcans is like a day where... umm... the stinky trash piles up to your knees... or something.
Thanks for the leftuggies, Major. We had leftuggies for supper tonight; meatloaf.
Dig the groovy space-age hat on the guy in the back row of the train. He must have purchased that in Tomorrowland. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Fourth of July, to all!
Two submissions today:
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read "61 years ago in 1961"...I had to do the math because it seemed like a joke...then realized it was a very real joke...there was a class in high school that was very practical: they taught you about getting a check book, or how to get credit cards, resumes without job histories...etc. The teacher who's name I forget, said something that has stuck with me for life: "you won't understand this now, but you will. The only thing that you will never have enough of is time, so use time wisely. Today you have a lot of time, and you don't even know it..." We all looked at him sideways. Then slowly, you find out. "Poof" 60 years goes by. The cattle car was for some reason not my favorite car, and I don't know why...I think it was capacity or something...my first reaction to the photo was an internal and sense memory "sigh"...when you are standing on the platform waiting for the train, and then that one showed up...hmmm....the memory isn't bad, it just is kind evokes "work". Like I had to work harder to keep people together, or had to spread out people between cars, which was never any good as guests would sometimes get "loose" in Frontierland or Tomorrowland so you had to be hyper aware. Anyhoo...yes...the round balloons are not as fun as Mickey ears...but maybe they were less money. I don't remember a world without Mickey ears. I do not understand mylar balloons, or different shapes, etc. What a nightmare for the vendors with too many choices. They also don't look pretty in a bunch. In the New Orleans Square photo: I swear those ladies and boys could be my mother, my aunt, myself and my brother. even the hair styles, clothes, etc. I don't think I would have been allowed to tie a sweater around my waist as it did not look proper. The Pirate arcade is also a Pirate "Museum." The stuff in there was super duper cool...the place was so tiny...especially compared to the antique shop which was rather large. To think that there was an antique shop in Disneyland that sold chandeliers is somewhat unimaginable today...but then again you could but 4 ft tall crystal castles at Arribas Bros. too...or suits of armor in a small shop in the castle (Micheal Jackson bought two...and I had to shlep them..). I'm wondering if there are fantastical things now, or is is all just second rate plush? 6 months for the Blue Bayou...well...not sure if the wait would be worth it. Ambience: a "10"...Gastronome: perhaps a "5". I might be being generous. In the 80's it had selections like gumbo (not great), Monte Cristo's (revered but...a little too oily)...I had the Cobb Salad (which has nothing to do with New Orleans) and NO ONE made it that way...it was actually kind of perfect, and to this day when I make a Cobb Salad it is a Disneyland Cobb salad. It didn't have chicken or turkey in it, which technically is the correct recipe. I find that the poultry in the salad gets a little rubbery feeling with the dressing...but it's just me. In any case, that's what I ate there, and I probably had more than a 100 meals there in my time.
#2
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese delegations were an interesting bunch to host at the BB. You always had an "official" (state mandated) translator with the group, who not only translated words, but translated customs. Interesting story about the Blue Bayou and the Chinese..first of all...this was quite some time ago, the Chinese men were in Mao jackets looking very serious. In order to not expose them to too much America they literally came off the plane and to the Main Gate. So imagine, you are in Western civilization, for the very first time, and the first thing, and only thing you have seen besides LAX is Disneyland. Very very confused and culture shocked people. The translator, from China, but speaking good American was a little bit more well versed in culture. So...we go to lunch...Disneyland does not serve a lot of fish, but there is some. The translator saw "shrimp" in the Blue Bayou menu (buried in Gumbo) so that's what they ordered. Gumbo shows up...they didn't "get it". And there it sat. What they DID want, and were absolutely crazy excited about was BAKED POTATOES. They were actually giddy about them. So, after gumbo-gate, we ordered a round of baked potatoes. When they arrived they peeled the foil down like eating a banana and gobbled them up LIKE they were eating a banana. They were so excited we ordered seconds for everyone- which they ate exactly like the first one. The people around us were very intrigued. The Chinese delegations would always ask very pointed questions like "what is your salary?", or "how much taxes do you pay" I asked the translator what the average salary was in their country, and she said about the equivalent of $12 a month. Chinese delegations requested men as their hosts for the day. So I was assigned to more than a few of these diplomatic tours. Anyway...after a few hours of rides (no Haunted Mansion...it is not...or wasn't a good thing in China) they loosened up a bit. I even took them on the Matterhorn, which they LOVED. They also were intrigued by popcorn but thought it was too salty- so there it sat. Chinese delegations visited frequently after Frank Wells came on board. Billions of people to entertain a few thousand miles away....$$$...untapped potential. After Disneyland they went right back to China-literally. Odd, but true. It was stressed that on some of these occasions (by US govt. types) that you were not only representing the company, you were representing (and in this case the only representation) America. On that note: Happy Independence Day! Baked potatoes for all!
You're eating at the Blue Bayou to celebrate, Sue?? I'll meet the rest of the real Americans at Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln for a 12-hour marathon.
ReplyDeleteMy family actually did get reservations at the Blue Bayou for my 18th birthday, but we only made them two weeks ago because it just reopened after a refurbishment.
Nanook, I’ll have you know that I am wearing pants that look just like those flares, and do I get looks. Everyone is jealous (I assume).
ReplyDeleteSue, it sounds like your phone is broken, you should bang it on a nearby table or desk really hard! (Don’t do it, I was kidding). Yes, “Fourth” is in white. I’ve never eaten at the Blue Bayou, but figure that I will do it. SOMEDAY.
Nanook, I don’t understand what you guys are talking about, but then again, I am still using a 1920’s “candlestick” phone.
JB, yes, I have seen those round balloons, with a printed Mickey on them… kind of “blah” as balloons go. I need a novelty feature, such as bubblegum scent or LED lights. Since that first photo was taken 61 years ago, it’s not crazy to assume that all involved are long-gone. Sad to think about. I have a trash can, but garbage still piles up around my feet because the can is way over there.
TokyoMagic!, I was thinking, “Nobody on that train is wearing a hat…” and then I saw it. It looks like a hat from “The Fifth Element”!
Bu, if you have your brain placed into a robotic body, you can live for much longer, and that’s why I have done so. I have PLENTY of time. Sure, sometimes I have violent outbursts, which can be a problem with my superhuman strength, but it is what it is. I think I’ve been on the later iterations of the cattle cars, but those aren’t as humiliating as the original versions, in which guests had to stand for the whole ride. I’m always imagining what happened if the engineer had to put on the brakes a little more quickly than normal. Whenever I see a person with a mylar balloon (at Disneyland), I wonder why they even bothered to come to the park. Mickey-ear balloons are the only logical choice. A friend of mine has one of those crystal castles from Arribas Bros… though I think his is only about 18” tall. It’s in a nice display case with some other choice collectibles, I’ll bet he saved up his money for that (since he got it when he was pretty young). As for fantastical things in the shops, the last time I went (a while ago, admittedly), I really REALLY wanted to buy a souvenir, and was tempted by one thing, but it was expensive. Otherwise there was nothing that I wanted.
Bu #2, I can only imagine what it must have been like for the Chinese to come directly to Disneyland. Did they think that all of the U.S. was pretty much like that? A North Korean would be completely baffled, too. I’m surprised that they didn’t at least try the gumbo, but on the other hand I get it. They’ve eaten what they like for their whole lives. I like to go up to strangers at parties and as them “What is your salary?”. It goes over very well as an ice breaker. Couldn’t the Chinese have asked for popcorn with no (or low) salt? Or do you just get whatever is in the bin?
Andrew, so will you actually be at Disneyland for your birthday? Gosh, I hope it all works out well and that you have a great time! I hope we get a trip report.
What is that thing behind the man in back row? It looks like a microwave tower? I don’t remember anything like that in the Parking Lot, but I could have walked past it year after year without seeing it because I was looking for the Matterhorn.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice picture of folks having fun at the Park.
Only one trash can JB, a handsome gray, black and gold pattern, but NOS is still cleaner (and better-smelling) than the real NOLA (at least Bourbon Street). We had lunch a couple of times in the Blue Bayou in my youth, I always had the Monte Cristo, which I think is the only place I’ve ever had one. I don’t recall the food being amazing back then, but the atmosphere, fireflies and such, made it worthwhile.
We had dinner there for my wife’s 60th, reservations a must, and the prices (!) yee-haw! The food seemed better than my high school visits, but not being able to have a glass of wine with my tournedos put a hitch in the meal for old fat me. Ice tea was good, but didn’t do justice to the food. I hear they have changed this, which is all for the better IMHO. The prolonged Prohibition at the Park was probably good press in the 60’s, it was popular with my parents, but paying +50$ for a fancy steak and having to drink iced tea with it doesn’t make a fine dining destination in the 2020’s. Mom and Dad would be appalled by their reprobate son.
Imagine lugging Michael Jackson’s suits of armor. Did he want to take them with him on IASW too?
Happy Fourth, Everyone and thanks Major!
JG
It’s July of 1969, people! Go ride Pirates while everyone else is crowded into Tomorrowland to watch the Moon Landings! You can catch it on the History Channel later.
ReplyDeleteWow - the concept of anything but same-day reservations for the Blue Bayou boggles my mind. Which tells you how long it’s been since I ate there.
To surprise my wife on her birthday I had to lie to her about having to go to the office on a Saturday morning for an exercise recall (which wasn’t really happening) during an Operational Readiness Inspection (which actually was happening and she was aware of) so I could get into the Park at Rope Drop and ensure we had reservations for our planned evening visit (I also stashed my mess dress and a nice dress for her in lockers just outside the entrance). It felt really weird and conspicuous to be in the Park in my camouflage utility uniform (part of the ruse to keep my wife in the dark), and I overheard one cynical teenage slacker scoff to one of his friends “oh, he’s cool.” It stung a bit, but I had a mission to accomplish.
Reservation card in hand, my pager went off (it was my turn as the “Emergency Actions Executive Agent Officer,” or “EAEAO;” my boss, who had a sense of humor, was in charge of the program) and I actually had to go the base for real on the way home to pick up an “immediate” priority message that had come into the Base Message Center. The message ended up being something that we couldn’t do anything about until Monday anyway and should have been sent “routine” priority (this was a recurrent problem back in the day, with headquarters types clearing their desks Friday afternoons and habitually marking message forms “immediate,” forgetting the impact that had on the other end), but it made me feel a lot better about lying to my wife.
Andrew, enjoy that meal and the rest of your trip - you’ve waited long enough and certainly deserve it!
Nanook, you are absolutely right! I see that the background for GDB, on my cell, is white - but it's black on my computer.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I'm glad you're going to Blue Bayou, especially on your birthday. My suggestion is that you ride POTC first, to see the restaurant how it's meant to be viewed...then make sure you get a seat by the water, at the restaurant. It's worth the wait, since it's your first time.
Bu is so right; the ambience is a 10, and it's my favorite restaurant, inside of my favorite attraction.
The only time I was a little disappointed was when we once got seated by the kitchen door. The light and noise from the kitchen was annoying. And you couldn't see the boats going by.
Bu, baked potatoes without lots of butter and sour cream?!?! Did you have a hard time holding back laughter, ever?
Am enjoying all the fun comments, and stories about Blue Bayou.
I wish I was there now.
Thanks, Major.
Happy 4th!
@ TM!/Major-
ReplyDeleteThat "hat" is the top of one of a pair of outdoor lighting towers. SEE HERE for a view of the east tower.
JG, I believe that the thing behind the man is just a very large array of parking lot lights. Disneyland had a real vampire problem back then, as you know. But vampires hate artificial light almost as much as sunlight. I think I see TWO trash cans in the second photo, one is in the foreground to our left. I’ve always heard that the Blue Bayou food is not that great, which is so weird. You’d think that they would at least try to make it pretty decent, if not excellent. How hard can it be? You make a good point about wine, I once went with a friend of mine who brought a couple from Europe, and they were flabbergasted that they could not get a glass of wine ANYWHERE. But by that time we could go over to DCA, and at least they could get one there. Happy 4th to you!
ReplyDeleteChuck, I was on the soundstage where they were filming the moon landing, so I didn’t have to watch it on TV. Stanley Kubrick sure was an interesting fellow! I hate the idea of having to make meal reservations days or even months in advance, I knew that it was inevitable that Disneyland would go that way, and it stinks. I love your story about fooling your wife for her birthday, don’t you think she suspected something? You must be a good actor! Cynical teens, they know just where to put the knife. The little weasels. It’s nice to know that your boss was willing to play along, and as for lying to your wife, there are lies and then there are LIES. Your small ‘l” lie was all to do something loving and special for her ultimately. Not a bad thing at all.
Lou and Sue, my nightmare would be to finally go to the Blue Bayou and then be seated away from the water. Being next to the kitchen would be awful! As far as I’m concerned, if you can’t see the boats passing and the fireflies firing, what’s the point? Mr. X used to like to get the Monte Cristo sandwiches, but has always warned me that they are so greasy that you will feel bad for the rest of the day. I don’t think that sounds worth it.
Nanook, hooray, I was right, which probably means that I win a million dollars. Where do I go to pick it up?
ReplyDeleteTokyo!, at first I was "I don't see a guy with a hat... in fact, the only guy there, is the one next to the girl with the balloo..oh!" Finally saw the 'hat'. ;-) (Edit: Ha! Major said almost the exact same thing!)
ReplyDeleteBu, not enough time; ain't it the truth. We should have a lifespan of at least 500 years.
The ambience of the Blue Bayou is the reason to eat in the Blue Bayou. The food is acceptable, but not the reason to go there. I've only been there once, in '75, and had a Monte Cristo, which was good. But it's definitely the moonlit bayou that gets top billing.
Loved the Chinese delegation stories! We had baked potatoes with our meatloaf last night.
Andrew, a 12-hour marathon. Maybe we'll get to see ol' Abe malfunction and bend over at the waist like he's doing the limbo. Hilarious and horrifying at the same time.
Major, the 'deluxe' balloons have a frozen banana, a turkey leg, and a churro inside.
JG, yes, the fireflies! And the frogs croaking, and the crickets chirping. The clouds scudding across the Moon. The silhouetted cypress trees. Even an animatronic night bird skimming overhead every minute or so.
Chuck, a surprise-party lie is a different animal than a "why, no. I haven't been smoking pot" lie. ;-) Nothing to feel guilty about. You've related parts of that story here before, and I enjoyed it both times.
I just 'got to thinking'...
ReplyDeleteAndrew mentioned that the Blue Bayou has been refurbished. Does anyone know what they did to it?? I'm hoping it's not now a fast-food snack shop with a pirate-princess meet-and-greet. Maybe Mike Cozart knows??
Sue, do not think of such things! Wish it into the cornfield! (behind Ken-L Land)
ReplyDeleteMajor- Enjoyed the photos today. Happy Independence Day to all!
ReplyDelete-DW
Sue, fortunately The Blue Bayou was not turned into a "meet and greet." However, it was turned into a "character dining" experience. Now Jack Sparrow walks through the restaurant and takes little bites of food off of everyone's plates. Tiana shows up too, but only if someone orders the frogs legs.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I knew that was a light tower and not a hat, that's why I included the little "winky face"! But thanks for that additional pic!
Happy Independence Day everyone!
ReplyDeleteFunny that the reason to go to the BB is for the ambiance, not the mediocre food. The restaurant in the Mexico pavilion has much the same reputation, and is WDW's BB - the boats from the ride pass the seating area of the "indoor outdoor" restaurant.