I have a fairly large batch of slides from June, 1962, and for some reason I keep skipping over them when it's time to choose images for blog posts. There's no explanation.
This first example shows a very crowded Frontierland, with guests in the foreground taking a break at the outside tables of the Casa de Fritos. Hey, Klondike! Those sturdy tables and chairs have a mid-century charm, with those bright colors that evoke the land south of the border. Notice that many people in the background are facing something out of frame to our right - my guess is that the Gonzalez Trio is probably performing there.
Next is this view of Fantasyland as seen from the deck of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship. More stripes, please! As I've said before, I like the "New Fantasyland" (over 40 years old) that we have now, but I will always love the original "medieval faire" version, built quickly and on a low budget for a park that was hatched in less than a year.
Major-
ReplyDeleteSome Welch's grape juice, please-! (I'll take the red grape variety).
I like how the high tension power poles in the parking lot seem to blend right-in with the spires and flags on the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Thanks, Major.
Ha! For a few seconds I couldn't figure out what I was looking at: Where in Frontierland is there a snow-covered mountain range? Then I realized, those are the straw thatched 'roofs' of the umbrellas shading the tables. Go ahead and laugh at me; I already did.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great people-watching pic: The boy closest to us is gonna get a face full of ice from that upturned drink cup. There's the little girl in the bright red dress with white pinafore. I thought maybe she was wearing some sort of costume, but I think that's just her "goin' to Disneyland" dress. She looks like "Alice" from an alternate universe. In the background, there are two young men in light blue shirts who are probably twins; they look alike, they dress alike, at times they even talk alike... what a wild duet!
This is a nice, colorful photo, even though the lighting is flat and the colors are slightly muted. The green Teacup farthest from us has a sort of checkered upper rim that I've never noticed before. None of the other cups have that decorative feature. I was gonna count trashcans but there are too many 'maybes', so I gave up on that.
Nanook, I was thinking the same thing about the power line towers blending in.
Major, I've decided to go with your "Gonzalez Trio" theory for the focus of everyone's attention in the first photo; otherwise we'll probably never know what was going on. Thanks for these previously overlooked pics.
The Fantasyland image is wonderful. As beautifully detailed as "New Fantasyland" is, the original is what I grew up with and it holds a special place in my memories.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Major.
This photo of the crowds in Frontierland give me a wee bit of anxiety: lots of people....not consuming. I only see ONE table where people are having a (probably) Pepsi or two. The rest: they are just taking up space. NO EAT NO SEAT! The little lamps on the table are cute, and it was probably very charming at night if they were lit. There's a lot to do forensics on in this photo: wow. It's a bit overwhelming for me: but I do see a little girl straight off the set of "The Harvey Girls" in her red waitress costume...very near where "White Hat, with Blue + Nun's habit" lady is sitting...she will need to get a special locker for that hat. The rest is a lot. It's interesting that hats kind of went "away" without much notice: looking back at the 50's it seems that everyone wore a hat...and now I suppose baseball caps are the primary hat of choice in the USA...and it also seems that when you wear a hat that is not a baseball cap, it becomes a fashion statement...and not just a hat. When I travel outside the US: which doesn't seem to be that much in my later years, I have a felt hat...kind of Indiana Jones...you can squish it and beat it up...and it always goes back to the same shape: which is why I got it...(in the 80's)...and why I still can wear it...my noggin grew a little: which I didn't know was possible...but the hat still fits...and serves it's purpose for covering and shading...now that that rabbit hole is done: FANTASYLAND! Looks likes it's open! I will agree now, that I enjoy the old one over the new...and although the "New" (circa '83 FORTY + years ago....!!!) at the time was a very welcome and enjoyed addition: still in the time of the Walt Disney era, with Mrs. Disney (and family) presiding over the opening....I think today I would call it TRE...despite all the work, and all the pain and suffering it caused while it was all closed...I'll leave it there: having a bit of PTSD..."and Fantasyland is closed." Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteThose colorful tables and chairs remind me of the San Antonio Riverwalk, also a Mexican restaurant near my home has similar furniture. It’s a nice cheerful look. I think you’re right, the crowd is definitely looking at performers. I enjoy mariachi music, hoping that’s the show. We never had a meal at this place when I was young, I think because Mexican food was available at home, so we went for more exotic creole food in NOS.
ReplyDeleteoddly, the only time I ever ate here was with my nieces, and they wanted familiar food because they wouldn’t eat anything else.
Old Fantasyland, only one definite trash can, WHAT? Looking carefully at the power lines, we can just see the peak of the Main Street Station mixed in with the other spires.
Nanook, I’ll just spend six hours making my own home-made grape juice, thank you very much! Funny, I don’t really recall noticing those high tension power lines behind the castle before.
ReplyDeleteJB, I’m not laughing, it’s more “chortling”. CHORTLE! I have been that boy trying to get the last bit of soda from a cup, while the dam of ice is about to burst and spill all over me. I like to live dangerously! I always appreciate it when I see people in old photos who have dressed up for their day at the park. I sure don’t do that. I don’t mind the flat lighting, sometimes sunny photos mean dark shadows and lost details. You can see everything here!
K. Martinez, that’s not an uncommon view of Fantasyland, but I always like it, especially from the “early days” (1962 qualifies, I think)!
Bu, the crowds would give me anxiety too; I guess that was from before they built that little bandstand for the Gonzales Trio, at least that was in a location that would draw a crowd away from Casa de Fritos and the Mine Train queue. Somewhat. Believe it or not, I think that lady’s hat is a souvenir bought at the park, I’ve seen them on other women in other photos. I guess it’s good if they really really want to be protected from the sun. Mouse Ears seem to have taken over for souvenir hats, you see tons of those. Even on guys! I have a few baseball caps, but I generally don’t like wearing a hat; I’ll do it if I’m hiking or otherwise outside for a long time. My “bucket hat” is comfy and versatile, but I admit that it looks dumb. I do like today’s Fantasyland, but it was such a bummer to lose things like the Pirate Ship, Skull Rock, and later the Skyway. Otherwise I think I’d be OK with it.
JG, yes, we have a Mexican restaurant in Burbank that has tables and chairs that are very much like the ones at Casa de Fritos, though perhaps not as cute. Those palm frond umbrella shades make me think that they are full of rats. I’m not crazy! I’ve eaten at the Mexican restaurant in Frontierland (the name slips my mind at the moment), and it was fine. Not great, not bad, I walked away full at least. One trashcan, that seems to go against the hotdog rule!
Bu : hats along with window awnings mostly disappeared because of the proliferation of air conditioning and climate control in buildings and transportation - mainly automobiles. The hat as utility has mostly vanished everywhere and like you pointed out is more a rare fashion statement or novelty. I own lots of hats but they are all historical reproductions for costumes and re-enactments. I think the last time I wore a “hat” on a regular basis was in the late 90’s and early 2000’s when visors were the rage to wear … even at night at the clubs lol!
ReplyDeleteWhat’s interesting regarding early eateries at Disneyland was that CASA DE FRITOS / CASA MEXICANA was one of very few locations in the park that sold ethnic or exotic or even regional American food. The Tahitian terrace was even very limited until Kikoman became a sponsor. Disneyland restaurants served mostly standard cafeteria foods - but often with themed names. In the 1980’s this began to change. A good example is New Orleans Square - neither the creole cafe / cafe Orleans or French Market sold any kinds of southern foods - except fried chicken . Looking at old menus it’s always spaghetti and meatballs, beef stew , fried chicken , fried shrimp and sometimes roast beef and a fish of sone kind. Besides the Monte Cristo is sometimes a thing - I cannot recall it’s name off hand served at the blue bayou and French market comprised of a stuffed chicken wing ( how do you stuff a chicken wing!???) with rice, mushrooms and peas … . BBQ chicken was also very common in New Orleans square and plaza inn/plaza terrace. Gumbo and Cajun doesn’t show up on DL menus till the late 1980’s.
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty big archive of Disneyland menu binders - from the collection of a retired Disneyland signshop foreman. The menu binders were kept to track price increase for Disneyland food locations as the prices increased approximately every 6 months and that kept the signshop very very busy updating menu boards throughout the park and hotel. Thus was in the 60’s into the mid 90’s when menuboards and signs were hand painted or silkscreened and sometime sone with a Disney developed print machine called a WED TYPSITOR . Anyway looking over all the food listings throughout the park during this time frame the food options to Disneyland guests were varied , but basic American cafeteria type fare - again with a few exceptions. The most common being spaghetti & meatballs, fried chicken, bbq chicken , hamburgers , hotdogs and cold sandwiches and salads . A steak sandwich seems to have been popular at carnation and hungry bear restaurant in the 70’s and 80’s. The first “Cajun” listed food is “CAJUN POPCORN SHRIMP “ ( spicy) at the HARBOR GALLEY in New Orleans Square in 1985!! Probably because of the “Cajun” fad of the 1980’s .
One thing that strikes me is that there is little change from the Casa de Fritos eating area in 1962 to that of the 70s. The tables and chairs look the same. Wonder if they were ever replaced over those years or just repainted. Budget was going to the construction and first years to WDW. KS
ReplyDelete"I own lots of hats but they are all historical reproductions for costumes and re-enactments. "
ReplyDeleteMike, please tell us more about the "re-enactments."
Nanook, that's the first place I ever had red grape juice. Still makes me think of Disneyland.
ReplyDeleteCORRECTION: the French Market & Blue Bayou dish was a stuffed chicken leg with rice, mushrooms and peas . It was called CHICKEN PAJARSKY.
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I agree that air conditioning has had a big effect on the use of hats, but it’s also clear that, for decades, men and women wore hats when they went out no matter what the weather! Fashion trends are a powerful thing. Reenactments - my old roommate used to participate in Civil War battle reenactments! He had the heavy wool Union Army uniform, a musket, and the whole deal.
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I didn’t really think about it, but you’re right, Disneyland’s menus had pretty standard cuisine, the sorts of things you might find in most restaurants of the day. I always marvel at the offerings for kids - lamp chops with mint jelly for instance! No pizza or chicken fingers. Remember when the idea of eating sushi horrified people? Now you can buy it at Ralph’s (though I have never had grocery store sushi!). I have a few Tahitian Terrace menus, I should scan them for comparison, I do know that the offerings changed slightly over the years. I even have one from the Kikkoman era. Meanwhile, give me all the fried shrimp! Wow, I’d love to see your menu binders, it sounds fascinating. A “WED Typsitor”, huh! Did it use metal type? I have admit that all of that “basic American cafeteria type fare” sounds pretty good to me! I guess I’m easy to please.
KS, My guess is that the tables and chair would occasionally go backstage for a sanding and fresh coat of paint. With care they could last for a long time (I sound like a commercial!).
Lou and Sue, Mike did Civil War reenactments, only with banana cream pies!
Chuck, it’s hot today in SoCal, and a glass of ice-cold grape juice sounds amazing. I always forget to buy some Welch’s, but maybe next time!
Mike Cozart, stuffed chicken leg sounds almost as crazy as stuffed chicken wings! I assume it was more than just the drumstick. And I’m sure it was tasty. Chicken Pajarsky, who knew.
I distinctly remember a dish we had at the French Market when I was a kid, “Veal Pojarsky”, it was basically a breaded veal cutlet, which was pretty standard American chow then. There may have been a chicken version too, and the spellings might vary. I am 99% sure that was the spelling that time, but spelling seems based on what language we are referring from.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozharsky_cutlet
which sounds like a Russian/east European dish. The article lists several kinds of meat prepared in this way; chicken, veal, pork etc. if it is stuffed chicken, then it’s probably a breast which would make something similar to a Cordon Bleu.
I researched this dish once before, based on the strength of this memory and found a Gourmet magazine article from the 60’s which I cannot now find, but the dish had at least a brief vogue as a “haute cuisine” specialty.
I don’t really recall anything else food wise from the French Market, but I know Dad liked New Orleans and the atmosphere of the French Market may have been enough.
Now I’m hungry.
Thanks Mike and Major.
JG
JD: you have the correct spelling “Pojarsky” veal was a standard item on the Plaza inn menus too. I had never seen “pojarsky” anywhere and wondered was this just named by a Disneyland chef of the period .
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little my mom fixed a dish called “popsla-La-goopsla” … it was a pounded steak served with wide egg noodles with onions and cabbage that was kinda sweet. My sister and I were surprised we never heard of it anywhere even when trying to find the recipe on line … NADA . Finally my sister found out from my mom that the name was made up by my parents as a joke …. And it wasn’t some traditional old world family dish. I think my mom said the recipe was from
SUNSET MAGAZINE in the 1960’s… ha! If I saw veal or chicken Pojarsky in a restaurant I would order it just because of the Disney connection!!
I make an appetizer for parties my friends love … they call it “Disneyland Shrimp” …. But it’s really from the Disneyland Hotel room service menu called “el Dorado shrimp” . I don’t have a actual recipe and I make it only from the room service menu descriptions of the mid 70’s :
Take a 1/2 of an avacado ( remove the seed) squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the avacado. Fill the avacado with bay shrimp mixed with French dressing and diced celery .
For large partys it’s fixed sliced avacados , the shrimp filling and fresh Mexican corn chips . It’s devoured very quickly .
Now I’m hungry too .