New Orleans Square, September 1983
GDB friend Sue B. scanned more slides taken by her father, Lou Perry. These are from September, 1983, and feature the beauty of the New Orleans Square vicinity.
I admit that I am not entirely clear as to what restaurant is right in front of us in this first picture. "Pirates of the Caribbean" is to the extreme left; looking at one souvenir handout, it is listed as the "Royal Street Veranda", while a few years earlier it was the "Mint Julep Bar". So which is it?? I hate not knowing things, but I also hate learning.
There's a big river nearby, built during the Great Depression by the WPA (using materials leftover from when they created the Pacific Ocean). Everyone's walking away, was it something I said? Looking to the left, you can see some sort of low stage jutting out from Tom Sawer Island. This was long before Fantasmic! was a thing, perhaps Dixieland Bands performed on it on pleasant evenings.
Winding streets with charming shops are not the sort of thing one would expect at an amusement park, but that's what you get in New Orleans Square. Want to create your own unique scent? Go to the Parfumerie! Want a Millennium Falcon covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals? Go to Cristal d'Orleans - in about 40 years. I'll wait.
Hey, look at these crazy stairs. You know, now that I think about it, I don't really know what's at the top of those stairs. Club 33? The steps are wired so that anybody going up them will be electrocuted. We don't need to worry, since this area is now verboten to mere mortals.
MANY THANKS to Lou and Sue!
14 comments:
Major-
In 1983, that 'mystery' snack bar was the Royal Street Veranda - as it is now, as far as I know. Experts, please...
Thanks to Lou and Sue.
"I hate not knowing things, but I also hate learning." Major, you're like a pushmi-pullyu.
In the 2nd pic, the two boys on the right are definitely brothers. They both have the same color/style of hair, they're both wearing t-shirts and shorts, they're both wearing over-the-calf striped socks, and they are both wearing sneakers. Oh wait.... that could describe pretty much any kid in the mid-'80s.... Nevermind. Meanwhile, the two little girls just to the left of the boys are wearing identical dresses and shoes.
In the 3rd photo, the kid in the green t-shirt on the right has got something running out of his mouth....
it looks like blood! Either he's just been attacked by a Killer Swan... Or he just ate a Killer Swan. Or... Oh wait... there's no baby in that tiny stroller outside the Cristal d'Orleans shop!!!
I don't think it's possible to take a bad photo of these stairs, in these surroundings. Everything about them is curated just so. Is there even a doorway at the top of the stairs? I don't see one.
More examples of Lou Perry's work to document everything in Disneyland. Thanks, Lou. And thanks to Sue and Major.
New Orleans Square was a perfect creation, and the last of Walt.
Thanks again Major!
That corner building is The Royal Street Veranda - it sold coffee, sodas and the famous “ Mardi Gras Punch” . Disneyland Mint juleps we’re sold from the Mint Julep Bar window part of The French Market ( facing the train station) the upper balcony of The Royal Street Veranda is part of The Royal Suite : the private apartment built for Walt & family that went unused. It’s famous for the Walt Disney ( WD) and Roy Disney ( RD) initials in the scrollwork of the wrought iron railing. The Royal Suite was mostly vacant until 1973 when it became a INA Insurance Private lounge … in the late 70’s it became extra offices for Disneyland International & Tokyo Disneyland. In 1987 it opened to Disneyland guests as The Disney Gallery showcasing WED - WDI art exhibits like The Art of Disneyland , The Disneyland That Never Was , Disneyland Dreams for the Future , The Art of Euro Disneyland and Disneyland : Tomorrowland - Looking at the Future, being some of the Gallery’s early exhibits. After the Disneyland 50th it became the Disney Dream Suite - a high end overnite hotel room … today it is part of the 21 Royal facility… a club 33 type private lounge and dining suite for dining parties available in advance for groups of 25 guests or less starting at about 20k .. including cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and private chefs dinner … and desert of course.
In the image of the beautiful Crystal Arts facade , to the left is
Lafitte’s Silver Shop …. Which became a pastry shop with window only service for a very short time after this photo was taken called “Le Petite Pastry” serving gourmet international coffees - long before the mega sugar loaded Starbucks candy coffee fad. Today it is extra storage for Cafe Orleans .
New Orleans Square was a zenith of Imagineering design perfection …. Now mostly eroded away with poor management decisions and the destructive expansion and public offering of CLUB 33 in recent years.
Thanks Lou , Sue & Major!
Aww, look at the birdie perched on the stairs. Along with the ducks and squirrels and feral cats, a welcome unplanned, unscripted addition to the Magic Kingdom. Birds in other lands just got popcorn and fries; in New Orleans Square, they also feasted on rich bits of Choux Fritters.
I remember a jazz show on that Tom Sawyer Island portable stage in August 1982. If only most additions to the park since then were equally portable.
Thanks to all for this look back at the pre- E----- (sort of rhymes with miser) era.
A very quiet day in the Park from the looks of it. That stage was used for night performances: it's actually kind of odd to see here on a slow day, as it was used basically during Summer nights when "top names" appeared at the Park. If I remember correctly, it was temporary, and went away after the season. The Fantasmic thing evolved from these shows, as at the end of the show there was a big eagle that spread it's wings with fireworks, etc. as the Mark Twain sailed by with people from entertainment swirling sparklers around. I think I've told the story about Pearl Bailey having none of it, not wanting "her" show to be upstaged by a giant plastic bird/fireworks/sparklers/etc. She insisted that the last thing the guests should remember was her. I don't blame her....and now the show has morphed into...well...what it has morphed into...a big melting dragon, and that kind of says it all. The people love it however, good for them. My younger millennial friend was totally enchanted by it, so I guess it will appear in GDB 2075 after being TRE'd by another "thing". It's very sad that guests cannot wander quietly through New Orleans Square, exploring shops, and nooks like the staircase. Part of the charm was finding things you'd probably never buy in "real life", and it was special because it was in Disneyland. I don't need a crystal falcon thingy...but someone I guess does. The Arribas Bros: an enduring carry over, and Walt Disney discovery since the World's Fair. Not sure I need some crystal bits, but I'm happy they are still around without a bubble machine in sight. Thanks Lou and Sue and Major!
I still love slurry. Sure realistic ground textures are nice, but that slick shinny floor everywhere let you know you were somewhere ‘Else’. That said, the color tones of NOS were great when they looked like a real place, with various shop offerings and lovely spots to stop. Now it functions pretty much as a funnel to reach the restrooms. (Mardi-Gras punch was a poor substitute for Mint Julep when that’s what you wanted, and the same stuff as Space Mist at The Space Place). Those Disney gallery exhibits were AWESOME.
MS
Walterworld, I couldn't agree with you more. New Orleans Square was my favorite. It's still nice, but no longer what Walt planned.
Mike, we'll have to reserve that private lounge and dining suite for our next Jr. Gorilla meeting. Nothing's too good for our group. That's what Major says.
MS, those Disney gallery exhibits WERE awesome. Like walking through a Disney museum.
Thanks, everyone.
Nanook, well I guess it’s nice to know that I was in the ballpark!
JB, learning stuff means reading. And reading is for nerds! As all of you know, I am not a nerd, I am very cool, like The Fonz. It’s funny how fashions like those long white socks were a thing back in 1983, I’m sure I wore them too, though I think they look goofy now. The long black socks from two decades earlier were even goofier! If the kid in the green shirt has something running out of his mouth, I can’t really see it on my monitor. Too dark and grainy. I suppose it’s not possible to take a bad photo of those stairs, but then again, all photos of them tend to be kind of the same. The courtyard is small, there’s pretty much one angle for photographers. Thanks to Lou and Sue!
walterworld, you’ll get no argument from me!
Mike Cozart, now it’s been so long (months and months) since I wrote the text for this post that I forget what I used for reference for the Mint Julep Bar, it might have been an INA guide, or one of the later hand-out guide booklets. But I’m sure that the “Mint Julep Bar” indicated on my reference was not at the French Market. I miss the old Disney Gallery in NOS, maybe it’s my imagination, but it seemed to show cooler stuff than the Main Street version shows. I always enjoyed walking around, looking at the artwork and other stuff. Maybe you can verify something, I’ve always suspected that the “original watercolors” and other artwork on display were in fact reproductions. High-quality inkjet prints (“giclees”), and they looked great, but I didn’t think they were the actual valuable originals. Gourmet international coffees?! I remember a commercial for some sort of selection of coffees “from around the world”. Not being a coffee drinker, I never enjoyed such luxury! I’m assuming that the loss of all the original old-timers in Imagineering is part of the reason why themes and quality often go out the window.
Stefano, that darn bird, he’s such a showoff! He thinks he’s so great. Well, can he drive a car? I didn’t think so! I’ve still never seen one of the Disneyland cats, though I know many people have. If reincarnation is real, I want to come back as a Disneyland cat! As a kid I used to watch the sparrows fight over french fries, their cholesterol levels were off the charts. I wonder if the jazz show you remember was a “summer only” event, or perhaps post-summer to tempt locals to come to the park?
Bu, since Lou’s photos are from September of ’83, it’s possible that the stage near the Old Mill was no longer in use, but they hadn’t gotten around to removing it yet. I’m sure that was kind of a project, since the stage is rather large. Top names? Like Rick Dees? “Disco Duck”, oh man! I’m still laughing. My thing with Fantasmic is not the show itself, but the way Frontierland/NOS has been so drastically altered (for the worse in my opinion) all for that show. Remember when Frontierland could actually be beautiful? No more, now it’s lots of cement. Lots and lots. Pearl Bailey, I’m sure she had a lifetime of fighting for what she thought was right. Good for her for saying “no” to anything she didn’t like. How could you not need a crystal falcon thingy? I have two, just in case.
MS, I’m sure that the folks in charge of Disneyland back in the day never imagined that something like the slurry would become a beloved piece of nostalgia! I did appreciate how they dyed the slurry depending on the land it was in. If everyone had colored slurry, there would be no war. Mardi-Gras punch, that’s a new one on me. Was it mostly alcohol for authenticity?
Lou and Sue, I think it’s the change in the shops that has mostly altered the atmosphere of NOS. That and the closed off Court of Angels (or whatever the real name is). It’s true, nothing is too good for our group! “Champagne dreams and caviar wishes”, as a great man once said.
Despite the changes, NOS is still amazing. It's just a few streets and alcoves, but you still feel like you can get lost in it.
The Mint Julep Bar was associated with the Sara Lee Restaurant across the way. My future wife was slinging mint juleps out to guests during the warm summer days of 1976, while yours truly was working Pirates. And at times, when I was working Crowd Control, I'd pop into the Bar through that set of doors on the left side to grab a freebie!! Ah those were the days. And I also recall the unfinished dusty interior shell of planned Suite above it. It was a sad experience at the time considering what it was originally planned to be. BU is so right, a slow day, when it was an opportunity to explore all the special shops of NO Square. KS
Wonderful pictures and recounting of memories.
Thanks everyone and especially Lou, Sue and Major.
JG
KS, I was in DL the summer of 1976 and, since I always went on POTC, we probably crossed paths. Thank you for making DL magical!
Major; by 1983 - when these pictures were taken the Mint Julep Bar - where it is still located today is across from the train station and shares the service area of the ( now former French Market)
The last Disney Gallery to feature original WDI artwork was the 1997/98 History of Tomorrowland exhibit , “Looking at the Future” . There was concern about the artwork fading or getting damaged … but the REAL reason reproduction art began to be used was because of the cost of wiring the security wiring behind the frames and under the wall coverings …. . There was a few earlier exceptions where the Gallery displayed a reproduction piece … one being Herb Ryman’s New Orleans Square General View … it was selected to be part of the “Art in Embassy’s “ program and was sent to the U.S. Embassy in Paris. - this was around 1988 … before the Gallery was a year old. Another piece was also a Herb Ryman concept -“Plaza Gardens” … it was facing the Gallery’s inner courtyard and was getting a great deal of morning & afternoon light and there was noticeable fading so it was removed and a reproduction replaced it.
Yes Space Mist Punch was the same as Mardi Gras Punch …. But not the same as a Jungle Julep / Huck Finn Freeze . By the way : you can enjoy a Jungle Julep today they are available at Bengal BBQ in Adventureland.
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