Sleeping Beauty Castle, November 28, 1973
It's December (in case you didn't know) and I think it's time to start sharing some Christmas-ish pictures. I've saved up a bunch over the past year, and Sue B. has some related pix that you'll see as well, so there will be no lack of Yuletide spirit here on GDB.
As you can see, November 28, 1973 was a beautiful day, with brilliant sunshine, and the bluest of blue skies. Cobalt blue, perhaps. (I probably should have mitigated the off-kilter angle, but I didn't, and I will sleep like a baby tonight). The Christmas decor is tasteful and minimal, just a few humble garlands and a single wreath purchased at Zody's. Flocked trees are in the moat, too, the ground crew keeps cutting them down, and they keep growing back like weeds. Being a Wednesday, there are not a lot of people - just imagine being there on a day like this!
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I wanted to let folks know about an upcoming book from Don Ballard, who wrote an incredible book about the Disneyland Hotel. Don (a friend of GDB) is about to release a followup that will concentrate on the years 1960 thru 1964... I will let him tell you about it!
Step back into a remarkable era of growth, glamour, and mid-century modern sophistication at the Happiest Hotel on Earth. Disneyland Hotel 1960–1964 unveils a vivid, meticulously researched portrait of the hotel’s most transformative years—when clean lines, bold architecture, and modernist design shaped a new vision of resort luxury.
Packed with rare photos, forgotten stories, authentic ephemera, and newly uncovered details, this book brings to life the hotel’s restaurants, shops, guest towers, celebrity visits, and unmistakable mid-century aesthetic. Discover how the Disneyland Hotel expanded, modernized, and embraced cutting-edge style long before “mid-century modern” became a beloved cultural revival.
Whether you’re a Disney historian, vintage-era enthusiast, architecture lover, or someone who cherishes the classic modern look of the early 1960s, this volume opens the door to a world that hasn’t existed for decades—yet still shimmers with timeless design and Disney magic.
One of the crown jewels of this book is an extraordinary, never-before-published section devoted to the remarkable photography of Lou Perry. A frequent visitor to the Disneyland Hotel throughout the 1960s, Perry captured scenes, angles, and locations that no other known photographer documented at the time. His images reveal rare corners of the property, fleeting architectural moments, unique mid-century modern details, and historically significant views—some depicting things even I had never seen before encountering his photographs.
Presented with beautifully restored images and thoughtful accompanying text, this special section offers an intimate, almost time-capsule glimpse of the Disneyland Hotel during some of its most dynamic years. Lou Perry’s work is not only visually stunning but historically invaluable, providing a fresh and deeply authentic perspective on the hotel’s evolution, charm, and spirit.
Books will be shipping in early to mid January. 1,000 copies are being printed with almost 600 already accounted for. I am taking pre-orders now. If this is good for you knowing this, you can place an order through PayPal and I will offer free shipping for these initial orders. Details are: send $76.30 (book $70.00, tax $6.30) to Don@magicalhotel.com and again, shipping is free once we ship in January. Book is approx. 300 pages, hardbound with over 1200 pictures and special sections.
If you are on Facebook, you can read more about the book HERE. I have preordered my copy of Disneyland Hotel 1960-1964 and you should too!
18 comments:
Major-
I love a simple, elegant castle.
I've already pre-ordered my book - and spreading the word is a good thing-!
Thanks, Major.
That garland and wreath spell “MOM” — just like the collar on little Wendy of Wendy’s (hamburger chain).
….and thank you, Major, for the book plug!
Beautiful picture of the Castle. I'm sure The Dent is there, but it's being camouflaged by the tree branches. The people on the draw bridge are watching the Swans (you know which ones I mean) devour their mid-morning victim.
This pic is even better than the first! I think the lady to the right IS intended as the subject of the photo, but she hates, HATES, HATES to have her picture taken! So she lurks in the deep, dark shadows to get even with the photographer, "That'll show him!"
It warms my heart to read Don's glowing homage to Lou Perry's photographical contribution to his book.
Sue, I notice Wendy's 'Mom' collar every time their commercial plays. Do you know if it spells out 'Mom' intentionally?
Really nice Castle pics, Major. Thanks.
Yes, JB, it’s intentional.
Regular readers will already know that this my very favorite look for our fabulous castle - won't bore you again with all the perfection seen here. Todays undiscovered gem is the new book!
MS
This castle cannot be improved upon, I have spoken.
I wish I could visit on such a quiet day though. Lovely pictures.
Wow, what a book to look forward to, and high praise, deservedly so, for Lou’s pictures. Congratulations Lou and Sue!
Thanks Major for these pics and good info.
JG
Nanook, I pre-ordered a copy of Don’s book too!
Lou and Sue, ha, I did not notice “MOM”!
Lou and Sue, you’re welcome.
JB, I’m surprised how often I can’t really see the Dent, even though I know it’s there; the angle of the light makes it invisible. I wonder if the Swans ever ate costumed characters? They would be slow and easy to catch. I was not 100% sure that the lady in the second photo was posing for the photographer, though it does basically look that way. I’m sure the shadows didn’t look that dark to the eye! I did not know that Wendy had “Mom” on her collar, but then again, I haven’t looked very closely.
Lou and Sue, did the Illuminati demand that “Mom” be put on Wendy’s collar?
MS, with the bright sunshine and the deep blue sky, today’s pictures of the Castle are particularly pretty! I’m told that Don’s book is selling well, which is always nice to know.
JG, it’s funny, I associate “I have spoken” with that character in The Mandalorian, but apparenty a character in Little Abner said that half a century earlier! I can’t remember which character, but I’d happened to read something about it. I’m really looking forward to Don’s upcoming book.
Major, I intended my comment to recall the Mandalorian reference, I was not aware of the Little Abner occurrence.
However, the phrase was used by the Green Martians in the Edgar RIce Burroughs novel "Princess of Mars, first of the John Carter of Mars series, and I am 90% sure that the Mandalorian writers hijacked it from there. I recognized it immediately when I heard it in that show, "Hey, that's Tars Tarkas' line"! Since that first Mars novel was written in 1917, that might be the first usage.
It's a shame that Disney will not make any follow-up films of the John Carter series, the first one was quite good, IMHO and the stories are far better than anything the current Star Wars writers are coming up with. Yet another IP ruined and lost to time.
JG
King Richard the first’s brother - the temporary king says “ I HAVE SPOKEN” in IVANHOE …. And that was first published in 1819….
Also in “modern” usage pre-Mandalorian: Bea Arthur in the tv show MAUDE yells “I HAVE SPOKEN!!” all the time during arguments with her husband and friends …. In fact it may quite possibly be her tag line.
Thank you so much. Lou's pictures are incredible and just add extra icing to the cake. I spent five years doing this book and it really will be extra special. Thank you Sue and God bless Lou.
Wendy's "Mom" collar is like the arrow in the FedEx logo; once you see it, you can't un-see it.
Major, it was Abner's 'Mammy' who said "I have spoken"... Although, now that I think about it, I think she actually said, "I has spoken".
Mike, this must be where ERB got it, since on Barsoom it’s used in a Royal meeting context, each speaker in the conclave passing the turn to another.
JG
The rare wallpaper change on my pad today.
MS
JG, I have never read any Edgar Rice Burroughs, so I was unaware of the use of “I have spoken” in “Princess of Mars”. But it tracks that Favreau and company would have been aware of those stories! I haven’t seen “John Carter” since it came out - my memory was that it was not bad, but I didn’t love it either. I’d love an old-fashioned adventure story that took place on a fictitious Mars - maybe somebody will do it justice someday.
Mike Cozart, whoa, you clearly are more knowledgeable about Shakespeare than I ever was!
JG, interesting! You probably can’t trace it much further back than Shakespeare!
Mike Cozart, ha ha, I haven’t watched “Mauce” since it originally aired when I was a kid. I mostly remember “God’ll get you for that, Walter”.
Magical Hotel, I can’t wait for my book!
JB, I admit that when I was first made aware of the arrow in the FedEx logo, I was kind of blown away! Mammy Yokum sounds totally right, I should have remembered her. I haven’t read many old Abner strips, though I kind of wish I could see them from the beginning. Only 43 years of content to go through!
MS, hooray!
LOL- Major : Ivanhoe was written by Sir Walter Scott …. Many decades after Shakespeare was long gone.
And then there’s MAUDE ……..
Correction: not decades , but centuries.
And then there’s MAUDE….
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