Beautiful Views From September 1959

Here's a pair of especially nice photos of Disneyland, circa September 1959. Only about three months after the Matterhorn, Monorail, and Submarines debuted, which was an exciting time! 

It seems that the photographer was attempting to capture the general ambiance of Tomorrowland in a single photo, with the Mark I Monorail ("Li'l Stubby"), the crowds waiting for their Voyage Through Liquid Space, and the venerable Skyway overhead (with a cameo by the Astro Jets to the right). I usually think of September as being hot in SoCal, but there are more than a few coats and sweaters seen here, which seems odd. Still, it's a fun image; the crowds add color and implied energy.

Next, we're in Fantasyland, since we see the Matterhorn Chalet to the right. There'd never been any roller coaster like the Matterhorn, and it looks like there were plenty of guests anxious to experience it for themselves. A rather unimpressive, earless red balloon floats nearby. The passing "Big Blue" Monorail is fun, it appears that one girl is looking right at us from her window. 

Nice Main Street, 1960s

Here are two pretty nice photos from Main Street, USA - undated, and probably from the early 1960s.

Here's Vesey Walker and the Disneyland Band performing in front of the Opera House, which was not used for much until the sets from "Babes in Toyland" were exhibited (1961 through 1963). Since we can see the attraction posters for the Submarine Voyage and the Monorail, we know that this photo is post-1959, and I am surmising that it is also pre-1961. Just a guess! A small group of guests looks on curiously as they pass by, it might be a family with a few of the kid's friends. 

When I think of the Flower Market on West Center Street (which I do all the time!) I generally imagine it looking just like this next photo. But it did evolve somewhat over the years, with the colors of the artificial blooms changing, and new offerings of things like wind chimes and garden figurines, and other tchotchkes.

A Pair From July 1962

Here are two slide scans, both date-stamped "July 1962", though they are not from the same batch. 

Huggable Pluto stands in front of the turnstiles to greet guests (but only after they have purchased their tickets); he strikes a Napoleonic pose, if only he had a bicorne hat. He would have looked like he escaped from Elba, or perhaps the Funny Farm. Could it be that our guest was just showing up at almost 5:30? It is beyond comprehension. Perhaps they were there to watch one of the great Big Bands at the Plaza Gardens, such as Snoot Doodle and his Kit and Caboodle.

Next is this nice photo taken from the Indian Village - the one that guests could visit, and where they could watch performances of traditional dances, and where they could get a look at the kinds of arts, crafts, and dwellings that some tribes enjoyed. The passing Columbia sailing ship is packed with guests standing at the rail, possibly due to sea sickness as they began their exciting voyage. TO DEVIL'S ISLAND!

 

Two From January, 1962

Here's a pair from January, 1962. Old Major Pepperidge wasn't around quite yet! BUT SOON. A family in sweaters and coats passes the Crystal Arcade, where one could buy Crystal Light, Crystal Pepsi, and Cristal champagne. I can only imagine what other wondrous souvenirs were offered in '62, I'll bet there were things that would fetch astronomical prices today.

The photographer's timing was a bit off, but he still gets points for trying to get a good picture of two girls on their Snooty Caterpillar as he crawled down the leafy exterior slope of the "Alice in Wonderland" attraction.

More BUPIX!

It's time for another selection of BUPIX! Photos from the personal collection of GDB friend Bu, from his days in the 80s, when he worked as a balloon vendor, and in Guest Relations, AND as a Tour Guide. He has kindly provided some fun commentary to go with today's pictures, which makes them more fun. Here we go!

These photos are from another “Tour of Tears”…(as the TG’s called them) where we would follow a TG around, “in disguise” as guests, to make sure the TG’s were up to snuff.  It wasn’t popular for a variety of reasons, so it didn’t last long. Looking back, it was just accountability, and if you were doing everything you were supposed to, there was no reason to be crying about it.  But… we are human beings, so I understand the anxiety around it all. In retrospect, we should have made it more a “feedback session”…than a “three strikes you are out”.   Two leads were on the tour to make sure there was agreement and objectivity. 

Small World Leg People.  I took this photo because I was a bit horrified.   Come on ladies…really?  That’s all I can say about that one.

Looks like we were in “Disneyland State Fair”… which sounds kind of tawdry, and it was in the most sanitized of ways… but kind of fun, and thematically worked fine on Main St.   This was at the conclusion of the night… and the best thing about State Fair, is all the leftover food from the little stands in Town Square was given away.  There’s Rosemarie and Holly… closing comp room person, and closing phone room person… I think I just stopped and said “LET ME TAKE YOUR PICTURE” (as I often did). Hence the snarly kind of looks.
 

In the next photo… looks like we took the long way to security and Cash Control….and decided on some “photo ops”… this one with Rosemarie on a scooter.  She has an umbrella: perhaps it was raining (?). Rosemarie was a very pretty young and glamorous lady: the photos don’t do her justice. (Rosemarie has movie star hair and nails!).

You’ve seen Alexis and Kara in other photos… here they are at the Tour Gardens. That clock was a little Mickey clock to make sure Tours left on time. There are some of the new Tour Tags that Stacia Martin (some of you may know who that is) designed. I don’t think she got credit for that… and possibly zillions of other things she did art for as a Main St. Merchandise employee (at that time)… so I will give her credit now!  She was and is an amazing artist and Disney Historian.  She knows her stuff.  Hello Stacia if you read this!

Next is Barbara, my co-hort on the Tour of Tears… we just look like a typical American couple… ha!   I think we were anything but. Barbara’s family owned a lot of Orange County farmland… when it was Lima Beans.  Barbara went on to a long Disney career as many did, and I often think “what if I stayed?”  Well… my life would have been much less exciting for sure.  No regrets at all, and I will say again that Disneyland was the best “College” of life that anyone could ever wish for. There are more things there that I’ve taken into my many many many versions of myself since then that are still valid and relevant.  Not for everyone… but I suppose, not all jobs are.

THANK YOU, BU! As usual, seeing these photos makes me wish that I'd been able to work in some capacity at the park - I think that Bu was high enough up the ladder (as a TG) to enjoy himself a bit more, though I know he was also held to a high standard. Still, he got to work with a lot of pretty girls, and that's not a bad thing! I hope everyone has enjoyed today's pix... there are more to come.

Snow White Grotto

Here's a pair of not-bad Snoozles™ featuring the Snow White Grotto in Fantasyland. This charming feature was not even a year old, having debuted on April , 1961 (this first photo is from August 1962). Snow White was placed at the top of this water feature, which is very reminiscent of the Villa d'Este near Rome. The story goes that she's up there to disguise the fact that she is the same height as the dwarfs; the perspective trick is very effective, because she does look a bit taller than them to me!  

This next photo of the Grotto has a very different mood, but was taken only three months after the first one in November of 1962. The photographer has chosen an interesting composition, with half the image consisting of bushes and shrubs, while the Grotto itself is off to the left. "I'll baffle them all!", he thought to himself.

S.S. Priscilla, Great Danbury Fair, October 1958

Today's "Anything Goes Saturday" images were a mystery to me; we see a small, unusual-looking sternwheeler on a glassy body of water, with the name "S.S. Priscilla" visible on the life preservers on the upper level (the "hot dog deck", I believe). It turns out that this was enough of a clue - the "steamboat" was at the Great Danbury Fair, in Danbury, Connecticut, circa October, 1958. We've visited the Danbury Fair before, take a look HERE and HERE. I love the modest, charming look of this boat - it's almost a piece of folk art.

I have no doubt that the Great Danbury Fair was a beloved event for folks within driving distance. In the background of both photos, we can see tantalizing hints of other offerings, such as the barn in the first pic, of the Cider Mill or "Eagle Hose Co." in this image.
 

This vintage postcard was what helped me ID the two vintage slide scans!

Nice Randos

I love a good rando, and I have two of them for you today. Let's begin with this great shot from the parking lot, from sometime in the early 1960s, I believe. We don't get a super good look at any of the cars, though the red convertible to the left is hard to ignore. It's a bit overcast, but perhaps the clouds will burn off. 

It's surprising how often photos of the park are practically devoid of kids; but there are a few in this picture, leading me to believe that this was probably a Saturday. Who knows! Up on the train platform, there appears to be quite a crowd waiting for the next ride.
 

This next one is from the 50s, and is an unusual look down Main Street from the Plaza; the park looks so empty! It's nice to see the way things looked before the "Partners" statue was installed. 

Enchanted Tiki Room Brochure, 1963

Oh boy, vintage Disneyland ephemera! My favorite. Today I am featuring a wonderful 1963 brochure printed for the "World Premier Engagement" of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (which debuted on June 23rd of '63). These are rare-ish, but usually fetch high prices on the collector's market, often over $200. The cover graphics show talking tikis, a hint to what guests would see inside the attraction.

Unfolding the brochure once, we see an add for "Papotin's Revue", a "unique musical fantasy starring the incomparable puppet-master, André Tahon”. It was an "E" coupon attraction! For a puppet show! I gather that Papotin's Revue was only at the park (in the Fantasyland Theater) for a few months.

Unfolding it further, you can now see both sides of this item. We'll take a closer look!

It's fun to think of how amazing the Tiki Room show must have been to audiences in 1963, when "Audio Animatronics" was something new. I'm so glad that we can still enjoy it, 63 years later!

They pulled out all the stops for this paper item, with full-color on this page - it's probably not the first use of full color in a Disneyland brochure, but it has to be one of the first. See! Hear! Enjoy!

While the "Papotin's Revue" version of this brochure is the most commonly seen ("common" being a relative term), you'll sometimes find one (if you are lucky) with this ad for the 4th Annual Dixieland at Disneyland event, which included Al Hirt and His Band, The Dukes of Dixieland, Kid Ory and the Young Men From New Orleans, and MORE! I'd say the Papotin version is the one you'll find 90% of the time.

And, just as rare, or perhaps rarer, is a version of the brochure with a blank back. A mutual friend and I agree that they should have printed something there. And yet, here it is, with nothing at all. Collect all three and be the hero of your neighborhood (like me)! 

New Orleans Square, 1960s

Somebody was awfully impressed with the ornate wrought iron of New Orleans Square, which had presumably opened relatively recently. We all need more wrought iron in our lives! Think about it. They should have had an animatronic Walt open those shutters and poke his head out of the window, maybe he could even wink at the people below. I've got ideas.

OK, OK, technically this water tower was located at Frontierland Station - it would not be renamed "New Orleans Square Station" until 1996. But give me some slack (and send me some money while you're at it!). If you time things just right, you might see four beautiful sisters bathing in the water tower (yes, the roof is removable, thanks for asking).