Here is the Disneyland Marching Band parading down Main Street, April 1958. I am also including a “rerun” of the 2nd shot (including close-up) which is from the same batch of slides, also showing the band dressed in red playing on the Mark Twain dock area.
The repost of this current and December 1968 shot is to correct my previous post, in which I compared the back of the Tiki Room to the front as the same before & after shots. My bad...so here are both BACK shots (makes for a better comparison).
Here are two views of the Royal Street Bachelors playing some Jazz in the heart of New Orleans Square. I believe they were originally only a trio, however, on this day, they were joined by a few other musicians. The African American boy in the second shot is a little jarring, as you would probably never see that kind of “costume” in the park today.
This last shot is a slightly color-shifted Panavue slide, showing the Bachelors again with a lively tap dance by one of the shoe shine boys happening right in front of them. Today, there seems to be a resurgence of live music in NOS; there is a Pirate skit/show that runs daily with live songs, as well as a traveling jazz group, headed up by a lively chanteuse who belts her heart out. It’s really nice to see top-level entertainment pop-up unexpectedly in each area of the park—one of the reasons Disneyland stays unique.
Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter. For more vintage & current New Orleans Square photos, visit my regular website.
Just for Tim, I am posting a few more of these 2 little towheads, who look like they just stepped out of a Stephen King novel. From February 1960, we have the first two shots of the little darlings near the gates of Frontierland and the Castle Bridge, most likely with the poor sap who rescued them from the orphanage and brought them home to wreak havoc on a small midwest town (or something like that).
I don’t know what’s more creepy in these next two photos; the little girls or the Three Little Pigs. Try to get these images out of your nightmares tonight, folks!
Fortunately, just like the original creepy Mickey & Minnie park costumes, these characters also evolved into something much less frightening (except for the little toddlers in strollers who will let out a blood curdling yell for anything in a mask, but that’s another story). And whatever you do, don’t have lunch at Casa de Fritos; those little girls might be there.
Today I am going to jump forward from the past and do a post on one of my favorite rides; fans of the vintage stuff, please forgive me, as tomorrow I will go back to the golden age of the 50’s/60’s. I have always enjoyed reading the “Mara-glyphics” (designed by art director Chuck Ballew) inscribed on the wall of the Indiana Jones Adventure line queue, and now, with the help of this AT&T decoder card, you too can unlock the secrets of these ancient scribblings from 1995! Have at it!
For more Indiana Jones Adventure photos, visit my regular website.
Here is the photo of the recently installed Broggie window that the Major mentioned yesterday. The next shot is also Main Street, from July 1970. Where Disneyana currently is, there’s Berry’s Cookies and the Ring Shop. Next to the cookie sign, the Market House bears the title “Sugar Corner.” Main Street shops sure have undergone some change over the years. It would be nice to have a little more variety in the offerings there today.
Image 3 is Town Square, March 1964, featuring the Mickey Mouse Club in the Opera House and a Toy Shop to the right. Hills Brothers is still around, as you can see the logo above the garden area.
I posted this photo a short while ago, and last weekend, took a photo of approximately the same spot in Town Square for comparison’s sake.
My other image for today is of Admiral Joe Fowler standing in Central Plaza near the Castle. Although it’s cool to see a photo of the Disney legend, it’s even cooler to see this rare trash can in the background, which is definitely unthemed. Anybody able to date this slide by the can? I’ll go ahead and repost the other photo of Joe from this same trip, standing near the Chicken of the Sea Restaurant.
A lot of ground to cover today, so hang on folks and make sure you have your morning beverage of choice ready, cause it’s going to be a long one! The post is starting out with a vintage (July 1970) Submarine Voyage photo, followed by some pics showing the progress on the Nemo Submarine Voyage. Plenty of activity was occurring behind the barricades, including the Submarines in motion, “deep-sea” divers, construction folk, and some AA crabs/seagulls.
You can see the rest of my Nemo Sub photos on my website. Over on the Rivers of America, there is even more activity, as Tom Sawyer’s Island draws nearer to its May 24 due date for completion of phase 1. A new Pirate Crow’s Nest has been erected next to Harper’s Mill, and what appears to be the back of a marooned Pirate Ship is getting framed on the island. The rafts are providing transportation for the construction crew between the island and dry land. Sadly, the moose in the river is now in need of a little makeover as well.
For more Tom Sawyer Island/Pirate’s Lair construction photos, visit my website. California Adventure is also seeing some construction work, as the Midway Mania ride continues to slowly take shape.
I also found the sign that was in Friday’s post, and can say that 50 years later, it’s still looking pretty good. As as Walterworld said, it is over by the currently unused Fantasyland Skyway Station. You’ll note that the Skyway designation is no longer hanging there.
From October 5, 1957 comes this Fantasyland slide. Good color, nice sharp detail, but I gotta’ wonder why the photographer took a photo of the back of this sign with a bluebird on it as the focal point? And, does anyone know what this sign is of? While we’re in 1957, here’s another one from the same batch with a nice overhead shot of the Carrousel (that’s 2 R’s at Disneyland) and the Castle.
For more vintage & current Fantasyland photos, visit my regular website.
The final pic for today is a Panavue slide that shows the typical color shift which I have attempted to correct as much as possible.
For more vintage & current Monorail photos, visit my regular website.
This is a great shot of the Mark Twain (make sure you scroll all the way to the right as this is a wide one!) that is unfortunately undated. However, judging by the barren look of the banks, it is probably from the first few years of the park. I am very happy that the MT is undergoing an extensive repair/restoration. It is nice to see this old gem taken care of. The second shot for today is an overhead of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant from August 1959.
And for James, here are two shots from last year’s Candlelight Processional. Judging by the sold out crowds, I don’t think there was much concern about having the annual Christian-themed show and whether it was “pc” or not.
Here’s a good shot of the huge lighted star that used to stand on top of the Matterhorn at Christmas. This slide is from December, 1968. Apparently this tradition was stopped due to the energy crisis/costs during the 1970’s. For more vintage & current Matterhorn photos, visit my regular website.
It was definitely the end of an era last Saturday with the passing of Hawaiian Legend Don Ho. When I went to Hawaii over a year ago, seeing the Don Ho show in Waikiki was on the top of the list of things to do. Although he looked frail, once he started singing, the years rolled back and the legend was young again. So, in honor of Don, today’s post is “Hawaiian” Themed (please note the use of quotes). First up are pictures from Disney World, Summer 1978, showing the Polynesian Village Resort, as well as the Luau at Luau Cove (showing Minnie shaking her grass skirt).
For more Tiki pictures, visit my regular website.
Friday the 13th: Let Us In!