Monday, October 31, 2011

Meccano Magazine - November 1968

Welcome to Magazine Monday (and Happy Halloween!). For only Two Shillings and Sixpence you can have your very own copy of Meccano Magazine, a hobby magazine. This issue from November 1968 has a super cover photo of the Monorail at Disneyland. Enjoy the photo; it’s the only one of Disneyland in this issue! Hey, that’s not the Tomorrowland of 1968, I see the rocket to the moon (being convert to Douglas?) at least they could have used a current photo. Bonus points for the Bubble top Monorail though.





Here’s an exhaustive four page article about Monorails! Unless I missed it they left out any mention of Disneyland. To be fair the inside cover has these never before disclosed facts: “Front Cover: The Disneyland “Highway in the Sky” monorail railway, In California USA, is an extremely advanced transport system. Built on the Alweg principle the transit speed is 45pmh. Electronically powered this monorail went into service in 1959 and carried over 17,000,000 passengers since then.










Those prices look like impossible fractions.





We had one of these when I was a kid, they really work!




I had Dinky cars too when I was a kid, do I have even one now, nope! Wow these were cool!




Thursday, October 27, 2011

VIP Family Fun Party at Disneyland - October 19, 1980

There's nothing better than a VIP Family Fun Party at Disneyland. On October 19, 1980 Disneyland had a "Special Party", which sounds neat but I'm thinking a "Private Party" is more exclusive!


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fifth Annual Transportation Nite at Disneyland - October 6, 1967

(I forgot to post this a few weeks ago - pretend today is October 6th) 44 Years ago it was time to celebrate the Fifth Annual Transportation Nite at Disneyland - October 6, 1967. Limited tickets available! Admission to Disneyland, Unlimited use of all attractions PLUS: * Pirates of the Caribbean * All-New Tomorrowland * It's a Small World * New Orleans Square * Dancing * All this for... $3.75!!



Monday, October 24, 2011

Disneyland Lines - 80's Blowout

Its for some Disneyland Lines! Today we've got three select issues from previous Octobers, 1982, 1984 & 1989.


Up first, 1982










1984 - Land Ho!










A new sign for 1989.







Sunday, October 23, 2011

Bonus Sunday

Welcome to Bonus Sunday. Today's we've got the complete issue of Disneyland Holiday from the Summer of 1958.






Download entire issue here: Disneyland Holiday - Summer 1958 122mb


Here's your map in case you get lost.




A few excellent two page articles for your reading enjoyment.






Friday, October 21, 2011

Disneyland Holiday - Summer 1958

With all the Vacationlands I’ve posted I almost forgot about the very last issue of “Disneyland Holiday”. Before "Vacationland" magazine, which began with the Fall 1958 issue seen here (link), there was “Disneyland Holiday” magazine, which had a short run from the Spring of 1957 (link) thru this Summer 1958 issue.




New attractions, wow that Alice conception drawing is sure “simple”…




1958 Disneyland sure was bright.




Tom Sawyers Island free from the influence of lawyers!




Stroller parking, wonderful.




Knott’s Berry Farm didn’t need to buy advertising space in this issue; they got their own article!




Boy are those highway numbers confusing, where’s the 5 and the 22, the 55, 405?





Come back on Bonus Sunday for the entire issue.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Santa Fe & Disneyland R.R - “The New Circle Route” - 1956

Santa Fe & Disneyland R.R tickets are always fun to look at. Walt's pride in his Railroad is evident in the highly detailed and "authentic" looking early train tickets. Today's example is a scan that was donated by loyal reader Michael. I believe the "New Circle Route” wording was used immediately after the two trains stopped passing each other and each started identical station stops.




The hand written notes on the back of the ticket are almost as cool as the ticket itself. The Tomorrowland Boats - NICE!




Here's another 1956 Railroad ticket, this one is from my collection that I posted back in 2009. Is you want to see lots of Vintage Santa Fe & Disneyland R.R. tickets see my 5 part series here (link).









Friday, October 14, 2011

Save Disneyland's Carnation Plaza Gardens


****** Update from Reader Samantha ******


Sign the Petition to Save Disneyland's Carnation Plaza Gardens here:

http://www.change.org/petitions/president-of-the-disneyland-resort-cancel-plans-to-remodel-carnation-plaza-gardens-at-the-disneyland-resort


****** Thank you Samantha! ******

For those that may not be aware, according to reliable sources (such as Daveland) “It was recently announced at the D23 Expo that the Carnation Plaza Gardens were going bye-bye and being replaced by a Fantasy Faire Princess Meet-And-Greet”. The Gardens opened August 18, 1956 and has survived over five decades of changes at the park. The bandstand has seen legendary performers, such as my favorite Disneyland band The Elliot Brothers!

Let's not even get into how utterly lame the idea is of removing the Carnation Plaza Gardens. I mentioned in my recent trip report (link) that Disney should place the new “Princess Meet-And-Greet” over at the old Motor Boat Cruise Load area (Fantasia Gardens) and leave the Carnation Plaza Gardens alone.

Lloyd Elliot’s (of the Elliot Brothers) daughter recently wrote into the trip report blog and made the following comment:

“I really enjoyed your tour of Plaza Gardens and commentary on its pending demise as well as Daveland's blog on same. In a way I grew up in the Gardens as the Elliott Brothers were my Dad Lloyd and my Uncle Bill. It's really wonderful to see how many people remember them and the fun times that were generated out of that area!

I was there a couple of years ago for my '55th-I hadn't been there for over ten years-I saw that Plaza Gardens had been repainted burgundy/tan and that they had taken out the old concession stands (where you could buy Fantasia ice cream). What used to be Dad's "secret passage" behind the bandstand to Frontierland is now a wide archway that anyone can go through. But the mirror ball was still there and that terrazzo floor still looked great!

I hope someone out there in-the-know might find out when this remodeling is supposed to take place. My cousin talked about making a last pilgrimage. Wouldn't it be great if Disneyland had one last dance show there as a tribute to all the great musicians who played there in the past?”


I know the mouse house in Burbank reads this blog (thanks guys!) so can someone PLEASE print out this post and get in the hands of whoever can stop this from happening!!

Below is a re-post of the Date Nite at Disneyland with The Elliot Brothers LP. I've made a CD of the LP and I play it each time on my way to Disneyland!


**********************************************************

Welcome to Souvenir Saturday. I've always loved the Elliott Brothers and this LP has got to be one of their best. The cover alone will put you in the mood to dance!





You can buy this album on iTunes, but I bet its not on warm vinyl and I can guarantee you its not on the "Disc-Jockey" label, one of the international producers of LP's for Disneyland Records. This version was pressed in and made for Argentina.






As a collector of vintage vinyl its been my experience that on average the foreign pressings of LP's are superior to the US versions. My guess would be the lower volume of records stamped in foreign countries. A master stamper can be used hundreds if not thousands of times, but the first stamping always sounds better then the last one - the high number of pressing in the US tended to put out some mass produced LP's that varied greatly in quality. The low number of pressings overseas tend to be a bit cleaner and have less defects.

Let's watch the first part of "Let's Dance at Disneyland".





Download both sides, crank up your speakers and LETS DANCE!!!


Side 1 (link) 14mb – wma format.


Side 2 (link) 13mb – wma format. (check it out at around 14:00 - what sounds like the Mexican Hat Dance morphs into The Mickey Mouse Club song and the audience joins in!)






Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Disneyland Starlite Nights Ticket Book - 1961

Following up on last Friday's 1965 Starlite Nights Ticket Book post (link), loyal blog reader Michael sent these scans to the blog. This book is from 1961, and according to Michael "the backside of each ticket says Good only after 7pm during Disneyland's regular operating hours, Void after September 23, 1961" - what a fun Main Gate Ticket! Thank you Michael!