Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A Twain Ticket of a Different Color...

Last month I posted a “Trio of Mark Twain Tickets” (link) showing the beautiful Mark Twain Steamboat tickets in green, yellow (goldenrod?) and pink. Major Pepperidge suggested there may be a gray version and I agree as I think I’ve seen it somewhere.

Well this just in from an eBay find… A Brown version! I wonder why there were so many colors? Maybe “adult, junior and child” were green, yellow and pink. This brown (or is it tan/beige) version has an “X” preceding the serial number, sometimes this to means “courtesy guest”, “complimentary” or even employee tickets.

This ticket is missing the “purser’s check” on the right, but it does have the binder stub on the left, while very plain, its pretty rare or at least I’ve never seen one.






The back is of course a marvelous field of Globe Safety Paper. I can never get enough; I want to wall paper my entire den in this stuff, come to think of it, I have enough tickets, hmmmm.






Here are the backs from the previous Twain Ticket post to compare the colors.






This next scan is a sneak peak to an upcoming weekly feature here on the blog. Starting in January 2009, each Monday will be “Magazine Monday” and will feature a Vintage Magazine with Disneyland related articles. There’s plenty to last us at least until spring.

This is from McCall’s February 1956 issue. McCall’s is one of those big “Life” size magazines. This issue features lovely ladies wearing the latest fashions, photographed on location at Disneyland.






OK, since I know everyone was curious, here are the details on what our lovely lady above is wearing.


Monday, December 15, 2008

Disneyland from the air - 1965?

Here's a great set of aerial photos of Disneyland from the 1960's. I would guess 1965 or early 1966 based on the work I see with Pirates and Small World, but its just a guess, its not like a have a compendium to look up such things, ah but I wish I did.

Originally I thought these were the same photograph, with one just being a cropped version. Upon closer inspection it appears these photos were taken at different times, maybe just moments apart as most of the parked cars seem not to have moved, but the Mark Twain has moved.

Here's the close-up version. You can download a high resolution version with the link below.


Disneyland Aerial Photo - 67mb






This is the large print and it has lots of detail regarding the surrounding area. Go to Google Maps, type in Disneyland and have a field day doing comparisons, I did!. The park itself hasn't change nearly as much as the area around it. Well, both have actually changed a lot!  You can download a high resolution version with the link below.


Disneyland and surrounding area Aerial Photo - 30mb



Sunday, December 14, 2008

Bonus Sunday

Welcome to Bonus Sunday.

Up first from Wednesday’s Disney Family Christmas Party, December 10, 1979 post (link) here is the complete Your Guide to Disneyland Fall/Winter 1979


Your Guide to Disneyland Fall/Winter 1979 – 17mb






The 1979 Guide has a preview of super up coming attraction. “Hang onto your hats and glasses, folks, cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness!" Fun artwork. “Disneyland’s Newest Thrill Attraction, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, opening Fall 1979”.







From Thursday’s 1990 post (link), blog reader lilyfair commented about the Party Gras cover of the guide book “That was my favorite parade (besides the Electrical Parade.) It had these huge balloon floats and was loosely based on the idea of Mardis Gras, only it was called Party Gras. They even threw beads to the crowds”. Maybe I was premature in giving it a hard time, especially since I never saw it…

Here is the complete Your Guide to Disneyland 1990 (version 2). It's actually a great guide. I would say this is the last big revision to the guides before they kind of stopped and became the “Your day at Disneyland” leaflet similar to what they hand out today.


Your Guide to Disneyland 1990 (ver. 2) – 27mb






The artwork for the “lands” got a major makeover too! Ok, I must be getting old; I’m starting to miss the 90’s…








Saturday, December 13, 2008

Trip Report

If you’re looking for Christmas decorations, amazing Castle and fireworks photo’s you’ve come to the wrong place, better try the Miceage. My trip reports are more obscure and odd. Today’s report is no exception.

Mornings are nice a quiet still, week days just before the Holiday rush are rather pleasant, the crowds don’t start till noon-ish and stay reasonable all day.







Breakfast of champions! I always manage to time the pancakes just right to get them “hot off the griddle” yummy-yummy!






The river sure is peaceful early in the day, makes you forget you’re in Anaheim just off the 5 freeway.







The headwaters of the river that runs thru Bear Country (or Critter whatever). This area has eluded both my old camera and my newer one. It never seems to want to focus, is it a magical river?






Bear Country is actually very nice when it’s not wall to wall people.






Here you go, there’s a few Christmas Decorations. Didn’t this used to be an Arcade? I guess I should know that?






Well I finally did it, I rode the Pooh ride. It was better than I expected, yes its mostly plywood cut outs, but it's cute and the “Heffalumps and Woozles” sequence is mind bending to say the least.






Alice and the Mad Hatter have been out in the park every time I visit lately and they really are becoming quite popular. A few minutes after this photo they had about 20 guests in a line with them dancing to “Tea for Two” with the band playing along. This really added to the mood and everyone was having a grand time. It’s all in the details…






My favorite little ticket booth is doing just fine.






I took this next set of 6 photos for Jason over at Disneyland Nomenclature (link). He had commented that certain elements in the shop “Mlle. Antoinette's Parfumerie” in New Orleans Square were chosen by Walt, the shop is now called “Jewel of Orleans” but it does have all the original interior. Here is an article about the shop from the Summer 1976 Vacationland magazine. Here is the entire Summer 1976 issue in case you are interested (link-68mb).






The nice ladies running the shop mentioned to me that the giant perfume bottle out front was also original; just the name has been changed.











A brief stop in Tomorrowland finds the Monorail track-crack has been repaired, well, kind of. Actually, I could do a better Spackle job than that. I’ve been reporting on this for 3 months now (link). I hope things are not “declining by degrees” in Tomorrowland.







As a kid I changed a lot of my allowance money into quarters in this little booth. When do you think was the last time it was open? 1992 is my guess…






For some silly reason I keep trying to take pictures of Dumbo at night while its moving. My lower end digital camera doesn’t have a clue what to do and neither do I. Its just mesmerizing to watch all those Dumbo’s flying around in circles!





There was an extra treat near the end of an already perfect day. Fantasmic was not running, I didn’t ask why, I don’t care why and can you believe I’ve never even seen it! This meant the Mark Twain was running at night and New Orleans Square was not a "circus after dark". It’s been 20+ years since I’ve been on the Mark Twain at night; I had forgotten how nice and peaceful it is. Once you leave the “square” it feels so authentic it’s amazing.







One last comment, I didn’t get a photo because you can’t take pictures inside the Haunted Mansion. As part of the Christmas overlay, they have a fun gingerbread coffin (with a gingerbread ghost inside) on the table in the ballroom scene. Just as your Doom buggy is entering that area you can smell gingerbread… It’s all in the details.

Friday, December 12, 2008

12/12/87 Passport & "A Night Before Christmas" 12/12/82

Here’s a pair of Red and Green tickets to help celebrate Christmas.

Up first from December 12, 1987 and not really a Christmas or Holiday ticket, but its red and its dated 12/12 so I’m posting it!





The back reveals this was a complementary ticket and not for sale, so there!






This ticket from December 12, 1982 is odd. The “A Night Before Christmas” on this ticket is not the movie so what exactly was this event all about? A Google search was pretty useless (I kind of like it when somethings not “Google-ized” yet). Does anyone know what this event was about?


Thursday, December 11, 2008

Operation Desert Shield Family Holiday Party - December 11, 1990

Operation Desert Shield Family Holiday Party December 11, 1990. I am hoping these were free to all the men and women who served in Operation Desert Shield, no price listed leads me to believe these were complementary.






By 1990 the “Your Souvenir Guides” seem to be published only twice a year, with no “Season” listed on the front. This is the cover to the second edition for 1990 (printed 6/90). That looks like a weird and creepy parade.






Nice colorful map, ah the “Main Entrance Mall” in the north end of the parking lot.  After waiting 45 minutes for a parking lot tram to get out of the Disneyland when it closed last night (more on that in an upcoming post) I really miss this area and the old parking lot!!! 






“The Disney Afternoon Premiers this Fall”. “Healthier Food Alternatives” some of these sound delicious. I want the teriyaki chicken at the Tahitian Terrace.





Check back on Bonus Sunday for the entire 1990 Guide.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Disney Family Christmas Party - December 10, 1979

Here’s Your Guide to the Disney Family Christmas Party, December 10, 1979. In 10 short years the “Brer’s” will have an attraction all their own with Splash Mountain. Their smiles are infectious aren’t they?






I’m guessing this was a party for cast members and their families; it looks like some attractions were not open. The Haunted Mansion and the Disneyland Railroad are notably absent. However, Tomorrowland was pure joy; PeopleMover thru Superspeed Tunnel, Mission to Mars, Rocket Jets, America Sings. Hey where is Adventure thru Inner Space? Oh well, I’ll go see America Sings again.





Simple but sweet back cover.






Nice cover photo on the Fall/Winter 1979 Your Guide to Disneyland.






Tips for better Disneyland pictures in 1979. I like number two; “Make sure your film is fresh” sounds yummy.






The Black Hole coming December 21st. Let’s just say Disney redeemed itself with TRON in 1982.





Check back on Bonus Sunday for the entire 1979 Guide.