"Best of" Magazine Monday

Due to the weekend having not enough hours, today’s Magazine Monday is a “Best of” edition. These two posts were from last July, hopefully you missed them or will enjoy them again.

************AUTOPIA 1955*************

By all accounts Autopia was an instant hit from the day Disneyland opened. Today’s post will feature two car enthusiast magazine’s from 1955 that demonstrate how popular the attraction became and how quickly it happened.

First up from October 1955 it's “Hot Rod” magazine. Hot Rod still arrives in my mailbox every month; it’s the grand daddy of car magazines. A classic cover, those little “Tailgate Torpedoes” look ready to take Peggy Sue to the Hop!






This article is fairly short at just two pages. However, this is just a few months after Disneyland opened. I bet this made every kid who read this magazine beg their parents to go to Disneyland.






Neat that Robert (Bob) Gurr gets proper credit for being in charge of the project.






Our second car magazine today is “Rod & Custom” from November 1955, this is a smaller sized magazine, about the size of the old TV Guides.






Rod & Custom dedicated more space for their Autopia article. In fact, there is a TON of information on the first generation cars in here, specs and all. There are some great rare photos too, they are Black & White and faded, but still fun to look at. Bob Gurr gets credit in this one too! As does Johnny Hartman and Hartman Engineering.








This last page has just the last two paragraphs of the Autopia article. Check out the “Christy’s Corner” article about fuel injection. It predicts the 1956 Ford Thunderbird and Cadillac El Dorado will have Fuel Injection, “The two are almost positive bets”, then it goes on to claim a “fair bet” that the Corvette will get Fuel Injection also for 1956. None of those came true in 1956. The Corvette did get optional Fuel Injection in 1957 and the 1957 Pontiac Bonneville got Standard Fuel Injection (I want one! Link), but the Eldorado would not get F.I. until 1976 (it was optional) and the Thunderbird would not get F.I. until the 1980’s!





From Major of at Gorilla’s Don’t Blog, from "Road and Track" September 1955. A single page article on the two month old Autopia! Thanks Major!

************SAGA 1956***************

The magazine featured in the above Autopia post must have inspired countless kids to want to go to Disneyland even more than they already did. This is a fascinating article about a family that felt pressure from everywhere to take the kids to Disneyland.

From “Saga” magazines September 1956 issue, the article is titled “Trapped in Disneyland” It’s told from Dad’s perspective, his wife Irene seems to be on his side, the Kids; Steve and Andy are classically at odds with the parents.

This article is either a total put down of Disneyland or it's cutting edge 1956 comedy & sarcasm or possibly both, you be the judge. My favorite part is when dad gets upset because the Pirate Ship ride turned out to be a tuna restaurant! Enjoy…

Souvenir Sunday

Here’s a fun vintage Disneyland Souvenir puzzle. This Whitman Puzzle is dated 1956 and sure looks it. Hey, where’s Alice??? You can see some previously posted Disneyland Puzzles here; 1955 Tomorrowland - Jaymar (link), 1955 Frontierland – Whitman (link) and 1956 Christmas – Whitman (link).







Following up on yesterday’s post, a loyal reader sent in these scans. Proof positive that there was a “Bewitched” and “Grad Nite 1961” connection.

Grad Nite Party - 1961

Today's items are courtesy of Matterhorn1959 over at the blog "Stuff from the Park", I can not thank you enough, these are amazing! Here's the ticket from the "First Annual Disneyland High School Grad Nite Party", June 15, 1961.






I'm used to seeing the "shooting galleries not included", but food not included is pretty rare.






Matterhorn also has this super autograph book, great artwork on the covers. Did "Bewitched" steal these concepts???

Get set for a mega Grad Nite week coming up!

Grad Nite Party - 1966 & 1967

Once again continuing along with Disneyland’s annual Grad Nite’s, as with yesterday's post, today’s post will cover two consecutive years, more shameless “reruns” from last year. Next week we'll have some new stuff as we pick up with Grad Nite '69.

Now it's Grad Nite ’66 at Disneyland! June 16, 1966 – The usual 11:00pm till 5:00am.  These tickets have a “fun” font and those cool little star-sparkle things, they remind me of the cartoon beginning of Bewitched. According to Jason at Disneyland Nomenclature (link) "The grand prize this year was a 1966 Pontiac GTO offered each of the five Grad Nites. No Mustang... but you could see the Mustangs perform!"






The usual stuff is on the back. And - HOLD YOUR OWN TICKET, what are you crazy?






The lucky holders of these tickets took advantage of the fact you had to buy a photo with each ticket purchase. The cover is extra thick stock, the type you would get from a mid priced photo gallery, not bad for a buck!






The happy couple, lets call them Ken and Peggy. 

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

On to Grad Nite ’67! Here is a “Complimentary / Admit One Sponsor” ticket for June 16, 1967. That had to be a little odd to be at Grad Nite and not be a Grad or a Chaperon.





Speaking of Chaperon’s, here is an “Official Chaperon” sticker. I would make a terrible Chaperon, by 2am I would just be looking for a place to lay down & sleep…. "Wake me up when its over".






Here is the great program from Grad Nite ’67. The two ladies on the left look like the just escaped from Sergio Mendez & Brazil ’66. Everyone looks so happy and inviting that I’m going to go ahead and use that Sponsor ticket!






This program was printed with a different section on this page for each of the days, I have two versions; June 14th and June 16th, 1967.







This part talks about “new advances in science and technology” makes you think there might be some New Tomorrowland stuff coming up in this program, not so.






Great entertainment lineup; Dobie Gray (A few years before "Drift Away”), “The Aggregation” now that’s a cool name, “Aunt Dina’s Quilting Party” at the Mine Train and MORE!!!!






I scanned it with Bill Elliott twice; I have no idea why…. The “Regents”, “Disneyland Humdinger”, the “Individuals” and still MORE!!!  They really racked up the entertainment, especially when you consider there are no acts in Tomorrowland which was christened the “New” Tomorrowland on July 2, 1967.






For Grad Nites in 1964 & 1965 new Mustangs were given away, 1966 saw GTO’s being given away, now for 1967 it’s the “Car of the Year” the Mercury Cougar. KFWB is still around; its News 980 now (it was News 98 until a few years ago). Do they still broadcast “Grad Nites” from Disneyland on any station?






I think the white space on the right side might be for autographs? Or they just didn’t have the right sized picture.






Is really is, isn’t it?





WOW, that was a fast and fun Grad Nite Week! Come back for more Grad Nites next week starting after Magazine Monday.

Grad Nite Party - 1964 & 1965

Continuing along with Disneyland’s annual Grad Nite’s, today’s post will cover two consecutive years. I’m putting the two years together because these are shameless “reruns” from last year. Hopefully you either missed these posts or have completely forgotten that you’ve seen them before.

Grad Nite ’64! June 18, 1964 – 11:00pm till 5:00am. Win a 1964 Mustang, NICE!!! This ticket was used but they didn’t get the free photo!






The Rules. No alcohol "any time at Disneyland”, not just on Grad Nite, who knew? In later years it also mentions no “Marijuana” (also "any time at Disneyland"). I guess it wasn’t an issue yet in 1964?






This is the card for your “Grad Nite” photo to be mail to you. Interesting that “Lora Lee” filled it out but never turned it in, I bet there is a dramatic story in there somewhere or at least a sad song.







And here is what you could have won, a brand new 1964 ½ Mustang. The Mustang was introduced mid-year on April 17, 1964. Ford considered it a “1965” model, but there were subtle difference between it and the “True 1965” models that were built after that first summer. Isn’t she pretty?





The evolution of the first Mustang.

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

Grad Nite Party at Disneyland 1965! Without a doubt the very best year for Disneyland! Of course to be honest, I am very biased since I was born in 1965. Heck, I wasn't even at Disneyland until 1968, so my statement is very subjective…

Disneyland came up with a great logo for its ten year anniversary or “Tencennial”. Did you know “Tencennial” isn’t even a real word? At least spell check doesn’t like it and Merriam-Webster has never heard of it. I always assumed (mistake) that is was a real word, just like “supercalifragilisticexpealidous” is a real word.

June 17, 1965 – 11:00pm till 5:00am. Win a 1965 Mustang! That’s a Grand prize indeed. I've heard since there were several "Grad Nites" they gave away a Mustang on each night, WOW!





1965 has the same rules as “Grad Nite ‘64”.

This just in from Disney on Parole (link), his brother took this photo in 1965. There's that '65 Mustang for Grad Nite!!!!! Thanks DOP!

From June of 1965, a special newspaper souvenir supplement was produced for the “Tencennial”. This is a gorgeous 24 page ALL COLOR newspaper supplement. It’s held up pretty well over the years, the paper is a little yellow, but the photos still look great. Many of these photos appear to be "new" for the '65 Celebration. As Walt says this is a "birthday card" in reverse, a thank you to us. This is really a special treat if you have not seen this, here is the entire supplement at 400 DPI. The pages are large and FULL of great color photos. It's also a big file.


Disneyland Tencennial Newspaper Supplement – 114mb









Here's a few pages from the 1965 Tencennial Supplement.






See you in 1966 (or tomorrow)...