Let’s take a mini vintage vacation with a happy couple to Disneyland. These Ektachrome slides are a larger format with the film area measuring 2 inches square; does anyone know what type of film this was? These slides are undated and unmarked, so we get to guess the names and dates.
Looks like “Hank” is groomed and ready to leave the Disneyland Hotel and head out to the park. Let’s review his personal check list; Vitalis Hair Tonic, prescription sunglasses with gold accents, Disneyland tickets in front pocket, gold watch, wedding ring, yellow(?) socks and cool daddy-o shoes.
Hank's beautiful red head’s name is eluding me. It must be one of those names than ends in “ie” Like Dixie or Trixie or Katie. Anyway, here she is also ready to head over to the park. Now I see why “Hank” has yellow socks, man he was one cool kat.
Well here's something you don't see everyday, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen the interior of the early Monorails. Can’t you just hear the "pop and sizzle" of the flash bulb? Nice timing with the Skyway Station in the background. She looks pretty happy to be there; don’t you wish we could hear the spiel from the speaker?
It’s probably not 6:00am (unless the sun rises in the west) so it appears our happy couple are going just for the evening - Disneyland After Dark.
Come back for part two tomorrow, “Hank” had a few more flash bulbs for the evening ahead.
Blog reader “xyz” requested some Disneyland Lines and as luck would have it I have a few (hundred) issues. Some of the Disneyland Lines are, well, not very exciting. This June 1, 1978 issue is pretty good, the “Family Edition’s” tend to be better.
Summer 1978 had some “delightful new plusses”. Dancing dominated the scene over at Tomorrowland’s Space Stage from 8pm to 12:45am Monday thru Saturday!
Promotions and some “old timers” retiring - I bet Jack Brown knew Walt.
June does seem like it’s been the month for new things at Disneyland, would it have something to do with the start of summer?
A message from the 1978 Disneyland Ambassador.
This would be some of the not very exciting part.
Hey the Disneyland Credit Union is having an auction for a repossessed 1976 Toyota Corona E-5 (in “flashy red”). I wonder if some cast members knew who’s car that “was”.
The “Main Street Maniacs” get a nice detailed profile.
The cars for sale have caught my attention, which to choose a ‘73 El Dorado or a ‘73 Lincoln Mark IV! Of course the smart money would be on the ‘70 Camaro Rally Sport, the not so smart money would be on the ’74 Pinto.
Happy Memorial Day everyone, I hope you’re having a relaxing holiday. Today we’ve got a combined Bonus Sunday and Magazine Monday. It’s VacationlandMagazine – Fall/Winter 1973.
Twenty-eight years ago today two lucky cast members were able to “Unlock the Magic” at the Cast Premiere of The New Fantasyland at Disneyland. May 26, 1983 was not the only dedication ceremony as seen in my June 1st post of last year (link) I still want to know if they “lowered the draw bridge” at each ceremony?
“The Dream Lives Happily Ever After at Disneyland” – this four page article/advertisement has lost its magazine or whatever it came from.
“Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is the hallmark attraction in the New Fantasyland”, while this is a pretty decent attraction, I’ve never seen much of a line, it must be the least popular of the five dark rides in Fantasyland. I wonder why?
“Mickey’s Christmas Carol” a year-round Christmas shop? Did they really have this? Please don’t tell me it’s still there and I’ve never noticed it?
“Order a bit of Disneyland History”. Want to see one of those Special Edition Commemorative Passports? Check out my “New Fantasyland" – Part 1 post here (link) and if you are really obsessed with “The New Fantasyland" then check out the entire five part series here (link).
I’ve posted this video at least 3 times before but I can’t scan and post about the New Fantasyland without adding this. Make sure and wait for Paul Frees’ voice at the end!
It’s time for an audio-visual Disneyland souvenir. This one goes way back to 1955 (or maybe 1956), "Your Trip to Disneyland on Records” is a neat souvenir that took advantage of a newly developed process to manufacture playable records on micro-plastic pressed onto cardboard. The record portions of this Mattel souvenir were actually made by Rainbo Records which still in business today (link)!
The first two images are from a super website “THE INTERNET MUSEUM OF FLEXI / CARDBOARD / ODDITY RECORDS” (link) which is worth a visit just for its oddness alone. I’ve got the Panorama map and the records, but I’m missing the cover and a couple more pieces.
Several sources claim this souvenir is from 1956, if that’s the case, they used an outdated and unrealistic map.
The Panorama Map is huge; my large format scanner could only capture 1/3 at a time. The “Island” is sporting the Landmarks theme, I wonder if that would have worked out? Want a higher resolution scan – Link29mb
Main Street has more streets and no backstage! High-res Link – 34mb
Double tunnels, just like Walt Disney World. High-res Link – 33mb
An “Education Toy” – really?
Each of the records has some nice artwork, oddly the “Introduction” record has some of the least original artwork of the bunch.
Time has not been kind to the “micro-plastic” these little records were made from, not to mention my copies appear to have been played at least a few times. I did my best to capture what’s left, but honestly it’s a pretty rough listen. I had to weigh down the tone arm and basically hold it by hand to get it to play. You can hear a clearer copy of the intro from the Museum of Flexi–Records here: (Real Audio link).
The Frontierland record was unplayable; it must have been juniors favorite.
Tomorrowland has the coolest artwork of the five.
Too bad the Tomorrowland record is barely playable, it skips and slides, but you get the idea. Again a clearer copy of the Tomorrowland record from the Museum of Flexi–Records here: (Real Audio link).
Fantasyland, forget it – just enjoy the artwork…
Adventureland has some fun artwork too; did anyone notice in 1955 that Adventureland had only one attraction? There was a “Saloon”?
Only the last portion of the Adventureland record was playable.
Due to unforeseen circumstances (such as falling asleep on the couch) today's "Mattel 1955" post he been delayed until tomorrow. Please accept this "Out of Order" sign as a token of my appreciation... See you tomorrow!
Welcome to Magazine Monday. Once again we’re breaking the “If it’s got 19 in front of the year its vintage” rule, this retro looking Life Magazine is from April 29, 2005. While not actually vintage Life size, this issue is still large at 9 ½” by 11 ½”, however it is rather thin at only 18 pages.
“Still Magic after all these years” is a nice 3 page article celebrating Disneyland’s 50th anniversary.
This is actually a super photo for a magazine article. There’s a lot going on in this “crane shot”? from 1960.
The last Goofy Fact is pretty amazing. The "Penny Arcade Shooting Gallery" (this must be the “Main Street Shooting Gallery” shown on early “B” tickets - link) had customers using real .22 caliber guns with lead ammo”! On a related side note; in the early 1970’s the Santa Monica Pier had a “Shooting Gallery” where the goal was to shoot out a red star on a paper target. Those (mounted) guns also used .22 caliber shorts with lead ammo; these were later replaced with air compression guns shooting bb’s, not nearly as fun!
OK so it’s not really a vintage advertisement. I can personally attest to the quality of those Dell Dimension 3000’s, we still have about 100 in service at my work – shoehorn 2 gigs of RAM in it and it runs Windows 7 great.
