Disneyland's Dream Machine Tickets - 1990

As part of Disneyland 35th anniversary celebration they created the “Dream Machine” promotion. Similar to 1986’s “Gift Giver” promotion (link), every guest got a fun ticket and a chance to win anything from a pin to new car or in the case of these tickets, nothing!





The legalese of this promotion was interesting; Prizes are awarded randomly, different values, different days, whatever, so no odds are given. If a minor wins a car they really didn’t, their parents did. If you win the airline tickets you are required to sign a release of liability, no suing the mouse if you crash. Claim your award “promptly” or you’re not getting it.





There were 24 different versions in four color variations. These are nicely printed on glossy cardstock so even the loser “no win” tickets are fun. An odd mix of characters, the classics along with 1990 Gadget, Tummi Gummi and Roger Rabbit.

Tropicana Hotel - Across the Street from Disneyland

If you can’t afford the Disneyland Hotel then do the next best thing, stay across the Street from Disneyland! The Tropicana Motel looks dreamy in this undated brochure/postcard.




Should you happen to dial that phone number you’ll find out the “Tropicana Suites” are still in business at the same address. Hey Major, they accept your Credit Cards!




“Park-Walk” I’ve stayed at a motel right at the cross walk to the old parking lot, it’s so convenient you forget all about mediocre room.




The “New” Anaheim Convention Center is a clue to the date of this item, the Convention center was opened in July 1967.

Festival of Fools - Fast Facts

This sounds great.... So what happened?

Movieland and TV Time - September 1959

Welcome to Magazine Monday. From September 1959 it’s the Movieland and TV Time Magazine.





Jumping ahead to one of the advertisements, the two leads in “Blue Denim” are also the stars of the Disneyland article.





Follow Carol Lynley and Brandon de Wilde (stars of “Blue Denim”) as they visit Disneyland. What’s kind of construction is going on in the background of the Autopia (“racer”) picture, the Mattherhorn maybe? Part of Fantasyland is described as a “Show booth on Disneyland’s Midway”. Who wrote this?




The “Jungle Boat Ride” looks almost as fun as the “Jungle Cruise”. Carol sits for an “unusual cut-out portrait” or as we call it a “silhouette” as in the Silhouette Shop – that place Carol is sitting! I’m thinking the author of this article had never actually been to Disneyland.





There’s a few full page color photos of 1959’s hottest stars, let’s take a look. Frankie Avalon wins the coolest shoes award!





David Nelson showing that he’s not a kid anymore.




Edd Byrnes doesn’t look so “Kookie” here does he?





Check out Liz Taylor’s outfit in the photo on the left, she wins the best dressed female award for 1959!





File this under most stupid question of 1959.





There are only a few full page advertisements in this magazine, here’s another one for a motion picture. I’ve never heard of this movie, but I sure am familiar with that 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car! Car buffs might recognize that car as the 1966 Batmobile since it’s the same car (link).





Super dress fashions circa 1959.





Is this what’s under those dresses?

Date Nite at Disneyland 1958 - The LP

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!)

Molly Vistis Disneyland - 1965

OK I made up her name, but she does look like a "Molly" doesn't she? These four slides are simply marked "1965" I think its safe to assume its Disneyland. Lets follow Molly around shall we?




Looks like a low crowd day.




Say something like a pirate Molly!




Here Molly has shed her blue floral dress for something a little more comfortable.

Grad Nite - 1972 Revistied

Its June 16 so its must be Grad Nite '72 at Disneyland - Groovy baby!




In 1968 mini-skirts were not allowed (link) but in 1972 there are "appropriate attire"? As always, Hold Your Own Ticket!





Looks like you could make easy payments on your Grad Nite '72 Ticket. Why was this $9 ticket $10?




The Grad Nite Photo return card is upside down or the serial number is upside down.






This Grad Nite 1972 program was posted here on the blog back in June 2009 and is another great donation from “Stuff from the Park” – Thank you Mattherhorn!

They lifted parts of this drawing from the Grad Nite ’71 Program cover (link), the ’72 version is condensed and has some changes (try and spot them all) but the same “Grads” are riding the bus in ’71 & ’72!









“All that Roaring ‘20’s Jazz”, did Knott’s see this? The Sound Castle, Ltd. is still a Grad Nite favorite. Is that Helen Reddy? This being June 14, 1972 I’d say she is two seconds away from major fame, Wikipedia has this to say about Helen in 1972: “The single (I am woman) actually barely dented the charts on its initial release in the summer of 1972, but it wasn't long before female listeners adopted the song as an anthem and began requesting it from their local radio stations in droves, spurring it on to re-enter the charts in September and become a hit. "I Am Woman" earned a Grammy Award for Female Pop Vocal Performance and at the awards ceremony she concluded her acceptance speech by famously thanking God "because She makes everything possible"."




Smokey and the Miracles, good times indeed. The Grass Roots and some other folks rounded out an amazing Nite of entertainment.




Is your High School on the list?

There’s that fun bus again, check out the guy sleeping in the first row!

A Musical Souvenir of "America on Parade"

Here’s something you don’t see and hear every day – A Musical Souvenir of “America on Parade” One of the famous Picture Disc’s of the ‘70’s. While these look really cool, the process to create the image and create a quality sounding LP seemed a tall order, this 1975 Picture Disc is a decent pressing. Looking closely at the artwork I can see how the big heads were supposed to appear - somehow they didn't quite come out as intended. Maybe George Romero altered the designs at the last minute?





Some fascinating details about the sound of Disneyland’s “America on Parade” extravaganza. The songs are “generally renowned” but are “noticeably new and different” as evidenced on Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah as you've never heard it - side 2.

“The Great American Band Organ is the base upon which this music was built”. Most of the recording was done with an 1890 automatic band organ “Sadie Mae” with some Moog and other electronic effects mixed in. Hey, this parade used the same broadcast system as Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade!




These picture discs sure look cool on the turn table.





Let’s watch it spin for a while; turn your head with the record to avoid dizziness.

The transfer from vinyl to digital was fair/good. It’s a bit scratchy even though the groves look clean and un-played. Beyond the scratches, there's just not a ton of fidelity, but I’m not sure there was a lot to begin with, this is primarily organ music to be played from moving floats!

You can listen to the entire album here:


America On Parade - Side 1

America On Parade - Side 2

If your having trouble playing the files or you just want to hear someone else's transfer, check out MouseVinyl.com's version here (link) - if you get lost in that site don't blame me.

Grad Nite - 1968

Time for some more Grad Nite goodness. All of today’s scans were donated by Randall, whom you’ll see later in this post - thanks Randall!. Grad Nite ’68 was the Eight Annual Grad Nite at Disneyland and a super bargain at $9.00! Did you hear Disneyland is raising its price to $80 for a one day one park ticket (link) “price increases were the result of a regular evaluation of rates” –in other words, just because they can…




No mini-skirts girls, sorry boys!




I posted the Grad Nite ’68 Program in 2009 here (link) which was itself donated my “Stuff from the Park”. Here’s the “Gate Flyer” that lists all the Grad Nite Photo Locations, note the circled location.





Mega entertainment! Bill Elliott and the Disneyland Date Niters! OK, I’m going to jump ahead to a post coming this Saturday and share Side 1 of LP “Date Nite at Disneyland – The Date Niters and the Elliott Bros. Orchestra” This is from an “Argentina” pressing and while a bit scratchy, but after the first few minutes it really starts to rock with some nice High Fidelity! Come back Saturday for Side 2.

Side 1 (link) 14mb – wma format. Crank it up and "Lets Dance!"





"Ann and Randy. Last names withheld to protect the innocent from further embarrassment." Taken from the “New Orleans Square Riverbank (#7)” – cool jacket Randy!





This list of High Schools from the program is different than my previous post, is your High School on here?





A Huge thanks goes out to Randall for sharing his special Grad Nite goodies with us!