Greetings From Disneyland - Gibson Card September 1955

Here's an oldie but a goodie, from 1955 its Gibson's Greetings from Disneyland card. Its not a postcard, its more of the standard greeting card, but from the new Disneyland!

"60,000 persons daily" those are the days I like to stay away from the park

I suppose you should use the inside of the card to write your message, but I'm guessing Ruth thought it was to nice to write on.

Ruth used every available square inch on the back side to convey her lengthy message...  Disneyland is "really a fantastic place" - I agree.  Ruth was getting ready to fly to Honolulu on Pan Am, how long of a flight do you think that was in 1955?

**NEW POST** The Western Horseman - September 1957

Welcome to 2013!  Lets get things started with a brand new post!  Magazine Monday returns (OK, its Wednesday...)  Today's magazine is The Western Horseman from September 1957.  The super cool cover painting was done by none other than "Old-timer Ben Titsworth".

The inside cover has an advertisement for Genuine Justins Boots, that's a fine looking boot! Justins is still in business, since 1879 (Justins Boots Website).

Just to prove I did not make up "Ben Titsworth".

The Western Horseman article on Disneyland is naturally focused on Horses!

"A full time farrier is on hand", just like at my house.

Black Bart sure likes to make his appearances in early Disneyland promotional stuff, what ever happened to him? The "Rainbow Mountain Mining & Exploration Company Railroad" is that really what it was called?  Jason?  Speaking of Jason, do you suppose his database has "Charles Heumphreus" as the Farrier for 1957?

Owen Pope is most certainly in Jason's database as his name appears in Jason's latest post! (link)

That hat in mint condition today is probably worth some serious cash.

Great 1957 International Harvester pickup truck (here's one in color).  Hey, how come the word "Harvester" doesn't appear in this advertisement? Harvester IS the "H" in the logo...

Still "First Choice".

Those are some interesting styles.

More amazingly cool boots!

In case you want more "Horses and Disneyland" check out a magazine from forty years later, another great Disneyland horse article from Horse Illustrated, December 1997 (link).

Hail 1964

******* Originally posted January 1, 2009 *******

Welcome to the New Year, the New Year of 1964! WHOOPEE!!!

Check out the list of stuff for the event, how can you go wrong? A New Year's Hootenanny, Jason too bad we missed this one! Funtasic artwork!





Here's a fun promotional photo of the Hail 1964 event from the super new blog "Disney on Parole".






The cover to the Winter/Spring 1964 Vacationland.






Disneyland USA - Dedicated to Delight! I like the black boarder effect on the photos...




Come back this Bonus Sunday for the entire Vacationland magazine. (its below)

Here is the complete Winter/Spring 1964 Vacationland.

Vacationland Winter/Spring 1964 – 56.5mb






The Majestic Matterhorn. This article is a little hard to read due the drawing of the Matterhorn encroaching on the text… The Full PDF above might be easier to read.





The centerfold “Highlights”.

Gala New Year's Party at Disneyland 1966 & 1967

******* Originally posted December 31, 2008 *******

Today’s extra special group of ticket scans was kindly donated by Gorilla’s Don’t Blog, thanks Major!!

From Saturday December 31, 1966 here’s an ultra low serial number ticket for the Gala Party. “Hats & Noisemakers” included with the unlimited use of all Adventures and Attractions.






Sunday December 31, 1967 was the date these fun characters are dancing with such excitement about. They sure are fun to look at, I love that art work. “Crazy New Year’s Hats” for this year, "Surprise Midnight Spectacular", and of course “unlimited use of all Disneyland attractions”.

The pink version was for “advance sale” and cost $9.00.





The blue version cost $10.00 and must have been for purchase the day of the event at the ticket booths. All these low serial numbers and “void” punches tell me these are either test tickets or tickets for the main gate folks to use to know what the tickets would look like, either way that makes them extra cool to me…





Thank you Major for these and the other fine contributions you have donated over the past year, they are much appreciated.

Happy New Year Everyone, Have a Fun and Safe night!

Bonus Sunday - "The Disney World"

******* Originally posted January 3, 2010 *****

Welcome to the first Bonus Sunday of 2010! Here's the complete issue of "The Disney World" December 1965 - January 1966, there sure was a lot going with the Disney Company heading into 1966.


The Disney World - Dec. 65 / Jan. 66 (75mb)








The Sherman Brothers sign on for three more years, nice! “Benny Benefit” is a great article about a hilarious appearance Walt makes on Jack Benny’s TV Special.






It just so happens you can download the entire November 13, 1965 Jack Benny show (including awesome Eastern Airlines commercials) at archive.org (link). I clipped out the scene that featured Walt and posted it below (hope it worked..). I love that the whole setup is about free DISNEYLAND TICKETS and we get to see one hundred and eleven ticket books. Walt definitely plays into Benny’s style of humor, it’s great to see film of Walt that I've never seen before.

More photo’s of Walt, he sure was a busy man.






Here’s Walt with the Florida Mafia. Neato painting on the wall of the back side of a beach lady!






It never occurred to me that someone replaced Julie Reihm as Disneyland's Ambassador during Walt’s life time. Here’s Connie Jean Swanson meeting Walt and the “great big wide world of Disney”. Fascinating talk about “Paid Fares” for attractions (in 1965, 6.3 million guests paid 58 Million attraction "fares"). I wonder if it would have made better financial cents to keep the "A thru E" ticket system in place after all? Nah…






Walt was more popular than ever leading into 1966 and the company knew it. It really is difficult to image where the company would have gone had Walt been around for a few more years.






That is one BIG drum! I'd love to hear it Where is it now???

New Years at Disneyland - December 31, 1981

******* Originally posted December 29, 2008 *******

There’s only three days to the New Year? How did that happen so quickly? That must mean it’s time for “New Year’s at Disneyland”. December 31, 1981. Mickey and Minnie look ready to celebrate the New Year in style!






The Manhattan Transfer!!! Boy was I a fool not to attend on this occasion. I love The Manhattan Transfer; I still play my 45 of Manhattan Transfer’s “Twilight Zone” from 1979. You can buy the song for a penny here (link). Kool & the Gang at the Space Stage in Tomorrowland most likely singing their 1980 hit Celebration, wow this was quite a night!






This post needs some color so here’s the cover to the Fall/Winter 1981-82 Vacationland. This is one of my favorite “modern” era Vacationland covers, Charles Boyer had a unique and vibrant way of capturing the Disneyland Spirit.






The whole gang is aboard; I always wondered if that Hut thing on stilts can support people, I guess it can.





Come back on Bonus Sunday for the entire issue, there’s a great article “Adventures in Peter Pan Country” featuring a soon to be gone pirate ship.  (Scroll down for entire issue)


Vacationland Fall/Winter 1981-82 – 68.5mb






“Adventures in Peter Pan Country” Better catch those adventures while you can, this whole area, ship, skull and all, will be gone in less than a year (link).

New Year's Eve at Disneyland 1967 - LP by Pepsi

****** Originally posted December 31, 2009 *******

It’s New Year’s Eve at Disneyland, presented by your local Pepsi-Cola Bottler. This LP was produced by Pepsi for Radio Station use. It’s also (scream it with me) “undated” but I would place it at 1967 based on, among other things, a mention of "Sunday" as New Year's Eve.

Be sure to download both sides of the LP and play it as you celebrate tonight, its one-half hour of musical fun and excitement.





Here’s a 30 second promo that’s on the first side of the record before the actual show:

30 second promo

The LP is devoid of any actual information of what’s on the record itself. This was hand written on the inner sleeve.






Side one is a real Humdinger (Dedicated to Jason!). The version of "Sunny" is unique, I like it...


New Year’s at Disneyland Side 1 – 10mb






Side two is the better of the two sides, starts with Pirates (in their “Pirates Lair”!) moves on to some great Firehouse 5 plus 2 tunes, then some super Golden Horseshoe singing.


New Year’s at Disneyland Side 2 – 10mb






My copy of this LP is blank on the back cover, but there's a copy for sale on Ebay right now (link) that has this information on the back cover. I suppose if you work in radio this makes sense.

New Year's Eve Party at Disneyland - December 31, 1971

****** Originally posted December 30, 2009 ******

Help ring in 1972 with “New Year’s Eve at Disneyland”, Friday Night, December 31, 1971. That’s some interesting artwork on this ticket; those little dancing people art great! 8:30 PM to 2:30 AM – nice! Guest Bands, “Surprise Midnite Spectacular” what was that? At $9.00 this ticket was higher than any “ticket books” of the time, but these are for UNLIMITED USE of all attractions (except shooting galleries).






Since we’re in 1972, let’s visit the “Jones” family on a June 1972 visit to Disneyland. First up the obligatory castle shot, those ladies have at least 25 pounds of purse each and I think the eldest son is holding a ticket book!






This one is labeled “Disneyland” in case you weren’t sure where this was.






Here we find the motley crew in front of the fairly new Haunted Mansion. I am really digging these clothes.







How about some Vintage Tomorrowland? Why did the “Jones” family bring along Mrs. Martin their school teacher? Multiple "ticket book in hand" sightings – Purple dress lady is smoking and holding, talented babe. I miss the Bell Logo’s on the entrance facade.






A nice clear shot of the Adventure Thru Inner Space sign and how cool is that proud dad smoking his pipe with his shades on? Memo to the smallest son, Lost in Space wants its shirt back. Middle kid; gets some shades like your dad, you’re always squinting!






Purple dress lady must be mom? I remember those benches along the lagoon, what color and version monorail is that? Vintage fence alert!






And lastly a ho-hum photo of the Mine Train, the family looks happy, obviously not knowing the attraction would close in four short years.