Bonus Sunday

Welcome to Bonus Sunday. From Magazine Monday, here is the complete issue of Mad Magazine from December 1956 featuring "Dizzyland".


Complete Mad Magazine December 1956 - 122mb

A blog reader made this comment regarding Monday's Post:

"The entire first 46 years of MAD are commercially available on DVD (at Amazon). It's currently OP, but used copies are available". I read some reviews and it's one heck of deal for 50 bucks! There were some comments about the scan quality not being great. No worries regarding my scan of this issue, you can zoom in plenty close...


Be sure and check out the "Gunsmoked" article, its a hoot!






From the "Band-Aid Dept." its "A Saw Screams at Midnight" a cute Do-it-yourself parody with the hilarious Carl Reiner (of the Sid Caesar Show).





Come back tomorrow for the next installment of "Magazine Monday"

A day at Disneyland - 1955/56

Today’s post is a mix of items all from the same trip to Disneyland back in the early days. None of these items have an actual printed date; my guess would be late 1955 or early 1956.

Up first a pair of fairly rare “Frontierland Freight” train tickets. In the early days of the park the two trains each left from their own stations (Main Street or Frontierland) and circled the park non-stop returning back where they started. I like how the side stub lists your route via; Fantasyland, Holidayland, Tomorrowland, Main St. Depot, Adventureland and return.






The low-ish serial number leads me to believe these are from late 1955 or early 1956. Notice the numbers on the two tickets are sequential; this makes me really happy for no apparent reason.

If you missed my 4 part Train Ticket series, be sure and check it out here (link).

Looks like the same happy couple that rode the Frontierland Freight Train also took a trip on the Mark Twain’s “First Class Circuitous Passage”.






Sequential serial number again, now I’m getting giddy…






A couple of standard (and free) souvenirs from the trip. A post card showing the “Chemitron” from Monsanto’s Hall of Chemistry. Check my previous post here (link) to see the full brochure of the “Chemitron”






TWA’s Rocket to the Moon souvenir flight certificate. What’s with the “Know All Ye By These Presents”, that doesn’t sound very futuristic?





It appears the happy couple didn’t stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Maybe it wasn’t open yet or none of its original 7 rooms were vacant. The Top’s Motel looks like it was the couple's choice and it's only ½ mile north of Disneyland!






It might be a little over my budget.





This place sounds super or dare I say "TOP'S". I can’t find any information online about the Top’s Motel or the Soderstrom’s (except they voted in the 50's).  The street name seems to have changed at some point since the map clearly shows they are on what is now Vermont & Harbor, not S. Palm.  I tracked down the lot on Google Maps and believe it or not this place is still there or at least the rooms building is.  It even has its same color scheme! I’ll get a current picture of it next week when I visit the park.





So much to do!






All these neat items came in this vintage Disneyland bag, the graphics remind me of the Disneyland (Dizzyland) TV Show.

Today at Disneyland - January 15, 1990

Here’s a fun multi-panel flyer - Today at Disneyland from January 15, 1990. Not much time for text today, so read the brochure and enjoy…





Annual Passport for “anytime” operating hours is only $165!









Is that Roger Rabbit?

Knott's Cable Car Tickets

Time to give Knott’s Berry Farm a little love.

It’s pretty amazing that Knott’s had a real cable car system in the park for years. I’m not sure when they took it out, probably during the big expansions in the 1970’s.

Up first is an undated but pretty old Cable Car ticket, this ticket is large at 3 1/2” by 8”. 15¢ is the lowest price I have seen for the cable cars. Those little punch holes on the bottom indicate this ticket was used.





The back has a neat little story about the San Francisco cable cars history. Apparently the 5 cars at Knott’s came from San Francisco, they're the real McCoys!






The “green” cable car tickets are a little newer and much smaller at 2 ½” by 5”. Still some fun history mentioned on the front. I’ve posted these tickets before, but this is the only one I have the still retains its original stub.






The back has a fun map showing the route the cable car takes thru the park. At one time the route traveled much further into the park as seen on this 1955 Map (link).






And a nice little photo of one of the cable cars in action, they looked fun, too bad they’re gone.

Operation M.O.U.S.E. Money

Following up on last Friday's post for Operation M.O.U.S.E., a super nice reader of the blog send in this scan of what can only be described as a "Pre-Disney Dollar". Thanks Jack!

Its even on my favorite Star and Castle paper! Notice the expiration date, I am guessing these were from the first year of Operation M.O.U.S.E.(1968) as my flyer (shown below) is for January 1969 so I would guess the Operation M.O.U.S.E.money was good for up to a year. Plus the colors don't match the 1969 flyer.

Mad Magazine - December 1956

Welcome to “Magazine Monday”! It’s a “MAD” Magazine Monday!

From December 1956, this issue of MAD Magazine is the first to have Alfred E. Newman on its cover. I grew up reading all of my older brothers MAD Magazines and books, my mind was undoubtedly shaped and/or distorted by these magazines. I’ll still pick one up every few months and they still make me laugh out loud.






The index page showing all the fun stuff inside. I was going to ask if anyone wants the entire issue posted, but it’s so much fun I’m going to go ahead and post the whole thing on Bonus Sunday.






The article on “Dizzyland” is classic standard MAD satire, as they stated in the index page “which shows how jealous we are” it makes me think this was all in good fun. It’s interesting to see the focus on how much money Walt appeared to be making.

Now without further interruption, here is the “Dizzyland” MAD piece. Step back in time, pretend you are a child again, read and laugh out loud. 









My favorite quote from Fantasticland: "Don’t get the idea because we’re drawn smiling, were happy!"

MAD had very little advertising in 1956 (one small shoe ad) and had no advertising from 1957 to 2001 (how cool was that!) so here's a funny “joke” ad about tires that don’t need a car!






It’s December 1956 therefore an Elvis satire is in order!






This “Mouse Trap” piece is a good representation of the MAD style of humor.






The back cover is fantastic; it’s the reverse side of the front cover. MAD was and is famous for all the little details in their drawings, this is no exception.





Come back on Bonus Sunday for the entire issue.

P.s. I'm at the Park today!!!!!!!

Bonus Sunday

Welcome to Bonus Sunday. Today’s we’ve got a Vacationland from the Summer of 1973. Usually Bonus Sunday features something from a post that occurred during the week, this Sunday is just something I selected because I like it. Sort of a “Bloggers Cut” Bonus Sunday.

The cover features the new and exiting Main Street Electrical Parade, a very similar design can be found on the cover of the Summer 1973 Disneyland Guide Book (link).





Be sure to download the entire issue, there’s great articles on; The New Walt Disney Story, “Electrical Lights – Magical Nights”, "Le Gourmet" in New Orleans Square and more.


Vacationland Summer 1973 – 47mb


Nice centerfold, super early 70’s colors. I didn’t crop the top off, that's the way it was.






The aroma of a sizzling teriyaki steak, boy does Disneyland need that now. Bring back the Tahitian Terrance, its a lot easier than bringing back Adventure Thru Inner Space (I want that back too!).






The Mark Twain, looking good, you’ll have to download the entire issue to read the rest of this article.





I find this next part fascinating. These “Vacationlands” were for visitors to Southern California and apparently Disney did not feel threatened by other area parks and attractions. In fact, Disney seemed to embrace them. It was pretty shrewd actually; you know these other parks paid top dollar to advertise in Disneyland’s magazine.

Here are eleven Southern California attractions that advertise in this issue. I've been to nine of them, I never saw the Japanese Village or the Alligator Farm.  How many have you been to?























See you tomorrow on Magazine Monday where A.E.N. will be happy to greet you.