Ken L Ration Ken L Land Disneyland 1960

Great view of the Pet Motel sponsored by Ken L Rations dog and cat food company just outside the gates at Disneyland. This building still exists as the Disneyland Kennel for those pets brought along on the family vacation. Ken L Rations derived lots of advertising from their association with Disneyland sponsoring pet parades with Sergeant Preston in the 1950s to offering special certificates to pets who stayed here. As Chris M. has said the graphics of Disneyland in the 1960s and especially the fonts are outstanding.

Don Defore's Silver Banjo Barbecue Restauarant Frontierland

Continuing on the tour of the various Frontierland restaurants is this photograph of the Silver Banjo Restaurant. The Silver Banjo sign is wonderfully presented on the second floor balcony along with the menu on the lower right hand side. I also like the gentleman filming the photographer from the left hand side. Great information regarding the Silver Banjo is available in The Nickel Tour book by Mumford and Gordon. According to Ron Defore, Don's son, the sign is in his basement museum dedicated to his dad. The restaurant was also the source of one of Disneyland's rarest postcards.

Souvenir Friday- Monsanto Brochure Fashions And Fabrics Through the Ages

I recently saw this brochure in another Disneyland collection and wanted it (well actually more like needed it, but I am sure all the collectors out there know what I am talking about.) And within a couple of months, there was a group of Monsanto items up on E-bay and I was able to purchase this copy. It is a great brochure with the cover showing the exhibit sign and images of the actual mannequins in the display within the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry. The tie in is the discovery and use of rayon, polyester and other man made fabrics. I believe this dates from the early 1960s before the Adventure Through Inner Space attraction displaced the displays.

The Oaks Tavern 1960

The Oaks Tavern was a counter walk up type restaurant located next to the Golden Horseshoe Review in Frontierland. The restaurant changed its name in 1978 to the Stagedoor Cafe which is still in place. I like the great sign on the second story balcony, the classic Romanesque frieze on the building towards the right and of course Dad wearing his bright yellow souvenir keppy kap and daughter wearing her straw hat.

Silver Banjo and Aunt Jemima Pancake House Frontierland

View shows the buildings that were once called New Orleans in Frontierland, but are now part of Frontierland and used for backstage storage and cooking. Rumor has it that there is a large plan for tearing down these buildings and constructing a large two story restaurant on this location. I will be rather sad to see these quaint structures disappear, but Disneyland does need to grow and a nice restuarant overlooking the Rivers of America would be a welcome change. If you look closely at this photo, you will see the sign for Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue restaurant on the left hand side (partially obstructed by a pole for the umbrella) and on the right hand side over the doorway is the sign for Aunt Jemima's Kitchen. Also the people eating are using plain white dishes and the drink cups are paper cups with the great land logos on them.

Two Views of the Front Entrance Pacific Ocean Park

For a break today we are going to drive north and west to Santa Monica California, more specifically to Dogtown before it was Dogtown to the pierside theme park Pacific Ocean Park. These views were taken by a group of traveling nurses on a graduation trip in 1960. Great view of the modern sculpture of King Neptune in the waves and of the main entrance icon arch structure. The first image almost has a Coney Island feel with the building in the background. This is a definite great lost park with just bits and pieces remaining. Even the pier structure it once stood upon is now gone. but it did compete against Disneyland for several years.

AT&T America the Beautiful Entrance December 1960

View of the entrance to one of the new attractions of 1960, Bell systems presentation of America the Beautiful replacing the American Motors Circarama film. Great view with the two posters prominently displayed and just inside the door is a mural map of the United States. This was the attraction with the cool phones you could talk for free to anyone in the United States or use a phone to call one of the Disney characters. If you look closely, you will see the reflection of a car parked in Tomorrowland.

Souvenir Friday- Red Wagon Inn Luncheon Menu 1960s

Wonderful full size menu from the classic full service restaurant, the Red Wagon Inn located on the Plaza near Tomorrowland. Scene of the 1965 Tencenniel press conference and other events. This restaurant served as the de facto Club 33 for visiting exectuives and other dignitaries. The history of the furnishings on the back page is very interesting. By the way, I am always looking for exterior and interior shots of the mansion that was at 20 St. James Park in Los Angeles.

More Information on Yesterday's Image

I went back to the original slide and lightened the image. The Richfield show can be seen as well as the ticket booth and mural for Satellite View of America. It appears this was an art show just placed up in the overhang of this building. When I went back to the image, I found the following image as well:

Which shows the same art festival but on the opposite side of Tomorrowland from the first building. By lightening up the image, the building reveals it is the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Walk Through Attraction.

I am assuming this art show was in late 1959 or early 1960 as the Satellite View of America closed in 1960 for the Circle Vision theater. Here is the original image from yesterday:

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

Art of America Building Exit From Circlevision Theater

Image shows the exit from the Bell Telephone America the Beautiful Circlevision theater featuring a display titled Art of America. If you look closely you can see framed art up on some display stands. Great view of this Tomorrowland building with the nautical theming to tie it to the Yacht Bar that was located close by. Tomorrowland at this time had such clean lines and actually appeared to be more of a Worlds Fair than even the current EPCOT park in Florida.

Sky Ride Line Control Area 1960

The photographer seems to have been obsessed with shade as there are lots of images of umbrellas and shading canopies. Maybe it was the color and shape of the shade devices that caught his eye. This one is an unusual view of the Sky Ride Queue control and line shading in Tomorrowland. The ticket booth is nice and in the background can be seen the Tomorrolwand autopia.

Monsanto House of the Future 1960

This photo must have been taken at a different time than all the other Tomorrowland photos as there are guests in the park. The family in the foreground is a great example of a 1950s family, I especially like the boy in the red sweater and cuffed jeans. Also, one does not usually see an image of the backside of the house of the future with the queue and the shade, most people took the shot from the front side facing the main hub.

Souvenir Friday- Enchanted Tiki Room Shirts

I have been thinking that on Fridays I would post Disneyland souvenir or other non photo items. And with Disney Shopping having put on sale a new batch of Enchanted Tiki Room items including shirts and dresses, to showcase some of the original vintage shirts. Disney Shopping released a copy of the first shirt, but certain details they could not replicate. The most telling is the size of the print, the original is more finely detailed and smaller the second is a great signature in the selvege with one of the few public uses of the WED enterprises name. The second shirt is what I call the headhunter pattern with shields, skulls, an African native and more. This shirt comes in two colors, the more brown one seen here and one with a more green color. Both of these shirts are commercially manufactured with little size tags under the Disneyland label. Both are great examples of printed Aloha shirts.

Monorail and Submarine Lagoon in the Early Morning

Nice early morning image of the blue Monorail sitting in station and the calm Submarine Lagoon. The grey subs are also nice with the theming to the nuclear subs of the cold war era. I am glad that the lagoon will once again be filled with water and in use.

Monorail and Submarine Voyage Entrance One Morning in 1960

The photographer next snapped an image of the front of the Monorail and Submarine Voyage entrances. This is pre park opening with several construction trucks out front. I never noticed it before, but the sign is designed to appear as a conning tower to a submarine with the periscopes, walkway and all the other items seen on a sub. I also like the shade canopies. Too bad Disneyland's Tomorrowland of today is not as colorful.

WenMac Hobby Flight Circle 1958

Unusual view of one of the least photographed spots in Disneyland, the Wen Mac Hobby Flight and Race Circle. Looking at this attraction, it is just a big circle surrounded by chain link fencing. Disneyland tried to dress it up with nautical banners and the wind sock with Wen Mac on it is pretty nice. The molded fiberglass chairs are also nice for the spectators. The building in the background is great with the colored panels on the second floor, most likely it is the Art of Animation building.

Submarine Voyage Sign In Tomorrowland 1960

For the next couple of days I will be showing the images of Tomorrowland the photographer captured. The first is this view of the Submarine Voyage Sign prior to opening. The Space Bar, Astro Jets, Autopia and the Skyway can be clearly seen in the photograph. And the white spot in the lower left side is a rag tied to the drop rope. The Eames molded fiberglass seating on the lower right side is also nice.

Display of Disney Books Opera House Main Street 1960

Heading back out to Main Street, this display of books in the window at the Opera House caught the photographers attention. It is amazing that this window is still being used to display items again, now for Disney Auctions and the online Disney Shopping. Display has some rare books in it including the Story of Walt Disney by Diane Disney Miller and the Art of Animation by Bob Thomas. Unfortunately, due to the drapery, the wall sconces, the single candelstick and the frame it has a funeral parlor look.

Cleaning up In Front of Peter Pan Attraction 1960

Another early morning shot of Fantasyland, this time with a little activity going on. However the worker does not appear to be wearing the normal custodian uniform of whites, Disneyland must have let the employees wear regular clothes prior to opening. Or the sweeper may be a construction or contractor employee? If you look closely you can see the mural painted on the ride entrance wall. And the joust theme is continued with sheilds and a unique shield for Peter Pan himself.

Matterhorn Front Entrance 1960

Even though Disneyland was never consistent stating which land the Matterhorn is in, I always felt it was a Fantasyland ride and fit more into the Europe theme than the land of Tomorrow theme. Great shot of the front entrance showing the Swiss Chalet building and the city shields. The best part of the shot is the flag on top of the Chalet with the Matterhorn shield as seen on the Matterhorn sleds.

Overhead View West Side of Fantasyland

Continuing on the tour of Fantasyland, this shot is an overhead view of Fantasyland showing King Arthurs Carrousel, Snow Whites Scary Adventure, Mad Tea Party ticket building and my favorite the Welch's Juice Bar. Image was taken from the Skyway and shows the relationship of the rides at the time. I like the shield with the bunch of grapes on it. Welch's had a wonderful Fantasia themed mural painted behind the service bar.

Early Morning View of Sleeping Beauty Castle 1960s

Early morning photo of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle from the hub. I like the fact that there are no people, the carousel is covered and there are sandbags sitting on the ground. I also like the ticket booth that is located right at the center of the castle entrance. The castle is the most recognizable building in the park and also one of the most photographed.

Midget Autopia Ride Entrance 1960s

Image of the entrance to the Midget Autopia in Fantasyland. If you look closely you can see the iconic garage that kids would drive through and is immortalized in a Disneyland postcard. Also, the cars are out on the track uncovered. A great early morning view with absolutely no one around. If you are interested in more images of the Midget Autopia, take a look at Dan's A Sampler of Things blog for March 20, 2006.

Mr. Toads Wild Ride in the Morning 1960

Great image of Mr. Toads Wild Ride one morning before opening. Image shows the attraction entrance with a wonderful mid 1950s Chevrolet Apache Pickup truck and what appears to be a 1952 Pontiac Chieftan Station Wagon parked in Fantasyland. I like the trash can on the right hand side with the peaked top. The vivid colors also remind me of my childhood visits before the Fantasyland rebuild in 1983.

Fantasyland Attraction Ride Vehicle Seats

Continuing on the tour of Fantasyland these pictures present the seats of three Fantasyland rides. The first shows the lovely Canal boat seats, the second is from the short lived Midget Autopia and the third is from the Junior Autopia which became the Fantasyland Autopia. Although not the most graphically interesting images, they are very unusual as I do not know of any other shots documenting this aspect of the ride vehicles. And being the obsessive Disneyland geek as I am these shots become amazing.