New Years Eve Party 51 Years Ago

I know I usually post souvenir items on a Friday, but today feels like a Friday although it is only Wednesday. This is one of the coolest little fliers I have found in a while. The 1957 New Years Eve Party to welcome 1958 cost $3.95 per person and included all rides and attractions, music of popular bands until 2:30 AM and a special fun package of streamers, party hats and noise makers. Tickets for the event were on sale at all the ticket offices in each land as well as the Penny Arcade. Group pricing was available at City Hall. Let's all get together and go to the New Years Eve party at Disneyland in 1957, I can get discounted tickets!

Douglas Rocket to the Moon

In 1962, Douglas Aircraft assumed sponsorship of the Rocket To the Moon ride at Disneyland. At the time, Douglas was a major supplier to the United States Space Program and constructing engines and rockets to be sent into outer space. The red and white color scheme and TWA logo was removed and the blue and red color scheme with Douglas and the Douglas logo was applied. The first image shows the Rocket as the main focal point. On the right hand side is the Flight Circle sponsored by Cox (and home to Cox Pilot when he worked there.)

The second image is a bit more abstract. However, it captures the icon and also shows the rocket's destination in the background.

Post Number 1000

After a little over three years of posting images, I have come to post number 1000. For this post, I have chosen a very rare set of photographs from a Disneyland trip in 1958. The first image is of a busy day on Main Street with all the vehicles on the move.

The two boys in the family next head to Frontierland to check out the stockade fort entrance.

Heading into Frontierland they spot the newly opened Columbia Sailing ship.

But rather than ride the sailing ship, they decide to board the Mark Twain. The boat looks rather full.

The older brother with prescient knowledge recreates a scene that will be acted several years later by Leonardo DiCaprio on a larger boat while a syrupy sweet pop song plays on the soundtrack.

Deciding to ride another boat, the family moves to Adventureland and the Jungle River Cruise. Both of the boys have the distinction of riding up front with the fearless jungle skipper.

The two boys of the family then decide to spin the afternoon away by enjoying the Mad Tea Party ride in Fantasyland.

The younger spies the pond at the Chicken of the Sea restaurant and decides that it looks like his swimming hole back home. He starts to disrobe to jump into the cooling water.

Finally the boys board the train and get to ride in the caboose. (The collector in me is coveting the fantastic drum head sign with the early Disneyland script.)

The train ride was not just any ordinary train ride, but a special one with Walt Disney in the cab. Here Walt exits the C.K. Holliday after the ride.

I want to thank everyone who has commented, corrected and supported me with this blog. I do want to thank my Dad and Brother for helping to find images to fill this blog. I also want to acknowledge Dan from A Sampler of Things for his inspiration and for images he has sent to me. Thanks everyone for a fun 1000 and I promise to continue to post items.

Unusual Angles

Every once in a while I go through my slides and am struck by some of the unusual angles or views in the photographs taken over the years. I do not believe that the photographers meant to make artistic statements, but somehow they do. The first is a view of the clock tower on It's A Small World.

The next image shows the heights of the Indian Village with the Northwest Pacific Indian Totem Pole. The totem pole and other Northwest Pacific Indian items were added to Disneyland with the opening of the Columbia Below Deck exhibit in 1964.

Keeping the vertical theme of the last is this view of Royal St. in New Orleans Square.

Unfortunately the photo was dark and I lightened it to show detail.

The Majestic Matterhorn Mountain 1960

My favorite attraction at Disneyland is the Matterhorn Bobsled ride. A unique at the time roller coaster and the father to all the steel coasters at amusement parks today. Unfortunately this set of three slides have turned a bright shade of red. Fortunately, two of them were able to be color corrected, but one is still a little on the red side. The first slide shows the end of the ride with the Swiss Chalet dispatch tower in the background.

A view from the Skyway as you approach the mountain.

A figural portrait of man holding 1960 guidebook and passerby eating ice cream. There is nothing better than having a nice ice cream treat at Disneyland.

Souvenir Friday- Monsanto Adventure Through Inner Space Costume Patch

One of the innovative concepts of Disneyland was that the ride operators and employees would be wearing costumes themed to the individual ride and land. Along with the unique costumes, they also wore unique patches. This patch was worn by operators of the Monsanto Adventure Through Inner Space attraction. I like the gold metallic thread and the atomic design.

Presents!

Taking a step away from Disneyland, theme parks and amusement parks, I am reminiscing about kids other favorite things- presents and gifts at Christmas. I hope all of you have had a nice Holiday!

Cool Disneyland Photographs

I could not come up with a clever title for this post, so the rather bland and generic one will have to do. The three snapshots were found together and are all dated 1956. The first is of the kid wearing the required Keppy Kap, plaid shirt and cuffed jeans standing in front of Poster row at the Main Entrance. Three extremely rare posters stand out; the Art Corner, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the 3-D Jamboree.

The next two are of the outdoor character cut outs. The first is of Donald and appears to be placed in front of the Chicken Plantation restaurant. Edit- thanks to Dave of Daveland, the location of this photo oppurtunity is in front of the Red Wagon Inn.

The second with Davey Crockett and B'ar appears to be at the Red Wagon Inn.

Peaking into the background is a display on the Academy Award winning short subject from 1955, Men Against the Arctic. The short documentary was part of the People and Places series of films.

New York World's Fair Snapshots

An interesting collection of snap shots from the New York World's Fair. The first three are from the Hollywood Pavilion with the entrance, Cleopatra set and West Side Story set.

Part of the mid century modern artwork on the Vatican Pavilion.

The Chrysler Pavilion.

The Giant General Tire ride.

The GM Futurama pavilion.

The Ford Pavilion with the Disney designed Magic Skyway.

Views From Tom Sawyer's Island 1962

Continuing with photographs from the 1962 trip to Disneyland are these nice views from Tom Sawyer's Island and his tree house. The first two black and white show the two views from the outside balcony.

The next two are taken from one of the high spots on the island, most likely castle rock. In the background of the first can be seen the town of Rainbow Ridge.

This is one of my favorite views as it almost does not look like Disneyland with no people and a very rustic wilderness feel.

A nice angle of the Mark Twain from the island with the construction wall for the first attempt at building New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean

A Visit to Disneyland 1962

From the same set as yesterday's big headed characters are some interesting views from a 1962 trip. The first shows the Saxophone Keystone Kops band on Main Street. In the film 40 Pounds of Trouble, the characters run around, in and through the band.

The second is an image taken by the Motor Boat Cruise. The rarely seen yellow monorail is passing over head and the wonderfully graphic blue popcorn box is visible in one of the passing pedestrians.

The family not only had a color camera with them, but also shot pictures in black and white. This one is I believe from the vantage point of the Monorail station over the Submarine Voyage.

Saving the best for the last is my favorite photograph of the group, a you are there point of view image from inside the Monorail as it speeds past the front gates and Main Street Station.

Big Headed Characters

For all of the fans of the large headed characters, here are several images of costumed characters in Fantasyland from 1962. The last image of the demented Mad Hatter is my favorite.