Today our trip back to the 80's features everyone's favorite flying elephant, Dumbo.
Here are two wacky (in my opinion) closeups of Dumbo’s Organ (please refrain from bawdy jokes!):
And a contemporary shot for comparison of this area:
Two more shots from Fantasyland and then we will be finishing this 1980’s series as well: Storybook Land & It’s A Small World Topiaries:
See more Dumbo photos at my website.
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Here’s a nice all-encompassing Tomorrowland view: The PeopleMover, Rocket Jets, The Carousel of Progress on the left, and the Tomorrowland Terrace. SOOOOO many cool things to do in Tomorrowland (not that I'm making a commentary on how Tomorrowland currently kinda’ sucks).
Time for a little snack break. Is that a frozen chocolate-covered banana? Yum!
Here is my mystery shot of the series; anyone know what this is of?
Last shot of Tomorrowland shows the Skyway Buckets sailing through the Matterhorn:
See more Tomorrowland photos at my website.
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Welcome to Tomorrowland! Have a balloon...please!
Tomorrowland was full of wild colors, following the wacky pallette of the 1980’s:
By this time in Disneyland history, the Moonliner was gone, and Mission to Mars was in. The PeopleMover is visible above, as well as the Space Place below. An arcade at Disneyland? Groan...I never did understand the guests who paid good money to get into the park only to spend hours inside of an arcade.
Strollers are beginning to multiply in this decade, as can be seen by the little herd on the left. Overhead is the Skyway, floating right above these unsuspecting guests.
See more Tomorrowland photos at my website.
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We have finally entered Town Square in our 1986 series, with a nice view of the Main Street Train Station. The Opera House is featuring the Walt Disney Story and old Abe Lincoln himself. To the left it appears that there is some sort of Prize Claim office.
For those of you who have forgotten what old Abe looks like, this one is for you, circa 1968:
Over by the Fire Department, Goofy is entertaining the tots:
A stop at Guest Relations in City Hall is always recommended for Park newbies:
I am guessing that these three maidens work on Main Street; nobody in their right mind would dress like this in the middle of summer in Anaheim:
Last Main Street view for the day:
See more Main Street photos at my website.
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This guy is just plain scary. Not only his goofy expression (pardon the pun), but his horrible 80’s Members Only Jacket (please don’t ask me how I know about his coat—guilty as charged–I had one too). What the heck is that mechanical mess at the entrance?
This shot was taken from the train and shows the back of that mess:
Speaking of trains, here are a few shots of my fave DL transportation at the Main Street Station:
You can never get enough balloons...or shorts that are too short for men. Definitely an 80’s thing.
More 80’s goodness to come. See more Disneyland Railroad photos at my website.
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My next series is of an era I rarely post from, specifically the 1980’s. This batch is pretty poor in the quality department as far as color and exposure go, but there are a number of rarely seen views, thus...you will view these and you will like them (read that in your best German villain accent). Where better to start than the Disneyland Tram?!? Here are a few exciting Parking Lot shots for those of you who break out into a cold sweat over the Parking Lot because asphalt is so much fun. Who needs California Adventure?!? Shot #2 is up close and personal on the tram...makes you feel like you are really there.
For added entertainment, please check out some of the 80’s “fashion.”
The Disneyland Hotel is visible in the background of this one, before the large neon letters were removed:
Speaking of the Disneyland Hotel...here’s a 1989 publicity shot:
Disney acquired the hotel in 1988 and had plans for remodeling and expansion. Here are 2 concept shots of what a guest room and the lobby lounge would look like. Somebody needs to cut off the gal sitting in the front of the lounge shot...she’s had WAAAAY too much to drink.
Call me cruel, but yes, I am leaving you at the hotel and parking lot. You will have to come back for my next post to enter Disneyland. See more Hotel/Parking Lot photos at my website.
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This Bandstand/Gazebo has a very active history with Disneyland. Originally slated to be smack-dab in the middle of Town Square, Walt and his team realized shortly before opening that it would block the view of the Castle, thus ruining the perfect cinematic “long-shot” one would get looking down Main Street. So, it was quickly decided to move it to the left of the Castle, where it would be home to Vesey Walker & The Disneyland Band. Shot #2 is from July 1955...even a good possibility that it is opening day.
Move #3 occurred when another decision ousted the Bandstand yet again; The Carnation Gardens Plaza was built to serve as a more permanent facility for musical performances, and it was decided to move the Bandstand over to Adventureland (?!?) in an area known as Magnolia Park. At the time, Magnolia Park was located between the Jungle Cruise and the Chicken Plantation. Here is a photo from March 1956 showing the recently moved Bandstand:
And another view, showing Vesey & Company playing to a not-so-packed crowd:
As if this poor little structure hadn’t already suffered enough indignities, it was also home to a Dog Show! This March 1957 shot shows Sergeant Preston of the Yukon:
With its design rooted in Main Street (note the ornate Gingerbread trim), it really was out of place in this location. The final death knell came when the Jungle Cruise needed to expand in 1962. Magnolia Park was removed, and the bandstand was donated to the City of Anaheim. We’re not done yet folks! Move #5 was next, as apparently Anaheim didn’t really have much of a use for it either (poor little Bandstand...are you crying for it yet?). Recently, I was contacted by the current owner (thus the reason for this post which uses photos that I have shown previously) who was gracious enough to share the following images with me. The City of Anaheim contacted Rogers Gardens in Corona del Mar, gave them a full day (!) to pick up the bandstand, and voila, it finally seemed to have a permanent home. This view is from 1975; it appears that although much of the upper trim has been removed, that the roofing might still be original.
Definitely by 1977, even the roofing had been replaced:
And here are some present day shots; most Disneyland fans would not even notice that this structure is part of Disneyland history unless told. It has been significantly altered from its original design, yet the interior trim still remains, and is easily compared to some of the other historic photos posted here. It still carries the design hallmarks of many Main Street buildings, as well as the Victorian-looking Frontierland Railroad Depot.
Many thanks to Rogers Gardens for their generosity in sharing these images with me. See more Bandstand photos at my website.
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