To more modern-thinking folk, this sign probably looks extremely dated and plain. However, for a retro-guy like me, this is just classic. The original Disneyland sign is pure icon...even if you just saw the first yellow square with the “D,” most Disneyland aficionados would know what it was from. This 2nd shot, from September 1959 also has the added bonus of some real classic beauties on 4-wheels!
Even on a gray August 1962 day, the original Disneyland sign brightly beckons to all:
Head to head with a Denny’s sign, there’s just no competition:
And to think it was replaced with this; too much bling and not enough substance:
See more Disneyland entrance photos at my website.
ok, your really tugging at my heart strings. love these shots.
ReplyDeleteA great and iconic sign. Nice pics.
ReplyDeleteDitto what Thufer said, that sign is so ingrained in our minds, it leads to the "parking lot", then the "ticket booths", then the "main gate", then ... Thanks Dave.
ReplyDeleteP.s. I want that 1955 Buick Pillar-less 4 door with the two tone paint job. The Ford, Studebaker and Kaiser (I think its a Kaiser) are nice, but the Buick is my style.
It's so funny how often "improvements" (like the sign in the last photo) are not improvements at all.
ReplyDeleteVDT sure knows a lot about cars, I just know that they're shiny.
The first car is a '55 Dodge. (Possibly a '56, but '56 had more glitz and chrome.) It's a 4 door, with simple two tone paint, so not a coronet.
ReplyDelete"Too much bling and not enough substance" is a good description of a lot of recent changes to Disneyland--led, of course, by DCA.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I am coveting any of those classic cars. They're glorious.
The old sign could not be any cooler. I'd trade DCA and Downtown Disney for the old sign and the parking lot any day!
ReplyDeleteWhere was that Denny's? I don't remember that. I wonder if that's the corner where Golfland eventually ended up.
That old sign makes me smile. :)
ReplyDeleteIt comforts me to know that there are other people that miss the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteThat first pic, with the sign, monorail, and Matterhorn all in one shot, is one of the prettiest Disneyland photos I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing!
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