You Are There: Disneyland December 1961, Pt. 3

All aboard for a trip below the beautiful briny sea! Looks like our vessel MIGHT be the Triton. Here are a few shots of what you will see through your porthole windows:









Hope you enjoyed this three-part series showing how the park looked in December 1961.

Back to present days, here are a few shots of my most recent trip, focusing on one of my favorite areas, New Orleans Square. Love the theming as we pull into the station there:







Tiana is back with a musical celebration near the French Market:









And a few from The Blue Bayou:













WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR DEPT.: Knotts fanatic, theme park designer extraordinaire, and author Chris Merritt just told me that the fantabulous event at Knotts Berry Farm on 4/18 has yet to sell out. WHAT???? At only $55, this one is a no-brainer!



Here are some of the activities available:

* Historical walking tours of Ghost Town
* Historical walking tours of Grand Avenue
* Sales and signing of Knott’s Preserved (pre-orders available)
* Multimedia lecture on early Knott’s history in the Bird Cage Theatre
* Group buffet dinner in the Chicken Dinner Restaurant
* A panel discussion with former Knott’s designers in the Bird Cage Theatre



See more Disneyland photos at my regular website.

You Are There: Disneyland December 1961, Pt. 2

That Horse-Drawn Streetcar is going the wrong way; we’re heading towards Central Plaza, not Town Square! That driver looks half asleep. You can tell it’s the Christmas Season by the huge star atop the Matterhon:



What a great image; attraction posters, futuristic lights, AND the Monsanto House of the Future:



The Moonliner calls to us like the song of the siren to enter Tomorrowland:



Lots to see here: the Matterhorn & Christmas Star, Skyway (with my fave round buckets!), The Tomorrowland Central Ticket Booth, and an empty Monorail Track:



ATTENTION TO DETAIL DEPT.: Here are some recent shots of the new Frontierland bridge, which was recently rehabbed and then redone AGAIN because the shoreline didn’t look rustic enough. It’s stuff like that that keeps me coming back!









See more current and vintage Disneyland photos at my regular website.

You Are There: Disneyland December 1961, Pt. 1

It’s another bright and colorful “you are there” (anybody remember that show?) showcase of Disneyland History, circa December 1961. Leaving the Disneyland Hotel, our family heads towards the entrance, which looks almost as crowded as the park would be today! I always get anxious at the entrance when I see the train parked at the station: “Let me in already!” That Guided Tour price looks like a steal!



How about those inviting wooden chairs on the porch of the City Hall in Town Square?



Zooming in for a detailed view of the Horseless Carriage sign and the schedule of events at the park:



Plenty of locker space at the Bekins Storage facility, ready to hold all of your souvenir goodies!



See more Disneyland photos at my regular website.

Sailing Through Sundays on The JC: Danny Thomas' missing brother?!?

This undated photo from the collection of UCLA professor Irving Bernstein features a skipper who looks like he could be Danny Thomas' brother. Wouldn't that be cool to have guest celebrity skippers on the JC?!?

Meanwhile, an anonymous reader sent this backstage photo from the park; looks like these elephants from the JC Elephant Pool have runny noses! Notice the Indian figure from the Rivers of America scenery on the left.



On Friday, I spent the day at the park to celebrate my friend Stacy's birthday. Expecting the worst with crowds, I was pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't all that bad. And plenty to see, too! Those who read my blog yesterday saw that what appears to be a Keelboat has appeared in front of the (formerly) Burning Cabin!





Not sure if this is an original or a brand spanking new boat (I'm guessing the latter), but either way it's a welcome site. Even "the suits" seem pleased.



Sure seems weird to see The Columbia sitting in the middle of a dry riverbed.



Plenty of construction going on at Disney’s California Adventure, too. Brick pavers are being laid for the Red Trolley:





And the Little Mermaid attraction is actually beginning to take shape:







The Silly Symphony Swings are still moving along; it appears that the illustrations along the side of the top might appear as an animation when the Swings are spinning...just a guess, folks.







Testing still continues for World of Color:





Spring has sprung at both parks; the special attention to landscaping is never more apparent than in the spring:







More at a later date from my trip report. Don’t want to give you TOO much in one day! See more Disneyland photos at my website.