Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Trip to Disneyland, May 1993



Since I have now been doing my blog for over 5 years, some of my photographs have crossed over into "retro" territory. This batch is from a May 1993 trip to California that I took with my best friend from my high school days. Please excuse my hair in these shots; it is bordering dangerously close to being a mullet. My friend's classic barbershop-do is timeless and should cause him no embarrassment!

At the time I visited Disneyland, I was not the fanatic that I am today. I was surprised to discover Toon Town, which had just opened only 4 months earlier in January.



Jasmine and Jafar were on hand to promote “Aladdin” which was probably still lingering in theaters (it had been released the previous November).



The Partners statue was still yet to be.



These photos were shot back in the days that I was a renegade and used flash on all of the dark rides; I have attempted to darken these two shots so that they aren’t the blown-out-mess that most flash photos produce.





As you can see (especially in this shot), Southern California was actually having a semi-gray day.





I’m not sure...should we follow her?



My friend Kevin did his best, but couldn’t release the Sword in the Stone.



See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dig those '90s fashions!

JG said...

Oh well, fashion is "of the time", or it wouldn't be called fashion.

Relax, Dave, you're among friends, we forgive you.

I'm glad to see some photos of this era. My first trip with my children dates from this time, these will be fun to see.

It does make my heart sore to see the flash photos of the dark rides, but I know you have reformed in your old age.

JG

Unknown said...

These are from when I had been working at DL for 2 months as a sweeper! I always look for people I know in photos from this time, but, alas!, the only cast member is in the castle photo and his is too far back for details. If you have any more from this time period, please post them! This is the Disneyland of my youth!

TokyoMagic! said...

Yay, a vintage DL trip report! Looking forward to seeing more form this trip, Dave!

I think I might prefer the pink conrete at the main entrance instead of the bricks that are currently there. Is that wrong? I have to admit that I also miss the pebbly concrete around the Plaza and the Slurry coated ground from all of the "lands."

TokyoMagic! said...

Okay, I went back to study these photos a little closer...yeah, that jacket that the woman is wearing in the Jasmine and Jafar pic....was that ever in fashion? A John Stamos look-a-like is standing right behind her, and it appears that your friend's reflection is perfectly framed in the window between the woman and Jafar!

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

I still own clothes like these....

As of 2010 anything with a "19" at the beginning of the year is considered vintage.

The castle looks better then than now!!!!!

Part 2? Can't wait! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

No one can get the sword out of the stone the secret to removing the stone died when my father Dave Steward (the guy mentioned in Steve Martin's book "Born Standing Up") and Merv Taylor died. They where the one's that created the Sword and the Stone for Disneyland.

Daveland said...

Anonymous - The secret must have been passed on, because whenever they have the Sword and The Stone ceremony, a little child is able to pull the sword out.

JG said...

Dave, what do they do with all those surplus "kings of England"?

JG

Anonymous said...

The stone they use now is not the original stone. They had to replace the original one because no one knew the secret. Also the original one was just a stone not that metal thing on top.

Daveland said...

Anonymous - The Sword in the Stone didn't debut at Disneyland until the 1990's, long after Merv Taylor passed away. Do you have any other details to back up what you are saying?

Susan said...

The Sword in the Stone is a 1963 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney and originally released to theaters on December 25, 1963. Notice the date? That was long before 1990's. The Sword in the Stone was there long before 1990's. Disneyland Calif. that is.

Daveland said...

Susan - I am not sure what it is you are trying to point out; yes, obviously "The Sword in the Stone" is a 1963 animated film, but the physical stone itself didn't make it into the park until after the 1980's Fantasyland remodel.