July 1974 View From Above

This 1974 aerial view shows Disneyland in its vintage prime. The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean are part of the landscape, and Tomorrowland is still fairly fresh from its incredible 1967 remodel. Those Rocket Jets soar high over the back of the land of the future.



Fantasyland has yet to be remodeled at this point; the Medievil façades are still in place and the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship has yet to be abandoned.



Last detailed view shows the Disneyland Hotel, back when the Monorail dropped you off at its doorstep and before Downtown Disney encroached on its territory.



See more birds-eye view shots of Disneyland at my main website.

Chilling at the Chateau

My favorite place to get away from it all is The Chateau Marmont. No surprise to my faithful readers. Willis and I packed our bags for a little R&R and headed up to the beautiful hotel on Sunset Boulevard.



Willis has been there enough that he knows where he's going once we arrive. Run up the stairs to the lobby…



and then up two more flights for Room 34.



Couldn't think of a better space to just breathe.



Willis loves the comfortable furniture.



The roses in the room were gorgeous, too.



Willis wasn't too thrilled about them; he would have rather had a biscuit.



He does like the cashmere blanket on the bed, though. Mercifully, he did not chew it up. That would have cost me a small fortune.



View from the room during the daytime…



and how Sunset Boulevard looks at night…or was it early morning? Hell, I can't remember.



Taking Willis for a walk in the unseasonable stifling heat, we encountered this vintage Thunderbird.





Get a load of those fins!



Willis didn't care; he missed the air conditioning.



The pool area is very zen.



LOVE this moroccan light fixture.



Willis rested while I did my laps.



And then he positioned himself between my legs when I was done.



It was a very good weekend. Just what the doctor ordered. If only the doctor covered it, too.

More Chateau Marmont at my main website.

Early Storybook and Casey Jr.

Although Storybook Land is a beloved Disneyland classic, it was not available to guests during the first year of opening. As you can see by this blurry 1956 image, Monstro and the rock work that surround him was still being created during year two.





From the same batch, you can see that Casey Junior is anxiously awaiting his neighbor to be finished so that guests would actually have something to see besides dirt and mud. Zooming in for a better look at what the guy with his hands up is doing. Still a mystery.



This September 1958 shot shows the Casey Junior Circus Train zipping through the beautifully created landscape of a finished Storybook Land.



Don't short change this attraction; even today, racing through the miniature landscapes is a thrill!



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

The Omnibus

The Omnibus has always been a Daveland favorite, especially when I get to ride up top and get a birdseye view of Main Street as it cruises towards the castle. Here we begin with a few from October 27, 1956 image.



A closeup showing the miniature/edited attraction poster art on the side of the Omnibus:



An undated 1950s shot from the holidays.



The very simple Christmas decorations have such a cool vintage feel. Today's overblown decor could sometimes use a "less is more" philosophy makeover.



More Omnibus on Main Street shots at my main website.

Yesterday's Tomorrow

A trio of Spring 1957 black and white Tomorrowland shots starts off my return to blogging. In the background are the Skyway Station and the Space Bar. Don't get excited…no liquor to be found there. In photo #2, the Flight Circle seems fairly quiet. Sad to think that Lee won't be chiming in anymore with commentary.



The Clock of the World once served as the focal point at the Tomorrowland entrance.



While we are talking it, here are a few 1950s shots in vivid color of that iconic clock.



A closer look:



The clock in daylight, circa September 1958:



and the same view at night:



A 1960's view with the Avenue of Flags in the background. Each one represented a different state.



One more closeup!



Final one for today features a Skyway shot of Tomorrowland from 1958:



Zooming in for what matters:



See more of yesterday's tomorrow at my main website.

Death Be Not Proud

The recent loss of Doug Chaplin, a person very dear to me, has taken away my desire to blog. I will be back soon, but in the meantime I leave you with this sonnet by John Donne which seems so appropriate to how I feel about my recent experience.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death; nor yet canst thou kill me.
From Rest and Sleep, which but thy picture be,
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow;
And soonest our best men with thee do go—
Rest of their bones and souls' delivery!
Thou'rt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke. Why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And Death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die!
—John Donne

If you feel so inclined to donate in Doug's memory, I would so greatly appreciate it. A donation page has been set up at the American Cancer Society.

The Final Frontier

Tomorrowland at Disneyland has been an embarrassment for years with the Disney Corporation. Walt's incredible 1967 version was a landmark in futuristic thinking and problem-solving for the next generation. Today, it is a mishmash of attractions that are neither innovative or thought provoking. So, for today, we will look back to a time when guests could marvel about that "Final Frontier" and all of the exciting possibilities that it might hold. The first image shows two excited young gents in their best western wear meeting the Spaceman of Tomorrowland. What a thrill!



This tall drink of water surely gave this female guest an extra thrill.



Giving the girls their fair shake today, here is a Vietnam Soldier posing with the Tomrorowland Spacegirl.



Travel back to the future with more Spaceman/girl photos at my main website.