Disneyland Memories from Steven D

One of the greatest joys of doing this blog is the opportunity for readers to reach out to me with cherished memories they have of visiting Disneyland “back in the day.” Steven D is one such reader who recently sent his story of both visiting AND working at the Park. He was also kind enough to share two black and photos from his collection, which are appropriately noted. The rest of the post is peppered with photos from my collection to illustrate his story (in italics). Enjoy!

I truly enjoy your blog, especially the earlier Disneyland stuff. That is the period from my memory and they are good memories. I was first there in 1958, when I was 5 years old. Above is a shot of my brother and me, (the taller one) in Town Square, 1960.

Little boys loved that cannon in Town Square! Below is a shot of my Mom and brothers, circa November 1965:



As boys in the early 60’s, my brother and I lived just a few miles from Disneyland. We would ride our bikes there and with just a $5 bill in each of our pockets, we could buy a 15 ticket book/admission for $3.25 and still have money for lunch. There was a Catholic School Day at Disneyland; we had the patronal feast of the Diocese as a holiday.



We could order our Disneyland admission ticket at school and go to Disneyland on a day when all the public-school kids were in school. That was still in the ticket days but on Catholic School Days you could ride anything as much as you wanted to, no ride tickets that day. I can remember riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds, jumping off, getting right back in line and right back into the bobsled again. We did this over and over again.





As I remember, the park was not busy on that day. Despite all the school kids invited & I think at a special reduced price, it must have been still considered a luxury for many families to send their kids. So, we basically had the run of the park.

After joining the company in 1973, I collected my paycheck every week backstage in a room at the rear of the Courthouse & had to pass the stairs to the Disney apartment on the way. By that time Walt was already dead. We knew though when Lillian was in the park. There would be two pots of blooming flowers on every step, all the way up to their patio platform when she was in residence. I believe that the special Disney train car, the Lilly Belle, was added to the train when she was in the park too.



I actually still remember my first day working on Main Street in the morning before the gates opened. It was a beautiful sunny day, sidewalks and streets wet, freshly washed a few hours before by the night cleaning crew. There was a magic in being there before the gates opened. I was very blessed. What a wonderful place! The above pic shows me working a Grad Nite at the Disneyland Newsstand, 1975 or 1976. I was in front gate, yellow and blue costume here. I preferred working on the other side of the tunnels in Main Street costume. In those days, the Main Street men’s costumes, shirts, bow ties, blazers, and vests came in four different color combinations to choose from! No wonder it was the largest wardrobe department in the world. Imagine the cleaning bill. Bad me, I checked out a clean costume every time I came to work, even if I just worked for 4 hours!



I believe that until 1975 we were wearing the Main Street costume when working at the Newsstand. After that it changed to a front gate costume, bright blue pants, yellow short sleeve shirt and warm but ugly yellow fuzzy jacket for nighttime. I am wearing the jacket in the photo. Everyone hated the new costume. There was a back door in the Newsstand stock room that led to a very narrow, probably not even 3' wide pathway right behind the front gate iron fence/hedge. The path led to the back lot behind the courthouse and was used to bring in stock for the stand from backstage. One time I went out there for some reason and found a young male guest perched on top of the fence trying to get over and into the Park. He asked me to let him come over. In a way I felt bad about it but also didn’t want to lose my job, so I told him, “Sorry, but you need to get back to the other side where you belong.” I remember waiting on Sally Fields and Sidney Poitier at the Guide Stands.

The image below is from March 1975:



I worked at the two Main Street Guide Stands right by the tunnels and listened to the “Disneyland Santa Fe Railroad” now departing message about every 10 minutes. When I pull it up on YouTube, it takes me right back and brings a bit of a lump in my throat. Main Street in the early evening hours was dead quiet. I still remember in the quiet hearing John Denver singing “Rocky Mountain High” from the Tomorrowland stage. The Guide stands were also the perfect places to view the parades. There was the Main Street Electrical Parade, when I first joined the company in 1973, The Christmas Parades, and in 1975/76, America on Parade [shown below in an August 1976 image taken in Town Square].



No better place to see the fireworks too. I wouldn't recognize the view to the former parking lot any longer. Did you know that the parking lot crew were all members of the Teamsters Union? I think the entire Park was unionized; I was a member of the Retail Clerks Union. I also loved spending my lunch break in The One Of A Kind Shop. I walked there in costume, which was slightly discouraged, as you didn't want to be seen in say a Main Street costume in Adventureland. As I remember I had to pass though there to get to New Orleans Square. I tried the tunnel system “once” and got hopelessly lost. I ended up coming out on the shore of “The Rivers of America” and never tried it again. It was dark, a bit scary, and no one was down there when I tried to find my way around.



Above: the Royal Street Bachelors playing in front of the One of a Kind Shop in New Orleans Square, 1969.

One day at the OOAK Shop, I was looking up at a small emerald and clear glass crystal chandelier [picture below]. The sales lady said, Mrs. Disney just brought that in. It hangs in my bedroom today here in Ohio. Stupid me. I didn't ask which Mrs. Disney and worse yet, should have asked the sales lady (who had been there for years) see if Mrs. D would write a short, signed note, for the piece. With the price of Disney memorabilia today, what could that have been worth with a note from Mrs. D? Doesn't really matter, I guess. I love it anyway. What a beautiful and luxurious shop that was! And now, cheap plastic, t-shirts and plush. Ugh!



Speaking of plush, I often worked Grad Nites in “Pooh” gardens, the Tour Guide Staging area, just packed with Winnie the Poohs, wearing graduation caps. Grad nights ran from 11pm till 6am. Unbelievable now, guys came dressed in coats and ties, girls in dresses. Groups like "The Spinners", "Olivia Newton John", "Natalie Cole" & "The Pointer Sisters", would perform those nights. After changing out of costumes at the end of the shift, we all went out to nearby Denny's afterwards for breakfast. Those were the days! Dad was transferred here to Ohio in 1976. I have a Fine Arts/Interior Design degree from Woodbury College but attended Cal State Fullerton too. I have often mused that I may have just stayed working at the park, working my way up, had we stayed in California. I was so happy there. Guests were generally so excited that their excitement was contagious. It as a happy job.

Actor Kevin Costner, who was one year younger than me, was attending California State Fullerton on a baseball scholarship when I was there. He had the esteemed job of a Jungle Cruise Captain when I was working at the park. Although I never officially met him, I wonder if I ever passed him coming out of wardrobe?

The last time I was at Disneyland was some time ago, just before California Adventure went in. I know if I went back certain areas are almost unchanged, like Main Street and New Orleans Square. I would like to see them again but I’m not sure that I wouldn’t be sad over some of the changes in other areas, be they better, like the newer Fantasyland.

Thanks a million, Steve, for sharing these great stories!

See more vintage Disneyland photos at my main website.