A Day at Disneyland, September 1969: Pt. 1

This multi-part series showcases a September day at Disneyland, circa 1969. For the most part, these are in chronological order. The first one is a nice juice shot of the parking lot, now known as Disney California Adventure. Can you spot the vintage attraction posters on the pylons?



Before “Song of the South” was banned, Brer Bear and Brer Fox roamed freely through the Park.



Really digging the sunglasses, hairdo, and dress on the lady on the left!



Brer Fox - how about those shoes?



Can’t quite make out the population number.



Breakfast was over on New Orleans Street in Frontierland at Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen.



I could sure go for some of those pancakes right now, with a nice dollop of butter on top!



Apparently, the next stop was the Submarine Voyage over in Tomorrowland:



How the family looked as they left the Triton Submarine (D-305):



The Monorail Station is right nearby; how about a ride?



A closer look at Monorail Yellow and the bubble:



At this time, Tomorrowland was all Space Age and Rolly Crump!



From the Ticket Booth on the left:



…to the Rocket Jets, perched high above the PeopleMover!



Come back next week for more September 1969 images!

See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

TPE: Random New Orleans Square

Welcome to New Orleans Square, one of the few "lands" at Disneyland that guests were able to watch being built from the ground up. Naturally, I'd want to take advantage of this rare opportunity with my time machine to see the construction process from start to finish.

The next two images show before...



and the 1969 "after":



Pirates of the Caribbean exterior before:



and "after" in July 1967:



The front of Pirates under construction:



and "after" in May 1967:



Some early publicity stills celebrating the opening of New Orleans Square:







Brer Fox and Brer Bear, from "Song of the South," were part of the publicity for N.O.S.:





Two early color images:



The front of the Blue Bayou Restaurant:



One of my favorite semi-hidden areas of my favorite square is The Court of Angels:







Nothing like the Royal Street Bachelors to lend an authentic musical note:











A piano player at The Creole Café:



Two early shots of The French Market:





See more vintage & current Disneyland New Orleans Square photos on my Haunted Mansion web page.

2000th Post Extravaganza: Apartments and Insurance on Main Street

This January 1966 photo gives a nice view of the sections of Main Street that we have visited over the last few posts.

Need a place to live? How about the Plaza Apartments on Main Street? This corner shop started life as a faux Apartment building. I can only guess that Walt didn't have enough sponsors on day one; this was rectified August 1956 when the INA Carefree Corner moved in and replaced the Plaza Apartments.



Faux or not, I would have loved to have lived here! I'd probably eat at the Red Wagon Inn every day.



In this March 1959 photo, you can see that INA has taken residence. I have no idea what parade this was, but it sure looks wacky! Apparently the opening day parade wasn't the only time that Autopia cars were driven down Main Street.



Another view of the INA Carefree Corner, which I am guessing was taken from the Red Wagon Inn patio.



Most likely, there are a number of readers who have no idea what the Carefree Corner was (especially since it closed in 1985, with a brief reprieve from 1988–1994). Guests who dropped by could sign a guestbook (there was one for each state) inside of this information center. Friendly service by cast members wearing appropriate Main Street garb included a souvenir gift, directions to Disneyland attractions, as well as travel & reservation assistance. INA (Insurance Company of North America) sponsored The Carefree Corner from 1956 to 1974.



Zooming in, you can see the patriotic summer bunting as well as directional signage for First Aid, East Plaza Street, Lost Children, and the Baby Station. On the left of this detailed view, you can see signage for the Ruggles China & Glass Shop.



Just a few more views of this beloved corner:



Brer Bear! What a treat for these October 1969 guests.



See more vintage & current Disneyland East Main Street U.S.A. photos on my East Main Street web page.

Brer Fox in New Orleans Square

These two shots are from 1968, and show Brer Bear and Brer Fox from "Song of the South," which has been somewhat of a thorn in Bob Iger's side. What to do...what to do...oh the pc problems this charming 1946 film has caused. Even though the film has been locked away in the vault for years, the characters can still be found in the park and they even have their own attraction, Splash Mountain.

From the vintage publicity caption:

WELL I'LL BE — It's Uncle Remus' "Song of the South" favorite, Brer Fox, right at home in Disneyland's New Orleans Squre which captures the mood of the old south. Dixieland music, lace-iron balconies and unique shops and restaurants combine with humor and imagination to enhance a guest's visit to Disneyland.



Today, it appears that the lamp post with street sign visible in the 1968 shot are now gone. If I remember correctly, the street names are posted nearby on a wall now. I'll have to check this out on my next visit.



See more New Orleans Square photos on my New Orleans Square web page.