The Frito Kid

There are very few vintage Disneyland images that cause this jaded guy to get excited anymore, but this one was an exception! I was VERY happy to add a shot of the Frito Kid vending machine at the Casa de Fritos restaurant in Frontierland. Originally located on New Orleans Street, the Kid moved to the location shown here in 1957. The Gonzalez Trio are entertaining guests in front of the entrance.



This is almost like an advertisement: the little boy eating a bag of Fritos outside the restaurant while he enjoys the Gonzalez Trio.



While I do know that the Frito Kid moved to this location in 1957, I don’t know what happened to him. Anyone?

See more Disneyland Casa de Fritos photos at my main website.

Carrots for Friday

I am semi-obsessed with the Disneyland Pack Mule attraction. To think that “live” animals and an unpredictable element were ever at the Park is difficult to comprehend now. This little girl from June 1961 must have been obsessed with carrots, and she was not afraid to let the world know. A carrot on her shirt, and a pair of capri pants LOADED with carrots. I bet she had good teeth and vision.



This previously posted July 1962 image shows the same area, but from a wide-angle. I like covering all the angles.



You can see that the obscured sign in today’s first image is for wagon repair. Better go there quick; I hear parts are taking a long time to ship these days.



See more Disneyland Pack Mule photos at my main website.

Petrified on a Monday

Don’t get petrified by the start of another week; instead, focus your petrification on the tree at Disneyland’s that has graced the Frontierland landscape since 1957. This June 1961 shows “Anna and June.” Perhaps Anna is encouraging June not to be afraid of Mondays. In the background is Don Defore’s Silver Banjo Barbecue,” the only restaurant in Disneyland history (so far) to bear the name of a non-fictional person that was also owned by said individual.



I found this shot that I had taken in February 2012, offering a similar perspective:



Here’s the plaque that tells the backstory:



I hope your weekend is off to a great start! See more Disneyland Petrified Tree photos at my main website.

November 1959: In Living Color, Pt. 6

Today we do a little (very little) exploring of Frontierland, beginning with a shot of the gate. Shot #1 also captures another shutterbug who is taking a photo of the sign that tells the tale of the Log Fort. In this detailed closeup, you can also barely see the Wooden Indian on the left.



Looks like Tom Sawyer Island might be closed for business today; it’s a virtual ghost town.



And a detail shot of the raft and supplies:



In this shot, you have a combination of the frontier (The Golden Horseshoe) AND the modern technology of tomorrow (The Moonliner).



Scarf-gal’s husband/lover/partner/secret boyfriend/brother seems to be a little anxious; he can’t wait to get off that bench and check out the Can-Can Girls.



Leaving you in Frontierland for the day, we close with a shot of the Mark Twain; that wrought iron fence shor is purty!



Tomorrow we visit Fantasyland. See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.

Trouble in Frontierland, Pt. 2

Looks like Sheriff Lucky has custody of Black Bart and a whole gaggle full of boys following them to see what happens.

In this next shot, they are walking by the Horseshoe and the Frontier Shooting Gallery.



Looks like Bart might have escaped in this photo and is wreaking havoc again. Hope Sheriff Lucky shoots Bart and not Lafitte’s anchor; who knows where that might ricochet!



George - no idea on the person in the photo in the window from yesterday. These shots are not very detailed, so zooming in didn’t help either. See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.

Trouble in Frontierland, Pt. 1

In this set of 1950’s photos, you can see the Frontierland gun fight/stunt show, occurring directly above the Oaks Tavern on New Orleans Street. Thanks to Ron Schneider, we now know that the stunt man in this show is none other than Golden Horseshoe legend Wally Boag.

Wally is giving it his all, as some guests don’t have a clue what is going on and some watch in awe. In the lower left-hand corner you can see Black Bart.

Burly Women Go to Disneyland, September 1957, pt. 3

In the 3rd post of this series, the gals are behind the scenes, frolicking in the park taking photos of the scenery. The photographer in the group obviously had an appreciation for the landscaping as you can see from this photo at the entrance to Adventureland.

Over in Frontierland, a Conestoga Wagon looks likes it’s ready for another trip to Coyote Rock and The Natural Bridge, as seen in the photo that follows. Don’t fault them for the blurriness; you’d have trouble taking photos from this type of transportation, too!





One of the Indian Village (the real one, not the fake one!):



The ladies are rule players too; they know which side of the pontoon bridge to enter on:



They must have been entranced from their view of the Indian Village, as they later returned to catch one of the Ceremonial Dances:





One more post to go in this one! See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.

The Gardner Collection, Disneyland 1955: Pt. 2

More Frontierland Fun today, courtesy of Dick Gardner! What better way to start than with the entrance gate, which is looking pretty sparse and unspoiled back in August 1955.

Sheriff Lucky is just taking it easy here in shot #2; I have also added a closeup of the poster advertising the C.K. Holliday.





Last but not least is the Indian Village:



See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.

Undated Large Slides, Pt. 5: Frontierland

Finishing out this series in Frontierland today beginning with one at the Indian Village. Included here at no extra charge is a closeup of the sign for the Canoes & The Rafts:



Speaking of Rafts, here are a few taking guests back and forth from the mainland to Tom Sawyer’s Island:



See more Disneyland Frontierland photos at my website.