Trip to Disneyland, May 1964

This collection of images was shot May 1964, the month and year I entered this Universe. In the background are three military men; one is smoking a cigarette, visible in this closeup (along with the little boy falling asleep while he drinks his coke!):



It looks like the family was having lunch at the Red Wagon Inn, now known as the Plaza Inn. A Reuben with mustard?



The adorable little girl is getting her Vitamin D with a nice carton of Carnation milk.



Care to see the pasteurization offices and plants? Of course you do.



Mama takes baby girl for a spin on King Arthur’s Carrousel:



Here’s the original mock-up for the proposed color scheme for this horse from 1955:



How it looked circa 2012:



Back to May 1964, the little boys are ready for a flight to Neverland:



A closeup of the bored operator, the two little devil boys in red, and the control panel. I wonder what the “G” on the hats stood for?



A spin around Fantasyland on the Midget Autopia:



Let’s take a closer look at the vehicle:



The Swiss Family Robinson treehouse wasn’t quite two years old when these images were taken:







The last shot of the bunch is the saddest of all; time to board the Tram to head home. Until next time!



See more photos at my main website.

Disneyland Tour, July 1958: Part 3

After your journey to Disneyland, you might be a bit hungry. The Red Wagon Inn at Central Plaza is a nice choice! Sign says it’s open...why are these people gathered outside?!?



Across the way you would find The Pavillion:



Here is a series of sequential images that begin at Plaza Street, showing the Ruggles China and Glass shop and (eek!) the Pablum Baby Station.



There are miniature parking lanes for the strollers. How cute!



The Disneyland Band begins their journey towards Main Street:



Vesey Walker proudly leads the crew towards the Train Station:



The Penny Arcade and Candy Palace:







Last one in the sequence shows the Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner:



Serving up DELICIOUS sandwiches. At least that’s what the sign says.



Just a month earlier, this shot was taken of Walt and “Alice in Wonderland” heading towards Central Plaza/Fantasyland to celebrate the opening of the new dark ride.



A closeup of the carriage’s celebrities:



Last view from July 1958 shows the moat outside the Castle:



You can see the Plaza Gardens bandstand in the background on the left, and the top of the Columbia towering overhead:



Which Land should we go to first? Adventureland? Frontierland? Fantasyland? or Tomorrowland?

See more Disneyland Central Plaza photos at my website.

Duped at Disneyland

I was excited to receive this first image when I purchased it; granted, it looked a little dark, but I figured I could bring out some detail. Unfortunately, the seller (who took his sweet time in shipping it), also chose to use the word "original” when he listed the slide instead of marking it a “duplicate,” which the slide holder clearly states. It’s still a cool shot of Trinidad pushing his cart down Main Street towards Central Plaza. Note the Ruggles China and Glass Shop on the far right.

What’s that little tent in the alleyway next to the Red Wagon Inn? Not knowing the date of this dupe, it’s hard to say exactly. It could be the Disney Artists Exhibit, which was basically a sale of old Disney animation cels...



Or it could be the promotional area for Edison Square, which never came to fruition.



Today, it’s where you go for First Aid.



See more Disneyland Central Plaza photos at my main website.

Dude, Where's My Sign?

When I scanned this Summer 1959 image and added it to my website (yes, I have a website BESIDES this blog!), I noticed that there was no Red Wagon Inn sign on top of the restaurant. I also noticed these two little girls that are definitely giving off some creepy Stephen King vibes.



But back to the topic at hand. Signage. Perhaps some value engineering prevented signage for this restaurant when the Park opened in 1955. Sometime around 1960 or 1961 that problem was rectified. This August 1961 shot is my earliest to show the new sign.



I wonder where this ended up when the name changed to Plaza Inn a few years later? And why wasn't “Inn” used in the title?



Based on this Vacation Magazine ad, it would appear that “Inn” was dropped for “Restaurant.” Maybe guests thought it was a hotel.



In this contemporary shot, it would appear that the glass has remained the same, but that the light fixtures and front doors have changed...or at least the hardware.



See more Disneyland Red Wagon Inn photos at my main website.

Market House Interior, April 1960

Vintage interior shots at Disneyland always get me going; this April 1960 Market House image shows guests relaxing and making purchases. It looks very much like an old fashioned market.

This detailed view shows the Red Wagon Inn poster on the back wall. And how about that vintage postcard rack?!?



The poster itself:



This 2000 shot of the Market House shows that the potbelly stove changed at some point over the years.



…and then disappeared in 2013 when Starbucks took over:



See more Market House photos at my main website.

MORE Janet Leigh at The Red Wagon Inn

Before it became the Plaza Inn, home of the legendary Fried Chicken plate, Disneyland’s Central Plaza restaurant was named The Red Wagon Inn. Janet Leigh’s 1962 visit to Disneyland with the kids included a stop at this Park favorite.



Ever wanted to see a closeup of the original wallpaper?



Here are some MORE recently acquired shots of Janet and the kids enjoying some entertainment by the Dapper Dans while eating their lunch. Future scream-queen Jamie Lee Curtis seems to be enjoying the attention by the Dans:



...as does sister Kelly:







From a 1960 issue of Vacation Magazine one could see this ad for the Red Wagon Inn:



See more Red Wagon Inn photos at my main website.

See more Janet Leigh at Disneyland photos at my main website.