The Rainbow Ridge Hotel

The buildings of Rainbow Ridge in Disneyland’s Frontierland have always fascinated me. Built to a smaller scale to give the illusion of depth for the Nature’s Wonderland attraction (and now Big Thunder Mountain), the amount of detail each one has is truly impressive. This image from May 1967 shows a unique view of the Rainbow Ridge Hotel:

It is interesting to compare the “set” decoration from the 1967 image with this previously posted shot from 1960. Chairs removed, a blanket on the railing added...always something different to see!

Rainbow Ridge must have been a hot spot for tourists (or perhaps the miners), as there were three additional hotels, including the Pioneer:

The El Dorado:

…and the Panhandle:

If you’ve ever wondered why these cute little hotels were never available to Park guests, this 1957 publicity still supplies the reason:

Because of their smaller scale, the average sized guest would have to spend their stay stooped over!

See more photos at my main website.

Chicken of the Sea Lamp, August 1970

I really love the golden glow of sunset that bathes this August 1970 image of Fantasyland, taken from the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship.

I especially like how it gives us a great up-close look at this cool lantern aboard the ship. I am guessing it is original to 1955, as it appears to be a bit worn.



Today marks the 35th Anniversary of Big Thunder Mountain; it has truly been a blast for this attraction!



See more Daveland Disneyland Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant photos at my main website.

Rainbows at Disneyland

Before it became known as "Nature's Wonderland," Disneyland's premier Frontierland attraction was known as the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train. Finally, my collection has a color image of the Ticket Booth with the RCMT signage:



The name came from the Rainbow Caverns, which were one of the highlights of the attraction:



The attraction that replaced it, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, does its best to pay homage with the cavern scene at the beginning of the ride:





Big Thunder Mountain should be reopening next month following its lengthy refurbishment. I for one am pretty excited to see how it turned out.

See more vintage Nature's Wonderland photos on my main website.

The Status of Waterfalls

There is something about a waterfall that really adds to the experience of visiting Disneyland, especially since the park is located in southern California where water is not exactly plentiful. To see and hear the thunderous sound of the water cascading over rocks into the river/pool/lagoon below is nothing short of magical...and fairly expensive to maintain. Today's post celebrates the waterfalls of the past and present, beginning with one of my favorites of all-time, Skull Rock in Fantasyland. The first image for today is from April 1961, and is a rare view of the back of the waterfall that came out of the mouth of the Skull:



This particular waterfall disappeared during the 1983 Fantasyland remodel. Don't cry for Fantasyland, folks, as there is still a waterfall left for guests to enjoy. You can see it here in this August 1959 shot of the recently opened Matterhorn:



This night shot that I took reveals that waterfalls look good in the dark, too!



One of the park's most famous waterfalls can be found at Adventureland's Jungle Cruise attraction, shown in this August 1963 photo:



Guests still enjoy seeing "the backside of water" at Schweitzer falls, even if the amount of water it pushes out is at a lesser capacity:



Tomorrowland has twin waterfalls over at The Submarine Voyage, seen in this 1960's vintage photo:



Both waterfalls still cascade over the submarines, which are now yellow in honor of Nemo, who currently resides in the lagoon:





Over at Nature's Wonderland, guests were bedazzled by the funky colors of the now missing Rainbow Caverns and the falls inside:



Today, the Rainbow Caverns of Big Thunder Mountain feature more of a mist effect:



The waterfall outside of the attraction sure is a beaut, though:



Cascade Peak was one of the most impressive falls in the park, located next to the Mark Twain/Columbia dock. It was removed in 1998 due to the unwanted cost of having to refurb it.



I am surprised to discover that my only real shot of the thunderous waterfall at Splash Mountain is this sickly long shot!



Now I have something else to shoot on my next visit to the park! Have I missed any?

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my Disneyland web pages.

Daveland Goes Atomic, Pt. 2

Janey from Atomic Redhead takes us aboard the Big Thunder Mountain Mine Trains for the thrill ride of our lives!



Time to exit the attraction for a spin around the Rivers of America.



This particular view looks as if it were taken from the top of the Mark Twain, or it might have been taken from the Treehouse on Tom Sawyer's Island.



Here's a great shot of the entrance to Fort Wilderness. I'll let Janey take over the storytelling from here.



Here we have Fort Wilderness, located on Tom Sawyer’s Island. Originally, Fort Wilderness (built out of real hand-hewn logs!) was home to a rifle roost where you could pretend to shoot as well as museum-style set ups of what a military outpost would have looked like, including a dummy of Andrew Jackson. However, over the years, Fort Wilderness became more and more dilapidated. The wood needed constant maintenance, a girl lost part of her finger in an accident, and in 2003 the large gates shut for good. In 2007, Tom Sawyer’s Island was taken over by pirates, and many changes were underway, which included tearing down the original Fort Wilderness that stood since 1956. A new Fort Wilderness was erected, however it was no longer open to the public. Instead, Fort Wilderness is now home to a cast member break area as well as serves as storage for the nighttime show Fantasmic.



A few more shots taken from the Island:



Here you can see kids who have found the joys of the Suspension Bridge:



This image appears to have been taken from one of the rafts:



Looking back over to Frontierland you can see the Golden Horseshoe in the background:



These last two shots were most likely taken from the Mark Twain or the Columbia:



Looks like the Burning Cabin had ceased burning by the time Janey's family photographed it:



The last two for today's installment showcase New Orleans Square, starting with an exterior shot of The Haunted Mansion.



From Janey: Original entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean. This changed in 1997 when they also altered portions of the inside to be less suggestive.



For Part 3, we'll visit Fantasyland, courtesy of Atomic Redhead.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Frontierland photos on my Frontierland web pages.

More 25th Anniversary Trip Photos, June 1980

After the Skyway, our June 1980 photographer was all over the place, beginning with Casey Junior.

Less than a year old, one of the Big Thunder Mountain mine trains speeds by:



Fortunately, parts of Rainbow Ridge survived the demolition of Nature's Wonderland to grace the new Big Thunder Mountain attraction:



The tip of the Blue Bayou Restaurant sign is visible on the right side of this New Orleans Square photo:



As afternoon begins to fade to night, the pink glow of sunset peaks out behind the Mark Twain.



Over on East Center Street, the Firehouse Five entertains guests:



A vibrant Tomorrowland comes to life at night, with this image showcasing the Rocket Jets and The PeopleMover:



At the Tomorrowland Terrace, guests dance to the music of Papa Doo Run Run. I assume Shaun Cassidy is not part of this group.





The last few images show the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade.



"Baroque Howdown" is beginning to invade my brain.











Last one of the set shows the special 25th Anniversary float:



Hope you enjoyed our trip back to the 80's!

See more vintage & current Disneyland Fowler's Harbor photos on my Fowler's Harbor web page.