Vintage Disneyland Christmas

Let’s travel back in time with this assortment of vintage images showing Christmas at Disneyland through the years, beginning with this December 26, 1955 image. It almost boggles my mind to see the simple decorations that initially hung on Main Street. In this December 1956 image, we see the area that is now Indiana Jones Adventure. Once known as Magnolia Park, it had a bandstand in the center that featured the Christmas Bowl show, which eventually morphed into the Candlelight Celebration.



Dancers, musicians, and a choir were all part of the show:



The Y’s Men was the name of the band; get it?



This family shot inside the INA Carefree Corner from December 1959 looks anything but carefree.



Three lovely carolers in the Park, from December 1960, are standing near Aunt Jemima’s Pancake House:



The legendary Matterhorn Christmas Star, as seen in December 1961:



This December 1969 Town Square shot has me perplexed; the area where the white Christmas tree is located appears to be backstage. Was it moved out into the Park after it was decorated?



These ornaments aren’t going to hang themselves!



From my first visit to Disneyland on December 27, 1970, my oldest brother’s photo shows the Sleeping Beauty Castle decorated for the season:



I’m on the right, sitting in front of the Castle with my Grandmother and my cousins, wearing those damn “corrective” shoes which didn’t correct a damn thing. Just made me look goofy.



The white Christmas tree in the background has a few barely visible ornaments hung on it:



Since the 80s are now vintage (yikes!), here’s one of the Castle from December 1980:



Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

See more Disneyland at Christmas photos at my main website.

Disneyland Christmas Bowl, 1956

You know you have too many vintage Disneyland images when...it takes you eight years to publish an image that you scanned at that time! I couldn’t believe it when I found this shot of an empty Magnolia Park Bandstand ready for the next Christmas Bowl program from December 1956.



Here are two previously shown shots from the actual program:





See more Disneyland Magnolia Park photos at my main website.

Disneyland Christmas Parade December 1959, Pt. 2

Round 2 on the December 1959 Christmas Parade at Disneyland. Here's another batch of consecutively numbered images, starting with a batch of trumpeters.



Walt Disney himself is in the carriage crossing over the bridge.



The girl sitting next to him is Dawn DeFore. Unable to get his own grandkids in the Parade, the children of Silver Banjo Restaurant owner Don DeFore substituted very nicely.



Here are two previously posted shots from the DeFore family showing both Dawn and Ron in the carriage with Walt.





Back to the Parade. Plenty of live animals, including horses:



and what appear to be llamas!





Note the security man posted on the bridge:



I wonder if the gal on the left got her jacket in the Frontierland Pendleton Shop?



This group looks like they got lost on the way to The Sound of Music:



Any ideas what this group with the tridents is supposed to be?



Looks like a Marching Band is on the way:



A closer look at the flag/banner for Nationalist China:



Zooming in on the left, you can see the Rooster signage from the Plantation House restaurant:



I was right; here comes the Marching Band!



Another interesting Asian-themed float:



Note the Gnome on the left:



A closer look at the group featured in this photo:



A Knight and his Dragon?



This Dragon seems to have wings, too. Trailing behind appear to be two cast members.



A group of Dickens-style Carolers:



A pig's head for the feast. No vegan choices here!



A German group:



Don't believe me? Just zoom in for a better look at the banner!





Santa can be seen at the back of this shot:



Last one of this batch shows a group of children; no doubt the inspiration for it's a small world!



More vintage and current Disneyland Christmas photos at my main website.

Disneyland Christmas Parade December 1959, Pt. 1

Although they are a bit dark, I am very excited to present this series of images from Disneyland circa December 1959 showing the Christmas parade.



Today's batch seems to have mainly been shot near the Mark Twain dock/Golden Horseshoe.



I wonder what the camels thought of this place?



Is that an ostrich at Disneyland?



Although the parade is definitely not high tech or glitzy, which is just fine with me. I truly enjoy the simplicity of it, and the variety of countries that are represented.



Bagpipes in Frontierland. It must have sounded wonderful!



The scary Three Wiseman. Looks like their boxes were gift-wrapped!



Presenting the Swedish Folk Dance Club:



I just had to see this sign up close:



Last one for this set shows the United States.



I am assuming the arm bands represent the number of this particular "act" in the parade. If correct, looks like this young couple is 178. That's a lot of acts!



A few more from this batch show the Horseless Carriage when it used to go to the Matterhorn.



The guests in the Carriage seem fascinated by something behind them. All I saw was Alice.



Looks like some nighttime construction in Central Plaza, or perhaps tearing down a stand for a Christmas show.



What a great nighttime view of Town Square and the Christmas tree.



More vintage and current Disneyland Christmas photos at my main website.