Christmas in July, circa 1956

It would be hard to tell that this shot was taken during the Disneyland Christmas season of 1956 except for a little garland around the roof of the Main Street Train Station and its clock. Less is definitely more!

A group of Dickens Carolers is about to assemble in front of the Bank of America in Town Square. They seem to have a little fan club following them!

I love the little piggy bank in the Bank’s window!

 

Here are the Carolers, bundled up for a typical freezing cold day in sunny Anaheim! The little girl on the right with the Disneyland penant has been caught on  camera picking a booger. No class!

See more Disneyland Christmas photos at my main website.

Disneyland Resort Christmas

Disneyland is a magical place; few can argue that it is most magical during the holidays when all of the special lights and decor are trotted out from the mothballs. The tree in Town Square towers over all; and to think the Bandstand that was originally here was removed because it blocked the view of the Castle!



The front of the Castle:



and while standing in line for Peter Pan, I got this one of the back of the Castle (which many know was originally supposed to be how the front looked!).



At night the lights go on and the Park is transformed once again. It almost makes the crowds bearable!



New Orleans Square is where I love to gravitate to.



Being able to experience the Court of Angels again is always a special treat. Our escort up to Club 33 danced down the stairs as if he was Gene Kelly!



He was gracious enough to take a shot of my friend Kevin and I before taking us up for our dinner.



As we entered the dining room, the Christmas Carolers were filling the room with their a capella harmonies.



They even took my request to sing "O Holy Night," and boy did it sound gorgeous!



A wreath hung over the controversial new window that is located where the fireplace once was.



Two more shots of the Court of Angels before returning to the Park:





Ah, the Castle at night, perfectly reflected in the moat.



Up close:



The Grand Californian is another place at the Disneyland Resort that is a favorite spot to hang out at the holidays.



Yet another massive tree to behold.



The Gingerbread House also appears to have been enlarged to gargantuan proportions!



The back side of Gingerbread!



Unfortunately, Santa was not here while I was taking my photos.



I hope you have a fantastic holiday weekend!

More Disneyland Resort Christmas photos at my main website.

Christmas at The Club Pt. 2

Now that we've enjoyed our beverages in the Jazz Lounge, it's time to mosey on over to Le (aka "the") Grand Salon Restaurant at Club 33. You just can't beat being greeted by these two. Are these pants too subtle for the season?



The vulture that once graced the Trophy Room is now out in the lobby:



The hallway leading to the Grand Salon:



This feller has been moved around a bit as well:



That face looks like someone who has eaten too many turkey legs at the Park.



An elegant place setting:



We were fortunate to have the Carolers follow us over:



Now we were able to get the inside view of this wreath that we had spotted outside from down below in New Orleans Square:



The peacock Christmas tree:



Festive garland:



The five course meal was delicious:





I also have to give kudos to the staff, who had definitely stepped up their game since my last visit to the Club in May.



No Daveland Club 33 post would be complete without a few shots of the Men's Room.



My subtle pants photobombed this one:





It was a beautiful evening, and I felt so fortunate to have been able to experience it during the Christmas season.



More Club 33 version 2.0 photos at my main website.

The Holidays at Disneyland, Pt. 1

It’s the holidays, and while I am out doing my last minute shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole (Paycheck) Foods for Christmas Dinner, you can all relax at home and view today’s blog entry, devoted to Christmas/Holidays at Disneyland. Picture 1 & 2 are most likely from 1956, and show The Christmas Bowl, which was the precursor to The Candlelight Processional (which began in 1958). These photos were taken at Magnolia Park and show the Bandstand that moved from Town Square, Central Plaza, and finally Magnolia Park in Adventureland. Check out the poor schmuck pic 2, balancing a table on his nose?!? The things people will do for attention.



Here’s a nice publicity shot from 1963 showing the Disneyland Carolers, with the Matterhorn Star towering over the background:



A few years ago, I took the Holiday Tour at Disneyland, and the guide pointed out the door on Main Street that belonged to Benjamin Silverstein, the Jewish Doctor. Naturally, this provided a nice segue for the guide to talk about Hanukkah and the Jewish Traditions.



This year was the first year I had noticed a Menorah on Main Street, shining in one of the windows on the west side of the street above the Fortuosity Shop (previously the Upjohn Pharmacy).



And even though there was much ballyhoo about Disneyland having an artificial tree for the first time, it would be difficult to notice unless you looked up close, as the "tree" is literally jammed with ornaments.



New Orleans Square is one of my favorite places in the park to visit during the holidays; it looks like Mardi Gras & Christmas all in one:





For those of you celebrating the Holidays, hope you have a safe and happy one. See more vintage & current Disneyland Christmas/Holiday photos at my regular website.