Disneyland in 3D: June 26, 1966, Pt. 3

Today marks the 3rd and final installment of the June 26, 1966 Disneyland in 3D (aka genuine FauxD© series). Wouldn’t it be great to step inside of the Penny Arcade?



Despite the blur of guests, you can see Esmeralda the fortune teller front and center:



Eastman Kodak? Film for cameras? Huh?



For all you cellphone snapping goobers, yes…cameras used to take film. Real film. And you could buy it right on Main Street, U.S.A. at the Eastman Kodak Shop.



Just take a look inside those windows:



This overall view down Main Street shows the location of the Penny Arcade and Kodak shop across from each other with the Train Station at the end of the street in Town Square:



This view was shot closer to the Castle:



The sign on the far left that is cut off says “Insurance by North America,” aka INA. That was the sponsor of the Carefree Corner (not to be confused with the Coke Corner across the street).



This set would not be complete without a nighttime shot of the Castle:





By this time the coat of arms had been added above the entrance:



The last one shows the Mark Twain at the dock:





Oh to take a spin around the original Rivers of America again!



See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.

Old Time Photo Mystery

Within a recent batch of vintage Disneyland slides comes this July 1958 image of an old time photo "booth." I have no way of knowing if this is an interior of the Kodak shop on Main Street...unless someone like Beachgal comes forward and solves the mystery for me! Along with this interesting photo I also obtained this interior view of the Dutch Boy Paint Gallery in Tomorrowland. Leave it to Walt and the Imagineers to create an interactive/futuristic looking display for paint.



See more vintage and current Disneyland photos at my main website.

Vintage Disneyland Photo Fun Interlude

Way back when, Disneyland guests had the opportunity to place themselves in cartoon scenes so that they could have their photo taken as a souvenir of their day at the Park. Here's a happy couple having a great time in their vintage cartoon jalopy.

The souvenir envelope that the photo came in:





This happy tradition has returned to the Park for the 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration…for FREE! Definitely a nice bonus.



More vintage and current Disneyland photo fun at my main website.

Old School Jungle Cruise Photo Fun

Back before our nation was taken over by "high-tech," these handpainted cutout images provided a heap-o-fun for guests who posed behind the face holes. I believe the Kodak Shop on Main Street, U.S.A. was the headquarters for these. For this particular cutout, there was one space for a guest's head inside the hippo, and probably 2-3 guests could get "inside" the Jungle Cruise boat.

I am always on the lookout for these souvenir backgrounds, as I have begun restoring/colorizing them. Most of the original shots have not survived too well over the years. Fading, chemical spots...you name it. I am guessing the film stock used for these was not exactly top-notch.



A Matterhorn cutout from 1962 (note that there were spaces for 4 guests; a cartoon head was inserted to fill the fourth slot):



In living color:



A Monorail cutout:



And my color version:



Although the color images are...well, more colorful, there is still something uniquely wonderful about the original black and white versions. Any of my readers have their photo taken at Disneyland in one of these? I've always wondered exactly where this occurred. I've also wondered who painted these. Was it one of the nine old men? Or just an artistic cast member?

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my main website.

Main Street, U.S.A.: Bringing Back The Fun

It has been rumored that the back of East Main Street will be developed and open to the public, functioning as an overflow path to help move foot traffic during peak times. Although not a new idea (it goes back to at least 1957, when Liberty Street came this close to becoming a reality), it's a great opportunity to re-think Main Street, U.S.A. and to restore a healthier balance that is not so heavily focused on retail.

Suggestion #1: Expand the Main Street Magic Shop.



Who doesn't love magic? Sure, the sleight of hand tricks that cast members currently do in the Magic Shop are fun, but why not expand the shop a bit and have a performance room, similar to the Magic Castle in Hollywood? Main Street could use more pizzazz, and what better way to perk it up by adding to the showmanship with some very talented magicians? How about forging a relationship (aka sponsorship) with The Magic Castle and allowing the Main Street location to be a testing ground for new magicians?



Suggestion #2: Revamp the Main Street Cinema.



The Orlando version has already been removed; it wouldn't surprise me if Anaheim's was eventually changed into a retail shop as well. Currently, Disneyland's Main Street Cinema is like a mini-multiplex, with a number of screens that show Mickey Mouse cartoons in black and white. There is no seating; instead, guests walk around or stand still, typically walking out only a few short minutes after their entrance. What to do? Restore it back into a real (albeit small) theater with seating that shows real silent movies (in shortened versions) like it originally did. At Halloween, they could show excerpts from silent horror classics like "Phantom of the Opera" or "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and have cast members in costume as the characters from the film, just like they did back in the early years. Once again, a little showmanship that heightens the excitement of the guest experience.



In non-holiday periods, the park could show edited versions of the silent movies that inspired Walt in his early years to make "Peter Pan":





And "Snow White":



Cast members dressed as the Disney versions of those characters could hang out by the theater acting as barkers, enticing guests to see what inspired the Disney animated classics. By doing this, you would satisfy the old-school purists while creating a memorable experience for the young who would be introduced to something they may not be familiar with. Wasn't that what Disneyland was supposed to be about? Sharing experiences across the generations?

Suggestion #3: Bring back characters to the Market House



Although it's wonderful that the stove, checkerboard, and party-lines were retained in the conversion to a Starbucks location, Imagineers relegated these items into mere props. Why not bring back some Keystone Kops or create new characters that could challenge guests to a game of checkers? Have a sign-up sheet and let guests challenge their favorite Disney character to a short game.



Use the "barker" function to show guests what the party lines are for; why waste these cool items that can actually provide some entertainment value? If you're going to call the old Disneyana a book store, have a cast member in costume do storytelling in a corner, with appropriate Disney characters appearing at the proper time to bring those stories to life.



Suggestion #4: Ditch Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlour and expand Carnation Cafe into the space.



Put a soda fountain counter into the Gibson Girl space and train cast members to use some showmanship when creating frozen sundaes and concoctions for guests who are eating lunch/dinner in the Carnation Cafe. Those who have dined at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlours back in the day would be familiar with what I am talking about. Many a child (and adult) happily celebrated their birthday at a Farrell's location while drums, bells, and whistles heralded the happy occasion. Creative frozen treats (anyone remember The Pig's Trough?) would be whisked out to the table and employees would gather around and sing a tribute to the guest that was celebrating. It's all about energy, showmanship, fun, and tasty food. What a welcome addition to Main Street this could be. For guests who want ice cream on the go, add a quick serve window location on the new street that backs up to East Main Street, or restore the pickup window that once operated at the back of East Center Street.



Most cast members at the Carnation Cafe seem to give good service, but why not elevate it to a performance? Make the food fun by adding a little entertainment and bumping up the $$ amount of the checks by serving a dessert accompanied with a show!

Suggestion #5: Restore the Penny Arcade with a Shooting Gallery.



Time has not been kind to the Penny Arcade. The Candy Palace has encroached onto its real estate and invaded what was once a lively space. Shove the candy back over to the other side, restore the shooting gallery, and have cast members in costume challenging guests to try all of the vintage machines within. You can't expect today's average guest to know what half of the contraptions in there are for; do a little Disney showmanship and engage the guests!

Suggestion #6: Put a vintage costume and photo studio behind the Photo Supply Company.



Keep this area as a place for ordering and pickup of prints and convert the back area (that is now currently retail) into a photo studio where guests could pose with park-related backgrounds and dress in vintage costumes. Another experience you couldn't have anywhere else. On the plus side for the bean counters, it would still be an opportunity to make money!



Last one...

Suggestion #7: Put a Music/Home Media shop in The Disney Showcase Town Square location.



Take out the bland retail shop that currently inhabits this space and convert it into a Music Shop that offers vocal "lessons" and sells music and other home media. In a little sound booth, guests can pick Disney-related songs and have professional cast members give them vocal coaching before they get recorded. What guest wouldn't like to take home a CD of them singing with the Dapper Dans? Or a Disney Princess?

What ideas would you have to spice up Main Street, U.S.A.? Or do you like it just the way it is?

See more vintage & current Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos on my Main Street web pages.

Main Street, U.S.A.: The Proper Formula

Main Street, U.S.A. is the first thing guests see when they enter Disneyland and also the last. When it was originally created, it was an equal mixture of entertainment, education, and retail opportunities. For entertainment, the park had musical groups and characters like The Keystone Kops and The Dapper Dans.



When it came to education, many of the shops had displays that showed the function of these stores at the turn-of-the-century, while sponsors discreetly advertised their present day wares. The Upjohn Pharmacy was a great example of this edu-tainment/retail concept.



The interior was designed to look like an old-fashioned pharmacy:



Kids were able to see cool stuff like blood-sucking leeches in a jar—yuck!



The Dapper Dans stopped by occasionally to sing a melody to the guests who were there for the free samples of Upjohn vitamins.



A wide variety of retail from a diverse array of sponsors included swimwear by Cole of California:



Kodak:



and Wurlitzer:



...brought to you in FauxD©:



Interesting restaurants like the Carnation Ice Cream Parlour were more than just a place to eat a meal;



they provided food that fed the soul's need for comfort and nostalgia.



Unlike Main Streets across the country, Disneyland's version never let its façades rot away. Like the rest of the park, Main Street, U.S.A. is kept in a pristine state, as if it were just painted yesterday. The problem lies inside, where the interiors have fallen victim to a faulty formula of too much retail and not enough entertainment. With the rumored expansion of Main Street along the backside of the East side, the Disney Company could use this opportunity to shuffle a few of the shops and restore Main Street to the vibrant and fun land that it was intended to be. Tomorrow will be a look at how that could be accomplished.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos on my Main Street web pages.