3D Jamboree!

This undated 1950’s shot of the Disneyland Opera House makes one yearn when the place wasn’t a victim of over-population. Zooming in, we can see that the Opera House still doesn’t have any attractions inside; instead, it touts the “3D Jamboree” movie playing over in Fantasyland. 



Its official release date is June 16, 1956, and it played at the Fantasyland Theatre (the space now occupied by the Pinocchio’s Daring Journey dark ride) until January 1964. The movie was comprised of two animated shorts, “Melody” (1953) and “Working for Peanuts” (1953), shown in 3D, presented by the Mouseketeers.



From the D23 website:

The Mickey Mouse Club Theater Theater in Fantasyland at Disneyland showed Disney cartoons; opened August 27, 1955, changed its name to Fantasyland Theater in 1964, and closed December 20, 1981. At one time, the 3D Jamboree was featured, and guests donned polarized glasses to watch Mouseketeers and Disney cartoons in 3-D.

The Mouseketeers pre-filming a sequence in front of the theater for the Opening Day telecast:



Annette is visible in the background, along with Roy Williams at center and Jimmy Dodd on the right, standing next to Minnie Mouse—the creepy version!







Back to D23:

The cartoon fare in the theater changed from time to time, and the theater itself was only open during busy periods. Before the theater was built in the Opera House as the home to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, this was the only auditorium in the park, so it was also used for press conferences and cast member events. It made way for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey in the new Fantasyland in 1983.



One important fact the article left out was the air conditioning, which helped make it a popular attraction on blazing hot summer days!



In this February 1959 shot, the movies have changed to “Pecos Bill” (1948) and “El Gaucho Goofy” (1943).



See more Disneyland Opera House photos at my main website.

Melinda Goes to Disneyland, Pt. 2!

Today, Melinda shares photos from Fantasyland, taken during her family’s 1980 trip to Disneyland. In case you weren’t aware, the banners in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle should clue you in to the fact that it was the Park’s 25th Anniversary. Note the extremely faded color of the Castle. Obviously before Kim Irvine got her paint brush on it.

These photos show Fantasyland in its original Tournament Festival design state, albeit with a few 1970’s touches of ornamentation.



The arches around the Mad Tea Party attraction went up some time around 1969 and lasted until it was moved during the 1983 Fantasyland remodel.



Before Pinocchio moved in, The Fantasyland Theatre occupied that real estate:



The family takes a spin on the Tea Cups:







Zooming in to see the Dumbo ticket booth in the background:



Dumbo, with his ears firmly attached to his head:



An overhead shot of the Alice attraction, taken from the Skyway:



The intersecting Casey Jr. and Storybook Land attractions:



The favorite car of most kids on the Casey Jr. attraction:





Another Skyway shot, this time showing the it’s a small world attraction:



From Melinda:

it’s a small world was, and is still, one of my most favorite rides to this day. I listened to the record and read the storybook that went with it probably hundreds of times. I worked hard to learn all of the words to that song, and all of the others that went with the many Disney records I had. “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” was another of my particular favorites. I just adore the colors and styling of Mary Blair’s small world to this day, and I would have ridden it as many times as I could. 



This picture of my sister and I shows us sitting in the boat headed into small world and waving. I noticed that neither of our parents is in the boat with us, and when I asked my mom about it she said that they wouldn’t have had a problem putting us on the ride by ourselves so they didn't have to go in and listen to the song again! So, despite the disclaimer on the back of the ticket book about kids not being able to ride that one without a parent, it did happen at least on occasion!



More Melinda at Disneyland to come! See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Ward Gospel Singers at Disneyland

Today's post features two images of the Ward Gospel Singers on the stage of the Mickey Mouse Club Theater in Fantasyland at Disneyland, circa 1964. Note the Mickey Mouse head on the curtain; up until 1963 it was the headquarters of the Mouseketeers.

A closeup of the singers; note that there are TWO piano players!



From the El Sereno Star newspaper, dated August 27, 1964:

"Disneyland Approaches Summer End"

In addition to Harry James and his band, Disneyland After Dark offers the Elliott Brothers' Orchestra, the Spacemen and Kay Bell, the Firehouse Five Plus Two, the Ward Gospel Singers, the Young Men from New Orleans aboard the Mark Twain steamboat and the Royal Tahitian dancers.

I am "assuming" (oh how dangerous) that these two shots are from that time period.





If you'd like to hear what the Ward Gospel Singers sound like, here's "Something's Got A Hold Of Me" from the Buena Vista LP: The Famous Ward Gospel Singers Recorded Live at Disneyland. It was recorded at the Golden Horseshoe on April 18, 1963 and featured Viola Crowley, Geraldine Jones (lead vocals), Clara Thomas, Vermettya Royster, Mildred Means, and Malvilyn (Simpson) Statham. Enjoy!



More Disneyland photos at my main website.

Dating Disneyland

Today I look to my knowledgeable readers to help me date these undated 1960s 35mm negatives from a guest's vintage trip to Disneyland. I am presenting what I believe to be the 3 most helpful clues, beginning with a closeup of a Disneyland shopping bag, sitting in this lady's lap on the Matterhorn attraction.



This may seem to be a regular vintage shot of the Teacups in Fantasyland, but looking at the background, you can see that Papotin's Revue is playing at the Fantasyland Theatre.



Not sure how many seasons André Tahon's show was featured here, but this might be the best clue of the bunch.



On Main Street U.S.A., a band with a "W" insignia is marching through Central Plaza.



Zooming in to the right side, there appears to be some sort of Mickey Mouse Club paper ephemera.



Are you up to the challenge? Think you can narrow down these slides to a particular year? I have faith that you can!

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

Trip Report Pt. 8: A Mess of Miscellany

Today's post is the finale in my most recent trip report. It is a medley of miscellany; kind of like Thanksgiving leftovers. Once I departed Toontown, I got a few shots of the Fantasyland Theatre. Even though the fairly new show Mickey and the Magical Map was about to start, I decided to skip it. I was ready to leave the park. Too many people...too crowded...and the strollers had begun to take over.



The Carrousel was shut down in Fantasyland for a little refurb. I really like the signage that the park has been posting lately, as it gives guests something to read and learn about as far as the history of the attractions go.



It's a very nice nod to the past while they are maintaining what's behind the fence.





Here are a few celebrating the water features in the park, beginning with one of the majestic Matterhorn:



Snow White's Wishing Well was recently unveiled after a refurb.



Even though Dopey is still missing his fishing rod, I celebrate that this area is still around.



Pixie Hollow is not really something I celebrate, for the tots, it is nicely themed and allows them to meet Tinker Bell. Oh and yes...the merchandise at the end. Don't forget that.



Cruella was over at the Opera House in Town Square, signing autographs and dropping cigarette ashes on the kids. Well, not really, but if she could, that would be hilarious. Fake ashes, of course.



Mickey was also spotted wandering through Town Square.



And that is the end of probably one of my longests trip reports in history. Hope you enjoyed it, as it may be a bit before the next one.

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

"New" Fantasyland Construction at Disneyland, 1983

As many Disneyland buffs already know, Fantasyland underwent a major overhaul in 1982, revealing itself to the public on May 25, 1983. For those that have wondered what went on behind the construction fences, thanks to Daveland reader Bill H., now you can see. The first shots of the day show the old Fantasyland Theater, which is now where the Pinocchio dark ride resides. These were taken in February 1982.





In this view, you can see the Fantasyland Skyway Station lightpost in the foreground.



Here you can see the tip of the concrete foundation for the Carrousel's new location:



A ride in the Skyway provides this view of Big Thunder Mountain in the distance:



Hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at the Fantasyland construction, courtesy of Bill H.; I know my jaw dropped when I saw these rare shots!

See more Fantasyland construction photos on my Fantasyland web page.