A Little Boy and His Wings

An August 1958 view of two little boys in front of the red Horseless Carriage. At first, my intention of zooming in on the little boys was to see the camera (note the Carriage driver in the background):



But then I noticed the pin the little boy had attached to his shirt:



Perhaps a souvenir from his trip on a plane? I remember when the airlines used to give these out to the tots. Any other guesses?

See more Disneyland Town Square photos at my main website.

More Vintage Disneyland Town Square

Today we are back in Town Square at Disneyland, with these three vintage images from 1956. The Fire Engine/Chemical Wagon which is now permanently on display in the Fire Department is out for a spin.



Looking at this contemporary shot, I notice that the badge is missing, but the wagon has picked up a few bells somewhere over the years. Maybe there was more than one Chemical Wagon at Disneyland.





This cute little girl in blue with a box of Disneyland popcorn is probably getting a lot more friendly with the horse of the horse-drawn streetcar than she should.



I can't quite tell what she is offering the horse. "First taste free!"



Even more vintage (and current!) Disneyland Town Square images at my main website.

1959 Digital Magic

What happens when you take two consecutively shot 1959 badly faded vintage slides and spend some time cleaning them up digitally?



You get an amazing panorama view of Disneyland's Town Square circa 1959.



Here are a few juicy details from these images, beginning with the Fire Department/Walt's Apartment and Bekins Storage:



In this view, you can see the banner heralding all of the new attractions for 1959 as well as the Skyway in the background.



And a recent shot of Town Square for comparison:



More vintage (and current) Disneyland Town Square photos at my main website.

The Omnibus

The Omnibus has always been a Daveland favorite, especially when I get to ride up top and get a birdseye view of Main Street as it cruises towards the castle. Here we begin with a few from October 27, 1956 image.



A closeup showing the miniature/edited attraction poster art on the side of the Omnibus:



An undated 1950s shot from the holidays.



The very simple Christmas decorations have such a cool vintage feel. Today's overblown decor could sometimes use a "less is more" philosophy makeover.



More Omnibus on Main Street shots at my main website.

Walt in the Park

I love seeing photos of Walt Disney in the Park that he created. Typically, you'll see either joy in his face or you'll see the wheels in his head spinning, constantly looking for improvement. Today's photo from a 1960's Look Magazine shoot shows the former, as he watches a little girl squeeze the nose of a stuffed Mickey Mouse. By the wheels on the vehicle and the horse's hooves, I am guessing he is somewhere on Main Street.

Interesting to note that this particular Mickey is styled to the 1920s/30s Mickey, whereas the plush used in the publicity photos of Walt pre-opening to the park was a more contemporary design.



Just imagine a regular day for Walt. It would begin with him rolling out of the bed in his tiny Town Square apartment.



A shower to get the day started.



Maybe a few phone calls and a chat with wife Lillian.



And then exiting his apartment, his day begins in his beloved Utopia, Disneyland.



Many traditions have been removed or changed at Disneyland, for better or worse; I hope that they will always keep this one going, as it is a constant reminder of the genius who created it.



See more Walt Disney at Disneyland photos on my main website.

The Chemical Wagon at Disneyland

After yesterday's post, I thought it only fair to celebrate the other fire-fighting vehicle at the park, aka The Horse-Drawn Fire Wagon/Chemical Wagon, as seen in this March 8, 1956 photo. Today, you'll find this authentic reproduction inside the Disneyland Fire Department next to City Hall, where it is surrounded by hats, axes, and other props that you might have found inside a turn of the century Fire Station. The wagon is no longer used on Main Street, U.S.A. to carry guests; instead, it makes a great place for younger guests to explore and to have their photo taken.

This vintage shot shows the Fire Wagon at the Disney Studio backlot, before reaching its home in Anaheim.



This next batch of images are from the 1960's, and were taken for "Vehicle Documentation." Whatever that is.













Most likely they were meant to be a record of the detailing of the Fire Wagon.



Today, despite being climbed on and kid-handled by guests of all ages, the Fire Wagon still sparkles.









Be sure to pay attention to it next time you are running through Town Square on the way to Star Tours!

See more vintage & current Disneyland Fire Department photos on my Fire Department web page.

Meet Me At Disneyland, Pt. 1

Hard to believe, but it had been 4 months since my last visit to the park...and it was actually kind of nice. A little break made everything seem fresher. This series will take you along with me on every step of the way...even the parking lot!

The succulents at the tram stop are pretty cool...even drought tolerant plants can be pretty!



The Main Street Train Station is definitely an early riser, looking just as good at opening as it does at closing!



I was early enough to catch the vehicles driving into Town Square from the gate next to the Fire Department:



The Market House looked great with a fresh coat of paint, while the interior undergoes its transformation into a Starbucks location:





The Coke Corner archway is back:



And the patriotic summer bunting is up along Main Street, U.S.A.; a Disneyland tradition from day one.



Today's post leaves you off at the entry to Fantasy Faire:



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

Trip Report: Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2013 Pt. 1

I'm finally getting around to doing my trip report from the 2013 Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend. I wanted to get some shots of the park before it got too crowded, so I took the early morning train from downtown San Diego. As you can tell from this shot, the sun wasn't even out yet.



I love the architecture of this 1915 building; especially the vintage tile!



Before I knew it, Amtrak had let me off at Anaheim and I was peeking through the gates of Disney California Adventure.



It still seems funny to see crowds outside of the DCA gate matching the ones at Disneyland; I snapped a few shots through the fence before the masses were allowed in.



A lone cast member was mentally preparing for opening:



Despite the initial DCA photos, my goal was to get into Disneyland, as these two shots at the Fire Department can attest to.



So many cool knick-knacks and details to see inside.



The real treat about getting in is to be able to see Main Street, U.S.A. in all its glory. No strollers, no slobs attempting to get that last souvenir...I love it!



In this before and after shot, you can see the recent removal of the lacy "gateway" that formerly adorned the outdoor patio for Coke Corner.



I can't say I really miss it.



The sign may have said 10 minutes, but I walked on to The Jungle Cruise.



It was nice; not a soul for miles.



The boat wasn't too crowded, which made for a much more enjoyable trip. It was nice to see all my favorites, like The Ancient Shrine:



I really go ape over these guys:



Strangely, this attraction makes me crave bananas, although I can't quite figure out why.



The Skipper makes or breaks the Jungle Cruise; fortunately, we had a good one.



Anyone lolligagging around this attraction could be in for a nasty surprise.



Between the vultures and the natives, this place can be downright dangerous!



From Adventureland to New Orleans Square, I hightailed it over to the Haunted Mansion.



I couldn't wait to see my favorite attraction, Sans Skellington. The stretch portraits looked great:





Since the dead guy at the Burning Cabin is no more, I have to get my creepy thrills elsewhere.



No floating for Leota today. Again - that's just fine by me. She needs no extra trickery.



These two dueling portraits are awesome; I get a kick out of their endless feud.





Over in the attic, I attempted to shoot some props/scenery that I rarely photograph:







No matter how many times I ride the Mansion, this Crazy Constance just seems jarring.



Fortunately, the Marc Davis-style caretaker puts me back in a happy place:



As do the Grim Grinning Ghosts; what a well-done effect!



Thanks X Atencio for one of my favorite Disney songs!





I can't get enough of Little Leota; this exit affect has amazed me since day one.





NEXT STOP: The Columbia!

See more Disneyland Opening Day photos on my Opening Day photo web page.