Motor Boat Monday

It was the Summer of 1956, and the Phantom Boats took their last cruise around the lagoon at Disneyland. Overhead, the recently opened Skyway attraction gives guests a birds-eye view of the Park below. In just one year, the Viewliner Train Station would stand where the dirt lot can be seen on the lower right. Today, these boats look like something out of the 1960’s “Batman” TV series with their retro fins and bright colors. 



If you want to know why they were replaced with a much less exciting looking boat, look no further than the lower portion of today’s original image. This little boat with a spare gas can in it had to be ready to go at any moment to rescue guests who were stranded mid-ride in the lagoon because they had over-heated.



Did you spot the tiny little house that once resided on Harbor Boulevard? Today, the land that little hut was built upon would be worth quite a bit today.



Here’s a previously posted shot of one of the fiberglass Phantom Boats:



…and the necessary close-up:



See more Disneyland Motor Boat Cruise photos at my main website.

Blue Monorail and HOJO

Not wanting Disneyland’s Blue Monorail to feel left out, here’s a Summer 1970 shot of it circling the Matterhorn.



When I zoomed in to get a closer look at the bubble, I noticed the sign for the Howard Johnson across the street on Harbor Boulevard:



A previously posted shot from my collection showing the Motor Lodge itself with its cute little trolley. Wonder what happened to it?



See more Disneyland Monorail photos at my main website.

Disneyland Parking Lot, June 1965

From one June 1965 image I have managed to expand it into 4 views. Ah, the glory of closeups. A closeup of the back of the Monorail station at the Disneyland Hotel.



The next three closeups show various buildings along Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue.



Anyone for a Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's?



Most amazing to me is the amount of school buses visible in the parking lot.



More Disneyland Hotel and parking lot photos at my main website.

Coffee at the Saga

This vintage photo from September 2, 1960 shows a family sitting at the Saga Coffee Shop on Harbor Boulevard. Across the street you can see the iconic Disneyland entrance marquee.



A closeup of the Coffee Shop menus.



This previously posted 1971 shot shows the Saga Motor Hotel where the Coffee Shop was located.



This location is now the Grand Legacy at the Park Hotel and before that, The Ramada Maingate. That's a lot of names to remember - sheesh!

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

The Saga Motel, Spring 1971

This spring 1971 image shows not only the iconic Harbor Boulevard Disneyland entrance sign...



but to the right, it features the Saga Motor Hotel.



The address of the Saga was 1650 Harbor Boulevard, which means it is now the Ramada Anaheim Maingate. This explains the tile artwork that could be seen on the back wall of one of the buildings there. The Saga had 100 rooms, a coffee shop, restaurant, cocktail lounge, gift shop, and travel service.

See more Daveland Disneyland Entrance photos at my main website.

58 Years Ago…A Skyway Celebration

Step back in time to 1956, when the Disneyland Skyway opened to the public, allowing them to float through the air from an Alpine Chalet in Fantasyland to the futuristic station in Tomorrowland. Today's post celebrates this favorite from yesteryear with a few golden oldies from my collection. This first photo is from 1956; you can almost feel the excitement as guests line up to board a gondola in Tomorrowland.



Looking back from your bucket, here's what your view would have been:



Get a look at a very undeveloped Harbor Boulevard in the background!



By 1963, the Submarine Lagoon was added to this view:



This May 1958 gem shows the Fantasyland Alpine Chalet station:



A closer look at the emblem atop the Chalet:



From 1957:



Guests at the Casey Jr attraction look up at the buckets overhead:



Look Ma, no Matterhorn!



In this July 1968 shot, you can see the thrill of being able to fly THROUGH the Matterhorn, affording guests a peek of the inner workings of this attraction.





Once in Tomorrowland, you could have bought something at the Mod Hatter:





I leave you today with this dusky shot of the Skyway from February 1960:



See more Daveland Disneyland Skyway photos at my main website.

Harbor Boulevard, August 1963

Riding aboard the Monorail, guests at Disneyland in August 1963 had this view of a very undeveloped Harbor Boulevard. Within just two years, The Howard Johnson hotel (seen below in a 1970 previously posted image) would be built in the parcel of land on the right-hand side of this photo.



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

Disneyland aerial, 1969

Examining an aerial shot can provide tons of fun. Being able to zoom in close to certain areas and seeing how they've changed over the years is right up my alley. This March 15, 1969 view of Disneyland and Anaheim is ideal for this kind of activity! Where shall we start?

Let's go for dessert first by zooming right into the park area. No DCA, no Space Mountain, no Big Thunder Mountain, and no Splash Mountain. Good Lord—what DID they have back then? Well, there's Cascade Peak, Nature's Wonderland, The Indian Village, and the beloved Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant in Fantasyland.



Zooming in to the New Orleans Square area, the Haunted Mansion is just months away from first opening. Amazing how big the show building is; you just don't see that when you're inside the berm.



Here you can see the Disneyland Hotel Tower and original buildings surrounding it; no Paradise Pier and no Grand Californian. At the base of the photo, Katella Avenue is visible with a 2-year old Anaheim Convention Center at right, and the property that is now the Anabella Hotel is at left.



Last zoom for today shows Harbor Boulevard, with the Howard Johnson Anaheim property top right. This place is just screaming to be developed!



See any "lost" buildings from your past in this shot?

See more vintage Disneyland aerial photos on my aerial web page.