Neon at Disney Parks

When neon expert supreme Eric Lynxwiler makes a request, I listen! He recently alerted me to a Zoom Artist Talk hosted by MONA (Museum of Neon Art).



Get a Backstage Pass to Neon in Disney Parks with “The Wonderful World of Disney Neon.”



Here’s the 411: Zoom Artist Talk: Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 7pm PST MONA will host Steve Spiegel, Story Editor Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering for a one-night-only Zoom event on December 9th at 7pm to showcase the history of luminous tubing in Disney Parks. Disney theme parks are known for their rigorous attention to historic and aesthetic detail and the “Imagineers,” Disney’s team of artists, writers, engineers, and technicians use neon and other forms of lighting in multiple ways, from perfectly replicating Golden Age movie houses of Hollywood to transporting audiences into hyper-realistic future worlds. Audiences will be wowed by the layers of narratives presented through light at Disney theme parks worldwide, such as the dazzling neon collection at “Cars Land” in Disney California Adventure Park.



A Q&A will follow the presentation.

Steve Spiegel is the Story Editor Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, the theme park design and development division of The Walt Disney Company. In this role, Steve has written notable Disney experiences including “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!” “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!” He is also a co-founder of Signs United, an international community of vintage sign hunters, enthusiasts, and preservationists. His photographs of vintage neon have been featured in exhibits at The Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, CA, The Perfect Exposure Gallery in Los Angeles and in a “Signs From Different Worlds: Vienna meets Havana” exhibit in Vienna, Austria.

You can get tickets here.

See more MONA photos at my main website.

Fandana Friday!

I don’t do it often, but today I am doing a few promotional plugs. I only do these for people/companies I actually know and believe in, so you better believe I stand behind whatever I endorse on here. First up is this INCREDIBLE fandana from Shannon Laskey over at Going to Guides.



Her trio of guides to visiting the Disney theme parks are sprinkled with photos from yours truly.



I had the pleasure of meeting Shannon in person previously at the Chateau Marmont in a completely unplanned “the universe is making things happen” serendipity moment. I couldn’t have planned it any better! To say that I adore Shannon is putting it mildly.



Not only is she just about the nicest person I have ever met, she is creative as heck (in a good way, not a really bad craft store way) and an entrepreneur who completely “gets” the vintage vibe of Disneyland. Back to the fandana that she has released. Perfect for wearing in public and yes, I have done so and gotten RAVES from those who have seen it.




But Dave…where can I get my very own fandana? Stop whining and I’ll tell ya! On Shannon’s etsy site; here’s the direct link to the 64th Anniversary Fandana pack. And if you want some really unique (in a good way) holiday gifts/stocking stuffers, Shannon’s Etsy shop is the place to go.

One more worthy plug for today…

For those of you who are neon fanatics like me, I received a plea from Eric Lynxwiler (author, historian, tour guide supreme, and neon expert) to promote the fundraiser for the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in Glendale.



Museums have been hit hard by COVID and most have been forced to close their doors to guests. MONA is now raising funds to build a “Sign Garden,” an iconic one-of-a-kind Los Angeles County landmark and outdoor exhibition space located in the former parking lot of the Museum. I love how creative people/organizations are finding ways to stay solvent and pivot in these turbulent times. Unlike a certain “museum” in Las Vegas that allows their vintage neon signs to rot and rarely restores them (while charging exorbitant fees for the public to see them), MONA actually sinks money into restoring and keeping these historical vintage gems available for people to marvel over, like this one from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre:



Want to help? Visit MONA’s gofundme page!

See more Daveland photos at my main website.

Cruising with MONA, Pt. 3

On our last MONA (Museum of Neon Art) Neon Cruise post, I left you at the Chapman Market near Koreatown. Disneyland fans might find this building a bit familiar, especially if they compare it to Off the Page in Disney California Adventure:



The drive-in Chapman Park Market opened in 1929 and was one of the first markets in the western U.S. designed for the automobile. Today it thrives with chic Korean shops, restaurants, coffeehouses, and clubs.







OK readers...let's bring it on home! A few more shots as the double decker bus made its way through Saturday night traffic to show us what's left of the glorious vintage neon that once burned brightly throughout Los Angeles. The Gaylord Building (I'm not touching that one).





The Bryson, made famous by author Raymond Chandler:



Park Wilshire:



What's left of the Westlake Theatre sign. Please fix!!



Those beautiful light standards of Wilshire Boulevard:



And what better place to stop after your Neon Cruise than Clifton's Cafeteria, which looks even more splendid at night!



I HIGHLY recommend you check out the MONA (Museum of Neon Art) Neon Cruise for yourself!

See more MONA Neon Cruise photos at my main website.

Cruising with MONA, Pt. 2

Hop back on the bus with me after our Chinatown interlude to continue the MONA (Museum of Neon Art) Neon Cruise. How about this evening view of the Los Angeles City Hall? No neon, but it's still a great view one gets from the top level of our double-decker cruise bus!

Here we see the historic KRKD radio tower, which has been around since 1932 atop the Spring Arcade (R-KD; get it?) Building near Broadway and 5th. A 2014 demolition application to remove the towers was rejected since they are a historic landmark. Another win for preservation!



There are lots of vintage movie house signs in LA, such as the Los Angeles Theatre:



The Palace:





and the Pantages:



I don't remember what this Aztec façade is from, but boy is it cool!



Jesus has lost his “s,” which points out how important it is to keep neon working properly. As Eric pointed out, would you buy your gas from a SHELL Station if the “h” was burned out?



Your typical no-tell motels:





The legendary Tommy's, where you get unparalleled chili burgers:



Our bus has pulled up in front of the Chapman Park Market near Koreatown for another interlude, where I will leave you until we continue.



More vintage neon wonders in my next post!

See more MONA Neon Cruise photos at my main website.

MONA, Motels, and More

Until August 26, the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale has an exhibit titled “There’s More to Neon Signs Than Liquor, Motels and Live Nude Girls” and “Motel California.”

With a touch of humor, the majority of this exhibit features signs about liquor, motels, live nude girls...and motels.

And I loved it. With designer, author, and saver-of-vintage-neon Eric Lynxwiler as our group's tour guide, we had a blast looking at the other-worldly glow that emanated from these vintage neon masterpieces. See the neon in the tube travel closer to Eric. Apparently water attracts neon!



This little guy was amazing to watch. I felt like Dr. Frankenstein in the laboratory!



Eric showed the different colors possible and how they were achieved.



I'll let your eyes feast upon the twists and graceful curves achieved by some of the neon artists of yesteryear.





A few animated gifs to show you the neon in action:







Last and definitely not least is one of my favorites:



See more MONA photos at my main website.

Return of the Dragon

Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard is arguably the most famous movie theatre in the country. Of course it's famous for the cement footprints in the front court area, but it's also known for the spectacular neon that graced the façade, especially the two dragons that faced each other since 1958.



In 2001, both dragons were removed and disappeared from public view until now, when you can see one of the dragons fully restored, thanks to the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale (aka MONA).



It took about eleven years of fundraising and restoration, and it was TOTALLY worth it. The sound of the mechanism as the neon inches up to the head of the dragon is like music to Eric Lynxwiler's ears (more on him in future posts!).



See more Museum of Neon Art photos at my main website.

The Brown Derby, November 1963

One of the most beloved Hollywood restaurants of yesteryear is the Brown Derby. This November 1963 shot shows the Wilshire Boulevard location. A closeup of the neon sign that sat atop the restaurant:



Based on a google search, Dale's Secret Harbor Restaurant went belly-up, but it would appear that Groman Mortuaries are still in business. People don't always have to eat, but at some point, they're gonna' die.



A contemporary shot of one of the existing neon signs from The Brown Derby, while it was on display at the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale:



More vintage Brown Derby photos at my main website.