Pan Pacific Auditorium

This 1957 image shows the Pan Pacific Auditorium, a casualty of time and fire that was once located near the CBS Television studios and the current site of the Grove Shopping Center.

Its final gasp of glory was in the movie "Xanadu" from 1980. Today, it is commemorated in the façades of the entrances to DCA and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

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Here's a rare interior shot from the 1940's:



Check out that drum line!



More vintage Los Angeles photos at my main website.

April at Disneyland: Disney California Adventure

California Here I Come! I really like the "new" entrance to DCA, done in Streamline Moderne. Here's a grainy 1957 shot of its inspiration, the long-gone Pan Pacific Auditorium.



Back to Anaheim, this vintage-style billboard is difficult to see unless you are outside of the gates to Buena Vista Street.



My destination was the Tower of Terror; along the way I got to see the gleaming Red Car Trolley:



I still hold hope that one day they'll turn the Hyperion into a real theater with a lobby instead of a cheap faux façade.



Sharp eyes would have noticed this Chip and Dale Easter "egg" perched atop the theater.



The Red Car was parked outside of the Tower of Terror. This new "old" mode of transportation is one of my favorite parts of the revamped DCA.



This will sound crazy to some, but the main reason I love the Tower of Terror attraction is the lobby. I don't mind standing in line, as it gives me time to view all of the vintage details.



I wonder what Room 403 looked like?



Those are some crazy cobwebs.



The Shirley Temple doll and Oz book are still sitting on the couch.



The overstuffed furniture sure looks comfy.



Think there's anything to eat inside of that covered dish?



Don't bother ringing the bell. Nobody is going to answer, except maybe DCA security.



Lunch was at the Carthay.



What a lovely entrance to this stylish restaurant.



Inside the lobby area, there was a display of vintage Dumbo items.



I cannot rave enough about the beautiful interior.



Lunch was inside the sun room area, which has some great views of Buena Vista Street from above.







My soup was tasty, with just the right amount of spice.



The Chicken Scallopini was flavorful, providing a delicious finale to a very fun day.



There you have it readers. You have now shared my April trip to the Disneyland Resort!

See more vintage & current Daveland Disney California Adventure photos on my main website.

Trip Report: DCA (Disney Construction Adventure), Pt. 1

I haven't been to the park in awhile, so figured I'd drop by and get some updated construction photos at DCA. I am still digging the new entrance, modeled after the Pan Pacific Auditorium. It gives me a real good feeling about the things yet to come.



Lest you forget who started it all:



The Golden Gate Bridge is gone...no tears here for that one.



The Carthay Circle area is coming along very nicely. What a vast improvement over that metallic monstrosity that was supposed to evoke the sun.





The fountain and entrance area for Carthay:





Cars Land is progressing nicely as well; the decorative rock work is just out of this world.









Over at Paradise Pier, Goofy's Flight School is ready for guests:



Nice to see the weathervane theme carried out here:





The Paradise Pier Garden is another vast improvement over its predecessor; can't wait to come back and see it at night.





Typical of Disney, plenty of attention to the creative details:









To help you figure out what you want to order:





Even the souvenir shops have gotten a little freshening up, as well as the fave Corn Dog Castle stand:





More to come on Sunday! See more vintage and contemporary Disney California Adventure photos at my main website.