1977 Storybook Land

Care to join me on a vintage ride through Disneyland’s Storybook Land, circa October 1977? Our first stop in the journey is Mole End/Ratty's House.

For guests, the Cinderella tableau seems to have been the most popular spot.



I get blown away by the tiny details that most guests never see, yet the Imagineers took the time to put them there. Doorways, windows, chimneys, the stonework...



The modest Tremaine home:



Gotta’ have a closeup, because I know you want to see their mailbox:



Last one of the bunch shows Gepetto’s Village. If only it were a bit lighter I could have gotten some really great detail shots out of this one!



See more Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my main website.

80s Flashback: Storybook Land Pt. 2

This morning it's back to Storybook Land, circa the 1980s. Let's zoom in a bit for a better look at Gepetto's Village. How many previously unnoticed details can you see?



Views of two of the windmills that were featured in the 1937 Silly Symphony, "The Old Mill."





Last one for today shows Alice's Village...as in Alice in Wonderland.



Just read the sign if you don't believe me!



A functioning water wheel. Wow!



A contemporary shot from dusk:



Still more 80s magic to come!

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my main website.

Storybook Treasures

A few circa 1958 gems from Storybook Land at Disneyland today, beginning with a shot of the village where the Tremaine family from "Cinderella" lived, directly below Cinderella's Castle. Zooming in for a detailed look at the Tudor-style structures from this February 1958 image:



This November 1958 shot shows the windmill at the forefront of this area:



Over in Gepetto's Village, the Skyway is visible in the background, but the majestic Matterhorn has yet to be built.



This is how the same area looks today. The location of the Matterhorn behind the miniature white-capped mountains behind Gepetto's Village was most certainly a very happy visual accident.



This Storybook Land Tour Guide is gliding by the village where Alice in Wonderland resides.



A closeup of the Mill by the water's edge:



Another view of this structure from 1956:



Hopefully you enjoy the miniatures of Storybook Land as much as I do!

See more vintage & current Disneyland Storybook Land photos from my collection on my main website.

Disneyland Trip Report: Storybook Land

For those not into my trip reports, the next few days could be an extremely painful experience! Today's post focuses entirely on one of my very favorite Fantasyland attractions, Storybook Land. What a great start on this one; as your canal boat gently sails towards the menacing mouth of Monstro, I am sure many a tot has had the living daylights scared out of them (especially at night!).



But never fear, there is peace and tranquility on the other side. And a ton-o-details (which I adore!).



First we encounter the homes of the Three Little Pigs, beginning with Fifer Pig:



Practical Pig (the smart one who used bricks):



and finally Fiddler Pig:



In this wide shot, you can see the new protective railing. I understand the apparent need for it, but not crazy about the execution of it.



The faux stonework is definitely not up to par with what Disney is capable of either; not sure if it's the paint job or the faux stone itself. Either way, it's just not working for me.



After passing Agrabah, guests get a sneak peek of the Genie's Magic Lamp:



Cinderella's Castle towers overhead:



Check out all of the tiny details on this home, including a towel to dry on the railing and miniature flower pots:



Can you see the names of all Seven Dwarfs?



And here's their fanciful cottage:



London Park looks like a beautiful place for a sunny afternoon nap. This is one of the first times I've been on Storybook that the live ducks haven't messed with the perspective of this tableau.





One of the structures near Alice in Wonderland's village:



Near Toad Hall, you find Mole End:





Gotta' zoom in for this one:



Pinocchio's Village is probably one of my favorite scenes in this attraction, as the handcrafted details abound here.



The Matterhorn fits in perfectly as a backdrop.





Here is the residence of Ariel's Prince Eric:



And finally, where Ariel's family lives:



A rare peak without the waterfalls:



I hope you enjoyed this journey through Storybook Land!

See more vintage & current Disneyland Storybook Land photos on my Storybook Land web page.

Early Disneyland: Welcome to Storybook Land!

This undated batch of black and white negatives is a fantastic look at Storybook Land (and a few other cool places, too, as you’ll see in tomorrow's post). Based upon the sign to the left of the Castle and the way Storybook Land looks (with no Matterhorn in the background), I would guess that these negatives date to about 1957 (or thereabouts). So sit back and enjoy this trip in (of course!) chronological order. Our first view is of the village from Alice in Wonderland:



A beautiful shot of the original Toad Hall area:



The home of the seven dwarfs looks empty:



of course I had to zoom in on their signage:



Can’t miss taking a shot of Cinderella’s Castle:



Whoa! Here comes Casey Junior above us!



This looks like your normal shot of the Windmill area...



Until we zoom in closer and see what appears to be an empty light socket waiting for a bulb!





Storybook Land has always been fascinating to me; the attention to detail blows my mind. This is one journey I would love to have go much slower, as the Canal Boats race by too quickly to notice everything. I’m sure that’s the point to keep the guests coming back!

See more Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my regular website.