Town Square Medley

While digging through my Disneyland City Hall collection, I discovered a few Town Square gems I had not posted yet, starting with two from April 1970.



Nothing says Main Street fun like this shot of the Disneyland Band playing a concert in Town Square, circa February 1971:



Disneyland is known for its spring florals, such as the bright plantings in these two February 1971 images:





Our 1971 photographer was intent on capturing the progression of the Horse-Drawn Streetcar:



Looks like that newfangled Horseless Carriage is about to be overtaken by its Horse-Drawn counterpart!



See more Disneyland Town Square photos at my main website.

Journey Down Main Street, U.S.A. 1956

Join me as we stroll down Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. circa 1956. Our first image shows the Main Street Cinema. Zooming in, it would seem that back in the day there was a real person working inside the Cinema's ticket booth, versus Tilly the “dummy” that's there now.



This one appears to have been shot while our National Anthem was being played.



A tighter crop of the same shot, taken in front of the Gibson Greeting Card Shop.



You can almost smell the popcorn roasting in this little cart outside the Gibson Shop.



A closeup of the little mechanical clown doing all the work:



At the end of Main Street, Vesey Walker leads the Disneyland Band towards Central Plaza.



Zooming in, we can see a Circus Wagon from the former Mickey Mouse Club Circus, now being operated by Professor George J. Keller.



A Surrey takes guests around the Plaza.



I drop you off at the Sleeping Beauty Castle:



A closeup of the driver of the newfangled horseless carriage:



...and a sign that has seen better days:



See more Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos at my main website.

Last (for now) vintage Disneyland Town Square

Hopefully you can all take one more (for now) vintage post on Disneyland's Town Square. Dating back to the first summer at the Park (1955 to all you newbies out there), this shot shows a stylish lady in plaid with City Hall and a popcorn vendor behind her. That box below the cart does not make a pretty display!



It seems so funny to see the young and scrawny trees that barely cover the berm.



View number two shows the peak of the Matterhorn in the background and the information/souvenir booth in the foreground.



25¢ for a Guide Book. Is there ANYTHING at the Park today for that price? What a great assortment of souvenirs here!



Meanwhile Vesey Walker and the boys march through Town Square.



Last shot for today is a blurry view of a Horseless Carriage zipping by from Spring 1957.



Just in case you still need more Disneyland Town Square, visit my main website.

Sax on a Tuesday

Today you get a double-shot of the Keystone Kops at Disneyland, best known for entertaining the guests with their saxophones. First image is from March 1958, showing two Kops entering Central Plaza with the Tomorrowland entrance behind them.



Seven years later they're still at it in this May 1965 image:



I see a tenor and baritone and one alto sax; can't tell what the partially hidden Kop is playing.



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

The Future Is Lost

Instead of hanging out in Tomorrowland, this 1950s Disneyland Spaceman is standing in Central Plaza. Obviously, the buttery popcorn from the nearby cart lured him out of the future.



A detailed view of his costume.



More Space People shots at my main website.

April at Disneyland, Pt. 2

Welcome to New Orleans Square, one of my favorite areas of Disneyland. If you head to there right after opening, you have a very good chance of getting some nice photos before the crowds overtake the park.



Always take the time to look above; each balcony has a plethora of props and other cool details just waiting to be noticed.



The nice banners like this help alleviate the "pain" of the Club 33 construction that has overtaken so much of New Orleans Square.



The Popcorn Cart near Magnolia Park wasn't quite ready for business.



It was pointed out to me that the benches have been removed from Magnolia Park. What's a park without benches?



Here's a genuine FauxD© shot of Magnolia Park; you can almost hear the water cascading from the fountain.



This ginormous Easter "egg" was placed in the fountain, just waiting to be noticed.



And until my next Disneyland Trip Report post, I'll leave you at the gate of the Haunted Mansion:



See more vintage & current Daveland Disneyland New Orleans Square photos on my main website.

TPE: Central Plaza

Welcome to Central Plaza, aka "The Hub," because it was designed to be the heart of Disneyland...the central place that guests could meet and enter each of the different lands. "Let's meet at the hub..."

All of the vintage vehicles meet here after taking guests from Town Square. In this particular 1956 photo, you can see where the Matterhorn would eventually be built. I can understand why Walt would want these covered up!



During my vintage visit, there's so much I'd want to do here. First I'd need to get off the Horse-Drawn Streetcar...



Or maybe I would have chosen the Omnibus...I do love that double-decker view down Main Street!





I have to zoom in on this one; the House of the Future, the Hall of Chemistry, signage...oh my!



I would need a snack, so I'd grab a delicious bag of hot freshly popped popcorn:





watch the organ grinder and monkey in action:





I'd want to catch a concert at the original bandstand (before it got moved to Adventureland and then off-premises):



I'd want to make sure I got to see Trinidad Ruiz, the famous White Wing who helped keep the Park spotless.



Central Plaza also seemed to be the place the guests would most likely get to see The Keystone Kops play their vintage melodies. On the right is Bernie Flymen; he played sax & clarinet at Disneyland from 1955–1960 and in Desi Arnaz’s “I Love Lucy” band. Funny how this guest appears to be completely oblivious to them.





I would also want to be in Central Plaza in 1962 when the movie "Forty Pounds of Trouble" was being filmed with Tony Curtis.



More action for the Keystone Kops.



I'd have to make sure I visited during Easter so I could see the La Coquette balloon:



What a cool site from Central Plaza; I wonder if guests were allowed to ride in it?



I'd also want to witness the pageantry often seen in Central Plaza, like the parade that heralded the opening of the Alice in Wonderland dark ride:



And I'd want to see all of the hullabaloo that accompanied the June 14, 1959 unveiling of the Matterhorn, Submarines, Motor Boat Cruise, and the Monorail. Wow...what a year!





Vice President Richard Nixon was on hand with his family:





Disney and Nixon were long-time friends who were a mutual admiration society:



Our Horse-Drawn Streetcar may be heading back to Town Square, but we have new adventures to tackle on Friday! Come back for more!



See more vintage & current Disneyland Central Plaza photos on my Central Plaza web page.