Club 33 Trip Report, Pt. 1

My friend Stacy has never been to Club 33, and it was definitely towards the top of her Disneyland Holy Grail list. When the opportunity came to dine there again recently, of course she was included. Add in another coworker who hadn't been to Disneyland in a few decades and it was a recipe for fun. I just ignored the fact that it was the middle of August and the park was crammed with strollers (even spotted a dreaded triple-tandem!). So dear readers, here is the story of our Club 33 Trip Report!

As Jules and I enjoyed Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Stacy hightailed it over to Indiana Jones to get a fastpass. I loved watching Jules’ jaw drop as Lincoln was unveiled and he rose from his chair.

Afterwards, we met at the Plaza Inn; had a real hankering for their fried chicken. As I was anxiously standing in line to receive those golden pieces of deep-fried goodness, Stacy pointed out that actress Mira Sorvino was also in line. For a split-second, I debated whether I should haul the camera out and do a paparazzi shot. With her screaming kids in tow, I decided to give her a break and let her enjoy the day like everybody else.







After lunch, our trio split up again; I went to Peter Pan (needed to get some photos) and Stacy and Jules headed over to small world. It was a wise choice on my part, as I was able to keep that infernal song from my brain...except for when Stacy called me on her cell phone to share the crazy with me as I heard it playing in the background. Pure evil.

Love that croc weathervane atop the Peter Pan attraction building:



This is definitely my fave Fantasyland attraction; sadly, the magical journey in the pirate ship always ends too quickly.



The trio was reunited again and it was off to Tomorrowland for a little Captain EO fun. Jules and I enjoyed the 80’s flashback while Stacy suffered in silence; a Michael Jackson fan? Not so much...





Next we introduced Jules to the fast-paced video arcade inspired fun of Buzz Lightyear.





The line was long (not a surprise for this time of year), so a little Dole Whip was in order to help pass the time. As I raced over to Adventureland, Stacy and Jules waited patiently for that frozen treat that helps make waiting, summer heat, and strollers bearable. Of course there was a line for the Dole Whip, too, but it just gave me an opportunity to shoot some of the creepy-looking skulls at the Adventureland entrance.





Back at Buzz, Stacy finally bit the dust in what became a STUNNING upset—just look at that score of mine! She’ll never hear the end of this one.



By now it was time to start heading over to Indiana Jones to make use of our fast passes; we still had time for a trip to the Caribbean first. Again, a longer-than-usual line, but still not a problem. We got to see the elevator that takes guests to the Dream Suite...another holy grail for both Stace & I. One day, we will stay there!



In Jules' honor, we requested the front of the boat. I HIGHLY recommend it for your next trip to POTC!



And then it was time to join Indy. The great thing about the Indy fast pass is that you still get to enjoy all of the treasures and fun that are part of the interior queue—and of course the Eye On The Globe flicks.





Jules loved it; she was ready to go back immediately and ride it again. Sorry...only one fast pass at a time, Jules!

Before our 8pm dinner reservation, we still had time to visit Disney California Adventure. Naturally, we stopped by Main Street on the way to try the new cupcake sampler—HIGHLY recommended! Mary, Bert, and Robert the Ragtime Piano Player at the Coca-Cola Corner kept us thoroughly entertained.







Over at the Main Street Cinema, the marquee heralded rare footage from Opening Day. I have never seen so many guests in here at once! It was great to see.





Tilly the ticket-taker is sporting a HUUUGE emerald! She must be making some good coin.



The films were really cool; definitely check them out before they are gone.





And that is it for today; come back again for Pt. 2! View more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: More San Simeon

As you can tell by the number of posts that I’ve done, I was pretty enchanted with Hearst Castle and the San Simeon area. The first shot here is of Marion Davies, who presided over many a festive party at Hearst Castle. I was hoping that I’d get lucky and find a shot I’d taken from the same angle, but was only able to match the mountain range, not the angle. Either way, this place (and the views) are breathtaking.





Hearst had money; although that doesn’t always equate with good taste, in this case, W.R. obviously knew what he was doing...and had the right people to work with. Julia Morgan, the architect, worked very closely with Hearst to create this wonderland on a hill.



Guess who’s coming to dinner? Oh, just a few friends...













Kinda’ makes you want to decorate, doesn’t it?

See more San Simeon photos at my main website.

Disneyland, December 1961, Pt. 2

Look at that GORGEOUS shot of the Submarine Voyage. Crystal-clear water; a Monorail overhead, and the Ethan Allen slowly turning the bend to take another load of guests through the mysteries of liquid space. This first shot is from August, 1959. Now dear readers, you are about to be exposed to the underbelly of this attraction. During a December 1961 cleanup, what lies beneath the water was exposed for all to see.



You’d never know that all of this ca-rap was underneath here; with the water filling up the lagoon, everything blends together to form a beautiful bed of shells and coral. Without the water...not so pretty. The Imagineers definitely knew what they were doing.











A closeup of the workers dilligently cleaning the track and doing all sorts of sordid repairs that guests really don’t need to know about! That is, except for my readers of course.



The poor dear...she can barely make it up the exit steps. She’ll need to head over to the Space Bar for a stiff drink. Oops! They don’t serve booze. Guess she’ll have to find a local watering hole in beautiful downtown Anaheim instead.

See more Disneyland Submarine Voyage photos at my main website.

Disneyland, December 1961, Pt. 1

I’m back...and with a few images from December 1961. Always be careful how you treat your friends and relatives. The pictures they take of you may find their way onto the internet. I am sure that if this lady is alive today, she could be put in jail for stealing the lampshade of her next door neighbor. Placing it on her head was an even bigger crime.

Here she is again, struggling and straining on the Flying Saucer attraction.



The poor dear...she can barely make it up the exit steps. She’ll need to head over to the Space Bar for a stiff drink. Oops! They don’t serve booze. Guess she’ll have to find a local watering hole in beautiful downtown Anaheim instead.



See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

A Day Off

Rather than quickly assembling a leftover piece of poo, I am taking a day off from the blog. Maybe two days. I promise more exciting photos and fun when I return.

See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Vesey Walker and the Disneyland Band & Mystery Amusement Park

Just a quick one today; recovering from a full day at the park (much more to come tomorrow on that one!). This photo of Vesey Walker and The Disneyland Band posed in front of the Castle is from 1956. The photo came in a matte frame and was marked:

To my “Darling Daughter”
Love “Dad”

On another front, I recently acquired this photo. Any of you eagle-eye amusement park experts recognize the park that Shirley Temple is enjoying in this 1934 photo? I am guessing it is in the Santa Monica/Los Angeles area, but that’s about all I know.



Here’s a closeup of the insignia on the car:



See more Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Castle photos at my main website.

Screen Gem Saturdays: The Wizard of Oz

It’s definitely one of my favorite movies; the ethereal glow of Technicolor, the memorable music, the terrifying witch, and the pitch-perfect performance of Judy Garland who anchors the entire film. Each time it has been released on home video, I have been right there with my wallet: from bootleg, to VHS, to DVD, to Ultra-Resolution DVD, and most recently in High Definition on Blu-ray. The screen captures look amazing; plenty of film grain, bright colors, and razor-sharp detail (maybe just a bit too sharp...especially when it comes to the hairs on Margaret Hamilton’s chin!).





In the original book by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy’s shoes were silver; today, the original ruby-version manufactured for MGM back in 1938 can fetch close to $1 million. Would they have caused as much of a collecting furor if they had stayed silver? Even reproductions can fetch $500-$1000 each. And just where the heck would you wear them?!?





How many have marveled over the transition from sepia to technicolor when the movie goes from Kansas to Oz? Whether it was a creative or cost-cutting decision, it is still magical. The colors of Munchkinland leap off the screen even more because our eyes have been conditioned to the drab pallette of Kansas beforehand. Judy’s facial expression says it all:



Judy Garland is such perfection in this movie that not only is it hard to imagine anyone else in the role (even adorable Shirley Temple), but hard to imagine her as a blond Dorothy. That’s right; as this early publicity photo shows, Judy Garland was originally dolled up with a big slab of makeup and curly blond locks. Famous Hollywood Director George Cukor (assigned to the project for a very short time) left a lasting legacy on this 1939 classic by demanding that Judy have her plastic face removed so that she would be the one real element in the film—and boy was that a fantastic judgment call. Almost makes up for him screwing up Marilyn Monroe’s unfinished film “Something’s Got To Give.” Almost.





A few other things changed along the way as well; one was the original casting of Buddy Ebsen as the Tinman. Breathing in the aluminum dust used in his makeup caused Ebsen to have to spend time recovering in an iron lung, giving Jack Haley the opportunity to take over the role and join Garland, Bolger, and Lahr in cinema immortality. Here’s one of the scenes Ebsen filmed before getting ill:



This elaborate musical number featured in the photograph below occurred after the Witch is killed and our favorite quartet triumphantly returns to the Emerald City. The movie was already too long, and this reprise of “Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead” was trimmed. A 1949 theatrical trailer actually has a brief clip (with sound) showcasing this segment.



See more “The Wizard of Oz” photos at my main website.

Yippie “Invasion,” pt. 3: 40th Anniversary

Hard to believe this occurred 40 years ago, let alone at all. This startling photo shows a line of police officers in front of the castle. The snipe from the photo reads:

“STRANGE SCENE AT FANTASYLAND—Police officers line the street in front of Disneyland’s Fantasyland castle, at Anaheim, Calif., last night as the huge amusement park was closed for the day because of demonstrations. Several hundred hippie-type youths refused to stop parading on the streets and climbing buildings. About 29,000 people were in the park. There were 18 arrests.”

Recently, I was contacted by Barry, a former park employee, who shared his vivid memories of the day:

I was a supervisor at Disneyland from 1969-1974 and remember that day well. It was my day off but all supervisors were required to be “on call” that day. The LA Free Press advertised the Yippie Day event and Disney officials (Dick Nunis, Ron Dominguez and Jim Cora) were going to make absolutely certain that Disneyland would be prepared for any disruption that might occur.

I remember meeting in the Mickey Mouse Theater (with all other park supervisors) earlier in the week. I believe Disney management brought in a representative from the Anaheim PD- That part of the meeting is fuzzy but I do recall that all of us were assigned specific responsibilities. I was assigned to the Main Street hub area in front of Carnation Plaza Gardens. My assignment: sit on a bench all day watching for any signs of trouble. Shortly after I sat down, a “hippie” sits down next to me, notices my Mickey Mouse watch, and asks me if I work here; cover blown.

It was a long day and nothing really happened in my area until late afternoon- A Conga line was forming and about 25 or more Yippies snaked through the Main Street hub area chanting “LSD has a hold on me.” Funny how I can still vividly remember the chant and see the happenings before me with crystal clarity. The rest of the day was a blur; I knew that Orange County’s finest were in the staging area between Main Street and the Administration Building in full riot gear. I remember the Seal Beach PD had quite a reputation for brutality and they were there.

Word filtered down that the Yippies had taken over Tom Sawyer’s Island and had replaced the American flag with the Viet Com flag which ultimately was the final undoing of the Yippies. The police came out, the announcement was made that the park was closing and people were being asked to leave. I was on Main Street near Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and watched the police push the Yippies down Main Street toward the park exit. As I followed the action, I found myself pushed down the street and ended up by Hills Brothers. I watched the ultimate—some Yippie trying to pull down the big American flag in Town Square and Dick Nunis, head of Disneyland, punch the guy in the face. The crowd continued to be herded out to the parking lot. It was beginning to get dark and plan “B” was put into affect. All of the supervisors were asked to report to their perimeter positions to safeguard the park from any Yippies who might to climb the fence. We were actually given steel poles to bash fingers if they tried to climb the fence. I had a prime spot at the parking lot exit directly across the street from the hotel—lots of yelling, screaming, and tear gas. Things quieted down about 11pm and by midnight we were allowed to leave our post and go home.

For several years after, no one with long hair was allowed in Disneyland. Working at Disney back then, the grooming standards were strict. For males, it was no long hair, no facial hair, side burns to mid ear. From 1967-1971 the Marines would frequent Disneyland and the Harbor Blvd/Katella area- kind of a last R and R before they want to Viet Nam. We were always asked if we were marines on leave because of the short hair. I did not do well in the social arena outside of my Disney social network! However, I did meet my wife at Disneyland (a waitress at the Blue Bayou) and 35 years later we are still going strong!

Could a riot like this happen today? Naturally, anything is possible, but the chances are slim. There is so much going on behind-the-scenes to prevent something like this occurring that even if it started, it would be hard to imagine that it could escalate to the level of violence that erupted 40 years ago today. I remember being at Disneyland one day a few years ago with my staff; we got in the wrong line for Splash Mountain. Since we had fast passes, we crossed over the queue into the correct line, and it couldn't have been more than 20 seconds later that a cast member appeared out of nowhere to tell us that we should not have crossed the queue. We showed our tickets and all was right as rain, but from that day on I knew that no matter how much of a private day you may THINK you're having at Disneyland, Big Brother is watching you. On one hand, it can make you feel safe; on the other, it is also a little creepy. Just a necessary evil because of all the looney tunes that are out there.

See more Disneyland Yippie Day photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria

Daveland will take you all over the place; from the most famous to the most obscure. Today’s entry is a semi-hidden gem I learned about while taking a walking tour of historic Los Angeles Movie Palaces. This gem I refer to is a restaurant called Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria.



The first thing you see outside is the very cool vintage terrazzo floor at the entrance of Clifton’s, featuring a number of Los Angeles landmarks.





Inspired by his youthful memories in the Santa Cruz mountains, Clifford Clinton transformed a ho-hum Los Angeles eatery into an artificial woodland paradise back in 1935.



What’s the food like? Well, it’s hard to describe. Just picture a school cafeteria, with just about ANYTHING you could imagine (and I mean anything). The quality is decent, the selection will blow your mind, and the atmosphere will take you back to a kinder and gentler time. We could all use a little more Clifton’s!



Clifton's continues to practice Clifford Clinton's philosophy of treating customers as "guests" and employees as "associates" and still offers a guarantee of "Dine Free Unless Delighted." [Clifton’s closed in 2018 and became Clifton’s Republic, a nightclub]



See more Clifton’s photos at my main website.