Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 8 & Dream Suite

Yup, still in 1966...and today we are visiting Tom Sawyer’s Island, where the kids can have plenty of fun climbing Castle Rock. Fortunately, no Yippies are in sight, and none of those pesky rules, regulations, and modifications that came a few years later! Nearby, Cascade Peak adds plenty of atmosphere with its thundering falls.



While on the Island, you can visit Fort Wilderness, back when it was more than just a bathroom break & a Home Depot remodel gone bad.



Back on the Twain, we can see lots of AA Indian Activity going on; don’t forget to wave!





October 1966 was also a time where it was okay to see a few dead people along the River; here is the Indian Burial Ground. For all you Dead Settler fans like me, sorry, but our photographer didn’t snap one of him.



And that concludes our Rivers of America 1966 tour. For those of you who have read about the Dream Suite, which replaced the Disney Gallery, I was able to tour it yesterday and wow, is it impressive. Very tastefully done, with more than a few nods to the Disney/Disneyland history. Anyone who is able to stay here is extremely fortunate. Although many were sad to see the Disney Gallery go, that facility could go anywhere; drawing upon Disney/Dorothea Redmond’s initial concepts, the Dream Suite belongs here. Many thanks to my friend Ashley who was able to get me in, and to Anastasia for the Tinkerbell Twist.







You can view a TON (which means a lot, mega, huge collection, etc.) more of my Dream Suite photos at my Dream Suite Page. Tomorrow, we’ll visit Adventureland, 1966. See more vintage & current Rivers of America photos at my website.

Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 7

Our October 1966 post today features the Rivers of America; the mighty waters that has both the Mark Twain and the Columbia. The first shot is Fowler’s Inn/Harbor, where both ships dock when they’re not circling Tom Sawyer Island. Nearby is the Indian Village, which was replaced by Bear Country and then (groaning as I say it) Critter Country:



#3 is the dock where you can find passage on both vessels:



Speak of the Devil...here’s the Columbia and one of the Keel Boats at the Dock, just waiting for guests to board:



I think I’ll wait for the Mark Twain, which is just coming around the bend:



As the Twain starts on its journey, we can see New Orleans Square and Tom Sawyer’s Island:





As we get closer to the Old Mill, let’s get a closer look at it and zoom in on that signage:





Tomorrow, we’ll continue our trip along the Rivers of America. See more vintage & current Rivers of America photos at my website.

"101 Dalmatians" Autographed Key Set

I have 2 special promotional key sets produced in coordination with the upcoming special 2-DVD set of "101 Dalmatians." They are signed by Lisa Davis (voice of Anita) and Alice Davis (wife of Marc Davis, Cruella’s animator). The first TWO people to email me about this key set will win one FREE!

THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED! Congrats to Richard in Indiana and Ted in Canada!

Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 6

It’s still October 1966 at Daveland, but we have progressed over to Frontierland. Today’s post features some nice shots of the Nature’s Wonderland attraction, a favorite from long ago that is no longer at the park. Watch out for that Cougar! In shot #2, a few bears are taking a dip in the river while a beehive buzzes over head...I see trouble in the future for those bears and a few bee stings.



Ah, the wide open spaces of Disneyland, with a few wildflowers to color the green fields:



Things look a little dryer over here in this area, but the "animals" are at least out to say hi to guests passing by on the train:





And a few from the Devil’s Paint Pots:





And where else but Disneyland could you see a cactus with personality?



Back in the present, something is going on at the old Nature’s Wonderland Tunnel; I had never noticed these lights before, and I believe they are new. Of course I am hoping that they are some sort of signal of future activity going on in this deserted area. It was interesting to see other guests stopping by this little lake and saying "What's going on over there?" If this is a teaser from Imagineering, it’s working.



Meanwhile, over at DCA, construction continues at the Toy Story attraction due in June. The attention to detail is fantastic, and is a good sign of things to come:







Tomorrow, we’ll be spending time along the Rivers of America. See more Nature’s Wonderland photos at my website.

Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 5

Hop back into your Skyway bucket, folks, as we continue our cruise over Fantasyland, October 1966. View #1 is a nice overview of Dumbo’s Flying Elephants and the snack shop/shaded sitting area. This was back in the days when you couldn't cut through to Frontierland. On the other side of our bucket we can see the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant:



Hang on Captain Hook...it isn’t officially YOUR restaurant just yet...Chicken of the Sea is still the sponsor!



Meanwhile, Goofy and Pluto are steering the ship to nowhere:



Last one for today is for Mike & Juli:



Tomorrow, we’ll exit by the side of the Castle and mosey on over to Frontierland! See more vintage and current Fantasyland photos at my website.

Disneyland, October 1966 Pt. 4 & Cruella Cels

It’s Fantasyland Pt. 2 in this October 1966 series, and of course, a photo of the Castle is extremely appropriate. By now, the Disney Family Crest is visible above the entrance. Back in our Square Skyway Buckets, we see Storybook Land; Monstro is about to swallow up another boatload of guests as the Yellow Monorail appears in the distance. Admittedly, it is a little strange to see the Fantasy of Storybook Land with ultra-sleek Monorail so close by.



As we swoop in to view the rest of the Storybook sights, we see the entrance landscaping as well as a nice view of Casey Jr. and the Cinderella Castle:







3 more Storybook shots show Toad Hall (before it was unceremoniously moved to a less prominent piece of real estate courtesy of Aladdin), the Windmills, and Pinocchio’s Village:







A trip to Fantasyland wouldn’t be complete without a few characters shots, so here are Snow White & one of her Dwarves, who appears to be looking for a handout. As always, Snow White’s hair changes again to somewhat reflect the times:





As a bonus for today, here are 5 animation cels of Cruella de Vil from the collection of Alice Davis...with the cigarette intact:











Tomorrow, there’ll be more Fantasyland views, October 1966.

See more vintage & current Fantasyland photos at my website.