August 1973 - Disneyland 's New Sights & Bright Lights!

This isn't really a full-fledged "Vintage Disneyland Trip Report" due to the fact that I don't have any photos from this particular visit, but this Disneyland entertainment guide is from a family trip to the park in August of 1973.....38 years ago this week.



"New" Mousketeers in 1973, huh? I've never heard of this group of kids. I wonder if this stage show is what sparked the idea for "The New Mickey Mouse Club" television series four years later? And this was also the year that The Walt Disney Story debuted in the Opera House, replacing (temporarily) Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.



This separate insert was included with the entertainment guide.




It's strange....I do remember at least two photos being taken during this trip, but I haven't seen them in over 30 years. I've asked my dad to look through his photos just in case he has them, but he has given me most of the family photographs and slides, so it's possible that they may be lost forever. What are the photos that I'm remembering being taken during this Disneyland trip from 38 years ago? Well, I know one was of my grandmother and me in a Matterhorn bobsled splashing down at the end of the ride. This was the very first time I ever rode the Matterhorn, so I would really like to see that photo again! The other was a photo of my grandmother and me in a caterpillar vehicle that was winding it's way down the leaf of the Alice in Wonderland attraction.....and I want to see that one again too! Oh well, I think I have every other picture that my dad ever took at Disneyland, so I will just be thankful for that!

Here are some things that I remember about this trip: I remember eating spaghetti on the patio of the Plaza Pavilion while watching the Electrical Parade pass by. This was the first time that I had seen the parade and it was also my first time seeing Tinkerbell and the Fantasy In The Sky Fireworks show. This was also the latest that I had ever stayed at the park.....I remember riding the Submarines around midnight thinking, "Gee, I'm tired and I just want to go home." Can you imagine?

Other memories include my grandmother buying my brother a raccoon skin hat at the Indian Trading Post in Bear Country (now the Briar Patch Store) and buying me this incredible souvenir book at The Character Shop in Tomorrowland (now Mickey's Star Trader).



Here are just some of the contents of this book.







In this next picture, notice the Spaceman and Spacewoman (wearing a mini-skirt!) posing for pictures in front of the coolest Tomorrowland of them all! There is also a hidden Mickey in the photo. It's the Mickey Mouse costumed character and he's riding on the PeopleMover. Hint: He's riding in one of the blue cars.







Some of these photos were a little outdated for the time. Can you find three things in the photo below, that would have been out of place for 1973? Answer: If you look closely, you can see the tip of the old Moonliner Rocket in Tomorrowland and the steel framework being erected for the Matterhorn. Also, the canoes and their cast members still have an "Indian War Canoes" theme going on.





Here's something interesting! As I mentioned before, the Walt Disney Story was new and had replaced Lincoln. This particular page has an insert that was pasted into the book with info about The Walt Disney Story as well as an announcement about a future attraction.....The Hall of Presidents! I do remember seeing the Hall of Presidents listed as a future attraction in the old "Disneyland Presents Previews of Coming Attractions" exhibit on Main Street and if I'm recalling correctly, I believe there was a map on the wall showing it in a "Liberty Square" area off of Main St. I just can't remember if it showed the new area being located off of Center St. or if it showed it being located off of Town Square as it was originally planned back in the 50's (then called Liberty Street). Maybe someone out there can tell us more about the 1970's plan for The Hall of Presidents at Disneyland?

Five years later, when I went to Disneyland during an eighth grade graduation trip, I bought an updated version of this book. Most of the photos remained the same, but there were a few updates at that time. To see some more photos that I've already posted from the updated version of this book, click here: Eighth Grade Graduation Trip.

Fowl Stuff At Disneyland! - The Walt Disney Story

Well, it's time for Part Three of my "Fowl Stuff At Disneyland!" series. To see Part One on the Enchanted Tiki Room Barker Bird, click here. (I just updated that post with some home video footage that I recently found). To see Part Two of this series, which featured the live birds that were located at the base of the Swiss Family Treehouse in the late nineties, click here.

On with today's post! Today, we're taking a look at the Audio-Animatronic owl that was a part of The Walt Disney Story for many years, starting back in 1973 when the attraction first opened in the Main Street Opera House.



He sat in an alcove just inside the entrance to the exhibit and was the host for a short film about the "animal actors" in Walt Disney's "True-Life Adventure" films. Notice the gold lettering above the stage reads, "Walt Disney, Naturalist".

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this owl was based on the Wise Old Owl from the 1948 Disney movie, "So Dear To My Heart."



Today, this alcove has been enclosed and houses the large model of Disneyland as it was in 1955.



I wonder what happened to that little Audio-Animatronic critter? Hopefully, he is being stored in a safe place somewhere, perhaps awaiting a return to the park for some future use. I know, I know....and Max, Buff and Melvin are just hangning around in the Pooh attraction awaiting some future use too, right? Hey, I can hope, can't I? By the way, the upholstered bench seats from this area were moved just across the room and are now available for guests that want to sit and watch the film "Disneyland, The First 50 Magical Years."



For those that were never able to see this presentation or don't remember it that well, here it is in it's entirety. I shot this footage myself back in 1997. I don't know who the actor was that supplied the voice for the owl, but it sure sounds like it could be Hans Conreid. Enjoy!

Walt Disney Sat Here!

Today we will be visiting the Main St. Opera House at Disneyland. All of the photos from today's post were taken over the recent Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend.

Notice how The Walt Disney Story/Steve Martin film marquee is now missing from the facade of the Opera House.


Posters on either side of the doorway announce that Lincoln is coming!


Inside there is more Lincoln artwork. The sign says "Opening Later This Year - In Celebration Of His 200th Birthday," but a cast member informed us that Lincoln would be ready HOPEFULLY by the end of the year.....and if not, then hopefully by February (in time for his 201st birthday.)

The film, "Disneyland, The First 50 Magical Years" still plays inside, but on a smaller screen.

I asked the cast member if he thought this film would ever be released on DVD and he said they get plenty of requests for it and that they do pass that information on to management. I'd buy a copy!

The large glass case in the main room that had previously been covered up, now has a new display. There is a sign above it that reads, "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow."

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Let's work our way backwards here, shall we. First let's look at "Tomorrow." A new Star Tours? That's it??? Why do I find it hard to get excited about this? Maybe it's because we've been hearing about it for years now and it should have happened already! And what about the rest of Tomorrowland.....Honey I Shrunk The Audience, Innoventions, an abandoned PeopleMover track? Need I say more?

Next we have "Today." Hey, didn't the Pooh ride open like back in 2003? Isn't it now almost 2010? And they want to BRAG about this attraction? Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through....EXCELLENT!!! And I do enjoy the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (maybe not as much as the original subs), but I don't like the way they crammed more seats into the subs. If you're 6 ft. or taller, you better just hope that they don't stick you in one of the new seats that hangs over the bottom of the stairway.....NOT FUN!

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Last up, we have "Yesterday." It's very sad looking at these photos and realizing just how many wonderful attractions have been destroyed over the years. The ones that I miss most are The Carousel of Progress, Adventure Thru Inner Space, Country Bear Jamboree, and Nature's Wonderland Mine Train. Which attractions pictured do you miss the most? Oh well, I guess we will have a new Star Tours sometime in the future....and we'll always have the newly painted swings and ferris wheel to ride across the Esplanade.

Well, I'm going to end this post with something positive! Here are a couple items that are currently on display in the foyer of the Opera House.

This first one is a bench from Griffith Park and it is THE bench that Walt Disney sat on and dreamed about a place where "parents and children could have fun together" while his daughters were riding the merry-go-round.

And here is an actual horse from that merry-go-round. It is currently on loan to Disneyland from Griffith Park.

There wasn't a plaque for this peanut cart, so I don't know if it is just there for atmosphere, or if it is the actual cart that Walt bought peanuts from back in the day. It's even filled with bags of peanuts!

Well, 2010 is almost here and that means the park will soon be celebrating it's 55th birthday. Here's to hoping that there's more in store for Disneyland in the near future than just an updated Star Tours attraction. And here's to a brand new Abraham Lincoln....one that hopefully won't require "surround sound" headphones or 3-D glasses to enjoy!