A Vintage Disneyland Trip Report - July 1994

Just six months after my January 1994 trip to Disneyland, I returned to the park for another visit.

They were finally handing out 1994 guidebooks at the entrance!  If you read the trip report about my January 1994 visit, you might remember that 30 days into the new year, they were still giving out 1993 guidebooks!

Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin attraction had opened just 6 months earlier.  This is the attraction's final scene, where Roger helps you escape through his "portable hole."

I'm glad that I took this pic of the Dumbo band organ (located behind the Dumbo The Flying Elephant attraction), because I believe it now just sits there and no longer operates.  According to Wikipedia, the circa 1915 band organ can be heard over a mile away, "so it is rarely played."  However, when the band organ debuted at the park in 1983, it played regularly, and that continued at least through the 1990s.  In addition to it playing music, it's front doors would open every so many minutes and a miniature "Dumbo" would pop out, almost like a cuckoo clock.  The last time I checked, the doors were not opening, Dumbo was not "popping out," and the music was pre-recorded instead of being played live.

Skyway bucket alert! (Between the two "Dumbos" on the right.)  Sadly, the Skyway would be ripped out, in just about 3 months.  My friend (seen below), had also gone to the park with me on that January 1994 trip, which I posted about earlier this year.

A shot of the first scene, in "Pinocchio's Daring Journey":

The previous summer, Aladdin's Oasis had replaced the Tahitian Terrace in Adventureland.  Dinner at the new restaurant included a live Aladdin-themed show, but that came to an end just one month after these photos were taken, and only about fourteen months after it debuted.

The structure remained standing for almost 25 years, despite being grossly underused as mostly just a character "meet 'n greet" and "storytelling" location.  In 2018, the Aladdin-themed structures were torn down, and the space was converted into the "Tropical Hideaway," a quick-service food location.

This tower was located around the corner from the main entrance to Aladdin's Oasis, and faced the Jungle Cruise's unloading dock and exit.  This elevated view was actually taken from the upper level of the Jungle Cruise queue.  Notice the finial on top of the tower, in the shape of the magic lamp.

Even though the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction would not be opening for another 8 months, the construction wall had recently been taken down, and guests were now allowed to walk around in the queue area.

These next two photos were taken from the ramp leading up to the temple's entrance.  You can see that the entrance was boarded up, and included signage stating, "DANGER!", "Excavation in Progress", and "DO NOT ENTER."

 

Next, we have over a dozen photos of "The Lion King Celebration" parade.  The parade had debuted the previous month, and ended up running for three full years.  That was a pretty long run for a daytime parade.

Leading the parade were two rhinoceroses, being portrayed by two performers, inside each costume.

This figure of Zazu on the first float, was the first time Audio-Animatronics were ever used in a Disneyland parade.  There was also a Rafiki "costumed character" (not visible here), who stood just on the other side of Zazu.

These giraffes would lower and raise their heads throughout the parade.  They were the first usage of what Disney was calling, "Puppetronics," in a parade.

All of the performers in the parade were supposed to be representing animals.

This float featured a working waterfall, just below the elephant.  And the elephant itself (another "Puppetronic"), sprayed water from it's trunk.  I'm not sure when this "spraying the guests with water" trend began, but it had been used in the park's previous parade, "Aladdin's Royal Caravan."  That parade featured two large camels that would "spit" on the guests.  I included photos of those camels in my "vintage trip report," from January of this year.

The back end of this "swinging monkeys" float included a Pumba puppet, but I didn't get a shot of him during this visit.  I took more pictures of this parade, over the course of it's three-year run.  I will post those photos as I continue to do more of these "vintage trip report" posts, from the 1990s.

This particular performer was a "stilt walker."

This was just one of several musicians featured in the parade.

The last float represented "Pride Rock," from the animated film.

 

 Simba was featured on top of Pride Rock......

 

 

.....and Nala was positioned just below him.

Simba and Nala were two more examples of the use of "Puppetronics" in the parade.  Both figures would move their heads and blink.  Simba would also open his mouth to roar, and Nala was able to tap her right paw up and down to the beat of the music.

By the way, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of "The Lion King," in theaters!

At the end of the day, I upgraded my one-day park ticket to an annual pass.  (For the "upgrade," they would deduct the cost of your one-day ticket, from the price of the annual pass.)  I had previously had an annual pass beginning in 1983, the very first year that they were available (to Magic Kingdom Club Members only, at first), up until the late 1980s.  After experiencing a little bit of burnout from going to the park so regularly, I took a little break for a few years, and pretty much reduced my park visits to about once a year.  That would change now, with the purchase of this new annual pass.

The 1994 Guidebook was very similar to the 1993 version, which I posted in January of this year.  I am only including here, the pages that were different from the 1993 version.  Please go back to that older post, if you want to see the other pages.

Is there still a "Magic Years Club," and does Disney still offer a discount to Seniors over the age of 60?

The Toontown pages were almost identical to the 1993 guide, with the exception of the photo on the lower left, and the addition of "Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin" to the list of attractions.  Also, there was a "Toontown Camera Window," where you could purchase film, cameras, and accessories, listed in the 1993 guide.  It's missing in this 1994 version.

"The Fox and the Hound" was released on video that year, for the very first time.

At the very bottom of the list of trivia (under "Landscaping"), it states that one of the original trees from the orange groves that existed, prior to construction of the park, was still standing.  It could be found in the Oriental Gardens of the Disneyland Hotel.  What happened to that tree, when the gardens were bulldozed for the construction of Downtown Disney?  I have never heard any other mention of it.

The "Kodak Picture Tips" information remained the same from 1993 to 1994, but three of the four photo examples changed.

The back cover of the guide:

After purchasing an annual passport, I began making more frequent trips to the park.  I will continue to post the photos that I took during those visits.  And since I purchased quite a few souvenirs during this time period, I will also continue to include some of those items in each post.

This three-dimensional magnet is one of the items I bought within this mid-1990s period.  I had it stored away in a box for years, but then one day, I decided that I should have it out where I can enjoy it.  I probably put it on my refrigerator about 10 years ago.  It remained safe there until only recently, when I accidentally knocked it off.  It's 2 inches thick, so it sticks WAY out from the refrigerator!  If you look closely, you can see where the tops of some of the Castle's turrets were chipped.  I would have rather had dents!  Oh, well!  I guess it's better to have it out where I can see it, instead of just stored away and out of sight.

And this is another magnet that I purchased in the mid-nineties.  It came from the Le Gourmet Shop in New Orleans Square.....I don't remember seeing it for sale anywhere else in the park.

The magnet is made of plaster, and it still has the price tag attached to the back.

I hope everyone enjoyed this 30-year old trip report, from July of 1994!

****BONUS****

For anyone who is interested, here's a video I shot in 1995, of the Dumbo band organ.

And here is footage of the entire "Lion King Celebration" parade, which I shot in 1996.

 

Magic Kingdom Club Christmas Catalog - 1984

In the days before The Disney Store or The Disney Catalog, there was The Disney Family Showcase catalog from the Magic Kingdom Club. I received this catalog in the mail in 1984 and never received another one after that, so it may be the only time that Disney did something like this under that name. I had a subscription to Disney News Magazine at the time, so I'm assuming that is how I got on their mailing list.

There are more than 30 pages, but I've scanned each and every one of them and included them below. Some of the photos in the catalog were taken at Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Epcot Center.

The intro talks about Walt and his "Family of Corporate Participants" that helped finance the construction of Disneyland.

See's candy at $6.00 a pound! Wow! Today See's candy is over $19.00 a pound and the price goes up every year after the holidays, like clockwork.

The photo below is from Disneyland's "Festival Japan" parade, which makes me wonder what ever happened to Festival Japan, Viva Mexico Days, and Canada Days at Disneyland?

Epcot Center's Germany Pavilion is pictured on the page below. I had no idea that Goebel manufactured Hummel figurines. I thought Hummels were made by a company named Hummel.

The page below includes a picture taken at Epcot's Italy Pavilion. Epcot would have only been 2 years old at the time this catalog came out.

Only $65 for a Disneyland adult Annual Pass! This was before there were different "levels" of annual passes, so every pass was a "premium" pass. Passes had only been available for a year and a half at this point. Wikipedia (and many other sites) state that the first annual passes were offered to the public in 1984. I have my very first annual pass and it is dated June 20, 1983. I guess it is possible that they were only available to Magic Kingdom Club members that first year since these sites are specifically stating "to the public". However the sites I have been on that supposedly have comprehensive info about annual passes and the prices over the years, fail to mention that they were available in 1983....even if it was something that wasn't offered to the "general" public. I remember they first became available shortly after the New Fantasyland opened in May of 1983. The cost of an adult annual pass at that time was $60.

Disney gift certificates were available, but Disney Dollars would not debut until 1987.

This was the only item that I ordered from the catalog. A Disneyland attraction poster for only $12.50! I still have mine rolled up in the original shipping tube....I never did anything with it. I wonder what it would sell for today?

My brother and I both had Mickey Mouse watches when we were kids. As a matter of fact, we still have them. I remember the girl that sat next to me in 4th grade used to gripe at me about the ticking of my Mickey Mouse watch being too loud!

Arribas Brothers opened their first shop at Disneyland in 1967. Today they have two locations in the park, one on Main St. and the other in New Orleans Square. There used to be a Fantasyland location (inside the Castle) and another over at the Disneyland Hotel. That location was demolished five years ago along with the hotel waterfalls. :-(

The Pendleton Shop (pictured below) was located in Disneyland's Frontierland from opening day in 1955 until 1990.

Disc cameras took horrible, "grainy" photos. I'm glad I never bought one!

I believe that's Betty Taylor in the Golden Horseshoe photo (wearing the black dress). She performed in the Golden Horseshoe Revue from 1956 until 1986!

Who knew that slide projectors were so expensive back in the day?

I have Mickey's Christmas Carol on video and it's still in that same gift box shown on the lower right. I've gotten rid of most of my Disney videos, but I've kept that particular one because it was a gift from my dad.

The Disney Channel had just debuted one year earlier. Only $5.95 for a Disney T-shirt? I don't think you can get a T-shirt at Disneyland today for less than $30.

I wonder who would answer if you called the number below? Don't do it! I'm willing to bet that it's no longer a Disney number.

I hope everyone enjoyed this little shopping trip back to 1984! Happy Holidays to you all!