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Post by rick on Jul 18, 2012 1:58:03 GMT -5
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Post by Dianna on Jul 19, 2012 21:26:56 GMT -5
That is so cool Rick. Anaheim, CA is my hometown. born and raised. My earliest memories of DL are from the early 70's and watching the fireworks from outside my front yard. I have an aunt who has played mickey mouse for over 40 years there. lol she's tiny and cute as can be.. even in her late 70's.
I can't believe how much it has changed. wow, tomorrowland was set for 1986 where we'd fly to the moon and back (like an airplane ride) I havent seen the entire thing yet, I will watch the rest later.. did you see ronald reagan? lol.. everyone sure dressed up very nice back then.
even now, there is just something magical about that place
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Post by erik on Jul 19, 2012 21:33:31 GMT -5
Which is kind of amazing when you consider that hardly anything at the park was working all that well on that day, and the cement had barely dried. Of course, Disneyland features into the history of Our Girl, as this was the place (specifically in the Tomorrowland section) where she and the four maniacs (LOL) who were soon to become the Eagles did a one-week stint in June 1971. I've gone back there a couple of times in the last five years, even though it now requires a Swiss bank account to get in. I just feel like a kid again, this even though I'm 42 now.  |
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 20, 2012 19:12:06 GMT -5
Oh wow. Diane Linkletter as a kid!
I had no idea how small Disneyland was. 160 acres? Has it grown since then?
Opening day is like a who's who. Very cool.
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Post by erik on Jul 20, 2012 19:53:34 GMT -5
Quote by ronstadtfanaz:
With the addition of California Adventure where the old parking lot used to be (parking structures have replaced the lot), you can indeed say it's grown. It'll never swallow up the state of California like Disneyworld does the state of Florida, but it is a pretty big place now.
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Post by Dianna on Jul 22, 2012 12:40:13 GMT -5
it's pretty big now. And like Erik mentioned, no matter what age, I still feel like kid when I visit there. I remember back in the early 90's I had a discount coupon from my then job and it cost us 20.00 each to get in the park. I believe entrance now is 101.00 WOW! imagine a whole family? Last October was when we visited the park again, I was lucky, my aunt mickey mouse signed us in! I'm sure it cost a mint to run that park but 101.00 yikes!!!!
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 22, 2012 22:36:21 GMT -5
Is food included in that price?
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Post by erik on Jul 23, 2012 8:39:05 GMT -5
Quote by ronstadtfanaz: The shortest and most truthful answer: No.  |
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 23, 2012 16:00:59 GMT -5
Then it is too expensive.
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Post by Dianna on Jul 23, 2012 17:18:15 GMT -5
I think the cheapest annual pass they offer for calif residence is around 269.00, with blackout dates, of course. The premium with no blackout dates is for 649.00 and that is per person! I agree, way too expensive, and no, this doesn't include food or souvenirs ect. But it's a wonderful experience, for young and old. Best time to go would be October through the end of spring, less people,, shorter lines and nicer weather. I highly recommend it if you manage the price and strongly recommend the fast track on the more popular rides, you get a ticket beforehand (like an appt. lol) and bypass the long waiting in line. and pack your lunch!
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 23, 2012 18:01:47 GMT -5
Mickey and I do share the same birth day (not year!) and I would still like to experience it while I can still walk and see but all my time and funds are spoken for. For now I will have to rely on videos like this for my thrills. Are there any newer videos than this one?
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Post by rick on Jul 23, 2012 19:01:33 GMT -5
A few years ago, probably 2008 or 2009, on local Los Angeles/Southern California stations, Disneyland was offering three-day "Park Hopper" passes for all Southern California residents. I actually bought two passes at Von's for $99 a piece. So, that was $33 per day. Not bad.
I am old enough to remember going for the first time in about 1962 when I was 5 (probably went when younger, but don't remember). My memory from the 1960s is that the Adult "ticket books" (with A, B, C, D, and E tickets) were $4.95 for an adult.
The nice thing about those is we would save the tickets we didn't use for our next visits and it was nice to be able to use them for extra rides.
I think Disneyland still offers the Park Hopper passes that allow people to go between Disneyland and California Adventure but the price may be higher now than $99 a card. My friend who accompanied me was from Northern California but the person who admitted said that as long as I had proof that I lived in Southern CA (Driver's LIcense) then we were good.
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Post by Dianna on Jul 23, 2012 19:41:34 GMT -5
rob, here is a vid I found of Disneyland now. california adventure, which has added rides since june of this year, I love the virtual soaring over california ride!
Back to Disneyland, I love New Orleans square, which has Pirates of the Carribean and The Haunted Mansion, from the Pirates ride you can see the "Blue Bayou Restaurant."
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 23, 2012 20:04:27 GMT -5
If I ever were to go I think Halloween time may be the most fun one from what I could see. It looks like they improved the park quite a bit over the years. How do they get those people to looks so happy all the time. It's not natural.
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Post by Dianna on Jul 23, 2012 20:12:33 GMT -5
ha ha Rob.. well, there is always "Grumpy!" from the 7 dwarfs!
and yes, Halloween time, is the best time to go. That's the time we went (last).. New Orleans square was all decked out.. The Haunted Mansion.
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 23, 2012 20:47:23 GMT -5
Grumpy would be my favorite then. He must be German like my ancestors.
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Post by erik on Jul 23, 2012 20:51:58 GMT -5
Incidentally, the main restaurant located in the New Orleans section of Disneyland is called...are you ready for this?... the Blue Bayou restaurant. However, I think they built it sometime in the early 1960s (OOPS).
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Post by rick on Jul 23, 2012 22:49:14 GMT -5
Incidentally, the main restaurant located in the New Orleans section of Disneyland is called...are you ready for this?... the Blue Bayou restaurant. However, I think they built it sometime in the early 1960s (OOPS). Erik, I believe that the ride Pirates of the Caribbean opened in 1966 and that is when the Blue Bayou restaurant opened, too. You have probably heard/read that there is a private restaurant called Club 33 that Walt Disney created that is in New Orleans Square. I have heard that it shares a kitchen with the Blue Bayou, however, the dining room at Club 33 offers more elaborate meals. My understanding is that to be a member and eat at Club 33 that one has to pay an initial fee for membership and then annual dues. My friend Wendy's cousin is a member and she has been. Every once in a while they say that new memberships are available. I read recently where Disneyland is planning to open a separate membership restaurant in California Adventure. Here is a local KABC news story about Disneyland opening up the Club 33 waitlist -- abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=8647966 Photo Gallery of Club 33 -- abclocal.go.com/kabc/gallery?section=news/bizarre&id=8648123&photo=1 |
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Post by Dianna on Jul 23, 2012 23:20:17 GMT -5
re Club 33, back in the early 90's a client of mine offered me the chance to go.. I thought that was kind of weird, since it is such an elite list, and she boasted even Liz Taylor could not get int. Come on!!! lol I took the free Disneyland entrance instead.
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Post by erik on Jul 24, 2012 8:37:54 GMT -5
Quote by Rick: Which I presume will probably blow a hole in one's wallet big enough to drive a semi through. |
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Post by Dianna on Jul 24, 2012 11:17:45 GMT -5
They refer to their employees as "cast members." yes, you have to maintain a certain image to work there.. They are very strict about that. Like no visable tattoo's, natural looking hair color ect. I think up until recently, no facial hair for male employees was allowed.
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Post by erik on Jul 24, 2012 12:29:19 GMT -5
Quote by dianna:
And wasn't there something on the books that said they wouldn't even let any patrons past the front gates if they were either gay or had very long hair (the late 60s)?
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Post by Dianna on Jul 24, 2012 14:14:27 GMT -5
Although, I don't have the link, but this sounds pretty accurate regarding modern Disney:
I did hear about about the dress code from early disney, and that sounds right Erik. Don't know about the gay policy tho.
The Disney Company is based in California and must abide with CA labor laws. No CA company can discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
However, the Disney company also has policies on their books which allow the partners of gay employees to obtain health coverage and other perks that straight couples get. When the Southern Baptists boycotted Disney (one of Disney's most profitable years ever) Disney stood up for their policy and continued to support all of their employees.
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Post by Dianna on Jul 24, 2012 14:52:50 GMT -5
One thing, while we are on the disney subject. I have never seen an authentic looking Esmeralda character (from the hunchback of notre dame) in the park or on line photos, and I am surprised since they are so picky about cast and costumes. It is usually a very pretty fair skinned girl with non exotic features.. I imagine it would be either a Gina lolabridgida or Sophia Loren type.. just odd, lots of beautiful exotic girls in so ca.. shouldn't be difficult.
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Post by rick on Jul 24, 2012 22:41:06 GMT -5
ronstadtfan....
I can't attest to what Disney was like toward gays and lesbians in the 1960s.... but, as you are probably well aware, America was not the most tolerant place for gays and lesbians in the 1960s.
Having lived in Southern CA, I can tell you that back in the '80s forward, I would go to the nights that Disneyland shut down the park and have nights as fund-raisers for AIDS organizations. This was during the end of the Ronald Reagan presidency and the first years of George H.W. Bush. All of the gay employees would say how much they wanted to work on these nights.
I also know that The Walt Disney Company did come out for anti-discrimination policies not only in California but also at Walt Disney World in Florida, much to the consternation of the Bible-thumpers. When I was at Disneyland again just a couple years ago, it was nice to see how many gay people were working there. A friend of mine told me he was at Disneyland recently and saw lots of gay male couples with their kids and lots of lesbian couples, too.
As far as what you said about the 1960s, Lord only knows the kind of backward-ass s*** that happened all over the country then.
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