Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Town Square, June 1963

Hey, weren't we in Town Square yesterday? Yes we were! But I am very lazy and don't feel like walking, so I am staying right here. Only I'm traveling in time to 1963. Don't you do that?

Oh man, it's a a race to the death between the Omnibus and the Horse Drawn Streetcar! The thrills, the spills, the roar of the crowd, the carnage! It's like "Mad Max: Fury Road" only with less sand. And no Charlize Theron.


This looks like an establishing shot from a movie - not a coincidence, when you consider how much of Disneyland was designed almost as if guests would walk through a "living" movie. With the sound of the train whistle, music playing somewhere, the smell of popcorn, and the clip-clop of horse hooves, it was a complete sensory experience. 


Zooming in a bit, we can see a banner across Main Street heralding "The World Premiere of Walt Disney's  ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM". Please find that banner and have it shipped to my penthouse suite as soon as possible. 

I suppose it's possible that the park opened not long before this photo was taken (maybe 10 AM?), with the long shadows from the east, and the numbers of people heading toward the castle. Chairs and music stands are ready for the Disneyland Band.


7 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

It looks like there is a line of possibly 6 people under the Enchanted Tiki Room banner that are participating in a game of "Mother May I?" or "Simon Says" while trying to cross the street.

Let me be the first one to point out that the first pic was not taken in Town Square. It was taken in the Plaza, prior to the Castle, the Matterhorn or Tomorrowland being built.

Chuck said...

Hey, lady - keep your arms and legs inside the streetcar at all times! Your leg could be torn off by a passing omnibus!

And speaking of the omnibus...after you find that banner and ship it to the good Major's suite, please mail me the attraction poster panels on the side of that omnibus. If it's too much trouble, you don't even have to remove it from the bus.

K. Martinez said...

Man, look at those empty park benches. That's not so common at Disneyland today. At least not with the benches that are in the shade. Thanks, Major.

zach said...

Apparently, self driving omnibuses have been around for decades. But racing them is just irresponsible.

dz

Unknown said...

Wait a minute, Major, you have a souvenir dungeon AND a penthouse suite? Nice digs!

I can't believe Muzzy Marcellino didn't get a credit on that banner after doing the whistling for the birds in the Tiki Room. OH, the humanity!

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, I think that their heels sunk into the still-soft asphalt. As for my blunder about the first photo being Town Square… OUCH!

Chuck, when my class went on a field trip, our teacher actually told us that classic story of a kid’s arm being ripped off by a passing truck. Ah, memories…! I still remember a panel of Omnibus posters for auction years and years ago. If only I could have afforded it, just think what it would be worth now.

K. Martinez, those benches aren’t earning any revenue! If only I could figure out a way to make coin-operated benches.

David Zacher, if one of those darn streetcars challenges you while you are driving an Omnibus, you have a legal right to race!

Patrick Devlin, the penthouse suite is on Park Avenue, while the souvenir dungeon is… nope, I’d better not say. The Beagle Boys are looking for it. (By the way, “Muzzy Marcellino”??)

Unknown said...

Muzzy Marcellino was a band leader and great whistler. Think Good, Bad and the Ugly as well as The High and the Mighty (standing for John Wayne's lips) for his whistling talents. He was later band leader for Art Linkletter's House Party for twenty years or so. He was a family friend through my Mom and I get a kick out of hearing his pitch-perfect whistling, also did work for The Mickey Mouse Club show.