Wednesday, July 27, 2016

How to Talk Like Disneyland


Do you frequently use words like autopia, circarama, monstro or hippopotami? You know you do! This rare 1962 handbook helped transform Disneyland personnel into well-spoken rhetoricians. So straighten up, relax your throat, engage your diaphragm, and let's all learn how to speak the Disneyland way!





The booklet ends with a list of common "Disneyland words".
There's some nice nostalgia here!




Sunday, July 03, 2016

Gifts From Disneyland 1960


Oh, for a time machine!
Shopping at Disneyland in 1960 was the BEST ever.  
Look at all the fun things you can buy.
What are we waiting for?  Let's shop!


  Even the catalog, colorfully illustrated, is a wonderful souvenir.
And who wouldn't want a "Magic Surprise Box" from Disneyland?


A Skyway Chalet that tells the weather? We'll take it!


I know you're dreaming about those animation cels for $2.25 each,  but can you comprehend that it was possible to buy cufflinks at Disneyland made of real elephant tusk? It's true. 


Most of the items on this spread are priced higher than those original animation cels! Shocking. 


 Disneyland Ticket Books — good anytime!


 "Almost real" plastic plants, direct from Disneyland's Flower Market.


 We'll take Mr. Stubbs.


 The Disney books shown here are some of the best ever published. 
Jody and I have copies of every one of 'em, as a matter of fact.
But we sure don't have Diane Disney's book "personally autographed by Walt Disney" for $4.30!!  Holy moses.


 Who else had those Bambi wall cut-outs, besides me?


 Some of these games have become Disneyland merchandise classics.


 From Ruggles China Shop on Main Street. 
Those life-sized clip-on parakeets are nice, but
we're saving our money for animation cels.


From the Mad Hatter shop.  
Isn't it fun that this catalog takes us to shops around the Park? 
Each shop is different and unique, with its own themed merchandise.


We're fortunate to have a player piano ourselves, and a stack of original 
paper rolls from Disneyland's Wonderland Music Shop. We love them. 


Whew, we're finally at the back cover---but WHAT a back cover.  Disneyland Records were the best souvenirs of all, and these titles are super iconic. Some have been released on CD or iTunes by now, though not all of them. "Life of the Party" is one of our favorites, with recordings of actual player piano rolls (for those folks without pianos at home) and a sing-along booklet of the lyrics.  There are so many fine things in this catalog that are, today, the most treasured Disneyland souvenirs ever made.

So, if you could go back in time to Disneyland in 1960,
what would you buy?