In this episode of Photoniks, Mr. Daps and Clocky dust off a pristine collection of slides from a single family trip to Disneyland in March 1964. It’s the “Spring of Almost Love,” and the park is captured in a beautiful late-winter/early-spring transition, filled with vintage fashion, unique landscaping, and a skyline that looks remarkably open compared to today.
We dive deep into the details of these 62-year-old images, spotting everything from extinct ticket booths to the surprising number of garbage cans (and benches!) that once lined the walkways.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
- Main Street’s “Fur Coat” Weather: Analyzing a busy day on Main Street USA where guests are sporting everything from short sleeves to full dresses and fur coats. We spot the old Yale Lock Shop and the Hallmark Gold Crown Store, and we marvel at the “serious” handbags of the 1960s.
- A Rare Tomorrowland View: A fantastic shot from the Tomorrowland train station. We identify the old Autopia cars, the Douglas Rocket, and the Skyway buckets overhead. Most impressively, we realize you can see the top of the Disneyland Hotel perfectly clear in the distance!
- The Info-Booth Castle: We find a peculiar informational and sales booth near the park entrance that looks like a miniature blue-and-white castle—a “crossover” piece that feels more like Fantasyland than Main Street.
- Frontierland Before the Square: Looking at the area that would eventually become New Orleans Square. At this point in 1964, it’s a vast, grassy landscape with the Mark Twain and Columbia docked nearby, and not a single fence in sight.
- The Stoic Sleeping Beauty Castle: We analyze the castle’s 1964 look—less “Princess pink” and more medieval fortress. We discuss the lack of greenery on the walls and the “dangerously” open moat where you could walk right up to the water’s edge.
“Picture-in-Picture” Highlights:
- [02:10] Garbage Can Watch: Counting a solid five garbage cans in one shot and realizing the color scheme hasn’t changed much in six decades.
- [06:04] Tomorrowland Skyline: Spotting attraction posters for the Columbia and 20,000 Leagues tucked under the Skyway station.
- [09:23] The Old Automat: Identifying the eating location that stood where the Carousel of Progress would eventually be built.
- [16:05] Magnolia Park: Seeing the “Two Boats in a Yard” shot featuring enough benches to build a raft.
- [20:11] The Pirate Ship Peek: Catching a glimpse of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship mast over the castle walls.
Connect With Us:
Do you have vintage photos of your family at Disneyland from the 50s, 60s, or 70s? We want to see them! Share your favorites with us on social media.
- Official Website: https://photonikspod.com
- Instagram: @photonikspod
- Watch the Show: See the slides for yourself on the Daps Magic YouTube channel.
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Thanks for looking through the lens with us!