I grew up in a house on a hill which faced south toward Disneyland. Even though they were about 10 miles away, the fireworks could be seen (and heard) every summer night at 9 o'clock.
I wonder how many people remember or even know what the term "E" ticket experience means
The junk drawer in the kitchen was full of A and B tickets, some C's and D's, but there were never any leftover E tickets. For some reason we just weren't hip on racing over to the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse. I don't recall what ticket was needed to get to Tom Sawyer's Island, but we only went once and decided that the smell of urine wasn't all that appealing.
The 70's was an interesting time in Disneyland operations. The train passed by undeveloped areas of the park, and for years the recorded message dangled the carrot of "future expansion". Well for all my youth that expansion never came, so I learned to be cynical of promises from a young age. :-)
Many of the rides and programs (Tiki Room still around?) were already dated or showing their age (the Jungle Ride was pretty decrepit), so it was a huge deal when they finally got around to building Space Mountain. At least before the thrill wore off, it lessened the line at the Matterhorn. Of course, the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted House seemed timeless in their appeal, even if the transportation of the future (the slug-paced Peoplemover) was often broken down and closed for repair. LOL.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
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I'll NEVER FORGET all those wonderful 'Date Nite at Disneyland' ballroom dances we used to have at the Carnation Plaza set in between the entrances to FRONTIERLAND and Sleeping Beauty's castle.
The Disneyland Head of Park Entertainment was none other than the same Mr. Gruder of 'The CARPENTERS' ..'Mr. Gruder'.. song. Seems he had heard them early on and then didn't hire them for the Park.
Years later in 1977 'The CARPENTERS' told their audience about him during their sold out concert at the Anaheim Convention Center parked right across the street from the Entrance to Disneyland.
T'was a bit of told ya so time, USA
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