Today we are beaming back to the Disneyland Hotel of the late 1970s, early 80s. Clicking on the photographs above should bring you to larger versions of the article about the hotel that appeared in the Summer 1980 issue of Disney News.The photograph of the boy in Mickey's Corner (or perhaps in the Small World of Toys) on page 11 shows a shelf full of future Disneyana merchandise from 28 years ago. For the "Yesterland" types among us, the listing of the hotel shops on page 11 gives us a glimpse of what is no longer there for us when we exit the Monorail outside the berm.
For those without Club 33 passes or membership, one of the only ways to end a dry day at the Park in the early 1980s was to board the Monorail and head to the Disneyland Hotel. There you could step up to the bar at places like the Shipyard Inn or Sargeant Preston's Yukon Saloon and Dance Hall. You could enjoy a cocktail, perhaps more than one, and then amble back to the Monorail to return to the Park.
Of course, before returning to the Park you could also take in the shops, which were not far from the Monorail station at the hotel. They were very quaint and it felt like you were stepping back into the '60s or '70s as you walked there. It was also nice to get away from the crowd over at Disneyland and walk the grounds of the hotel. You could stroll past the marina and over to the waterfalls and walkways of the Bonita Tower. At least the waterfalls are still there (though the Bonita has been renamed the Wonder Tower).
In any event, Don Ballard is the man (and his site is the site) to go to for information and photographs documenting the Disneyland Hotel's history. Check out his site (http://www.magicalhotel.com/) and maybe think about buying a copy of his book, Disneyland Hotel: The Early Years, 1954-1988, if you wish to learn more. Thanks for the great work, Don!
