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Tigertail777
05-12-2004, 08:24 AM
Hey I was wondering what other people remember from other past anniversaries at Disneyland and what they did to celebrate it both in the park, and out of the park.. what kind of advertising they had, what kind of souvineers etc. ?

I will start with what I remember of the 40th (but if anyone remembers more please chime in)

Since I worked at Mcdonalds I was all over this one: they had little toys of 8 different ride vehicles from the park, and when you looked into a little magnifier viewhole in each toy there was a photo slide depicting something from the attraction: I bought the whole display which had this awesome cardboard castle with a big banner that says "40 years of adventures Disneyland happy meal". It came with the following toys: abu as an elephant (look inside and the new aladdins oasis was depicted), King louie driving the jungle cruise boat, peter pan on what looks like the columbia (inside is a scene from fantasmic with peter pan and hook), Mickey on a space mountain rocket (inside has the "loading launch scene"), simba on pride rock parade float, pooh on big thunder, brer bear on splash mtn log, and roger rabbit in a benny cab. I beleive they had special fry holders for the 40th as well, as cups. EVERYTHING says Disneyland on it (mostly on the inside slides) in the old style lettering. In addition we also handed out brochures for the new Indy ride. (I HAD to have the whole happy meal display... its just so awesome I paid a little extra for it all, but it was worth it).

Several local malls were part of the "Indy tour" where they had people dressed as Disneyland CM's telling about the new ride and handing out brochures. The neatest thing about this tour was: they had a full size Indy Jeep in the mall to take pictures on, as well as a teacup, and a dumbo ride vehicle. They had these really cool Disneyland banners all over the place, and this HUGE like 2 story Indy banner. This all took place in the malls a good 7-8 months before the anniversary it was just to get you all hyped up. They also had prizes you could win by going through this little exhibit and marking this sort of word puzzle thing (prizes from the Disney store naturally). It was a huge tour thing though it took up about the space of 4 medium size stores in the middle walkway of the mall. You just couldnt miss it no matter what you could really almost see it from one end of the mall to the other.
They also had a special "talk with Disney" thing that you could talk with animators and stuff and they drew a picture of cartoon characters for several people. The Indy tour lasted in each mall about a week. They had a schedule of all the malls they were going to all over the united states it was really pretty neat.
I really remember how the jeep headlights lit up and how it made weird rumbling sounds like on the ride... it was really neat! I even tried to catch it in the second mall showing around our area.

Of course, tv, and newspapers and radio all made a big deal of the new Indy ride opening for Disneyland's big 40th year of adventures! It took another 5 years or so for me to finally go and see Indy, but wow the hype was for once was truly worth it!

OK now yer turn.... what things do you remember specifically from past Disneyland anniversaries?

scaeagles
05-12-2004, 08:31 AM
During their 30th celebration, they were giving gifts to every 30th person going through the gates - I think when they scanned the ticket it determined if you were a winner and sounded some sort of chime and you got your prize. I was with a group of about 50 people on a weekday during the school year and there was no one else getting ready to enter the park, so we all anxious to see who in our group would get the gift. While we were entering, one solo woman went in through another gate - and she got the gift. No one in my group of 50+ did. Sigh. Had a fun day anyway.

ppmuse
05-12-2004, 08:38 AM
It's really sad, but the only part of the 30th I remember is the prize give aways. I didn't think it was every 30, I thought people were picked at random. I won a ticket to return, and my Grandfather won a huge Mickey doll, which he still has. Besides the car that was sitting outside the gate, I'm sad to say that's the ONLY thing I remember of that celebration. I fear that if they don't have a prize give away for the 50th, then I might not remember it in 20 years. That would be sad.

Tigertail777
05-12-2004, 08:42 AM
Now that you mention it... was the 30th anniversary the one they had all the new cars out front that you could win? I still have a ticket for a free pin I never turned in LOL (I also think I have one for a free juicer in adventureland).

I think the cars were chryslers.. .they had like 10 of them up by the entrance if memory serves and every once in a while someone would win one and it was driven away and replaced... I think they had something like 30 chryslers to give away each week among other things.

edited to add: I THINK everybody won SOMETHING with the 30th tickets I am pretty sure that was the big gimmick: everyone gets presents.

adriennek
05-12-2004, 09:09 AM
What I remember from the 40th birthday was CAKE. ;)

Doc was working then so we didn't go during the day- but we stopped in for dinner at Big Thunder Ranch that night. We got our 40th birthday hats. We were worried they'd be out of the advertised free cake by the time we got there. They weren't. But since we hadn't been there all day, we weren't tired of it yet like, apparently, the rest of the park was ;)

Adrienne

GoldenEars
05-12-2004, 10:12 AM
I'm really going to date myself here, but I remember going to Disneyland's 25th Anniversary! It was July 17th, 1980 and they had a 25 hour long party and it was a blast! For some reason I never made it to the 30th Anniversary. But for Disneyland's 35th, that will forever be one of my favorite times at the Park. The entertainment that year was top-notch, and they had an awesome parade called, Party Gras! It was a parade/street show, and it stopped at certain points on the parade route and did a *Hot Hot Hot* musical number! (Yep, I have it on video)

Plus that was the year they had the Dream Giver Machine. Each guest that walked thru the gates were given a special 35th anniversary ticket. Some were winners where you could go to the hub and try your luck on the Dream Giver Machine. This machine was quite *vegas style* and it took up the entire area where the Partners statue is now. I'm sure Al Lutz would have had a few comments about that, LOL! But it was still fun and entertaining!


But what I liked most about that year were the 2 elaborate stage shows they had...and yes, you heard me right, there were 2! That's when Disneyland really knew how to do entertainment correctly! From 12/1989 thru 4/1990, they did, One Man's Dream. This was a show featuring many Disney (old) classics...Jungle Book, Peter Pan, Alice, Lady and the Tramp, and the Disney Princesses (Snow White, Cinderella & Sleeping Beauty), plus other great numbers. There were a lot of terrific dancing, singing and costume/set changes! And the finale of the show was the best, very well done! And yes, I have that show on video! :D

From 5/1990 thru 12/1990 they showcased, Dick Tracey. This was the first time they did a stage show that did NOT have any Disney characters in it. It was all centered around the characters of Dick Tracey. I wasn't too sure about this show when I first heard about it. But after seeing it (over and over again), I was hooked. It was absolutely wonderful and very creative! The singing, dancing and set designs were once again top-notch! And yes, I have this one on video too! :D

I went to the 40th Anniversary, but don't remember too much about it. I guess it didn't WOW me like the 35th. I remember they had a really cute mini stage show at the Tomorrowland Terrace called, Magic Kingdom Kabaret (I have that on video). It hosted 3 males and 1 female. It was ALL about Disney songs and they must have sung every Disney tune there is. The dance steps were simple, but fit the theme of the show. They ran that from 1/1995 thru 11/1995. I believe the stage show, Pocahontas was running too, which was very good. But sadly, I don't have it on viedo. :(

As for Disneyland's 45th Anniversary, that was a complete joke! I couldn't believe how dull and boring that year was. And to make it worse, that's when they started, Parade of the Stars! It was called something else at that time, like Disneyland's 45th Anniversary Parade. What made this parade a joke (and still is, in my opinion) was the tune they chose at first. For those of you who have graduated from high school, just think of that famous tune they play and you'll know what I'm talking about. During the whole parade that's the ONLY tune they kept playing over and over and over. Luckily, Disney caught one (quickly) and changed it to what you hear today. The only saving grace of that year was the stage show they had, Animazement! A stage show that I thought was very well done and something I miss. But happily, I have it on video! :D

And that concludes my Disneyland Anniversaries of years past! Now it's time to get ready for the 50th, and I sure hope it won't be a disappointment. If anything, it'll be MUCH better than the 45th...but I'm hoping it'll have the same FIRE as the 35th! Only time will tell.

Thanks for letting me share, you can wake up now!! :p

Patrick

Tigertail777
05-12-2004, 11:23 AM
LOL ! great stuff patrick it didnt put me to sleep at all I found it very interesting. One thing I forgot to mention that I found out they did for the 40th: they made trading cards of each major ride/attraction and had the year they opened with a little blurb and picture about them on them. The became quite collectable as they were only given out at certain times. And the Indy card for the opening I guess is fairly hard to find now. Pretty nifty idea though its a nice little touch I admire: giving the customer more for their bucks (in this case free trading cards). I am hoping they do something along these lines for the 50th.

innerSpaceman
05-12-2004, 11:41 AM
What I remember from the 40th birthday was CAKE.
Best bit about the 40th birthday was indeed the free cake that was everywhere in the Park on July 17. We spent most of the day flitting from cake stand to cake stand, gorging ourselves on the yummy white and delicious chocolate cake that never ran out. It got to be sickening by the end of the day, but who could resist the generous gesture and appropriate fun of neverending birthday cake on Disneyland’s birthday?

The other items worth mentioning from the 40th were the giant 40th Birthday banner that practically covered the Matterhorn and the really good fireworks show - the last of the special birthday pyrotechnics that Fantasy in the Sky’s free-form style allowed, but which Believe’s regimented presentation does not.



The 35th birthday was a rather lackluster affair. They tried to replicate the gift giving theme from 5 years earlier, and this time a car a day was given away in the Hub. Unfortunately, the other prizes were given far less freely, and the giftaway was a bust compared to the previous run in 1985 (although they were pretty generous with a series of pins depicting the lands of Disneyland). The one memorable moment from the 35th was inspired by the opening of The Temple of Doom the previous year, when Indiana Jones “escaped” from the top of the Matterhorn along the Tinkerbell wire.


For some odd reason, the 32nd birthday was celebrated in pretty big style, with searchlights stationed all over the park that made the night skies something quite magical that July 17 in 1987. And for the 31st, there were daytime fireworks with skydivers that landed in the Hub. For a while, I thought Disneyland was going to celebrate every birthday in style, but things went back to “normal” for the 33rd (i.e., special CM birthday buttons and not much else).


The 25th Birthday is pretty well fondly remembered by everyone who attended. For the first time that I am aware of, Disneyland remained open overnight (for 25 hours actually). There was great, live entertainment, probably the best fireworks display ever seen at Disneyland to that date, and a bank of searchlights in the Hub that pierced the heavens. The best thing I remembered about that wonderful night was the feeling of camaraderie and fellowship that prevailed among the guests who were thrilled to be in the park till dawn. The year’s theme was “Family Reunion” and it certainly seemed that everyone was family that night as guests interacted with each other in a convivial manner that I have rarely seen duplicated in the long years since.


And then there was the 30th Year. I feel confident in saying that this was the most amazing year in the post-Walt history of Disneyland. This is the standard by which the 50th anniversary will be measured, and the folks at Disney are going to have to pull out quite a few stops to measure up.

First of all, there was the Gift Giver Extraordinaire - a complete remodel of the entry turnstyles that transformed the area into a gleeful celebration with banners and flags and rockets and lots & lots of happy guests winning prizes. In fact, every 30th guest won some sort of prize, and one lucky guest a day won one of the cars out on display in the new esplanade forerunner area that was carved out of the parking lot.

The 1985 anniversary saw a return to Disneyland street entertainment of yesteryear: Barbershop quartets were all over Main Street, Swiss mountain climbers started scaling the Matterhorn again, there were wild west shootouts in the streets of Frontierland, and Mermaids once again graced the waters of the Submarine Lagoon.


July 17, 1985 saw the most extravagant birthday party in the history of Disneyland! The park was once again open around the clock, and guests were treated to a program of fun, live bands in the middle of the night (the only one that comes to mind at the moment was Sister Sledge) and a run of the Main Street Electrical Parade at four in the morning.

Fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle kicked off the event at midnight when the clock struck July 17, and then a most amazing thing occurred: The balloon banners that were strung across Main Street started to rise up, one by one, in a choreographed procession from Town Square to the Hub. First one on the left followed by one on the right, then the next, and the next - pulled aloft by gigantic, globular, helium-filled mini-dirigibles that were previously hidden on the rooftops. Every storefront had it’s own balloon banner that transformed into a balloon tower, until fully 30 immense balloon birthday candles loomed above Main Street USA and remained visible from all over the Park all night long.

But that wasn’t the half of it. At the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, a rainbow of light flew across the sky from Fantasyland to Main Street station and filled the air above the center of the Park with fantastic beams of purple and orange and red and blue and yellow and green that colored the Disneyland skies until dawn.

Colossal banks of lights were stationed behind StorybookLand and out in the parking lot to create this magnificent rainbow that arched across the skies of the Magic Kingdom, to the utter delight of party guests until the pretty, pretty lights finally faded against the rising sun.


But the spectacular celebrations were not over. The next afternoon there was a balloon release and confetti shower on Main Street that dwarfs anything ever done at the Park before or since. There were so many colored balloons released, and so much colorful confetti poured into the air, that every space in the universe, everywhere you looked, was filled with colored circles - from right in front of your nose extending out to the farthest reaches of the sky. It was amazemantastical.


I had way too much fun during the 30th birthday. It was the bestest birthday party that Disneyland has ever thrown. There were so many moments of tremendous excitement, fantastic celebration, enjoyment with friends, and two of the most awesome sights I have ever seen that are still etched in my brain 20 years later. And there is nothing quite like watching the sun rise over Disneyland from the vantage point of a spinning Rocket Jet high above Tomorrowland that goes around and around and around for a full 30 minutes because the CM has no reason not to acquiesce to our request for more, more and more.




Top that, Disneyland! You must top that! On that wonderful day in 1985, the bar was set for one certain day in the future ... the future that has finally almost arrived. For 20 years I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop ... the 50th Birthday that just had to be bigger, better, and bolder than the 30th.


Just one more year and we’ll finally find out if the promise made two decades ago will be fulfilled.

cstephens
05-12-2004, 12:08 PM
For some odd reason, the 32nd birthday was celebrated in pretty big style, with searchlights stationed all over the park that made the night skies something quite magical that July 17 in 1987.

Thanks for that info. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what anniversary it was that I worked there, but I wasn't coming up with any of the big ones. I can't remember what the park looked like on that day, but I know I worked on DL's birthday because they had those ribbon badge things (real technical, huh?) that said "We're 32 today!" that all the CMs wore. Since I was a senior in college that summer, people kept telling me I didn't look 32... :rolleyes:

But that ribbon badge thing is still part of my DL collection.

Opus1guy
05-12-2004, 01:15 PM
I don't really recall what Disneyland did for it's "Tencennial" celebration in the way of public events in 1965. I do know they had a nice logo! :) But I was fortunate enough to be the guest of an invitee to the Tencennial celebration banquet for Cast Members and their families at the Disneyland Hotel. Don't remember a whole lot of details about the evening. There was much drinking and dancing and general good times being had by all. A very loose and friendly banquet. I remember seeing lots of faces you see around the park. Execs. Wally Boag got up and did some very funny shtick. Walt got up and talked a bit and presented Bank of America with their final loan repayment check...Disneyland was now free and clear! That sort of thing.

What I remember most was afterwords when a lot of folks headed over to The Oak Room. The Oak Room back then was the Club 33 of it's time. It was a private club (when Club 33 opened, the Oak Room ceased being a private club and opened to the general public) built and owned by Jack Wrather who was Walt's friend and the owner of the Disneyland Hotel back then. This is where Walt would often take visiting dignitaries to dinner back in those days, or would drop by after work for a highball or two. The Oak Room was located where Sgt. Prestons and whatever that became (Neon Cactus?) used to be.

Anyway, those that were members headed there after the banquet and my host was a member so there I was in this very, what today would probably be considered old-world gaudy, wood paneled, red plush velvet "men's clubby" kinda place, picking at cocktail weenies and enjoying a great time. Walt and Lillian and family showed up for a bit and hobnobbed with the crowd. Your dorkboy narrator managed something like, "H,H,Hello Mister Disney" and that was about the extent of my brush with greatness. :)

My clear favorite Disneyland anniversary was the 25th, though. I got invited to the special private "Family Reunion Night" (which I think doubled as the Press Event). And what an invite it was.

I was sitting in my office in the San Fernando Valley when my secretary stuck her head in the door and with a smile said, "You'd better come out here. Somebody wants to see you." I walk out and there is Mickey and Cinderella standing there with a Silver tray, and on the tray was a big thick envelope addressed to me in hand done calligraphy!

I opened it up and it was a truly wonderful card that was a large piece of pop-up art of the Castle! All in silver it was a 3-Dimensional invite to the event. Wow!

The event itself was just as spectacular and entertaining. When you entered the park there was nothing but Cast Members and Characters lining Main Street literally elbow to elbow! Easily over a thousand of them. "Welcome Back!" "Welcome Home!" "Happy Anniversary!" Must have shook a hundred hands making our way down to the hub. Behind the Castle was a literal rainbow of spotlights pointing straight up, creating an incredible curtain of color in the sky! There was special lighting on the castle that really made it stand out. It looked just like the intro to the Wonderful World of Color! They repeated this effect on the night of the 25 hour public party (which I also attended and was also fantastic), which I'm sure is what innerSpaceman is referring to. Free food and drink everywhere! Presents. Entertainment every 3 feet it seemed like. Fireworks that were just incredible. What a wonderful experience.

Our goodie bag contained a complimentary 25th Anniversary Polo Shirt, which I plan on wearing to the 50th if I can make it.

The 35th was very nice too. Still have a few unused tickets from that one. Hope they top these with the 50th celebration. Disneyland and it's guests certainly deserve it!

yobbie
05-12-2004, 04:30 PM
Great to remember all of those things...I had *silver* ears for the 25th. Hope they'll have *gold* next year!

disneylandfan1987
05-12-2004, 06:04 PM
My first trip ever to Disneyland was in 1990 during the 35th Anniversary. I have a home movie of myself running around the park with my best friend at the time and I watch it all the time. That alone makes it the most memorable of the Disneyland Anniversaries.

cemeinke
05-12-2004, 06:35 PM
I was at the 25th and remember none of the details except that we were at the park for 25 hours having the greatest of times. There were about 8 of us and we brougt a camper that served as our base camp in the parking lot - change of clothes, snacks, naps for the sleep deprived.

I recall the car giveaways, but didn't attend the "day of" celebration for the 30th. I thought they were tacky.

Sadly I remember Walt's 100th - which, while celebrated in style in WDW, was an embarressment at Disneyland. Here the occasion was marked with a pin event, a rededication of the partners statue (the highlight being John Hench and Richard Sherman telling stories of Walt and sharing a few songs), the opportunity to buy some "limited edition" cake, and a sorry shadowbox (http://www.linkline.com/personal/cemeinke/img/Walt's%20100th%20Celebration%20at%20DL.jpg). DCA got the Walt Documentary in the animation building. A group of padders had to supply their own party favors to mark the occasion in the hub (thank you Innerspaceman).

My hope is a return of truely spectacular celebrations at Disneyland - but I'm not holding my breath.

Not Afraid
05-12-2004, 06:41 PM
I do remember what I believe is a anniversary celebration. I remember cars lined up down the walkway out into the parking lot. However, my choices are 1975, 1980 or 1990 and NOT the 30th that had cars in 1985.

Sure, I have memories, but they've been thrown in a box and jumbled around for a few years mixing them all up. :(

innerSpaceman
05-12-2004, 07:41 PM
Well, they built that car dealership strip of cement out into the parking lot for the 30th birthday in 1985, and used it continuously through the 35th in '90 to promote GM automobiles. I think your memories are a bit more jumbled than you have assumed, Not Afraid, cause the car dealership was not there at all before 1985.


And (sigh), cemeinke .... the 30th year car giveaway was indeed tacky to the max, but I am so sorry that kept you away from the most spectacular event Disneyland has ever had.

only1mouse
05-12-2004, 07:51 PM
So, I remember the 35th anniversary, not because they did something spectacular, but because it was my first visit to Disneyland. I was 19 years old and had been fascinated with Mickey Mouse for years. I had the greatest time even though I was only there for a day. I will never forget it. I currently live in Oregon and try to get to DL each year, working in CA has helped that wish, but for the 50th I plan on going to the park as well as going on the Disney Cruise (although, most have said it's too expensive, I'm still going, have my reservations, and have paid for the trip!!!) I hope it will have the same memories as my first visit, not because it's the 50th, but it's my first visit on the DCL.

Cadaverous Pallor
05-12-2004, 08:01 PM
iSm - what a beautiful post. You should send a copy to Disney.

Thanks to all for such great memories!


I was sitting in my office in the San Fernando Valley when my secretary stuck her head in the door and with a smile said, "You'd better come out here. Somebody wants to see you." I walk out and there is Mickey and Cinderella standing there with a Silver tray, and on the tray was a big thick envelope addressed to me in hand done calligraphy!You may have mentioned it elsewhere on the boards, but I've missed it. How did you merit such a cool invite? You must have worked for Disney somehow, right?

Not Afraid
05-12-2004, 08:53 PM
Well, they built that car dealership strip of cement out into the parking lot for the 30th birthday in 1985, and used it continuously through the 35th in '90 to promote GM automobiles. I think your memories are a bit more jumbled than you have assumed, Not Afraid, cause the car dealership was not there at all before 1985.
Well, ....................what's your name again?:p

My DL years were very sporadic through much of the '80 and early-mid 90's. So, that's almost 20 years of sporadic trips. Now, why is it I can't differentiate between those trips?

Now I'm thinking that I was during a visit from cemeinke's 20 year old German cousin who we took to DL for the first time. Maybe 1989????

Whatever it was, it was quite a different entrance than I was used to.

Opus1guy
05-12-2004, 09:54 PM
How did you merit such a cool invite? You must have worked for Disney somehow, right?

LOL! You think they treat their own that well? ;)

spectromen
05-13-2004, 07:34 AM
But for Disneyland's 35th, that will forever be one of my favorite times at the Park. The entertainment that year was top-notch, and they had an awesome parade called, Party Gras! It was a parade/street show, and it stopped at certain points on the parade route and did a *Hot Hot Hot* musical number! (Yep, I have it on video)
Patrick

I couldn't agree with you more. The whole 35th package - Party Gras, stage shows, signage, advertising, pin giveaways at the front gate, the chance to win a car - forever altered my perception of Disneyland. Party Gras is what inpsired me to audition for parades and subsequently perform them the next 6 years. One Man's Dream STILL has not been duplicated in terms of chill factor in a Videopolis stage show.

They even built a 35th Anniversary float to add to the ELECTRICAL PARADE. At that time it had been around for 18 YEARS and they STILL took a chance and breathed new life into it with a 35th logo float!!! Can you imagine DCA taking the time and money to add a 50th float to EP now?

Cadaverous Pallor
05-13-2004, 10:12 AM
LOL! You think they treat their own that well? ;)Heh...well, your sig line link answered my question. :)