RED WAGON/PLAZA INN

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Disneyland Red Wagon Inn restaurant posterDisneyland Red Wagon Inn adBACKSTORY: From 1955—1965, The Red Wagon Inn was the name of the restaurant at Central Plaza, originally sponsored by The Swifts Premium Meat Company in Kansas City (they also sponsored the Main Street Market House & Frontierland’s Chicken Plantation House). RWI also originally included an area with a VIP lounge, a wet bar, and bathroom for Walt’s special guests. This area became a hospitality center for Goodyear when they were a sponsor, then converted to offices, and finally destroyed in the 1999 rehab. Renamed “Plaza Inn” in 1965, it serves traditional American fare and is sponsored by the Columbian Coffee Growers. Designed by Walt Disney's wife, Lillian, it is decorated with turn-of-the-century furnishings and authentic mementos of the 1890s, including the stained glass ceiling, entrance hall, and foyer taken from the old St. James home in Los Angeles (1880). The Tencenniel celebration & press conference were held here in 1965. The menu originally offered a varied selection of food, featuring steaks & chops and Swift’s quality meats.

Most photos available for purchase as enlargements. Email your request. To view photos allow popups in your web browser & click thumbnails below.

Red Wagon Inn/Plaza Inn, 1950’s–1970’s

Disneyland Red Wagon Inn, August 27, 1955
Aug. 27, 1955
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn, 1955
Dec. 1955
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn December 1955
Dec. 1955
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn March 1956
March 1956
Central Plaza photo, March 1956
March 1956
Central Plaza September 1956
Sept. 1956
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn September 1959
Sept. 1959
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn November 1959
Nov. 1959
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn Ad 1959
Vacation Magazine, 1959 Ad
Plaza Inn, 1950s
Red Wagon Inn, Commercial slide, 1950’s
Red Wagon Inn Interior, 1950s
Interior Shot
Red Wagon Inn and INA Carefree Corner November 1960
Red Wagon Inn and INA Carefree Corner, Nov. 1960
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn with the Dapper Dans, December 19, 1960
Dapper Dans and Rose Bowl Queen Carole Washburn, Dec. 19, 1960
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn, December 1962
Dec. 1962
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn September 1963
Red Wagon Inn, Sept. 1963
With the Little Pig outside of Red Wagon Inn, September 1964
w/Little Pig outside of Red Wagon Inn, Sept. 1964
With Big Bad Wolf outside of Red Wagon Inn, September 1964
w/Big Bad Wolf outside of Red Wagon Inn, Sept. 1964
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn, July 1965
July 1965
Plaza Inn, August 28, 1965
Aug. 28, 1965
Disneyland Red Wagon Inn, September 1965
Sept. 1965
Disneland Plaza Inn, February 1966
Feb. 1966
Walt Disney at Disneyland Plaza Inn, 1966
1966
Disneyland Plaza Inn, 1967
1967
Disneyland Plaza Inn, 1960s
1960s
March 1968
March 1968
Disneyland Plaza Inn, 1979
1979
Disneyland Plaza Inn, July 17, 1977
July 17, 1977
CoxPilot Remembers at Daveland
Employee Cafeteria: Keith Palmer (high school buddy) got me the job at the Cox Thimble Drome at Disneyland just after my high school graduation in 1959. The employee cafeteria was quite small and was the back side of the Red Wagon Inn. Same food and everything, but a little dark and cramped. Later, when the Inn was rebuilt into the Plaza Inn, the cafeteria quadrupled in size and was very bright and modern, and always full. The food was fantastic and priced at half of that charged out front. Walt really liked his people to eat.

Plaza Inn, 2000+

Plaza Inn, May 2006
May 2006
Plaza Inn, October 2006
Oct. 2006
Plaza Inn, December 2006
Plaza Inn, December 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, 2006
Plaza Inn, December 2006
Plaza Inn, December 2006
Central Plaza, April 2007
Caramel Apple Pie at Plaza Inn, March 2007
Central Plaza, May 2007
May 2007
Central Plaza, May 2007
May 2007
Central Plaza, May 2007
May 2007
Plaza Inn, May 2007
May 2007
Alice at Plaza Inn, September 2007
Sept. 2007
Central Plaza, December 2007
Plaza Inn lightpost detail, Dec. 2007
Plaza Inn, May 2008
May 2008
Plaza Inn, August 2008
Aug. 2008
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, january 2009
Jan. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, March 2009
March 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, March 2009
March 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, March 2009
March 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, November 2009
Nov. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, November 2009
Nov. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn, November 2009
Nov. 2009
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, March 2010
March 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
Disneyland Plaza Inn photo, August 2010
Aug. 2010
       
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