WEST MAIN STREET |
PHOTOGRAPHY | ART | EMAIL DAVE | HOME |
|
|
|
|
 |
MAIN STREET U.S.A. | ADVENTURELAND | FRONTIERLAND | NEW ORLEANS SQUARE | CRITTER COUNTRY | FANTASYLAND | TOONTOWN | TOMORROWLAND | DCA | WDW |
| CLICK FOR MAIN STREET SHOP DIAGRAM, PAST & CURRENT |
EMPORIUM |
EMPORIUM WINDOW DISPLAYS |
VEHICLES |
) The Horse-Drawn Streetcars are composite reproductions of 19th Century streetcars and were built at the Studio Coach Shop. “Imagineers” at WDI built the four streetcars by working from photographs of earlier authentic vehicles. There is no other place in the world where time is deliberately pushed back more than 100 years to make it possible for a guest to experience the sensations of feeling, seeing, hearing, and even smelling everything associated with a turn-of-the-century “hay-burning Oatsmobile.”) The Horseless Carriages are sometimes called the “1903’s,” but you could pick any year – 1904, ’05, or ’06, and be just as accurate. These little cars are of WDI “composite” design. On the basis of extensive research, Studio designers created a horseless carriage which was a composite of the design and size of many gas-driven cars of that early period in automobile history.The Horseless Carriages are a little bit of everything. The two-cylinder engines are actually not auto engines, but have the horsepower, the sound – and even a slight case of the shakes – as did the originals. WDI designers selected today’s most efficient two-cylinder water pump engines. Some of the external parts, such as lights, are authentic. ) The Omnibus is a very nearly authentic reproduction of Fifth Avenue busses which were the main mode of transportation in turn-of-the-century New York. Some are still in operation there. Only one authentic part, an old electric klaxon horn, is used.The drop frame chassis is from a modern-day truck, and the bus has both power steering and power brakes. Certain adaptations in height and seating to provide greater comfort, safety, and convenience for our guests were made by Studio designers, but the busses are as nearly authentic as possible. The motor takes advantage of modern improvements which provide for better operation—and no smog. ) The Motorized Fire Engine is similarly a composite design of a hose-carrying fire engine of the turn of the century. The primary change we made was to place seats where the hose was carried. The Studio men designed a chassis, then pored through standard catalogues for unlikely, but practical equipment – a jeep rear axel, a three-speed truck transmission, the power plant of a small pick-up truck and standard drive-line parts. The bell and siren are authentic, purchased after considerable search.At the turn of the century, gas-driven cars were considered a novelty—and a hazard—lacking the reliability of a horse. Motorized fire equipment was merely supplementary to the more respected stead. ) The Touring Car is the new Grand Marshall vehicle with a uniquely Disney touch—Mickey Mouse tread designs on all four tires and the spare tire attached to the rear. The new car now carries guests of honor down the park’s daily parade route in grand style. To fit the theme of Main Street, U.S.A., the Grand Marshall vehicle was designed after a 1912 touring car and can fit up to 11 guests. The design also allows guests in wheelchairs to board easily and ride in the main seating area. A wheelchair lift is built into the undercarriage that remains hidden until needed.) The Horse-Drawn Fire Wagon/Chemical Wagon in the Fire Station at City Hall is authentically reproduced from pictures. The hats, axes, and other props are authentic. The wagon is part of the show, but is no longer used on Main Street to carry guests.) The Surreys were also reproductions from pictures of surreys found in Standard Vehicle Catalogues. Necessary parts were located or made by Owen Pope. Owen and Dolly Pope operated the Pony Farm when the park opened in 1955, and did the original design and construction of the surreys. The Pony Farm is now the Circle D Ranch.To save wear and tear on the ponies, surreys have always been made as lightly and delicately as possible. Because of the great number of guests carried, the wheels were made sturdier than those on most catalogue models—another factor that was built into the attraction. Although the surreys were part of the show when the park opened, they are no longer used to carry guests. Today they can be found on display in Big Thunder Ranch. |
CRYSTAL ARCADE/UPJOHN PHARMACY/BOOK & CANDLE SHOP, 1950’s–1970’s |
| BACKSTORY: An anonymous cast member wrote me this tidbit about The Upjohn Pharmacy: “For a number of years while working at the Park, I would stop into the Upjohn Pharmacy and get small glass containers of free vitamins that were handed out to guests. Still have a couple of the empties to this day...the vitamins were free and the family used them!” Daveland reader JG remembers, "Mom was always afraid I would knock over the fragile glass bottles. This was the next stop in the sequence as you passed through the Candle Shop and Book Store. There was a little display in the glass case in front of the street window, showing Chinese remedies. They had a little ivory figurine of a reclining woman "En Deshabille," this prop was used by Chinese doctors to diagnose their female patients who were too shy to be examined. The ladies pointed to the parts of the figurine where they had ailments. Mom did not approve of the little naked statue, but Dad told her to relax. Is it more prudish to disrobe for the doctor, or to have an always-naked figurine? I also remember the vitamin pill samples they gave away; little orange balls in a square glass bottle. I would refill the bottle when I got home, but with Chocks, instead of Upjohn. I bet I have one somewhere at home." |
JG REMEMBERS THE MAIN STREET BOOK & CANDLE SHOP |
) )
The Book Store and Candle Shop were located in the north end of the southwest building on Main Street, with an entry into West Center Street across from the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and the Flower Mart. Part of the original concept of Main Street was to mimic the businesses found in the typical turn-of-the-century America small town. In addition to the Emporium, there was a music shop, a tobacconist, a bank, City Hall, General Store, Pharmacy, etc. My Mom and Dad were Disneyland fans before my birth. We made trips at least annually, so Main Street was a familiar place in my youth. We usually saved Main Street for last and spent a leisurely walk going through our favorite parts. My Mom loved flowers; she had a big flower garden on the farm and she loved to walk through the Main Street Flower Market to admire the artificial bouquets. For some reason, in the early ‘60’s, plastic flowers did not have so much of the “cheap” cachet they have today. Artificial things were shiny, bright & new, we liked them. Back then, everyone had plastic flower arrangements in the home, nice restaurants had them on the table, and Disneyland had every shape and description in the Flower Market on West Center Street. At the far west end of the Flower Market, the door into the south building led into the Book and Candle shop, since in the era before electricity, or even gas, candles were a daily use necessity for most households, and every town had a book shop. This combination shop lay right in our path to the parking lot. You can see the location in the map at this link. As fashion would have it, candles became a feature of pop culture in the mid-1960’s with bright colors, exotic scents and all manner of accessories, holders, and candlesticks to match. The old style dipped tapers were retained only as props and the Flower Children’s vision took over the shelves. Mom loved this too, she bought several plastic flower and candle arrangements over the years. I don’t recall that any of this merchandise was explicitly “Disney” or had any kind of brand or movie tie-in at all; it was just the sort of fairly expensive, tasteful (for the era) gifts you would find at Macy’s or another specialty store. I was an early reader and I was fascinated with the book shop, it was very well designed to sell to children, there were free-standing tables with display panels for large-format books only inches off the floor, right at little kid height. There is a great picture at this link. When I look at that picture, I remember sitting on that checkerboard tile by that little table. For years, my souvenir of each trip was a book. When I was younger, there were books about the Disney movies; 20K Leagues, Bambi, Pinocchio, etc. As I got older, there were other titles, too, such as science-related books on physics, natural history, dinosaurs, etc. These had subtle connections to Nature’s Wonderland, Tomorrowland, Adventure Through Inner Space, the Grand Canyon and Primeval World, etc. but these were not Disney-branded or marked as a tie-in. There were books by Disney, of course; some even tied to the Disney TV Show like “One Day at Beetle Rock”, but not everything, or even most, were Disney titles. I still have many of these books, both cartoons and science books. I read them to my children as they grew. I can’t read them anymore; something keeps getting in my eye when I do, and so I put them away. Disneyland was a lot more fun when Main Street was a special experience, found only at Disneyland. Once upon a time, you could get a feel for life in the 1890’s by visiting Main Street. Now it’s just a big mall. The Disneyland book store became less interesting when the books all became “comic books” about the characters, Main Street became less interesting when all the shops changed from (simulated) real places into “Disney Stores”. I can go the Disneyland Emporium now by walking to the Disney Store here in my home town; it’s all the same stuff. There’s nothing wrong with hats, key chains and princess costumes, but there used to be so much more. Don’t mistake me; modern retail design owes a lot to the visionaries at Disney Studios. We are all so used to “themed shopping” now that we don’t realize how drab and dull regular shops were in the 50’s and 60’s. The concept of a single huge building expensively dressed to look like a lot of little ones is done everywhere now, mostly at shopping malls or casinos, but Disneyland did it first. Main Street is the grandaddy of the themed mall, combined with a museum. The little boy grew up and his parents grew old. They stopped going to Disneyland alone and he moved a long way off, so he couldn’t take them. Somewhere along the way, the Flower Market was taken out as tastes changed, the Candle Shop was remodeled into something else, the favorite haunts of childhood disappeared and Mom and Dad faded away into photographs. When I visit the Park now, my children are patient while I make sure to spend at least one evening retracing steps, remembering that little boy with Mom and Dad. |
CRYSTAL ARCADE/NEW CENTURY/FORTUOSITY SHOP, 2000+ |
WEST CENTER STREET/CARNATION CAFE/BLUE RIBBON BAKERY, 2000+ |
| FROM THE DISNEYLAND LINE NEWSLETTER, JAN. 26, 1978: Carnation Main Street: Everyday's A Sundae. Of all the food locations in Disneyland, one of the most popular is Carnation Main Street. The reason for this "favoritism" is simple -- they serve ice cream, and most people love ice cream. In fact, reports have shown that this year, every American will consume at least 15 quarts of ice cream; that's almost 750 million gallons yearly. Designed as an integral part of Disneyland's Main Street, Carnation is an authentic replica of the ic cream parlors that dotted turn-of-the-century America. Victorian arches, elaborate scrolled woodwork and an antique fountain help to create the Gay 90's feeling. Serving its first guest on opening day, July 17, 1955, Carnation Main Street was originally operated by the Carnation Company. As Disneyland grew and its Cast Members became more experienced, Carnation's management was assumed by the Park. The Carnation Company remains a member of our Participant program by providing us with their name and quality food products. During it early years, Carnation served only ice cream products, but eventually the menu was expanded to include breakfast, sandwiches and hamburgers. Last winter Carnation Main Street underwent a major facelift which increased their seating capacity, added a newly remodeled interior and premiered an all new menu, which featured more health food-type dishes. According to Supervisor Tom Weber, the new menu was developed because of the increasing interest in proper nutrition and health foods. Many of the new items are made with alfalfa sprouts, avocados, pita bread and a special wheat bread served only at Carnation. Serving close to 3,000 guests on a busy day, Carnation's most popular item is the tempting hot fudge sundae, followed very closely by the old-fashioned banana split. According to Fountain Host Robin Pawley, on a busy summer day, Carnation will make close to 400 sundaes, use up 75 gallons of vanilla ice cream, make more than 250 banana splits and go through four cases of whipped cream an hour. Adhering to carefully set guidelines, Carnation Fountain Hosts work like artists creating the various ice cream sundaes themed to Disneyland. It's their responsibility to create sundaes and other fountain treats that not only taste good but are attractive and eye appealing. Serving Hostess Angela Zlaket thinks that one of the greatest feelings is to walk through the Parlor with a tray of sundaes and hear the chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" from our guests. Area Stage Supervisor Ann Van Der meer sums up the feelings of the Carnation crew when she says, "It's a challenge to offer our guests good food in an efficient manner." The lines outside Carnation Main Street are a perfect indication that we are meeting that challenge. |
WEST SIDE, PUFFIN BAKE SHOP, GIBSON GIRL ICE CREAM PARLOUR |
PENNY ARCADE |
 |
) ) Penny Arcade & Esmeralda memories: You’re looking at the
front and back of the ONE Esmeralda card we could find (mine—my wife’s is somewhere around here). We got the cards in December of 1965, just before we were to be married in early Jan '66. I was still working for Cox, but now in
the Engineering and Research Department because the Flight Circle had
closed that September. We decided that if I could get a good job in
the main plant, we would be married. Later, in February of '66
(Valentine's Day) we also got two cards again. Both of our cards said
almost the same thing…a child would be coming. In February of
1968 our first daughter was born. |
CANDY PALACE |
COLE OF CALIFORNIA, COKE CORNER |
|
 Main Street memories: Keith Palmer (high school buddy) got me the job at the Cox Thimble Drome at Disneyland just after my high school graduation in 1959. Being a lessee (working for Cox, not WED) our bunch would frequent Carnation Ice Cream Parlor a lot instead of the employee cafeteria. This was done in uniform, even though it was a no-no for WED people. The Hamburger was really good. Another nice place to take a break was Coke Corner. Keith and I would try to get a window seat and have a coke and watch the people. There was a juke box and the girls at the Corner would put quarters in to keep the music going to promote people coming in and sales. We would play Ray Charles’ “Georgia” as many time a day as possible. “Doodles” Weaver would play the piano and sing quite a bit in Coke Corner around 1962 and it really was a lot of fun. |
EAST MAIN STREET | MAIN STREET | CENTRAL PLAZA | TOWN SQUARE |
^RETURN TO TOP |
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)