My uncle, a huge Disney fan, attended Disneyland opening day. He even kept his childhood journal and showed it to me. The Sunday, July 15th, 1955 entry reads, in his eight-year-old scrawl, that it was hot and sticky, crowded, and not much fun. He became a real Disney fanatic decades later when my five-year-old niece got cancer, as Disney was just wonderful to us (made sure her meet-and-greets were special, let us bring in her unique diet no questions asked, and bent over backwards to help with Make A Wish. We did not know if she would live or not: now she's married with a healthy son who loved meeting Goofy.)
Thank you for making me realize I'm not the only one who accidentally mixes up the opening day, I swear it's part of the Mandela effect...my brain always goes to June or July 15th as well for some reason. Also thank you for sharing your story and memories about your uncle and your niece. I can only imagine how those visiting on opening day felt, it's crazy to think back to a time when no one had a clue (not even Walt himself) what Disneyland would become. So glad to hear she beat such a terrible disease and is thriving...and who doesn't love meeting goofy ;)
I loved the 1980s and wish I could go back to relive my childhood years but I sometimes wish time travel was possible. I would go back to the late 1950s and 1960s to see what it was like then. I am amazed by something in these videos: everyone is thin and healthy! It just looks surreal.
Being born in the late 80s, I only have the faintest memories of the 90s, post-renovation version of the hotel (my family regrets never getting to stay in the classic "garden" rooms), but strong ones of watching everything be torn down and replaced. I know change and progress are inevitable, but the loss of history here is doubly heartbreaking when you look at what Downtown Disney is today west of the monorail beam. The anchors mentioned in the video (AMC, ESPN Zone, Rainforest Cafe) that replaced the classic Disneyland Hotel were all closed to be replaced by... a hotel. A new hotel that wasn't built because Disney tried muscling above their weight with the city and taxpayers. And they've been sitting without anything permanent for over a year now.
Aren't the memories of feeding ducks and koi when you were a kid some of the best though? Heck, disneyland could have put in a large network of ponds and canals stocked with fish and ducks and for a lot of kids feeding them would have meant more than some of the rides. Long ago my mom would save the bread heels and when we had enough she'd take me to the big park at the lake in town to feed ducks and I still remember how happy I felt.
Um, my cousins used to “borrow” the large Koi out of the ponds there and sell them to pet shops for $20-$30 each. That was the way they paid for their season passes.
Wow. This whole time I thought my mom had taken us to WDW around the mid 70's (when I was 8-10 years old.) We stayed at a Disneyland Hotel, went up a glass elevator, saw the dancing fountains and took a monorail to the park. I think we saw live Hawaiian dancers, But I was sure it was WDW, not Disneyland because we went to a beach. (Which is proof that memory is weird because Orlando is nowhere near the water.) Turns out, we stayed in California the whole time. This brought back a LOT of memories that had been fading for 40 years, thank you!
No, there was an artificial white sand beach on the West side of the Marina complex just to the left of the octagonal Pavillion bar. And there were Hawaiian dancers there dating from the 70s. I think after Tahitian Terrace was closed to make way for Aladdin's Oasis, a number of the regular TT dancers either transferred to the hotel or to WDW. BTW, one of my earliest jobs was in the shops at the hotel.
My parents moved with my brother and I from Ohio to Anaheim in 1979, with only what could fit in the back of a small pickup truck. Our apartment balcony faced the park, and we got to see the fireworks each night. We’d walk to the hotel and see the dancing waters at night and walk around the free areas with the gardens and waterfalls. We got to go to Disneyland a few times, and this has brought back so many memories I had forgotten. I’m a fantasy doll artist and miniaturist, and growing up near Disneyland plays a big part in my work today! I learned as a child, that if you’re poor, and you can’t buy it, you can learn to create it, just like Jack Wrather said! LOL! I create the fantasy realms of my imagination, just like Walt Disney did, but on a much smaller scale, of course! Thanks for this excellent video!!!!
I swear, I never intentionally include Eisner in almost every video. I'm doing research/writing for the next episode, and thought for ONCE I didn't have to include the date "1984" and his title as CEO (I have the hardest time narrating the word CEO)...then bam...becomes an integral part of the story.
@@kebrinab13 God is good sis. Please dont use his name in vain. But its true though micheal eisner did a lot dumb moves towards the end of his reign and just pops up randomly in history. God bless ya
I grew up in Orange County and as a little kid, my parents would take me and my sisters to the Disneyland Hotel. The marina and dancing waters were free and open to the public. Like you mentioned, the area was beautiful at night. Back then, they still had the garden rooms, the waterfalls and the koi pond.
I grew up in OC too and my parents were same. They loved Disneyland & we went at least once a year and they loved the dancing waters show at the hotel. My brother & I loved it so much that even as semi delinquent punk rock teenagers we took all our friends there on nights we had nothing else to do. It was a great place to drop acid, too, LMFAO
I’m honestly surprised how much things Disney built that ended up either failing or being deconstructed. Usually when a company tries this, they usually fail and go bankrupt. It’s crazy how Disney’s been able to bounce back so well
They almost ran out of money several times, before Disneyland opened, and later, almost failed again, after they expanded into Europe. ... The documentary on Disney+ is a real eye opener.
It only worked because they had many more products that were a massive success. They were quick to try new things and jump on new trends, ao of course many of them had to fail, but many of them worked too
I still remember staying at the Disneyland Hotel back in the early 90's, Disneyland used to close a lot earlier back in the day making the Hotel offer more activities. You had to cross a street when walking to the park. I also remember the Monorail cafe and it had seen better days. The marina was great which had tiki torches and fun radio controlled boats and cars. I also remember the water show was a lot smaller than it appeared in the 70's but was rethemed to Disney and had lights of various Disney characters appearing on the background. I miss the waterfalls, so bummed that they removed them only a few years ago. Goofy's kitchen was also added into the Plaza and later moved to where it is located now.
Of all the aspects of the Original Hotel, The Marina is what I wish I could've experienced/seen for myself. This episode was tough because there are just so many elements of the original hotel worth exploring. I actually had a tiny part about Goofy's Kitchen initially, but it seemed too much of a bunny trail and was worth saving for another episode about the restaurants history so I could focus on its history.
@@YesterworldEntertainment I totally get it. Goofy's kitchen alone is a crazy long subject to cover. This hotel definitely has a crazy amount of history. I found out from Disney Historian Jim Korkis that Michael Eisner to get the hotel threatened to charge a monthly maintenance fee for the monorail that totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars.
@@martinishot Yeah the tram at the time was for the hundred acre parking lot, don't remember if there was a tram for the hotel but most people just took the monorail. Obviously you can see the road underneath downtown Disney today but I always laugh going through Downtown Disney just because it all changed so radically.
23:14 That pirate ship is actually the old Peter Pan float used in the Very Merry Christmas Parade for the late 80s, early 90s. When it was placed there a bunch of us old parade performers went over and climbed in for a group photo. Security came over to shoo us away but we explained who we were and he allowed us to remain and take photos climbing up on the rigging like we used to as dancing pirates.
I would _love_ a compilation book of people recalling their experiences there in the early days. Guests and staff alike. It just seems like such an innovative and fascinating place.
I was at Disneyland the year it opened, went there fairly often and loved it. I worked there in 1971-1973 in most lands, but mainly on Main Street and New Orleans Square. I loved it all. Been many times since, but sometimes several years between visits. We took our kids there as well a few times over the years. Our last visit was for our 30th Anniversary, which coincided with Disneyland's 60th Anniversary in 2015.
Disney would probably claim ownership of and editorial control over such a book project. Submissions would be selected, chewed up, and molded into what BIG MOUSE felt would support the current BIG MOUSE worldview. The best place to vicariously experience Walt Disney's Disneyland seems to be here on the World Wide Web, in people's personal sites and in comment sections like this.
I hope you all enjoy this very special episode Exploring the History & Evolution of the Original Disneyland Hotel. It's a subject I've been wanting to cover for quite some time, but knew it'd take much, much longer to make than the average episode. I can honestly say this is the most amount of time, effort and funds I've put into a single video, so I appreciate everyone's patience. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's been the longest time between episodes in the channels history. Shout out to all my amazing Patron's who's support enabled me to feel confident in investing a bit more time and $$$ into this one than the typical episode. If you want to help support the channel and future content, below is a link to the Yesterworld Patreon as well as the Audible promotion; every sign up supports the episode, and it's free, so it's a win-win for us both :) patreon.com/yester_World www.audible.com/yesterworld
Yesterworld Entertainment so excited to watch! Thank you for working so hard on this! Although I must say I really missed these videos while you were gone!
I really do believe that Eisner wanted the hotel so that the separate lease would.not interfere with the goal to upgrade Disneyland to match it's younger brother in Florida. But they really did not need to fully demolish the original complex for downtown disney. The hotel should have been integrated in to the plan and the Monorail and shopping structures should have been kept up along with the original room structures the lodgekeper building could have been kept or if the older hotel room building had to relocated back to be in doubt of the remaining hotel rooms. I can't remember the map layout and the corridor used to insert downtown that's now demolished for galaxy's edge.
The way this hotel is described makes me think that Walt Disney really wanted to make Disneyland like a real city where you could escape into a world of magic, purely to make people happy.
@@celebalert5616 .. very true it's just sucks that he was really sexist to women he didn't think that women should belong into a man's environment... But to be honest things were different back in the 60s and that should not take away of his legacy
My great grandpa was there opening day. When I was little, it was always a game to try to find him somewhere in the background whenever we saw those opening day promos. Also, imagine a Disney hotel costing $25-30 a night 😭
The first stay I booked for the family (when I was a 16 year old kid with parents who were Disney-illiterate) at the Contemporary Resort Tower (WDW) back in 1980, those tower rooms went for $80/night. Not $25-30, but consider that it was still priced that low as late as 1980. It took effort to get mum to agree to $80/night. I can't imagine trying to get her to agree to $30/night 15 years or so earlier.
Oh, that is super cool that great grandpa went! We lived there in the mid 60s, and my mom said it 4 dollars to get in. We went a lot, everyone who came to visit wanted to go there. I remember even Kruchev wanted to go!
Thank you so much for this nostalgia trip!!! I remembered staying at one of the last remnants of the original Disneyland Hotel in the late 80’s (the rooms were considered their “suites” at the time). I remember shopping at the Plaza and eating at the Monerail cafe. Thanks again!
my parents would drop me off here when I was in high school on Friday nights. I met my high school sweetheart in the arcade and was married 4 years later.
Makes me sad to see all they destroyed at the Disneyland hotel. I used to wander around there as a kid, took my daughter when she was young, so many good memories. I also worked at the hotel for 5 years and got to see every inch of that place (including the underground tunnels), such a great time back then, so much to do and see. Now, I have no desire to go there, it's lost it's magic, the tower names are now themed after some of the Disneyland park lands. I believe they had other names too for a while, I will always know them as Sierra, Marina and Bonita towers. :( Thank you for making this video, I wish it was longer, (there's so much more to share), your videos are amazing!
This was most interesting! Why? I distinctly recall back in the mid-1960s, as a child when my parents took the family to Disneyland and I asked why we weren't staying at the Disneyland Hotel with its new tower, I was told that for the price, the rooms there were shoddy. That struck me as _extremely odd,_ as even in my youth, I was thoroughly impressed with the first rate operations and pristine nature of the Disneyland Park. Our family stayed at a motel in Buena Park with paper-thin walls. I think the reason I was lied to about the Disneyland Hotel was that the vanity in my dad didn't want to admit he couldn't afford it.
Fantastic as always! One small note - Video Adventure didn't open until 1983, and was a partnership with Atari. In 1970 there simply weren't any arcade games to be had in the world as they didn't exist yet. It wasn't until '71 that we had Computer Space, then Pong was released in '72. Both of those games were from Nolan Bushnell, who founded Atari in '72.
My family stayed in the concierge suite on the top of Disneyland Hotel right before the private elevator closed. It was our greatest trip ever as it was during Christmas and Santa visited the concierge lounge every night. We also ate at the original Goofy’s Kitchen during that period. My best memories ever! Became a DVC member later but nothing will ever surpass the memories of those iconic times!
This is one of my favorite Disney history related videos! I’ve been going to Disney parks for the last 25 years and I never knew about what Downtown Disney was before it was built. This is so neat!
What a great Video! Very bittersweet for me. I grew up about 2 miles from Disneyland and the Disneyland Hotel. As a teenager in the early 1980's, me and my friends would hang out there and walk around the waterfalls in front of the Bonita Tower, watch the Dancing Waters show and hang out in the Video Arcade. Later, when I was old enough to drink (legally), these same friends and I would go to the bars there (Sgt. Preston’s Yukon Saloon, the Wharf Bar and the Pavilion Lounge. I made a lot of new friendships with other local regulars. For a number of years, my brother worked Security there, and one time he took me up to the roof of the Bonita Tower (what a view!). The DH was a big part of my social life while I was transitioning from a teenager to a young adult. I really miss it a lot, and I’m saddened that the DH I knew during those times no longer exists. Still, I’ve got my memories of the DH, and those will never go away.
I remember staying at the South Garden Rooms! My grandma would take my sister, cousins and I to stay there for one night during the summer. It was awesome! Great memories! Also the waterfalls, I was so shocked when I came back to find out they took them out! I was lucky I was able to take my son there before it was demolished, it was a peaceful place for me. Thank you for this video, it brought back so many wonderful memories.
This was really fantastic! I’m a nerd for this stuff, but this is 25 minutes that feel like no more than 6. All your videos are great but you should be proud of this one. Absolutely nothing to nitpick. Also, NEVER apologize for making fun of Star Wars. It hasn’t been good since before I was born and I’m in my mid-30s. 😂
This is very interesting and nostalgic for me. I worked in the shops at the hotel from 1975 - 1986. When I started out of high school I was in the Sundries and the Magic and Toy shop. They were owned by Taylor & Hume. Other stores were owned by different families/companies. There were a couple of shops though that were owned by Disney through UNOCO a division of Disney and paid through the studio. During the '70s Disney would purchase these shops and refurbish them. The employees were mostly invited to join Disney as non-union cast members. Better pay, great benefits and full-time employment. Who wouldn't have joined? Before I left Disney owned all shops (except a small flower shop) and the hotel. UNOCO also ran the shops at the Inn At The Park hotel on Katella and the shops at the Imperial hotel on a property adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel. My family and I moved out of California 30 years ago. My husband (also ex-Disney cast member) returned on vacation. I don't know the place now. Back in the early 80's we were asked to submit ideas for the old helipad and additional land that wasn't being used in that area. I suggested making a mini world showcase with shopping, dining and shows. It would be free and draw locals and paying guests to the area. I almost got it right except for the theming.
Now I'll never get to try the world's most exciting bowl of salad. Why go on a diet when the most exciting version of the #1 diet food is no longer available?!? 🙄😆
"Large screen television set". LOL, well it WAS 1956 after all. They'd probably have a heart attack seeing these new-fangled gajillion-inch 8K HDTV whatsits they have nowadays. :D
RUclips has a fascinating episode of "I've Got A Secret" from 1957 which features Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of electronic television. During his interview, at the 19:22 mark, he explains that he and his colleagues are already working on flat screen high-definition TV's, and he predicts that they will one day be available. This was in 1957! Here's the link: ruclips.net/video/3cspYZyGp1A/видео.html
The first time I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel I was disappointed that our room wasn't in the the big building that I considered to be the ACTUAL Disneyland Hotel. Now I see that staying at the Oriental Gardens was the closest I will ever get to staying at the original hotel.
My GF and I (in 1974) stayed at the South Garden Wing of the original hotel -- we could park our 1966 VW bus right outside our rear patio. Only memories now, as all that's long gone...you'd never know it was even there -- except for videos like this one. -- BR
Love this video! So glad my family got to enjoy the elevator during our few concierge trips to Disneyland Hotel. There are so many things I miss about the Disneyland Hotel. I’m so glad my children got to experience the Waterfalls, Dancing Waters, the remote powered boat, the Lost Bar, the arcade, Ariba Ariba, the original Goofy’s Kitchen! I could go on and on.
Ok but I was LITERALLY talking to my parents about this less than a week ago, because my dad was talking about remembering where the monorail went as they would walk to the park. How did this specific topic come up like this both for you as a video and my dad randomly remembering while we were watching either Yesterworld or Defunctland (I've been showing him both recently). Both uncanny and helpful!
Nice video. What a change. Looks nothing like it did when I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel back in 1982 when I was 9 years old. Brings back so many menories.
It was such a wonderful experience walking through the many caves and inlets to the waterfalls. I miss so much about the original DL Hotel. I’m just glad I got to experience it’s many wonderful offerings including the original Goofys Kitchen, the Lost Bar and the Dancing Waterfalls.
something like that actually happened at the place where I went to college, they used to have a nice Koi Pond in the main room and it was so pretty to look at, but after a few years they got rid of and the lobby looked soulless and grey.
I never realized before today that Disneyland Hotel had a mini golf course! I love mini golf, and kept wanting to try the WDW courses, but the heat and timing always got in the way. One more DL Hotel regret to add to the list....
Growing up in the area close by the hotel complex made it a place me and my friends as kids would go to even if our parents did not want to go to Disneyland for the upteenth time. We could take one of the public transportation buses and spend a whole day here. Once I outgrew the idea of coming here I still would come by and sometimes walk through or have me and my friends go to a restaurant. We also would go here if we had to book a flight because the hotel had ticket offices of United American and Delta airlines in addition to regional carriers and maybe one or two more majors that I cannot remember. That is how self-contained this mini City really was. I guess the only thing missing was a full-service supermarket.
I find this rather sad. I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel the first time I visited Disneyland in 1982. It was awesome! My sister and I would hop on the Monorail and go directly to Disneyland. And the restaurants behind the hotel were top notch! The shopping was also fun. *sigh*
I agree. My first visit to the Kingdom was in 1956 and I was 6 years old. Walt could be seen in the streets. It was great fun. Then, when I had young children of my own, I had managed to save enough for us to stay at the Hotel. We had previously always stayed in one the lesser-expensive, but nice little motels scattering the area in the mid to late 70s. We were disappointed because we were naive enough to believe each room would be packed with Disney pictures and gear. But, it was just another, plain, but more expensive hotel room. However, it was worth it just hop on the Monorail and go straight into the park. After viewing this video I understand why it was like that. I had no idea that Disney didn't own the hotel. Thank you Yesterworld for a memorable and informative piece!
I stayed here in 1995 or 96 my family and I won the trip from a contest at Dennys! It was my first time going to Disneyland, we got to stay 4 nights at The Disneyland Hotel and they gave us these food vouchers that we used once a day to eat at Goofy’s kitchen. It was an unforgettable experience. I LOVED Dancing Waters! As much as I still love Disneyland I REALLY miss the Disneyland (and the hotel) of this time! I wish I could have explored more.
I know this video is outdated because the hotel expansion concept has totally changed. However, I really enjoy this! My first time at the Disneyland Hotel was in 1959 (age 2) and then we often stayed there many times. (traveling from San Fran area) I remember very well the original patio rooms that each had an orange tree in the fenced in patio area. I even recall the golf course and the heliport. Years later in the late 70’s I worked at Disneyland seasonally and then at the hotel (as did my girlfriend at the time). I watched that 3rd tower (the Bonita Tower) from the time it was a hole in the ground to the grand opening. To me that was the best the hotel ever was. Wonderful upscale restaurants, the great marina area, the Bonita Tower caves and waterfall and the International Shops that were in front of the that waterfall. It was really a wonderful place.
Our family lived in Nor Cal but every time we went to Disneyland we always went to the Disneyland Hotel. My brother and I always loved going on the paddle boats and playing video games at the arcade. Good times and thanks for posting.
@@Moon_Child_Mari You can still get out without paying, just... not with your car. I feel like being so stubborn about parking fees that you just abandon your car forever and walk home from Disneyland would be even more impressive, in a "do they have a name for what's wrong with you?" sort of way. :)
As a kid visiting Disneyland every year(early 70s) riding the monorail and stopping at the Disneyland Hotel, it became my dream to be one of those people to get off and stay at the hotel. That day finally happened in 2002. My wife and I along with our son, stayed in a suite for 2 days. Though the cost of the suite was astronomical(I'm not even going to admit how much), and I was a bit disappointed about how run-down the hotel was getting, but I was sure happy I finally did it. Was finally able to ride the glass elevator, and it was pretty cool being on the top floor during the fireworks show(eye level). Got to cross something off my bucket list.
My favorite memory of the original Disneyland Hotel was, as a cast member, I was invited to participate in a photoshoot for one of the restaurants. For at least till the big remodel for Downtown Disney, I could pass the signage showing the inside of the restaurants at the entrance, and see a younger version of me. We got paid with some extra Disneyland tickets to give to friends (since as a cast member, you got in for free). I'm can't remember if we were allowed to eat the meals that were on the tables in front of us. Oh, since I worked in the warehouse overnight, we delivered every day to the hotel at like 5 - 6 am, having to cross West Avenue with a train of carts.
Well worth the wait (the aging tech used in The Irishman must've been expensive). The kinescopes and film segments are a revelation. Who knew that the complex had such a great history of shops, restaurants and experiences separate from the park. Really, really great.
It makes it awkward they demolished the oldest section of the hotel including the two malls to build a clone of Disney World's Downtown Disney that is now demolished to expand the other parks. If anything the hotel should have been part of downtown Disney with out major demolition. Just have the other ships and the AMC Dine in behind the hotel. My guess was that the old Motel style structures were a humiliating for Eisner who wanted a high class resort like Florida and the California park had a motel that expanded with bigger hotel towers. So he demolished the motel parts and reinvented the newer buildings in to a higher class resort hotel like the ones in Florida.
My original trip to Disneyland in 1976 was accompanied by a stay at the DH. At that time, it was like an extension of the park and you were constantly entertained. It was definitely the way to experience Disneyland back then.
I remember the hotel in the 70s and 80s. My mom loved staying there. We only lived 1½ hours from Disneyland. It was a perfectly safe place for kids to wander around. There was so much to do there. Especially during the holidays. So many memories.
The Disneyland Hotel sounds so cool and classic mid-century in its original form, but honestly the modern hotel is better in my opinion. The tropical fauna with the pool, Tangaroa terrace and Trader Sam's is just unbeatable.
David Feltheim it’s definitely more simplified. Less amenities. I think now days people just go to Downtown Disney and get their moneys worth in the actual parks. The hotel grounds are lush and of course the pool is fantastic for kids but the towers are so dated. They desperately need a redo.
@@Imzadi I mean tbh Downtown Disney is basically a one-for-one replacement of the original Disneyland Hotel shopping district. It's in the same place, and both were open to the public.
I remember walking around the shops and eating at the Monorail Cafe once as a kid. My dad heard it would be demolished and wanted to see it again before it was.
Thank you so much for this video! Just had major nostalgia overload. I remember staying with my family at the Disneyland Hotel back in the early 90s. The remote control boats, the shops, the waterfalls, and the arcade are all things I clearly remember from that time. Crazy to see how much it has changed in the last 30 years.
nicholasyoder ikr back then you probably only needed a couple months to plan ahead but now if your a middle class family you need a whole year to plan a one week trip
My parents and my family never stayed at Disneyland Hotel. Even back then it was much cheaper to stay off property. It was nice to explore the grounds but out of reach for a one income, working class family like ours.
I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel in 1992 on a high school trip. It was actually the same time as the Rodney King riots in L.A. and a bunch of parents, who apparently couldn't read a map, were frantically trying to get in touch with their kids, freaking out. I don't really remember seeing any of the shows at the hotel, or even a mention that they existed. There was a cool shop in the plaza that sold animation cells which I liked. Honestly I spent most of my time in the arcade. I also liked being able to watch the fireworks from our hotel room, which was pretty high up in the tower (whichever one faced the park). Other fun fact, I lost my virginity that week in that hotel. So I'll always have a sentimental attachment to it. 😂
I remember seeing the iconic Disneyland Hotel sign so many times. I always wanted/begged to stay there but we lived less than an hour away so I never got the chance. But I did go to the park several times throughout the late 70's and 80's. I remember the old submarine ride and going under water (sort-of) and later, I remember waiting in line for hours to ride on Star Tours in the late 80's, and I also remember going on the ride it replaced, Adventure thru inner space. I remember it seemed cool but old by the time I rode it. And I remember there was only one or two places where my dad could get a beer so we always went there and now as a dad myself, I understand completely.
I loved Adventure through Inner Space! I was fascinated by the video about it over at Defunctland. I think by the time you and I visited (late 70s-early 80s) a lot had changed. I remember the voice of Paul Frees as the narrator but my memory is sketchy after that. Star Tours and Captain EO were absolutely amazing! And yes you'd think that Disney as a family friendly place wouldn't have liquor but now that I'm a parent I can definitely see where a day of escorting your kids around the parks would warrant the consumption of an adult beverage (or two!)! I haven't yet taken my son to Disneyland but when I do I think I'll probably need a drink sometime during our visit...hooboy...
At 7:56, I love how the Sikorsky S55 helicopter makes a shallow approach right over a bunch of people's parked cars, just imagine all the paint and/or window damage the cars possibly received from the rotor's downwash kicking up loose gravel from the lot! Got to love the way things were done back in the day...……..
I thought I dreamed the lagoon, wow that really happened. My grandparents always hit the hotel on the way out of Disneyland to see the Dancing Waters. They did drink a ton of coffee back then. The Hawaiian stuff was so amazing I didn't realize until now that was actually part of what I saw as a kid. I thought it was a dream I had. XD That is what happens when a kid is so tired at Disneyland they pass out and wake up the next day thinking it was a dream until ya see the half inflated Mickey balloon at the end of your bed.
My family actually went to this place. And there’s a photo of my older brother with my cousin in a peddle boat in 1996. I always wondered about it and what it was exactly. So this video is really special. Thank you for this.
I had to watch this 3x before commenting. Thank you so much for doing this. Also, you're right. There's so much to go into it would have to be other videos. You did pretty good at wrapping it all up in one neat package. Wrather's wife was Bonita Granville, one of the stars of Lassie, a TV series Jack owned. Granville's steakhouse is still named after her, although the Bonita tower is now the Frontierland tower. Jack also owned the Lone Ranger ( with Clayton Moore on hand for the opening ceremony as the Lone Ranger ) and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon which accounts for the stage show at the Sgt. Preston's bar/dinner show seen at 15:58. I didn't even know about the things that were hidden inside the DL Hotel until I took the monorail in the 80's and got off at the hotel just to see what was there. It was pure happenstance. From that point forward if I was ever traveling back and forth between San Diego and Los Angeles I would stop over for a couple of hours, play the RC cars, Jungle Cruise boats, tour the rock waterfall area, play games in the underwater arcade ( you could look out the windows and see the waterline above you ) or rent a paddleboat. ...the marina wasn't really that much fun, you just go in a circle and you're done. To me the 80's were the best era with things winding down in the 90's. ..also, you are right for disliking Rise of Skywalker. Any rational person would.
At one point I planned to do an entire segment about Sgt. Preston of the Yukon and how it tied into the hotel, as it seemed almost like the equivalent of the Hoop-Dee-Doo at WDW (more or less). And I also wanted to dive into Jack Wrather's involvement with Lassie...and the Lone Ranger...and to dive deeper into his influence on the hotel itself, the restaurants, the names chosen for various aspects of the hotel...the origins of Goofy's Kitchen...but then I just realized it was impossible to cover all of that in a single episode. I can't think of another video on the channel where I re-wrote the script so much, as I was constantly trying to fit all of this history into a standalone episode. Maybe in hindsight I should've made it a series, but I also wanted to condense the entire history into a single viewing experience, so time will tell if I succeeded :)
@@YesterworldEntertainment Wow. The rewrites paid off. You did perfect at condensing it into a single viewing experience. It's hard to tell at what point an audience hears too much info and thinks "Alright, already." I would have loved to hear more, but I admit any video could probably overdo it by spending too long on one topic. You found details that many Disney historians missed or forgot about. I e-mailed this vid link to many friends as a "See, this is what I was talking about!" reference. if you're ever out west, PM me. Drinks at Trader Sam's are on me.
Thank you for this video. So much nostalgia and forgotten memories; even for someone born in '85. I remember my family bringing every out of town guest to Disneyland hotel to watch the fantasy waters show.
Yesterworld, One of the things I liked to do was to catch the Monorail from the TomorrowLand station to the D/L Hotel. Around 4.30 p.m. At the Monorail Lounge I'd have 2 Martini's then stroll over for dinner at the Sailmakers Den. Happy days. The nice thing about the Plaza shop's was they not only sold Disney park merchandise. But they also sold exclusive Disney merch that was'nt available in the park. Cheers, Chris Perry.
Our family experienced our one and only Disneyland visit (from Milwaukee Wisconsin) in '67 (I was 19) after all those years being TOTALLY and enthusiastically indoctrinated by the whole Disney "cult" we, as grade school kids (and our parents), would watch EVERY Sunday evening "The Wonderful World of Disney" sitting at the dinner table brought into the livingroom to have dinner during the show. We would rush home from school in 5th grade to watch the impossibly mesmerizing Mickey Mouse Club show. At our '67 Disneyland vacation, even as a 19 year old, I could appreciate the spectacularly glorious production values of the realistic attractions, landscaping, park layout AND to me, that everything was so clean. Not a wad of gum, wrappers, cigarette pack/cigarettes, paper cups etc. to be seen anywhere! One could, literally, eat off the street! AMAZING, never heard of at any State Fair, zoo etc. WDW hadn't arrived yet, so this was still the standard of park execution. I went to WDW as a high-school band chaperon in '84, honeymoon in '93, and with our two children in '08 and '10. Great and fond memories! Thanks Mr. Disney!
You should cover those other non Disney hotels that popped up. They look pretty interesting and seem to be themed. The space age one in particular looks very interesting
my mom was a maid in the Disneyland hotel in Anaheim in the early 60s and late 70s.we used to go to Disneyland almost once a week because her friend who also was a maid,her husband worked in the swiss family treehouse and he would get us in for free at the gate.thats when they used tickets A,C,E and a KEY ticket,i dont remember if they were other letters for the tickets.,we used visit my mom for lunch and look out of windows down below.they used to have a helicopter across the street that landed on a pad and dropped people out to go to the hotel.does anyone remember that.i do.it was fun in those days because it was one park,no Disney walk just an entrance where you go in.my mom used to bring home stuff from the rooms because guests would sometimes leave or forget stuff.i remember having some wanted posters from knotts berry farm with someone name on it.miss those days.
My dad visited at some point after the addition of dancing waters. He was born in '71 so I'm not sure how old he was when he eventually saw it, but during our last trip to Disneyworld my dad was describing it to us, telling us how it was a crazy thing to see at the time.
Glad they mentioned some of the other motels near Disneyland such as the Peter Pan Inn. Even in the mid-80’s-early 90’s those motels were only about $35/night and were right next to the park. Now staying anywhere in Anaheim will cost you an arm and a leg.
Yes, I agree. We went to those same places throughout the 70s and I think most of all those cutesy names were under the umbrella of Best Western. I don't know what Best Western is like now; But, at that time they were all clean, consistent and friendly.
We stayed at Stovall's Space-Age Inn circa 1985. I remember all the neat topiaries! Thought they were a little kitschy but on brand for a motel close to Disneyland :}
My wife, daughter, aunt and I went to Disneyland in the 1970's. I retain absolutely no memories of the visit. Years later my wife some friends and I went to the Florida Disneyland and I have vivid memories of that trip The unique hotel (still standing, I guess) and the monorail which rand through the hotel were just great. The only downside, as I remember, was that there were not a lot of places to eat IN the park.
My uncle, a huge Disney fan, attended Disneyland opening day. He even kept his childhood journal and showed it to me. The Sunday, July 15th, 1955 entry reads, in his eight-year-old scrawl, that it was hot and sticky, crowded, and not much fun. He became a real Disney fanatic decades later when my five-year-old niece got cancer, as Disney was just wonderful to us (made sure her meet-and-greets were special, let us bring in her unique diet no questions asked, and bent over backwards to help with Make A Wish. We did not know if she would live or not: now she's married with a healthy son who loved meeting Goofy.)
*Sunday, July 17
Pickles
Really touching to hear how Disney is such a large part of your family.
And the tears just ran out of my eyes.
Genuine question cuz I truly don’t know but isn’t it make a wish that handles everything and not Disney?
Thank you for making me realize I'm not the only one who accidentally mixes up the opening day, I swear it's part of the Mandela effect...my brain always goes to June or July 15th as well for some reason. Also thank you for sharing your story and memories about your uncle and your niece. I can only imagine how those visiting on opening day felt, it's crazy to think back to a time when no one had a clue (not even Walt himself) what Disneyland would become. So glad to hear she beat such a terrible disease and is thriving...and who doesn't love meeting goofy ;)
These videos make me nostalgic for something I never even experienced.
Jongup's Mullet yeah i feel The same Way
I loved the 1980s and wish I could go back to relive my childhood years but I sometimes wish time travel was possible. I would go back to the late 1950s and 1960s to see what it was like then. I am amazed by something in these videos: everyone is thin and healthy! It just looks surreal.
Thought it was just me i love these
Being born in the late 80s, I only have the faintest memories of the 90s, post-renovation version of the hotel (my family regrets never getting to stay in the classic "garden" rooms), but strong ones of watching everything be torn down and replaced. I know change and progress are inevitable, but the loss of history here is doubly heartbreaking when you look at what Downtown Disney is today west of the monorail beam. The anchors mentioned in the video (AMC, ESPN Zone, Rainforest Cafe) that replaced the classic Disneyland Hotel were all closed to be replaced by... a hotel. A new hotel that wasn't built because Disney tried muscling above their weight with the city and taxpayers. And they've been sitting without anything permanent for over a year now.
I hope you get out there soon. I happen to live in Arizona, so fortunately Southern CA is kind of “next door” for us..
That was the most passive aggressive intro and I loved every second of it
So sad about the loss of the waterfalls, caves, and koi ponds. One of my earliest memories is feeding the koi there
Amanda Schieber >> I remember them, too. But more the glass elevator.
Aren't the memories of feeding ducks and koi when you were a kid some of the best though? Heck, disneyland could have put in a large network of ponds and canals stocked with fish and ducks and for a lot of kids feeding them would have meant more than some of the rides. Long ago my mom would save the bread heels and when we had enough she'd take me to the big park at the lake in town to feed ducks and I still remember how happy I felt.
Um, my cousins used to “borrow” the large Koi out of the ponds there and sell them to pet shops for $20-$30 each. That was the way they paid for their season passes.
it was my favorite place to mac out as a teen in the 70's!!!!
@@flipnotrab Didn't the hotel have security?
Wow. This whole time I thought my mom had taken us to WDW around the mid 70's (when I was 8-10 years old.) We stayed at a Disneyland Hotel, went up a glass elevator, saw the dancing fountains and took a monorail to the park. I think we saw live Hawaiian dancers, But I was sure it was WDW, not Disneyland because we went to a beach. (Which is proof that memory is weird because Orlando is nowhere near the water.) Turns out, we stayed in California the whole time.
This brought back a LOT of memories that had been fading for 40 years, thank you!
No, there was an artificial white sand beach on the West side of the Marina complex just to the left of the octagonal Pavillion bar. And there were Hawaiian dancers there dating from the 70s. I think after Tahitian Terrace was closed to make way for Aladdin's Oasis, a number of the regular TT dancers either transferred to the hotel or to WDW. BTW, one of my earliest jobs was in the shops at the hotel.
Lol....That is funny...You were lucky to stay there! My family could never afford it. :(
Or is it the Mandela Effect!? Kidding, we all remember things incorrectly at times.
My parents moved with my brother and I from Ohio to Anaheim in 1979, with only what could fit in the back of a small pickup truck. Our apartment balcony faced the park, and we got to see the fireworks each night. We’d walk to the hotel and see the dancing waters at night and walk around the free areas with the gardens and waterfalls. We got to go to Disneyland a few times, and this has brought back so many memories I had forgotten. I’m a fantasy doll artist and miniaturist, and growing up near Disneyland plays a big part in my work today! I learned as a child, that if you’re poor, and you can’t buy it, you can learn to create it, just like Jack Wrather said! LOL! I create the fantasy realms of my imagination, just like Walt Disney did, but on a much smaller scale, of course! Thanks for this excellent video!!!!
"There are two ways of acquiring something. Either to buy it..."
Bob Iger's interest peaks
"...or create it"
Iger loses all interest
I’m still here
@@robertiger3098 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Philip Kippel chill
Robert Iger Less than two years to go.
WeirdoTZero
Iger, despite a lack of interest, is not fully against originality.
me: "oh tight.....a history video without.."
*MICHAEL EISNER*
"GODDAMN IT."
I swear, I never intentionally include Eisner in almost every video. I'm doing research/writing for the next episode, and thought for ONCE I didn't have to include the date "1984" and his title as CEO (I have the hardest time narrating the word CEO)...then bam...becomes an integral part of the story.
@Habri Well, to be fair, he was president / CEO. For better or worse, that was his literal job
@@YesterworldEntertainment its just always hilarious to me that he always is the person behind fucking some shit up 🤣🤣🤣
@@kebrinab13 God is good sis. Please dont use his name in vain. But its true though micheal eisner did a lot dumb moves towards the end of his reign and just pops up randomly in history. God bless ya
@@kebrinab13 somehow hes still much better than bob Iger whose been making so many terrible decisions and destroying even more history
I grew up in Orange County and as a little kid, my parents would take me and my sisters to the Disneyland Hotel. The marina and dancing waters were free and open to the public. Like you mentioned, the area was beautiful at night. Back then, they still had the garden rooms, the waterfalls and the koi pond.
I grew up in OC too and my parents were same. They loved Disneyland & we went at least once a year and they loved the dancing waters show at the hotel. My brother & I loved it so much that even as semi delinquent punk rock teenagers we took all our friends there on nights we had nothing else to do. It was a great place to drop acid, too, LMFAO
I’m honestly surprised how much things Disney built that ended up either failing or being deconstructed. Usually when a company tries this, they usually fail and go bankrupt. It’s crazy how Disney’s been able to bounce back so well
When you train your customers to love you from childhood for generations, it has a large payoff
They almost ran out of money several times, before Disneyland opened, and later, almost failed again, after they expanded into Europe. ...
The documentary on Disney+ is a real eye opener.
Watch their prices and all of the dumbass paying them ...
Corporate sponsorships. How many sports teams, or athletes get sponsored with big money, even if they are a losing bet? The numbers are there.
It only worked because they had many more products that were a massive success. They were quick to try new things and jump on new trends, ao of course many of them had to fail, but many of them worked too
I still remember staying at the Disneyland Hotel back in the early 90's, Disneyland used to close a lot earlier back in the day making the Hotel offer more activities. You had to cross a street when walking to the park. I also remember the Monorail cafe and it had seen better days. The marina was great which had tiki torches and fun radio controlled boats and cars. I also remember the water show was a lot smaller than it appeared in the 70's but was rethemed to Disney and had lights of various Disney characters appearing on the background. I miss the waterfalls, so bummed that they removed them only a few years ago. Goofy's kitchen was also added into the Plaza and later moved to where it is located now.
Of all the aspects of the Original Hotel, The Marina is what I wish I could've experienced/seen for myself. This episode was tough because there are just so many elements of the original hotel worth exploring. I actually had a tiny part about Goofy's Kitchen initially, but it seemed too much of a bunny trail and was worth saving for another episode about the restaurants history so I could focus on its history.
I am very surprised that you walked all the way from the hotel to the main entrance when they had a tram.
MakilHeru
I really miss the light show!
@@YesterworldEntertainment I totally get it. Goofy's kitchen alone is a crazy long subject to cover. This hotel definitely has a crazy amount of history. I found out from Disney Historian Jim Korkis that Michael Eisner to get the hotel threatened to charge a monthly maintenance fee for the monorail that totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars.
@@martinishot Yeah the tram at the time was for the hundred acre parking lot, don't remember if there was a tram for the hotel but most people just took the monorail. Obviously you can see the road underneath downtown Disney today but I always laugh going through Downtown Disney just because it all changed so radically.
23:14 That pirate ship is actually the old Peter Pan float used in the Very Merry Christmas Parade for the late 80s, early 90s. When it was placed there a bunch of us old parade performers went over and climbed in for a group photo. Security came over to shoo us away but we explained who we were and he allowed us to remain and take photos climbing up on the rigging like we used to as dancing pirates.
I would _love_ a compilation book of people recalling their experiences there in the early days. Guests and staff alike. It just seems like such an innovative and fascinating place.
I was at Disneyland the year it opened, went there fairly often and loved it. I worked there in 1971-1973 in most lands, but mainly on Main Street and New Orleans Square. I loved it all. Been many times since, but sometimes several years between visits. We took our kids there as well a few times over the years. Our last visit was for our 30th Anniversary, which coincided with Disneyland's 60th Anniversary in 2015.
Disney would probably claim ownership of and editorial control over such a book project. Submissions would be selected, chewed up, and molded into what BIG MOUSE felt would support the current BIG MOUSE worldview. The best place to vicariously experience Walt Disney's Disneyland seems to be here on the World Wide Web, in people's personal sites and in comment sections like this.
Michael Eisner, the recurring villain of ALL of these Disney Park videos.
Yup
I would call him a anti-hero personally
Look at what Disney owns now , they own Marvel and other studios.
It's bizarre how Michael Eisner dumped all the money into Euro Disney instead of Disneyland.
@@emaam
Iger would be an anti-villain. Chapek might be a straight-up villain.
"The Monorail Lounge was exactly as it sounded, a cocktail bar themed around Monorails."
Springfield: *heavy breathing*
“I call the big one Bitey”
Monorail Monorail Monorail
@@plunderbird Mono- D'OH!
Were you sent here by the Devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level
@@jimmymelendez1836 well, we're all out of order, but let's keep it going...
I hear those things are awfully loud!
It glides as softly as a cloud!
I loved Mickey’s Corner, The remote control Jungle Cruise boats, the waterfalls...so much nostalgia.
As a former Disney employee and growing up nearby, hats off to this video, great job in capturing its history.
We’re building a new DVC tower at the Disneyland Hotel that I know everyone will love. People call it a Holiday Inn but it will be amazing
pound sand Iger.
Checked your account information - "This channel doesn't have any content"
Ah, much like many of Disney's remakes.
Darn you Iger...
@@magusxxx: Lamo
Damn.. That's one heck of a zing.
I read your book and it SUCKED!
I hope you all enjoy this very special episode Exploring the History & Evolution of the Original Disneyland Hotel. It's a subject I've been wanting to cover for quite some time, but knew it'd take much, much longer to make than the average episode. I can honestly say this is the most amount of time, effort and funds I've put into a single video, so I appreciate everyone's patience. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's been the longest time between episodes in the channels history. Shout out to all my amazing Patron's who's support enabled me to feel confident in investing a bit more time and $$$ into this one than the typical episode. If you want to help support the channel and future content, below is a link to the Yesterworld Patreon as well as the Audible promotion; every sign up supports the episode, and it's free, so it's a win-win for us both :)
patreon.com/yester_World
www.audible.com/yesterworld
Yesterworld Entertainment so excited to watch! Thank you for working so hard on this! Although I must say I really missed these videos while you were gone!
24:39 gotta be quicker on draw there good buddy
@@AWESOMEjeff654r I don't understand your comment.
06:00 OMG LOOK AT THAT SALAD 🤩
I really do believe that Eisner wanted the hotel so that the separate lease would.not interfere with the goal to upgrade Disneyland to match it's younger brother in Florida. But they really did not need to fully demolish the original complex for downtown disney. The hotel should have been integrated in to the plan and the Monorail and shopping structures should have been kept up along with the original room structures the lodgekeper building could have been kept or if the older hotel room building had to relocated back to be in doubt of the remaining hotel rooms. I can't remember the map layout and the corridor used to insert downtown that's now demolished for galaxy's edge.
The way this hotel is described makes me think that Walt Disney really wanted to make Disneyland like a real city where you could escape into a world of magic, purely to make people happy.
Based on the plans for the main disneyland, he was more interested in building a city of the future
Walt was a true hero and an icon
That was what EPCOT was meant to be😅
@@celebalert5616 .. very true it's just sucks that he was really sexist to women he didn't think that women should belong into a man's environment... But to be honest things were different back in the 60s and that should not take away of his legacy
@@achilles9448 so why did you mention it then?
My great grandpa was there opening day. When I was little, it was always a game to try to find him somewhere in the background whenever we saw those opening day promos.
Also, imagine a Disney hotel costing $25-30 a night 😭
The first stay I booked for the family (when I was a 16 year old kid with parents who were Disney-illiterate) at the Contemporary Resort Tower (WDW) back in 1980, those tower rooms went for $80/night. Not $25-30, but consider that it was still priced that low as late as 1980. It took effort to get mum to agree to $80/night. I can't imagine trying to get her to agree to $30/night 15 years or so earlier.
My mom would not take me on opening day because she figured it would be too crowded. We went around the end of August, I think, about six weeks later.
Oh, that is super cool that great grandpa went! We lived there in the mid 60s, and my mom said it 4 dollars to get in. We went a lot, everyone who came to visit wanted to go there. I remember even Kruchev wanted to go!
I absolutely love channels like this because I was born in ‘97 and I always wanted to know about Disney’s past.
Same
Thank you so much for this nostalgia trip!!! I remembered staying at one of the last remnants of the original Disneyland Hotel in the late 80’s (the rooms were considered their “suites” at the time). I remember shopping at the Plaza and eating at the Monerail cafe. Thanks again!
"The Wreckingball of Progress"? Now that sounds like a great Disney attraction. I can see it with an animatronic of Miley Cyrus.
lol
david kelly Disney in the 50s? Oooooh vintage...😏
Just don't look up the Hulk Hogan version. You'll never forgive your eyes!
Angry the Clown what’s that?
The hulk hogan version of what?
@@nsr5961 There's a commercial with Hulk Hogan doing the Wrecking Ball video, don't look it up
my parents would drop me off here when I was in high school on Friday nights. I met my high school sweetheart in the arcade and was married 4 years later.
Makes me sad to see all they destroyed at the Disneyland hotel. I used to wander around there as a kid, took my daughter when she was young, so many good memories. I also worked at the hotel for 5 years and got to see every inch of that place (including the underground tunnels), such a great time back then, so much to do and see. Now, I have no desire to go there, it's lost it's magic, the tower names are now themed after some of the Disneyland park lands. I believe they had other names too for a while, I will always know them as Sierra, Marina and Bonita towers. :( Thank you for making this video, I wish it was longer, (there's so much more to share), your videos are amazing!
You and Defunctland are my favorite Theme Park channels.
You guys rule!
Best miniature golf course ever! Would love to see a video on that alone, if possible. Thank you for this great video!
The commentator talking about a pretend wife and pretend child is simultaneously the saddest and funniest thing I’ve heard in a while.
Especially the pretend wife.
This was most interesting!
Why?
I distinctly recall back in the mid-1960s, as a child when my parents took the family to Disneyland and I asked why we weren't staying at the Disneyland Hotel with its new tower, I was told that for the price, the rooms there were shoddy.
That struck me as _extremely odd,_ as even in my youth, I was thoroughly impressed with the first rate operations and pristine nature of the Disneyland Park.
Our family stayed at a motel in Buena Park with paper-thin walls.
I think the reason I was lied to about the Disneyland Hotel was that the vanity in my dad didn't want to admit he couldn't afford it.
Fantastic as always!
One small note - Video Adventure didn't open until 1983, and was a partnership with Atari. In 1970 there simply weren't any arcade games to be had in the world as they didn't exist yet. It wasn't until '71 that we had Computer Space, then Pong was released in '72. Both of those games were from Nolan Bushnell, who founded Atari in '72.
My family stayed in the concierge suite on the top of Disneyland Hotel right before the private elevator closed. It was our greatest trip ever as it was during Christmas and Santa visited the concierge lounge every night. We also ate at the original Goofy’s Kitchen during that period. My best memories ever! Became a DVC member later but nothing will ever surpass the memories of those iconic times!
This is one of my favorite Disney history related videos! I’ve been going to Disney parks for the last 25 years and I never knew about what Downtown Disney was before it was built. This is so neat!
What a great Video! Very bittersweet for me. I grew up about 2 miles from Disneyland and the Disneyland Hotel. As a teenager in the early 1980's, me and my friends would hang out there and walk around the waterfalls in front of the Bonita Tower, watch the Dancing Waters show and hang out in the Video Arcade. Later, when I was old enough to drink (legally), these same friends and I would go to the bars there (Sgt. Preston’s Yukon Saloon, the Wharf Bar and the Pavilion Lounge. I made a lot of new friendships with other local regulars. For a number of years, my brother worked Security there, and one time he took me up to the roof of the Bonita Tower (what a view!).
The DH was a big part of my social life while I was transitioning from a teenager to a young adult. I really miss it a lot, and I’m saddened that the DH I knew during those times no longer exists. Still, I’ve got my memories of the DH, and those will never go away.
I remember staying at the South Garden Rooms! My grandma would take my sister, cousins and I to stay there for one night during the summer. It was awesome! Great memories! Also the waterfalls, I was so shocked when I came back to find out they took them out! I was lucky I was able to take my son there before it was demolished, it was a peaceful place for me. Thank you for this video, it brought back so many wonderful memories.
This was really fantastic! I’m a nerd for this stuff, but this is 25 minutes that feel like no more than 6. All your videos are great but you should be proud of this one. Absolutely nothing to nitpick. Also, NEVER apologize for making fun of Star Wars. It hasn’t been good since before I was born and I’m in my mid-30s. 😂
“The worlds most exciting bowl of salad” I LOVE IT!!!
id go to disney just to see that
😂😂 thats the reason i went to comments!
This is very interesting and nostalgic for me. I worked in the shops at the hotel from 1975 - 1986. When I started out of high school I was in the Sundries and the Magic and Toy shop. They were owned by Taylor & Hume. Other stores were owned by different families/companies. There were a couple of shops though that were owned by Disney through UNOCO a division of Disney and paid through the studio. During the '70s Disney would purchase these shops and refurbish them. The employees were mostly invited to join Disney as non-union cast members. Better pay, great benefits and full-time employment. Who wouldn't have joined? Before I left Disney owned all shops (except a small flower shop) and the hotel. UNOCO also ran the shops at the Inn At The Park hotel on Katella and the shops at the Imperial hotel on a property adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel.
My family and I moved out of California 30 years ago. My husband (also ex-Disney cast member) returned on vacation. I don't know the place now. Back in the early 80's we were asked to submit ideas for the old helipad and additional land that wasn't being used in that area. I suggested making a mini world showcase with shopping, dining and shows. It would be free and draw locals and paying guests to the area. I almost got it right except for the theming.
Now I'll never get to try the world's most exciting bowl of salad. Why go on a diet when the most exciting version of the #1 diet food is no longer available?!? 🙄😆
Stayed there in about 1997 and enjoyed it. Never would've guessed that it would only be standing for another 2 years.
"Large screen television set". LOL, well it WAS 1956 after all. They'd probably have a heart attack seeing these new-fangled gajillion-inch 8K HDTV whatsits they have nowadays. :D
They be impressed over how flat the screens are too.
They'd probably think it's a window with the picture quality. Or using vr
Having color tv, too
I forgot about that, having color alone is a head Turner for the mid 20th century.
RUclips has a fascinating episode of "I've Got A Secret" from 1957 which features Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of electronic television. During his interview, at the 19:22 mark, he explains that he and his colleagues are already working on flat screen high-definition TV's, and he predicts that they will one day be available. This was in 1957!
Here's the link:
ruclips.net/video/3cspYZyGp1A/видео.html
The first time I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel I was disappointed that our room wasn't in the the big building that I considered to be the ACTUAL Disneyland Hotel. Now I see that staying at the Oriental Gardens was the closest I will ever get to staying at the original hotel.
My GF and I (in 1974) stayed at the South Garden Wing of the original hotel -- we could park our 1966 VW bus right outside our rear patio. Only memories now, as all that's long gone...you'd never know it was even there -- except for videos like this one.
-- BR
Imagine being a dentist in Disneyland
wthrill they have that fake dental office on Main Street, USA
His name better be Dr. Crentist
Probably made three times as much as a standard California dentist!
The Happiest Dentist office on earth
Yeah and in WDW they actually have a hair cut place. Imagine working there!
Love this video! So glad my family got to enjoy the elevator during our few concierge trips to Disneyland Hotel. There are so many things I miss about the Disneyland Hotel. I’m so glad my children got to experience the Waterfalls, Dancing Waters, the remote powered boat, the Lost Bar, the arcade, Ariba Ariba, the original Goofy’s Kitchen! I could go on and on.
Ok but I was LITERALLY talking to my parents about this less than a week ago, because my dad was talking about remembering where the monorail went as they would walk to the park. How did this specific topic come up like this both for you as a video and my dad randomly remembering while we were watching either Yesterworld or Defunctland (I've been showing him both recently). Both uncanny and helpful!
Nice video. What a change. Looks nothing like it did when I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel back in 1982 when I was 9 years old. Brings back so many menories.
The paving over of the Bonita waterfalls literally depresses me when I went back to Disney in the 2010s
Same!!
It was such a wonderful experience walking through the many caves and inlets to the waterfalls. I miss so much about the original DL Hotel. I’m just glad I got to experience it’s many wonderful offerings including the original Goofys Kitchen, the Lost Bar and the Dancing Waterfalls.
something like that actually happened at the place where I went to college, they used to have a nice Koi Pond in the main room and it was so pretty to look at, but after a few years they got rid of and the lobby looked soulless and grey.
I forgot how much I loved playing that miniature golf course
It was magical
I never realized before today that Disneyland Hotel had a mini golf course! I love mini golf, and kept wanting to try the WDW courses, but the heat and timing always got in the way. One more DL Hotel regret to add to the list....
Growing up in the area close by the hotel complex made it a place me and my friends as kids would go to even if our parents did not want to go to Disneyland for the upteenth time. We could take one of the public transportation buses and spend a whole day here. Once I outgrew the idea of coming here I still would come by and sometimes walk through or have me and my friends go to a restaurant. We also would go here if we had to book a flight because the hotel had ticket offices of United American and Delta airlines in addition to regional carriers and maybe one or two more majors that I cannot remember. That is how self-contained this mini City really was. I guess the only thing missing was a full-service supermarket.
I find this rather sad. I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel the first time I visited Disneyland in 1982. It was awesome! My sister and I would hop on the Monorail and go directly to Disneyland. And the restaurants behind the hotel were top notch! The shopping was also fun. *sigh*
I agree. My first visit to the Kingdom was in 1956 and I was 6 years old. Walt could be seen in the streets. It was great fun.
Then, when I had young children of my own, I had managed to save enough for us to stay at the Hotel. We had previously always stayed in one the lesser-expensive, but nice little motels scattering the area in the mid to late 70s. We were disappointed because we were naive enough to believe each room would be packed with Disney pictures and gear.
But, it was just another, plain, but more expensive hotel room. However, it was worth it just hop on the Monorail and go straight into the park. After viewing this video I understand why it was like that. I had no idea that Disney didn't own the hotel. Thank you Yesterworld for a memorable and informative piece!
This hit me hard in the nostalgia. I love trying to track down these former locations in the redeveloped modern areas.
I stayed here in 1995 or 96 my family and I won the trip from a contest at Dennys! It was my first time going to Disneyland, we got to stay 4 nights at The Disneyland Hotel and they gave us these food vouchers that we used once a day to eat at Goofy’s kitchen. It was an unforgettable experience. I LOVED Dancing Waters! As much as I still love Disneyland I REALLY miss the Disneyland (and the hotel) of this time! I wish I could have explored more.
I know this video is outdated because the hotel expansion concept has totally changed. However, I really enjoy this! My first time at the Disneyland Hotel was in 1959 (age 2) and then we often stayed there many times. (traveling from San Fran area) I remember very well the original patio rooms that each had an orange tree in the fenced in patio area. I even recall the golf course and the heliport. Years later in the late 70’s I worked at Disneyland seasonally and then at the hotel (as did my girlfriend at the time). I watched that 3rd tower (the Bonita Tower) from the time it was a hole in the ground to the grand opening. To me that was the best the hotel ever was. Wonderful upscale restaurants, the great marina area, the Bonita Tower caves and waterfall and the International Shops that were in front of the that waterfall. It was really a wonderful place.
Before some went to Disneyland hotel, they went to Hotel Disneyland
"It will always be Hotel Disneyland to *me*!"
Hotel Disneyland is a better name don't @ me
I don’t know why but I have these tendencies to go back and watch almost all of these types of videos from your channel.
3:35 I have that book from when my grandpa went there in 1955 and it’s in perfect condition.
That's amazing! I paused each image to marvel at the beautiful artwork! You should scan the pages, I'd love to see more of the imagery!
I love hearing about the history of this stuff. Its sad that it gets destroyed but I'm glad it lasted a long time for people to enjoy.
Our family lived in Nor Cal but every time we went to Disneyland we always went to the Disneyland Hotel. My brother and I always loved going on the paddle boats and playing video games at the arcade. Good times and thanks for posting.
Fond memories of playing Spy Hunter for hours in that arcade!
@@mikehagmaier3949 I mostly played Firefox that Clint Eastwood movie
Me watching the Downtown Disney commercial - “There’s no entrance fee!”
Me walking through security - THEY LIED TO US
You didn't pay to get in. You had to pay to get out. Either by purchasing something or paying the parking fee.
@@Loremastrful Sounds like a nightmare. Imagine refusing to pay and just being trapped in there forever.
@@Moon_Child_Mari You can still get out without paying, just... not with your car. I feel like being so stubborn about parking fees that you just abandon your car forever and walk home from Disneyland would be even more impressive, in a "do they have a name for what's wrong with you?" sort of way. :)
As a kid visiting Disneyland every year(early 70s) riding the monorail and stopping at the Disneyland Hotel, it became my dream to be one of those people to get off and stay at the hotel. That day finally happened in 2002. My wife and I along with our son, stayed in a suite for 2 days. Though the cost of the suite was astronomical(I'm not even going to admit how much), and I was a bit disappointed about how run-down the hotel was getting, but I was sure happy I finally did it. Was finally able to ride the glass elevator, and it was pretty cool being on the top floor during the fireworks show(eye level). Got to cross something off my bucket list.
6:00 Not gonna lie, that got me! 😂🥗So much history packed into a fascinating episode! Well done as always Mark 👍
+
My favorite memory of the original Disneyland Hotel was, as a cast member, I was invited to participate in a photoshoot for one of the restaurants. For at least till the big remodel for Downtown Disney, I could pass the signage showing the inside of the restaurants at the entrance, and see a younger version of me. We got paid with some extra Disneyland tickets to give to friends (since as a cast member, you got in for free). I'm can't remember if we were allowed to eat the meals that were on the tables in front of us. Oh, since I worked in the warehouse overnight, we delivered every day to the hotel at like 5 - 6 am, having to cross West Avenue with a train of carts.
Well worth the wait (the aging tech used in The Irishman must've been expensive). The kinescopes and film segments are a revelation. Who knew that the complex had such a great history of shops, restaurants and experiences separate from the park. Really, really great.
It makes it awkward they demolished the oldest section of the hotel including the two malls to build a clone of Disney World's Downtown Disney that is now demolished to expand the other parks. If anything the hotel should have been part of downtown Disney with out major demolition. Just have the other ships and the AMC Dine in behind the hotel. My guess was that the old Motel style structures were a humiliating for Eisner who wanted a high class resort like Florida and the California park had a motel that expanded with bigger hotel towers. So he demolished the motel parts and reinvented the newer buildings in to a higher class resort hotel like the ones in Florida.
My original trip to Disneyland in 1976 was accompanied by a stay at the DH. At that time, it was like an extension of the park and you were constantly entertained. It was definitely the way to experience Disneyland back then.
"I've been looking forward to this"- Count Dooku
"This is where the fun begins."
-Anakin Skywalker
“The circle is now complete”
Twice the pride, double the fall
I remember the hotel in the 70s and 80s. My mom loved staying there. We only lived 1½ hours from Disneyland. It was a perfectly safe place for kids to wander around. There was so much to do there. Especially during the holidays. So many memories.
The Disneyland Hotel sounds so cool and classic mid-century in its original form, but honestly the modern hotel is better in my opinion. The tropical fauna with the pool, Tangaroa terrace and Trader Sam's is just unbeatable.
David Feltheim it’s definitely more simplified. Less amenities. I think now days people just go to Downtown Disney and get their moneys worth in the actual parks. The hotel grounds are lush and of course the pool is fantastic for kids but the towers are so dated. They desperately need a redo.
@@Imzadi I mean tbh Downtown Disney is basically a one-for-one replacement of the original Disneyland Hotel shopping district. It's in the same place, and both were open to the public.
I remember walking around the shops and eating at the Monorail Cafe once as a kid.
My dad heard it would be demolished and wanted to see it again before it was.
Where the heck do you even find the vintage photos and videos used in these episodes? It’s honestly very impressive
I remember staying at the Disneyland Hotel in 1989. We had such a fun week. One of my best memories.
7:00. Wow. Boy in red trunks dives into 6 inches of water and appears to regret it.
Jeff Welcher Media Lol, I was wondering why he wanted to dive like that 🤪
Wowzus, I missed that so I went to the time stamped and golly it looks like a scene out of a Mr Bean film!
That was painful to watch.
Yesterworld deserves more subscribers!!!!!!!!!
His vids are just too good!
Thank you, this took me back to being 10 years old when I stayed there with my family. That was 1980.
Thank you so much for this video! Just had major nostalgia overload. I remember staying with my family at the Disneyland Hotel back in the early 90s. The remote control boats, the shops, the waterfalls, and the arcade are all things I clearly remember from that time. Crazy to see how much it has changed in the last 30 years.
It’s not fair because now days you have to be wealthy to take your kids there. No wonder old people are so happy. They lived in much better times.
nicholasyoder ikr back then you probably only needed a couple months to plan ahead but now if your a middle class family you need a whole year to plan a one week trip
My parents and my family never stayed at Disneyland Hotel. Even back then it was much cheaper to stay off property. It was nice to explore the grounds but out of reach for a one income, working class family like ours.
You sound like a lefty
Yebo Screbo nope I’m racist so I don’t fit that category, although I’m working on trying to fix that problem
The old people were spoiled.
I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel in 1992 on a high school trip. It was actually the same time as the Rodney King riots in L.A. and a bunch of parents, who apparently couldn't read a map, were frantically trying to get in touch with their kids, freaking out. I don't really remember seeing any of the shows at the hotel, or even a mention that they existed. There was a cool shop in the plaza that sold animation cells which I liked. Honestly I spent most of my time in the arcade. I also liked being able to watch the fireworks from our hotel room, which was pretty high up in the tower (whichever one faced the park). Other fun fact, I lost my virginity that week in that hotel. So I'll always have a sentimental attachment to it. 😂
I remember seeing the iconic Disneyland Hotel sign so many times. I always wanted/begged to stay there but we lived less than an hour away so I never got the chance. But I did go to the park several times throughout the late 70's and 80's. I remember the old submarine ride and going under water (sort-of) and later, I remember waiting in line for hours to ride on Star Tours in the late 80's, and I also remember going on the ride it replaced, Adventure thru inner space. I remember it seemed cool but old by the time I rode it. And I remember there was only one or two places where my dad could get a beer so we always went there and now as a dad myself, I understand completely.
I loved Adventure through Inner Space! I was fascinated by the video about it over at Defunctland. I think by the time you and I visited (late 70s-early 80s) a lot had changed. I remember the voice of Paul Frees as the narrator but my memory is sketchy after that. Star Tours and Captain EO were absolutely amazing! And yes you'd think that Disney as a family friendly place wouldn't have liquor but now that I'm a parent I can definitely see where a day of escorting your kids around the parks would warrant the consumption of an adult beverage (or two!)! I haven't yet taken my son to Disneyland but when I do I think I'll probably need a drink sometime during our visit...hooboy...
7:20 - I stayed at that same hotel when we visited Disneyland in 2019. I never realized it had a "Space Age" theme back in the 50s. So cool!
I had my first trip to a Disneyland in 1974-5. I miss the Tiki Room, the Old versions of some of the rides, the monorail....not the same...
At 7:56, I love how the Sikorsky S55 helicopter makes a shallow approach right over a bunch of people's parked cars, just imagine all the paint and/or window damage the cars possibly received from the rotor's downwash kicking up loose gravel from the lot! Got to love the way things were done back in the day...……..
I thought I dreamed the lagoon, wow that really happened. My grandparents always hit the hotel on the way out of Disneyland to see the Dancing Waters. They did drink a ton of coffee back then. The Hawaiian stuff was so amazing I didn't realize until now that was actually part of what I saw as a kid. I thought it was a dream I had. XD That is what happens when a kid is so tired at Disneyland they pass out and wake up the next day thinking it was a dream until ya see the half inflated Mickey balloon at the end of your bed.
My family actually went to this place. And there’s a photo of my older brother with my cousin in a peddle boat in 1996. I always wondered about it and what it was exactly. So this video is really special. Thank you for this.
please do more educational videos on Disney history
Yes a great idea! 👌
I still have a Fantasia satin jacket I bought at the Plaza in the 70’s. I honeymooned at the hotel in a suite in Bonita. Wonderful memories.
I had to watch this 3x before commenting. Thank you so much for doing this. Also, you're right. There's so much to go into it would have to be other videos. You did pretty good at wrapping it all up in one neat package. Wrather's wife was Bonita Granville, one of the stars of Lassie, a TV series Jack owned. Granville's steakhouse is still named after her, although the Bonita tower is now the Frontierland tower. Jack also owned the Lone Ranger ( with Clayton Moore on hand for the opening ceremony as the Lone Ranger ) and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon which accounts for the stage show at the Sgt. Preston's bar/dinner show seen at 15:58. I didn't even know about the things that were hidden inside the DL Hotel until I took the monorail in the 80's and got off at the hotel just to see what was there. It was pure happenstance. From that point forward if I was ever traveling back and forth between San Diego and Los Angeles I would stop over for a couple of hours, play the RC cars, Jungle Cruise boats, tour the rock waterfall area, play games in the underwater arcade ( you could look out the windows and see the waterline above you ) or rent a paddleboat. ...the marina wasn't really that much fun, you just go in a circle and you're done. To me the 80's were the best era with things winding down in the 90's. ..also, you are right for disliking Rise of Skywalker. Any rational person would.
At one point I planned to do an entire segment about Sgt. Preston of the Yukon and how it tied into the hotel, as it seemed almost like the equivalent of the Hoop-Dee-Doo at WDW (more or less). And I also wanted to dive into Jack Wrather's involvement with Lassie...and the Lone Ranger...and to dive deeper into his influence on the hotel itself, the restaurants, the names chosen for various aspects of the hotel...the origins of Goofy's Kitchen...but then I just realized it was impossible to cover all of that in a single episode. I can't think of another video on the channel where I re-wrote the script so much, as I was constantly trying to fit all of this history into a standalone episode. Maybe in hindsight I should've made it a series, but I also wanted to condense the entire history into a single viewing experience, so time will tell if I succeeded :)
@@YesterworldEntertainment Wow. The rewrites paid off. You did perfect at condensing it into a single viewing experience. It's hard to tell at what point an audience hears too much info and thinks "Alright, already." I would have loved to hear more, but I admit any video could probably overdo it by spending too long on one topic. You found details that many Disney historians missed or forgot about. I e-mailed this vid link to many friends as a "See, this is what I was talking about!" reference. if you're ever out west, PM me. Drinks at Trader Sam's are on me.
Thank you for this video. So much nostalgia and forgotten memories; even for someone born in '85. I remember my family bringing every out of town guest to Disneyland hotel to watch the fantasy waters show.
Yesterworld, One of the things I liked to do was to catch the Monorail from the TomorrowLand station to the D/L Hotel. Around 4.30 p.m. At the Monorail Lounge I'd have 2 Martini's then stroll over for dinner at the Sailmakers Den. Happy days. The nice thing about the Plaza shop's was they not only sold Disney park merchandise. But they also sold exclusive Disney merch that was'nt available in the park. Cheers, Chris Perry.
That was adorable and probably way more fun back then, now there is sooo many other fun things it’s harder to choose
Our family experienced our one and only Disneyland visit (from Milwaukee Wisconsin) in '67 (I was 19) after all those years being TOTALLY and enthusiastically indoctrinated by the whole Disney "cult" we, as grade school kids (and our parents), would watch EVERY Sunday evening "The Wonderful World of Disney" sitting at the dinner table brought into the livingroom to have dinner during the show.
We would rush home from school in 5th grade to watch the impossibly mesmerizing Mickey Mouse Club show.
At our '67 Disneyland vacation, even as a 19 year old, I could appreciate the spectacularly glorious production values of the realistic attractions, landscaping, park layout AND to me, that everything was so clean.
Not a wad of gum, wrappers, cigarette pack/cigarettes, paper cups etc. to be seen anywhere! One could, literally, eat off the street!
AMAZING, never heard of at any State Fair, zoo etc.
WDW hadn't arrived yet, so this was still the standard of park execution.
I went to WDW as a high-school band chaperon in '84, honeymoon in '93, and with our two children in '08 and '10.
Great and fond memories!
Thanks Mr. Disney!
My dad went to Disney world right after it opened. Hearing about the parks back then is so cool.
17:13 "and it really began with..." don't say it, don't say it.
You should cover those other non Disney hotels that popped up. They look pretty interesting and seem to be themed. The space age one in particular looks very interesting
my mom was a maid in the Disneyland hotel in Anaheim in the early 60s and late 70s.we used to go to Disneyland almost once a week because her friend who also was a maid,her husband worked in the swiss family treehouse and he would get us in for free at the gate.thats when they used tickets A,C,E and a KEY ticket,i dont remember if they were other letters for the tickets.,we used visit my mom for lunch and look out of windows down below.they used to have a helicopter across the street that landed on a pad and dropped people out to go to the hotel.does anyone remember that.i do.it was fun in those days because it was one park,no Disney walk just an entrance where you go in.my mom used to bring home stuff from the rooms because guests would sometimes leave or forget stuff.i remember having some wanted posters from knotts berry farm with someone name on it.miss those days.
Way more interesting than I had expected. 👍🏻
why does the lowercase “h” in hotel bother me so much
Jeffery Kennedy >> Because it is annoying!
Because you are normal.
It was the style the person who designed the name wanted. Other than that it's bad grammar skills.
My dad visited at some point after the addition of dancing waters. He was born in '71 so I'm not sure how old he was when he eventually saw it, but during our last trip to Disneyworld my dad was describing it to us, telling us how it was a crazy thing to see at the time.
Glad they mentioned some of the other motels near Disneyland such as the Peter Pan Inn. Even in the mid-80’s-early 90’s those motels were only about $35/night and were right next to the park. Now staying anywhere in Anaheim will cost you an arm and a leg.
Yes, I agree. We went to those same places throughout the 70s and I think most of all those cutesy names were under the umbrella of Best Western. I don't know what Best Western is like now; But, at that time they were all clean, consistent and friendly.
We stayed at Stovall's Space-Age Inn circa 1985. I remember all the neat topiaries! Thought they were a little kitschy but on brand for a motel close to Disneyland :}
I had forgotten about this. I LOVED the Monorail cafe, and I remember the RC boats, and the arcade. I miss this.
My wife, daughter, aunt and I went to Disneyland in the 1970's. I retain absolutely no memories of the visit.
Years later my wife some friends and I went to the Florida Disneyland and I have vivid memories of that trip The unique hotel (still standing, I guess) and the monorail which rand through the hotel were just great.
The only downside, as I remember, was that there were not a lot of places to eat IN the park.
The Disneyland Hotel, in the 80's ,was the place to be if you were a kid. I loved it.