Hotel Book First Addendum Now Available

An electronic version is now available of the first addendum to our book "The Disneyland Hotel: The Early Years 1954-1988." This work features original text and photographs plus all new information and many more photographs. The first issue covers 1954 until the day before opening day, October 4th, 1955. With all the new information received, the story of the Disneyland Hotel can now be told with many more facts and details. Please let us know if you are interested in a copy.

http://www.magicalhotel.com

First Addendum Front Cover

Inside Front Cover

BonitaTower Meeting Rooms

Interior photographs are always tougher to find of the Disneyland Hotel. Today, I am posting some interior shots of the meeting facilities at the brand-new Bonita Tower in 1978. The Hotel boasted it could accomodate groups of just about any size. Some of the settings had wonderful views of the surrounding areas.

Please write if you are interested in the first addendum which is now available in an e-copy version. http://www.magicalhotel.com/

The Disneyland Hotel had rooms of varying sizes for group meetings. Here is a smaller room located in the new Bonita Tower.

Bonita Tower Meeting Room - You could hear the sounds of the waterfalls from this meeting room which opened in 1978. Beautiful setting!

This was when the Bonita Tower first opened in 1978.

Room Interiors of the Late 70's

Tonight I am adding some interior shots of the various rooms at the Disneyland Hotel around 1978. This was when the Bonita Tower had just opened and the Hotel now boasted over 1400 rooms which was the largest amount of rooms ever advertised at the Disneyland Hotel. This is right around the first time I ever stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and I remember it well.

In case you haven't noticed, the Disneyland Hotel is undergoing some pretty big changes these days. Soon, the only way to remember or see how it used to be will be right here on this blog or on my website http://www.magicalhotel.com/. Even better yet, get a copy of our book on the history of the Hotel which you can order online from the website.

I will be posting brochure deviations coming up. When you think you have two of the same brochure, watch out....you just may have two different versions with only slight deviations and one of them might be quite rare.

This would have been a mid-priced suite in the Marina Tower.....around $200 a night.

Interior view of a Tower Suite in the late 70's. These rooms rented for between $125 - $300 and this particular suite looks like one of the larger ones.

A typical room interior in the late 70's.

A late 70's look inside a Tower Room.

Coffee Shop Interior - This is a repeat of this picture previously posted however, this has a much wider angle and shows more detail. This restauarant would become the Monorail Cafe in 1986.

1987 Magazine Advertisement

This was just prior to the transfer of ownership of the Hotel to the Walt Disney Company

Publicity Shot

Papeete Beach from a late 80's publicity packet on the Disneyland Hotel

Walt Disney and Jack Wrather

Did some digging and I did manage to find another picture of Walt Disney and Jack Wrather together. While this is obviously at the same event (official Grand Opening/August 1956) it nevertheless is a different photo. It was taken just before or just after the previous picture posted in this blog. I would still love to see any others of the two together.

Kaleidoscope Magazine Spring 1980

AS DOCUMENTED EARLIER, THE DISNEYLAND HOTEL HAD SEVERAL MAGAZINES OVER THE COURSE OF ITS HISTORY. THIS ONE, KALEIDOSCOPE RAN FROM THE LATE 70'S TO THE EARLY 80'S. THIS PARTICULAR ONE FEATURED A THREE-PART STORY ON THE HISTORY OF THE DISNEYLAND HOTEL AT THAT TIME CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND WAS ALSO A GREAT INSPIRATION FOR OUR BOOK “DISNEYLAND HOTEL THE EARLY YEARS 1954-1988” HTTP://WWW.MAGICALHOTEL.COM. THE PICTURES BELOW ARE ALL FROM THE FIRST PART OF THE HOTEL STORY TITLED “THE WILDCATTING YEARS.”

Another mystery: this couple Mr. and Mrs. Robert Arnone are billed as the first guests staying at the Disneyland Hotel yet the administration building shops are clearly visible in the background which did not open until 1956. Were they brought back to attend the gerand opening in August of 1956 to celebrate or were they the first to check in at the Hotel's opening in 1956?

The Linkletters with Walt Disney at the grand opening of the Disenyland Hotel

First manager of the Disneyland Hotel Don J. Daley shakes hands with Jack Wrather at the grand opening celebration.

Early amenities at the Hotel.

I would probably date this picture as late 1955 oe early 1956

Original Pictures from Bill Cotter

Today I am adding original pictures from the files of Bill Cotter. Thanks Bill for allowing me to share these. If you get a chance to bid on Bill's pictures on disk on Ebay, I would highly recommend that you do so. His shots often show areas of Disneyland and the Hotel not often seen by the masses. They bring back so many wonderful memories and they are all in beautiful living color. I love Bill's book "The Wonderful World of Disney Television" which I refer to often when finding shows on television. If you love the old "Wonderful World" Sunday night shows, this book will sure bring back some great memories.

Guests outside the Disneyland Hotel Shops - The shop area was a wonderful way to enjoy your stay at the Disneyland Hotel. It was also where my family would buy gifts to take home to give to other family members not on the trip. This was one place where men did not mind shopping....well at least I never minded shopping here. I absolutely loved those black stone sidewalks. They just added a touch of class to me. This shot was from the 50's though I do not know the actual date.

Exterior of the restauarant area at the Original Disneyland Hotel - I loved those black stone sidewalks. They felt so cool during the hot summers.

Restaurant Area - The parking lot on West Street and the restaurant exteriors in the 50's. I love those cars and that architecture.

Walkway between Garden Structures - Jack Wrather paid close attention to details and made sure the grounds on the Original Disneyland Hotel were lush and beautiful.

Putting green - Beautiful shot of the architecture, grounds and amenities at the Original Disneyland Hotel

Sign Close-Up - A close-up of the putting green rules sign.

Coral Club - The fountain that guests (mostly kids) would use as a wading pool. Man was that nice on hot summer days!

Overheads

Some of my favorite photographs are overhead shots. I love to try and guess the year and even further the month of the shot. Not too tough on one I added as the year was typed right on the picture.

1960 Overhead - An interesting view from behind the Disneyland Hotel. Those homes are still there today.

1969 Overhead - The Marina Tower is under construction and ground is being cleared for the marina itself.

Personal pics from 1956

Guests at the Original Disneyland Hotel

Near the sandbox

Guest rooms and the fountain/wading pool

Children at the fountain at the Disneyland Hotel

Personal Photographs from the Disneyland Hotel

More candid shots from happy times at the World's Most Exciting Hotel. The Hotel was truly special with many fun activities for all.

Hotel Disneyland - The Original Tower Building in the early 60's

1965 Construction - Tower Addition personal picture