Late 60's montage of the Disneyland Hotel

Dancing Waters, Crown and Pillow Pub, Monorail Bar, overhead from the Sierra Tower, glass elevator...from 1969 convention brochure

Late 60's Coffee House

This was taken inside the Coffe House which in 1986 became the Monorail Cafe

Late 60's California Dining Room

This is from a 1969 convention brochure showing the different restaurants at the Disneyland Hotel

Late 60's Patio Dining

I'm not sure if this was poolside or next to the Coffee House (which later became the Monorail Cafe)

The End of an Era

These 1999 photographs document the last days of the original Disneyland Hotel dating back to October 5th, 1955 when the Hotel first opened for business. I would like to credit Intercot West for these amazing shots that detail certainly a sad time for purists and history buffs of the original Disneyland Hotel. I'll say it again, I think it would have been no trouble at all for Disney to have left one original building standing as an historical site in remembrance of the beginnings of this wonderful facility. Especially considering there is only a grass field where these structures once stood. They could have decorated using 50's furniture and motif. They could have placed pictures on the walls depicting milestones from the Hotel's history. They could have used scale models showing the growth of the Disneyland Hotel. I know of many folks who would have loved to have seen this. I did hear that the original structures were in pretty bad shape though. Some retrofitting and they would have been fine. Now I hear they are talking about bringing down the Towers and building a brand-new Disneyland Hotel. The oldest building on the grounds now dates back to 1962 and what was the Sierra Tower.

4-19-1999 - THE LAST DAY OF ACTIVITY IN THE ORIGINAL FIVE STRUCTURES OF THE DISNEYLAND HOTEL. THE BUILDINGS CLOSED THE NEXT DAY AND DEMOLITION PLANS WERE TAKING SHAPE. SOON THESE BUILDINGS WOULD BE FENCED OFF FROM THE PUBLIC AND NEARLY 44 YEARS OF HAPPY MEMORIES OF WONDERFUL STAYS AT THE ORIGINAL DISNEYLAND HOTEL WOULD BE JUST THAT.....MEMORIES.

5-9-1999 - THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURES ARE STILL IN PLACE BUT THE END IS VERY NEAR. NO ACTIVITY IN ANY OF THE BUILDINGS ALTHOUGH THEIR LIGHTS STILL WORK.

6-13-1999 - The original structures are now fenced off and are awaiting destruction. They have but two short weeks of life left.

6-13-1999 - THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURES ARE NOW FENCED OFF WITH THEIR LUSH LANDSCAPING REMOVED.....AWAITING DEMOLITION. SOON, A MILLION MEMORIES WILL DISAPPEAR AND A VITAL PIECE OF ANAHEIM HISTORY WILL BE GONE. COULDN'T THEY HAVE LEFT ONE BUILDING UP FOR HISTORICAL SAKE?

6-30-1999 - Close-up showing the demolition in progress.

6-30-1999 - The demolition machines doing their duty.

6-30-1999 - The buildings have just been demolished with one last piece standing.

7-14-1999 - The buildings have been demolished and only one small piece remains. Wonder why they left this piece up?

8-19-1999 - The last remaining piece has been removed.

9-8-1999 - Now paved over and made into a parking lot. A little under 44 years later and no more original structures remaining from the Original Disneyland Hotel.

1967 Overhead Shot

A 1967 aerial shot with the disneyland Hotel in the foreground. The new Tower annex had just been opened for about a year when this picture was taken. The Hotel at this time had just over 600 rooms.

Groundbreaking 1955

Newly discovered groundbreaking shot showing Jack and Bonita Wrather along with Anaheim Mayor, Charles Pearson

Official Grand Opening, Disneyland Hotel August 25th, 1956

Although the Disneyland Hotel opened for business on October 5th, 1955, the "official" grand opening took place in late August of 1956. This was after the Hotel's shops and restaurants were opened and three additional graden structures were added to the grounds. The Hotel now had over 200 rooms, a full slate of shops and restaurants, an Olympic-Size swimming pool and tram service to and from Disneyland Park. The Hotel was near or at capacity nearly every night and was regularly turning away guests due to lack of rooms. This grand opening was a star studded affair and featured some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Walt Disney also attended the festivities himself. Pictures of Helen Alvarez on the grounds are extremely hard to find. She did not regularly show up at the Hotel and in fact, began to feud with the Wrather's almost from the day the Disneyland Hotel opened for business. The partnership (after many litigations) dissolved in early 1958. Souvenirs that have Wrather-Alvarez Hotels stamped on them are certainly the rarest and most valuable of collectible items from the Hotel's past.

Alan Ladd, Helen Alvarez, Jack Wrather, Bonita Granville-Wrather and a sideways Mazie Wrather cut the ribbon at the Disneyland Hotel's official grand opening ceremony in August of 1956

The two principal and majority owners of the original Disneyland Hotel, Mr. Jack Wrather and Miss Helen Alvarez in this newly found gala opening day event photo for the Disneyland Hotel

The Disneyland Hotel's official grand opening. From left to right, Bonita Granville-Wrather, Helen Alvarez, Jack Wrather, Mazie Wrather (Jack's mother), Yvonne DeCarlo and William Bendix in this newly found photo.

Hotel Restaurant Ads

50's Ads

1957 Disneyland Guidebook