WARD KIMBALL'S "Lookit Me!" PARTY HAT #2

ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM EXIT SIGN, c.1967

Here's a neat one that I love. The only problem is I never want to leave....

Here's a not so well composed pic in my house.

...and here's the same one up in the park from a 1970s slide, with the same broken parts!

Damn you, Exit Sign!!! I ain't ready yet! Why can't you say, "WELCOME!",???

Forgotten, But Not Gone!!!!!

Hello, Blog Werld!

Been a long time....

I continue to get requests for more stuff. It's flattering for sure that anyone would still check in to the Barrel. Honestly, I'm just a lazy bones about it. Also, the once small and uncharted (and once inexpensive!) world of Disneyland slides has simply become difficult to keep up with.

So, with that in mind, I'll occasionally come on to post random items from my collection.

I've been fortunate to work with the Disney Archives on several projects of late relating to Disneyland. They are a terrific bunch over there and I can tell you from first hand experience, we Disneyland fans have much to look forward to.

If you are not a member of D23, I highly recommend it. The magazine and club could use your support. It's expensive, I know. Try not to think of it as forking money over to big, rich corporate Disney, but rather, helping a fringe part of the Company prove that the REAL history and traditions of Disney is something worth celebrating. It's no coincidence the D23 magazine is so....'Disneyland-centric'. In fact, just take a look at the freebies so far: an exact replica of the 1956 pictorial fold out fan and a full set of the Disneyland '59 attraction shields in embroidered patch form! I don't know about you, but that's fairly specific Disneyland stuff! Somebody up there likes Disneyland! Woo-Hoo!!!

That said, now would be a great time to join. The D23 expo is coming up in September. It will be loaded with amazing stuff, including some major historical objects in the "Treasures of the Archives" walk-through presentation. This elaborate display will have the class and feel of a Tutankhamen exhibit at the Met. I don't know about you, but it's the historical objects relating to Disney that get me going! Seeing the animated children's blocks from Mary Poppins or a hero shooting figure of V.I.N.C.E.N.T. from The Black Hole in person is tre' cool!

Also, the latest issue of D23 magazine is one for the books! The lead article is by long-time Disney photo librarian and historian, Ed Squair and centers on the 40th Anniversary of THE Haunted Mansion in Disneyland. Some terrific insights are revealed for a topic which one would think has been beaten to death....well, I can assure you, there's still some life there to extinguish! Also, the magazine asked if they could use an artifact in my collection for the article and I said, 'sure'!

(To see the full image, get D23 magazine!)

It's this super-rare employee preview poster for the two days immediately before the August 9th opening of the attraction. To this day, the massive work force at Disney parks is a great/safe way to test an attraction under full load conditions before it opens to the public. On August 7th and 8th 1969, from 7pm to midnight, Disneyland employees stopped into their break rooms and found this poster inviting them to preview what was probably the most anticipated Disneyland attraction of all time!

Another great article, by Rob Klein, celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland '59. To all extensive purposes, June 14th, 1959 was the 'second opening' of Disneyland. Well, worth the price of the magazine plus you'll get one of those great attraction shield patches!

Ok, so navigate back every now and then and I'll try to keep posting. Thanks for checking in!

1967 Vacationland Magazine Cover Painting



One of my favorite pieces. Disney WED designer/illustrator Neil Boyle's concept/publicity art for the creation of New Orleans Square. The painting, which is based on an early Herb Ryman concept view of the Royal Courtyard, dates from at least 1965. Before it was featured on the cover of the Winter/Spring 1967 issue of Vacationalnd, it was in the interior pages of both a 1965 and 1966 issue.


Boyle's work will be familiar to fans of the 1965 Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln LP on Disneyland records.

Check out the full 1967 Vacationland at http://vintagedisneylandtickets.blogspot.com/

FREEDOMLAND ON THE AUCTION BLOCK....SORT OF.

Well, posting the Freedomland posters got me thinking. I haven't close to enough wall space left to hang them so why not offer them to some Freedomland nut?

I'm certainly in no rush to sell 'em but if the right person was interested, they might be in better hands. Of course, they aren't cheap but when compared to Disneyland posters, the seven are a steal...especially since I believe these to be much more rare. Also, it would be a sin against humanity to break them up.

Anyhow, here's the link if anyone want's to double-check the lint in their pockets....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260152895445

There's a bunch of other rare crap that might be of interest to visitors of this blog in my other auctions.

Now's the time to cash in yer kid's college fund!

FREEDOMLAND UBER ALLES!

Here's the last poster for all you freedomland fans, you....

Probably the coolest of them all, yet still amazingly, Freedomlandy.

It's of the Braniff Space Ship from Freedomland's interpretation of Tomorrowland. Satellite City.

From the looks of this poster, you'll happily crash your space ship into the San Fransisco Bridge!
And you thought the Rocket Rods were a bad idea!

Well, that's my Freedomland poster contribution to the blogger world. Enjoy!