We all know about that world-famous “land” in Orange County, California—Disneyland.

But there are also other “lands” in Orange County. Way back in 1974, I took my VW and my camera to towns around Disneyland to see what other “lands” I could find. Now, more than 30 years later, here are the results.

, Curator of Yesterland

Where else can you see a circa-1970 sign sitting on top of a circa-1960 sign?

I’d like to think that, by now, they’ve added signs from the 1980s and 1990s above these. Alas, it appears that Burgerland is out of business.

What does the “C C” stand for? Your guess is as good as mine.

This picture is over 30 years old, but C C Camperland is still in business.

I wish I could still see Fantasia in a luxurious 1,180-seat theater like this.

Fox Cinemaland opened in 1968 as a deluxe, first-run movie theater with a huge screen and 70mm projection capability. In 1974, the once well-proportioned auditorium was butchered into three awkward auditoriums with correspondingly smaller screens. The triplex was demolished in 1998.

And what could be more magical than toys and souvenirs?

Magicland was in the Disneyland Hotel’s three-story Plaza Building, which opened in 1966. The Plaza Building, along with the other older, low-rise portions of the Disneyland Hotel, was demolished in 1999 to make way for Downtown Disney.

Melodyland was a theater-in-the-round which became a church-in-the-round.

The 3,200-seat Melodyland Theater, located across Harbor Boulevard from Disneyland, opened in 1963. Audiences could enjoy Broadway musicals, concerts by popular performers, such as Johnny Carson or the Grateful Dead, and even ice shows. In 1969, Rev. Ralph Wilkerson bought Melodyland for use as a church. Melodyland must have seemed to be a good name for a church too, so they kept the name and even the original Melodyland sign. Melodyland was demolished in 2003. The parcel of land on which Melodyland sat is now part of Anaheim GardenWalk, a lifestyle shopping center. Freedman Way is now called Disney Way.

I suppose today they would call this Pastaland.

The Spaghettiland font is similar to the Disneyland font. Alas, Spaghettiland is now history. A Google search for Spaghettiland and Garden Grove returned only one result—the web page that you’re reading right now.

Tired of plush toys as souvenirs? Take home real concrete statues for your yard.

Actually, a left turn across busy Harbor Boulevard might get you killed, but at least it’s legal.

Trailerland was on the west side of Harbor Boulevard, just north of the Santa Ana Freeway. It’s now the site of Hotel Menage, which was formerly a Holiday Inn.

Overnighters are welcome at Vacationland, the RV park of the Disneyland Hotel.

Vacationland became Disney’s Vacationland when The Walt Disney Company acquired the Wrather Corporation in 1988 to obtain ownership of the Disneyland Hotel. Disney’s Vacationland lasted until early 1997 when it fell to the Disneyland Resort expansion. West Street is now called Disneyland Drive. The tram stop for the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure in now located on the site on Vacationland.

So this is where Alice went—probably to go bowling at the Wonder Bowl across the street.

I called the Wonderland Liquor Store in April 2007. They’re still in business at 175 W. Katella Avenue, and the shopping center is still called Wonderland Center. But the Wonder Bowl bowling alley is gone, and I don’t know if Wonderland Center still has its original sign.

I didn’t go inside, so I don’t know if the bartender was named Walt Dizzy.

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Updated July 4, 2008.

© 2007-2008 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks

All photographs by Werner Weiss, 1974.