Thanks for all the great Yester Memories, More Yester Memories, and Even More Yester Memories. Here’s the page for 1998. Several memories have been edited to reduce length.

If you had an experience that can no longer be repeated because the ride, show, restaurant, or other Disneyland feature is now gone, and you want to share it on this page, send it to me with the subject of "Memory."

, Curator of Yesterland
 

Of all the great memories I have read on the Yesterland site (including those of the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and the Skyway), no one has posted one about the wonderful little breakfast restaurant near the entrance of Main Street on the right hand side as one faces Sleeping Beauty’s Castle (the space is now occupied by retail). In this great little restaurant, you could sit indoors or outdoors facing the Disneyland Railroad Station, and the omelet chef would prepare the most delicious and fluffy creations behind a glass partition in view of patrons waiting for a table. For a modest price ($6.95 I believe), you would get a two-egg omelet with a variety of toppings, potatoes, two fresh-baked mini muffins of choice and a glass of fresh juice or milk. The food was wonderful and it was one of the few table-service restaurants in all of the park. One of the attractions of the restaurant (does anyone remember its name?) was that if you timed it just right, you could get a seat outside and be waited upon while watching one of the parades down Main Street. Since it was open until about 8 p.m., and served its breakfast menu all day, we often found ourselves eating both breakfast and "late breakfast" there, catching the Main Street Electrical Parade right from our table. In addition, there was a space just the other side of this restaurant that showcased future plans for Disneyland attractions, featuring scale models, architectural renderings and the like. After eating our morning meal, we would always take a walk through this little display to see what was in the future of the park. The last time I remember visiting the park and eating at this restaurant (we go at least once and up to three times per year) was in mid 1988. After that, it was simply closed, despite the fact that it was always busy and always had a line for a table.

— James P. Reza, October 24, 1998 (jpreza @ lvcm.com)

When we took our two kids to Disneyland to see one of the last Main Street Electrical Parades in October 1996 we invited my father-in-law to meet us there on Saturday. He almost didn’t make it because he was in the traffic jam that became the largest capacity crowd to attend Disneyland. It was the first time in Disneyland history they had to close the gates to anymore guests. That was at 5pm. He went with us the next day. When we asked him if he wanted to go on the Submarine Voyage he got excited and told us a very interesting story as we walked towards it. He told us that when he was 17 growing up in Bakersfield, he was a part of a work crew of young adults who actually helped build, paint, and install that very attraction. He remembered painstakingly painting the backgrounds and plants, and gluing down the various sealife and other props. He said that Disneyland put them up at a barracks by the Disneyland Hotel site for almost the whole summer. It was his first time away from home and he loved the experience. He also remembered the live mermaids. I have known my father-in-law for over 30 years and I never knew about it until then. It was also the first time my husband heard that story and we were amazed and proud that "Dad Pierre" had a part in the building of Disneyland. I remember going myself on the ride for that first time in 1964 and thinking that the whole thing was real. Listening to the captain counting off the "fathoms (or leagues?)." Watching the "real fish" with fascination. When I got older it looked so fake but still fun.

— Sari Pierre, October 24, 1998 (Pierrems @ aol.com)

I grew up in Southern California and though my parents claim I was wheeled in my stroller through Disneyland the opening summer, I don’t remember any of it. My first concrete memories begin when I was about four or five years old when for many years afterward the "Pack Mules Through Nature’s Wonderland" was my favorite ride. I had a passion for horses (and a mule was the next best thing) and enjoyed the slow, quiet, and serene meander through the Western landscape. The mule ride was a chance to relax, let someone else do the walking, and gather your thoughts before the next big decision about where to go and what to ride next. I was always tall and tried to stand even taller so that I might be lucky enough to be told to ride the last mule in the "train." I’m not sure why the tallest person in line got to ride at the end of the group but it always made me feel like I was helping the guide on the lead mule — I would take care of any problems the riders at the back of the train might encounter along the trail!"

— Kari Johnson, October 23, 1998 (KEJohnson @ getty.edu)

My first visit to Disneyland was only eight years ago, in 1991. One of my most wonderful memories about it is riding the Skyway to Tomorrowland; it was magical for me to see the views from up there and going through the Matterhorn. The other attraction that was very nice was the People Mover; it helped us relax from that crowded New Year’s Eve when we even had the chance to see Michael Jackson visiting the park!! I’ve been visiting the park once a year since then but I’ll never forget about that first time!

— Vinicio Mckay, Guatemala, Central America,
     October 14, 1998 (mckay @ infovia.com.gt)

As a child we went to Disneyland every summer. On each annual visit we would spend one afternoon at Disney’s miniature golf course located at the Disneyland Hotel. Each hole of the course was based on a different attraction from the park. It has been gone for quite a long time, but I still remember some of them. One was based on the Storybook cruise and you had to shoot the ball through Monstro’s mouth and out his tale. Another was shooting through a moving drawbridge of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. There was also a hole based on Alice in Wonderland where you banked your shot off several of the "playing card people." The last one I remember was the Matterhorn mystery hole in which you shot into a hole in front an the ball might come out one of several exits, one positioning you near the hole. We really had a lot of fun playing on this course, but as I recall we usually played it on the last day of our stay knowing we would soon have to get in the car for the 6-hour drive home.

— Jeff Watson, October 9, 1998 (batterie @ vegas.infi.net)

I just went to Disneyland four weeks ago, just after Disney made the announcement that they would be discontinuing the "Submarine Voyage." Although the wait was over an hour and a half, the last memories on the ride were coming back to me. I will miss the "Submarine Voyage," but I know that it will be put in Yesterland history.

— Mike O’Connor, October 3, 1998 (nyjetsguy @ yahoo.com)

What, no more submarine ride? Thank heavens we took our four kids, ages 6 and under, out to California this past May (I grew up in Orange, even was Casual Seasonal at D’land a few years in early 80’s) and spent 2 days "visiting Mickey." One of the high points for our kids was the Submarine Ride — our one autistic son really responded to the ride, labeling all the "robot fish" he saw, but getting wide-eyed at the "real mermaid!" he saw towards the end of the ride. He was more animated and responsive to the submarine ride than any of the more crowded Fantasyland rides or the noisy, awful, nightmarish Toontown. I miss the old rides of my childhood (we are talking early and mid-1960’s here, folks) and wish my kids could have gone on the old Mine Train ride (sure, Thunder Mountain is cool, but not the same!) and Adventures Thru Inner Space and esp. Carousel of Progress, which they should have just run backwards as a time travel ride into American Past, as the old stuff the audio-animatronic characters interacted with was more interesting (to me) than the futuristic stuff. And now the Submarines are gone. Is there going to be anything of charm left at Disney, or must it all become fast-paced, high profit thrill a minute stuff? Well, next time we fly out from Illinois maybe we will go see how the Ghost town and old mine train ride, etc, have been "modernized" and ruined over in Buena Park.

— Jody Fisher, September 26, 1998 (Fishstep @ aol.com)

Seeing pictures of the ride tickets really hit hard; I can remember stacks of them bundled with paper clips in the dining room china cabinet. My favorite attraction to this day still has to be the Carousel of Progress. When I was little, I was just crazy for anything miniature and I always loved to peer at the tiny city behind the glass.

— Patrick O’Neal, September 18, 1998 (patoneal @ gte.net)

Although Fantasmic is well loved by many Disneyland guests, I miss the summer time evening ambiance of New Orleans Square. I loved to watch the River Boat, all lit up, going down the rivers of America. It was so beautiful and romantic! The 3rd deck of the Mark Twain Riverboat was a very exciting place to watch the fireworks as well!

— Cattajan, September 15, 1998 (Cattajan @ aol.com)

I just love your site. But I wanted to write to you about one of my experiences at Disneyland. It was about the time when Disneyland offered the unlimited ride passes for their Magic Kingdom cardholders. I must have been around 7-9 years old, but I distinctly remembered the incredible jubilation that I felt when my father told me that my sister and I did not need any tickets. That all we had to do is show them this pass that hung around our necks (like press card passes) and we can get on the ride. Man, I thought I was in heaven. The thought that I was now able to ride any ride at Disneyland without any tickets (coupons) was an absolute joy. But back then, the lines were not as long as they are now. Now that I’m a bit older, the annual passports make Disneyland a bit more bearable.

— James Wong, September 4, 1998 (wong @ staminet.com)

My mother attempted to take us to Disneyland on the fabled Opening Day fiasco in 1955. We got caught in the huge traffic jam and never made it to the park. I was only about 2 1/2 years old. But we visited a few weeks later and continued making regular visits through the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I was saddened to see that the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and Casa de Fritos no longer exist. Our Disneyland rituals always called for arriving at the park before the Main Street barricades were lifted. We would eat breakfast at Carnation (Belgian waffles usually) and then, with a good breakfast in our stomachs, be ready to rush into the park when the barricades were removed. Casa de Fritos was usually the lunch stop after riding the Mine Train, Pack Mules, or Stagecoach. It was always special to spend my own nickel and have the Frito Kid and his miner friend send a bag of Fritos down the chute of the mine shaft. Somehow, I really thought there was someone down in the mine digging up Fritos. The Stagecoach was one of my favorite rides, mainly because westerns were so popular on TV during the 50s and every boy my age wanted to be a cowboy. I would always sit on top of the stage with the driver or the shotgun rider, and it never occurred to me that seatbelts were not part of the old west. But my fondest memory was a visit somewhere around 1957, I think. At the time, Monstro the Whale — which opened into the fairy tale village — was under construction (my father still has the photos of it). As we approached Fantasyland, who should be there drawing cartoons for guests but Roy Williams of the Mickey Mouse Club wearing his "Roy" shirt and Mouseketeer ears. Roy drew a charcoal cartoon sketch of Donald Duck for me and autographed it. (We have photos of him doing that too). I now have that cartoon framed and hanging on my wall. Disneyland and WDW have both come a long way since then. The rides are spectacular and the "magic" has gotten better and more complex. However, I will always remember how much more intimate the old Disneyland seemed to me. You could sit next to and talk to the Stagecoach driver or have an Indian at the Indian Village teach you a ceremonial dance. And if you were lucky, you could run into one of the Mouseketeers, like I did, and they’d give you a lasting memento. Keep up the great work and thanks for creating Yesterland.

— Jon Chavez, August 11, 1998 (jwgonzo @ accesstoledo.com)

I remember when Captain EO first came out, and no matter how macho or restrained a person considered him/herself to be, everyone reached out to try to touch that cute little critter that "flew out" into the audience! Finally, I too dearly miss the Skyway. There is nothing more relaxing than drifting and gently swaying over the park, people watching and seeing the magic from a whole new perspective.

— Tiffany Dierdorff, July 25, 1998 (doll @ amnet.net)

My husband’s favorite attraction as a child was "America Sings." My mother-in-law still talks about how he went to that show over and over during their trips there. She said he was very disappointed when they closed it. Imagine his (and my) surprise when we first went on Splash Mountain in the eighties and saw the animals from his beloved show.

— Sari Pierre, July 19, 1998 (Pierrems @ aol.com)

The Monsanto house was not cut up with hacksaws. A trade magazine called Modern Plastics (McGraw-Hill) did a story about the house as it was so strong they two large bulldozers hook a "chock" chain around the structure to break it apart. I do not have the issue but I remember it had a photo showing the destruction. Thanks for the great site.

— Charles Brink, July 13, 1998 (acton @ wgn.net)

One of the unique aspects of Disneyland is that as the years go by, its meaning changes for each of us. I can remember the giddy anticipation I would have as a youngster when the day drew nigh to visit the park. As I approached my teen years, it started to have a different allure... I kissed a girl for the first time while riding on Adventure Thru Inner Space. The privacy, the dark, and the pulsating orbs all proved extra conducive to the young libido. You can imagine my chagrin when the ride moved to Yesterland in 1986. Fortunately, the Disney Gallery opened in 1987. One of their initial offerings were ride lithographs including, you guessed it, "Adventure Thru Inner Space". For a mere $300, I was able to take home a bit of Disneyland and my history. I am happy to say a bit of Yesterland still hangs in my home.

— David Jerrard Givens, July 11, 1998 (jerrard @ netsol.net)

I enjoy your sight very much, and thanks for the memories. The picture of the abandoned skyway house always brings back nice memories. The little restaurant at the base has always been my favorite place at night towards closing to sit and relax and gather my thoughts about the day. This may sound funny but the picture you show reminds me of a lonesome pet in the pound begging to be taken and loved by someone. Thanks again, and keep up the good work.

— Tony A. Miner, May 21, 1998 (TMiner4226 @ aol.com)

As a youngster, I remember a number of mechanical (maybe electric?) music players in the Penny Arcade on Main street in Disneyland. Some had drums, xylophones and all sorts of music makers, etc., but the one that fascinated me the most was what seemed, to me at least, to be a large glass fronted music box with a 3-foot diameter silver-colored wheel that produced the music. It was such a wonderful and captivating thing that it seemed like I spent hours putting nickels into it. Upon my return a few years later I couldn’t find it anymore. Every few years I take a look inside to see if they’ve brought it out again but I have been disappointed. However , it is easy to find modern electronic games which to my mind will never have the "class" that that giant music box did. Thank goodness for memories.

— Ferrell Peterson, April 27, 1998 (fpeter52 @ juno.com)

OK, show of hands. How many of you would get on the Skyway between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland and, when over a large crowd of people, would yell first names ("Larry!!" "Steve!!" "Susie!!"), just to see how many people looked up?

— Joe Ekaitis, March 2, 1998 (joeekaitis @ aol.com)

A lot has been said about the rides and attractions inside of Disneyland that have been torn down or discontinued, but I would like to talk about the Disney owned campground: Vacationland. My family and I planned a wonderful "dream trip" to California in July of 1991 and our main purpose was to take our two young children to Disneyland. We love to camp whenever we travel, but we also like to have pools and playgrounds whenever we camp. Therefore, in my search for a nice campground close to Disneyland, I discovered Disney’s Vacationland. The name of the campground should tell you a little of what to expect. The campground was truly a vacationland — it was wonderful! Not only did it have a wonderfully large pool with a baby wading pool, it also had two game lounges. One for the kids with Disney movies on a big screen TV playing all the time and video games. Another for the adults with card tables and a pool table. But what made these lounges so nice, besides the air conditioning during California’s summers, were the large wall-length windows facing the playground and pool area. Not only could you enjoy being cool inside, you could watch the kids play! Now that is comfort. The playground was so nice with soft-landing pads to cushion tiny tots when they fell or plopped off the playground equipment. The best part of the playground was when Disney characters, such as Chip and Dale, came to "play" with the children! This was a special treat that my kids loved and almost had us miss time inside Disneyland to be able to "play" with Chip and Dale. The other nice thing about this campground was, it was located across the street from The Disneyland Hotel and all guest of the campground could use ALL facilities of the hotel. We went to see the laser-water light show that was shown at the hotel grounds with no charge. Also, we could catch the Monorail to ride into Disneyland — no parking fee for us. So when I read that that this campground was torn down to make room for a high-price resort hotel for Disneyland, I was truly sad. This campground gave middle income people a wonderful place to stay with all the comforts of home and a lot of Disney Magic included. This campground will be missed by many, I am sure!

— Mona Kirkland, February 28, 1998 (don_kirkland @ email.msn.com)

Wonderful site! But do you remember when there were live "mermaids" swimming in the submarine lagoon? Most of the time they sat on the rocks and combed their hair, but occasionally they took brief dips. How I dreamed of being a mermaid! And one of my neighbors actually went and auditioned. Alas she did not get in and soon all the mermaids were gone. Does Tinker Bell still fly from the top of the Matterhorn as the fireworks go off? (I was far too chicken to even dream of that job!)

— D. Dorsett, February 18, 1998 (ddorsett @ fullerton.edu)

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Updated September 26, 2006.

Photograph of the Frontierland Direction Sign: 1974 by Werner Weiss