Buried (Disney) Treasure – Part 2

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So, in a previous blog entry on “Buried (Disney) Treasure” I talked about an item I would be blogging about separately. Because after all, what’s a treasure hunt without a treasure map? 🙂 Though in this case, the map WAS the treasure.

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This map of Disneyland was given to me earlier this year by my Evil Twin – she found it at a flea market. We’re pretty sure that it was from about mid-1973 (the copyright says 1972), since there are some attractions listed that opened/closed/changed sponsorships in 1973.

Some things I found interesting:

The map is called Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland. The quote on the left side of this picture is Walt’s Opening Day dedication speech. (Larger versions of some of these photos are available by clicking on the photo.)

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Space Mountain (called “Spaceport and Rocket Flight Future Attraction” on the map) already has its distinct look – even though construction hasn’t even begun and it won’t open at Disneyland until 1977!

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This map actually shows the attraction buildings and even lists the scenes inside, like this one of the Primeval World. Did you know there were such things as Edaphosaurus and Ornithomimus?

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I’d forgotten how different Fantasyland was before its big makeover in 1983. Among other changes, Skull Rock and the Pirate Ship completely disappeared, and Dumbo and the Mad Tea Party were relocated.

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Bear Country, home of the Country Bear Jamboree, had just opened in early 1972 – it is featured prominently in the lower left corner of the map.

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Main Street still featured a lot of unique shops, like a Candle Shop, and Hurricane Lamp Shop and even a Tobacco Shop. I find it interesting that the Magic Shop and the Mad Hatter are still in the same location today!

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I hope you enjoyed my search for buried treasure!

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Laura Gilbreath is a native of San Diego, CA. She has been making the trek up Interstate 5 to Disneyland since she was a small child and terrified of talking tikis and hitchhiking ghosts. She and her husband Lee enjoy trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as sailings on the Disney Cruise Line.

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6 Replies to “Buried (Disney) Treasure – Part 2”

  1. How cool! I’ll bet the park sure looked different then than it does now. Unfortunately my one and only trip to Disneyland was during the 1983 remodel when I was 8 years old. I don’t remember a whole lot about our trip to California but I’m sure we didn’t save any of the park maps or brochures. I do remember the pouring rain that fell nonstop (never saw the sun the entire trip), and that if felt like half of Disneyland was closed (to a small kid).

  2. I have a very similar map, although it predated yours by a couple of years (mine is from 1968). I happened to come across it buried in an old photo album and had it framed. Bear Country does not exist on my map – and the Haunted Mansion is still listed as a “coming attraction.” Very exciting find indeed!!

  3. Greetings Laura,

    Thanks for the report about the 1973 DLR map.
    The artwork/layout is somewhat similar to my 1961 map. On the 1961 map, there were more proposed attractions and groundplans that didn’t see the light of day and a few that were altered and appeared in a different design or manner. Did you know two additional streets or actual cul-de-sacs were proposed on Main Street? One street was called “Liberty Street” (it was where the parades end or begin near the foot of Main St.) and had a “Hall of Presidents” exhibit and a sailing ship in a miniature “bay” and a few other dioramas/shops behind colonial facades. Another street off the central plaza was named “Edison Square”. It presented pre-electrical, early electrical, contemporary and electronic era living situations behind early 20th Century urban/city facades. We all know the ideas for these two “streets” eventually became a “land” in the Magic Kingdom the other became a familar attraction in-the-round (now in Orlando’s Tomorrowland). In the area where New Orleans Square is now, the proposed attractions were a “Wax Museum” and a “Haunted House” (that really looked like a decrepit, spooky house). I believe the Wax Museum was an early idea for the Pirates attraction that was meant to be a walk-thru exhibit. As pictured on the map, it was located next to the “Thieves’s Market” so i am sure there were to be costumed pirates walking amongst the guests. As we have heard the Imagineers repeatedly say, “No design idea or attraction proposal is ever forgotten”, indeed this map illustrates that saying quite well.

  4. I still have this EXACT map (somewhere!) as one of my very first souvenirs—though it is in terrible shape from my constantly opening it as a kid to relive being at the park until the next time I could go.

  5. Thanks Laura,

    We just got back from an 8 day stay in DisneWorld (after visiting Disneyland less than 2 month earlier). We have to say that we really prefer DisneyLand. People there seem more polite (they tend to listen to what the cast member in charge of an attraction was saying) and they seem to have a real sense of community pride (“this is our park”).

    We love Disney World, but prefer Disneyland.

    Anyway, your map added a big smile to my day. Thanks again!

    Dan

  6. Is Skull Rock and the Pirate Ship, the same ones that are now at the Disneyland Hotel’s NeverLand pool area?

    Laura replies: They are not the same ones, though they have a similar look.