Tuesday, May 19, 2015

60 Days to 60 Years of Disneyland - 1957


     Anyone who knows me knows that Disneyland is my favorite place. I love talking about it to anyone who will listen! Last year I applied to be on the Disney Parks Moms Panel (if you don't know what that is, click the link to find out more!) While I didn't get past round 2, I've gotten to "know" some amazing women (and men!). While I wait to apply this year, I thought it was about time to start regularly updating this blog. When the opportunity to participate in 60 days to 60 years came up, I was so excited to contribute!

   My year is 1957, As I was researching for this blog, I found that most of what opened in 1957 were things that I thought opened earlier or later. 

   One of the key events that started in 1957 was Date Nite at Disneyland. I had never heard of this until I got the Walt Disney Treasures DVD that had a show called: "Disneyland After Dark". This was an opportunity for people to come and go dancing at Disneyland. There was a live band (The Elliot Bros. Orchestra) and it looked like a great time!

   The biggest attraction to open in 1957 was Monsanto's House of the Future. From the outside, it looked like a huge, plastic house shaped like a plus sign but inside was futuristic appliances and a preview of what houses would look like in the future. Going along with the general year of Tomorrowland at that time, the year of the house was said to be 1986. Now 1986 even seems like long ago! I was not alive when the attraction was open but I've seen videos of it and it has been interesting to compare what they thought would happen to what actually did happen. 
Photo Credit: Tom Simpson on Flickr. You can find the picture here.

    Now Date Nite and the House of the Future were exciting but as the mother of a toddler, I am most excited about the Baby Care Center which opened in 1957. This was an idea of Walt's so mothers would have a place to take care of their babies. There is a nursing area, multiple changing stations, high chairs and a microwave to heat up food for your little ones. Before my son could walk, we would go in there during every trip and let him crawl around and burn off some energy. This made it so my son could last the whole day since he got to move around and wasn't stuck in the stroller. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who is going to the parks with a child 3 and under.
Photo Credit: Tom Simpson on Flickr. You can find the picture here.

Thank you for going on this journey back to 1957 with me. Be sure to check out the other years during 60 Days to 60 Years.

There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,
Kelly

14 comments:

  1. I had no idea the baby changing center was thought up by Walt. I will think of him when I bring my baby for the first time this year!

    Rosanne @ The Disney Point

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    1. It's so special to take your children for their first trip to the park. Have a magical time!

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  2. Oh yeah those baby changing centers are amazing, we loved them when our son was younger. And the house of the future - how funny. I did hear a rumor that even a wrecking ball couldn't knock it down :)

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    1. I've heard the wrecking ball story too! So funny!

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  3. And where would we be today without our Baby Care Centers?! Walt was a genius bringing trusted brands into his park to sponsor his creations and certainly, Gerber was a perfect fit here. For years I've been intrigued reading about Monsanto House of the Future; another collaboration between Imagineers, Monsanto and MIT! It was the world's intro into the world (and house) of plastics and I have heard stories that it was so resilient, the workers couldn't dismantle it! Today, the concept lives on in the Innoventions Dream Home, so we know Walt had another winning concept! Thanks so much for joining the series Kelly- the absolute best part of these blogger series is meeting new Disney lovers and broadening our community!!!

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    1. I agree! I can't wait to read the other years! Thank you so much for the opportunity!

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  4. I too had no idea that the Baby Care Center was another genius Walt Disney idea, but I am not surprised. I am definitely going to have to read more about the Monsanto House of the Future, it sounds so interesting! Thanks for sharing with us today Kelly!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by! I agree, the House of the Future sounds interesting! I wish I had been alive to see it!

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  5. Thank you for taking me along on this journey into the history of Disneyland and Disney Parks. I enjoyed learning through this article and truly believe it's not the years the make the man, but the man that make the years. Walt was that man

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  6. Great stuff, thank you for sharing this post with us! Good luck on your dream to be on the Mom's Panel! I applied three years running, but am not a travel agent so I'm no eligible to apply -- I never made it on the panel. Thank you for sharing all of these great things from Disneyland 1957!

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  7. Thank you! Being a travel agent is awesome too!

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  8. Every trip we take to Disneyland is like a Date Nite. I just think it is so romantic!

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