If you read this column last year, you may recall we explored the 1992 Disneyland Souvenir Guide, which weighed in at a hefty 32 pages. This month, we will be looking at the 1993 Souvenir Guidebook. The addition of “book” to the guide was most appropriate, as it had expanded to no less than 36 pages.
The 1993 cover was a rather busy depiction of the busiest new land at Disneyland, Toontown. Almost lost amid the toon-y details was the sponsor’s logo. Thank you, Eastman Kodak Company, for making this time capsule possible.
Page two continued the toon theme, along with pictures of some of the characters who inhabited Toontown. A helpful Table of Contents was also included. Following this are three pages of tips, rules, and instructions, along with a full page of “healthier food” options. Seriously, who would go to the Blue Bayou to order the Fresh Vegetable Plate (on request)?
The Disneyland Park map was just too big for a single page, so it occupies a fold-out identified as pages 7-9. Good thing, too, as the new Toontown added a “bump” at the north end of the park.
One little detour here— SoCal residents might find themselves scratching their heads over the freeway map in the lower right hand corner. Disneyland is pretty much in the right location— near Harbor Blvd. and Interstate 5 in Anaheim. But never (even in 1993) did Harbor intersect with the 405 and the 55 just north of John Wayne Airport. And… where is Interstate 60, which should be between I-10 and I-5 to the east of Los Angeles? Or Interstate 105, which heads due east from Los Angeles International Airport? Most baffling of all, since when did I-5 terminate where the 710 and the 101 meet in downtown LA? (Which they don’t actually do.) Perhaps this map is intended to actually represent the long-gone Fantasyland Autopia track…
Main Street takes up four whole pages, with a map occupying much of page 13. No wonder, as there are 50 attractions, shops, food venues and information services identified in the guide. Old standbys like the Hills Brothers Market House (33) and Kodak Camera Center (35) were making way for new arrivals like the Blue Ribbon Bakery (42) and Carriage Place Clothiers (22). (1994 would see the start of an upheaval that would completely alter Walt’s 1955 Main Street lineup.)
The rest of the “lands” of Disneyland could be covered in two pages, including the map. This one, from page 15, covers Adventureland. In 1993 there were three long term attractions: the Enchanted Tiki Room (1), the Jungle Cruise (2), and the Swiss Family Treehouse (3). Four shops and three dining options completed the land. Readers of this blog will know that the restaurant at position number nine changed in mid-year from the Tahitian Terrace to Aladdin’s Oasis.
Next up, on page 17, was the New Orleans Square map. This “land” actually had a higher attraction count thirty years ago. Back then, joining the Pirates of the Caribbean (1), Haunted Mansion (2) and Disneyland Railroad (4) was the Disney Gallery (3), located above the bustling streets. Today, only the first three attractions are counted. New Orleans Square does still boast a high number of food locations.
Way out on the far western edge of Disneyland, and on page 19 of the guidebook, was Critter Country. Splash Mountain (4) and the Country Bear Playhouse (2) anchored the land, with Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (1) and Teddi Barra’s Swinging Arcade (3) filling in. In 2023 only the canoes remain. The Country Bears have given way to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Splash Mountain is undergoing its own transformation.
Returning closer to the hub, and Disneyland’s original footprint, the Frontierland map could be found on page 21. You would still find the Golden Horseshoe Jamboree (6) at the head of the street, facing the boat landing where the Mark Twain Steamboat (4) and Sailing Ship Columbia (5) made regular departures. Long gone are the Mike Fink Keelboats (8) and Big Thunder Ranch (2).
Comparing the Fantasyland map on page 23 with today’s Fantasyland map, one would find very few changes in attractions. In fact, with the exception of the Skyway (5), everything is still in the same location (although Videopolis [7] is now the Fantasyland Theater). The shops and food locations, on the other hand, have been shuffled.
1993 marked the debut of Toontown (see 30 Years Ago at Disneyland for January, February and March of this year), and, of course, the first appearance of Toontown in the Disneyland Guidebook. The first lineup of attractions can be found in the convenient map on page 25: Mickey’s House and Meet Mickey (1), Minnie’s House (2), Goofy’s Bounce House (3), “Miss Daisy,” Donald’s Boat (4), Chip ’n Dale’s Tree Slide and Acorn Crawl (5), Gadget’s Go Coaster (6), and the Jolly Trolley (7). If you are missing Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, it would not open until January of 1994.
The Gag Factory (8) (which is also the Toontown Five and Dime) was not the only shop in Toontown when it opened. There was also a Toontown Camera Window (9) where you could “pop in for film, cameras and accessories.” It was short lived. Finally, there were the three dining locations in Toontown’s “restaurant row:” Daisy’s Diner (10), Pluto’s Dog House (11), and Clarabelle’s Yogurt (12)
The last of Disneyland’s lands is Tomorrowland, with a map at the top of page 27. Among the attractions now in “yesterdayland” are the Starcade (2), PeopleMover (3), Skyway (6) and CIRCLE-VISION (11). While you can still shop The Star Trader (13) and Hatmosphere (14), you will no longer find the Premiere Shop (16) or Alpine Gardens (15).
But wait! There’s more! In 1993 Disneyland still included the Disneyland Hotel in the Guidebook. In addition to rooms, the hotel boasted eight attractions, ranging from the Disneyland Monorail (1) to Koi Fish (8), as well as twelve dining options and many, many retail shops.
That map appears on page 29. But there are 36 pages in the 1993 guidebook. What could possibly fill those last seven pages? Synergy, of course. (And three pages devoted to Kodak film and photo tips.)
Here are three of the full page ads from the guidebook. First up, the new Walt Disney Records CD of Craig ’n Company Rock ’n Toontown. That’s the way they wrote it; who are we to argue? Next we have a promotional announcement for the tenth anniversary of The Disney Channel, on cable. And finally, there’s an alluring ad for the Hollywood Pictures release of Super Mario Brothers, opening Friday, May 28 at theaters everywhere. Thirty years later, you will find no mention of the Super Mario Brothers anywhere on a Disney property!
In addition to the Guidebook, Disney also thoughtfully provided guests with another publication, Disneyland Today. These smaller fliers were printed more or less weekly, and gave details on events, shows and entertainment in the park. Here are two examples.
For July 3-9, this brochure presents a full rundown of everything happening at the park during the height of the summer. This is a five page fold-out, printed front and back. The Disneyland Today guide included information about ticket and Annual Pass pricing, the Disneyland Hotel, that new Aladdin’s Oasis dinner show, and a map of the Disneyland parking lot. The main feature, of course, is the daily schedule.
And here is that schedule, starting with the 10:30am performance of Beauty and the Beast live on the Videopolis stage, and ending with the 1am performance of Fantasmic! (on Sunday only). Two parades are included: Aladdin’s Royal Caravan twice daily, and the Main Street Electrical Parade twice nightly. And… fireworks.
But that’s not all! There are also three pages of shows and entertainment, broken down land by land. Here you can check the show times for everything from Farley the Fiddler in Critter Country to Stanford Freese and the Disneyland Big Band at the Carnation Plaza Gardens Stage.
Contrasting that July schedule is Disneyland Today for November 15-19. In the 90s, Disneyland did not go directly from summer to Halloweentime to the Holidays. No, there was a decided lull in activity between Labor Day and Thanksgiving week. This guide is a more modest three-fold, with only a single page devoted to the schedule.
And here it is, the single page schedule that covers activities for Monday through Friday. No parades (other than a “Children’s Cavalcade” on Thursday), no fireworks, and no stage shows. Just a fairly heavy rotation of the Golden Horseshoe Jamboree and the Tomorrowland Terrace Band. Of course, with the park closing at 6pm every night, there isn’t nearly as much time on the schedule, right?
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