My treasure… “The Art of Walt Disney”… signed by Walt Disney. Authenticated by Dave Smith.

I know if the bulb burned out they would replace it with what they had on hand. Would rather have double white lights than bad show with a missing or dead bulb. But it would eventually be replaced with a split bulb.

I gave new employee orientation tours in 1981-82. The split bulb was there then. We were told it had been there from the early days.

Age verification?

I rode the PeopleMover through the Carousel of Progress and saw the city of the future…”Progress City”!

I worked canoes at DL 81-82. Getting close to the Columbia wasn’t much of an issue but the paddle wheel of the Mark was a real danger zone. There were often guests who deliberately tried to steer us into it.

It was used for evac, but it’s after the second drop. It’s the transition tunnel before you enter the main show building.

Huge two story stockroom with a separate locked cage for the expensive merch. Once had to sequester Michael Jackson down there when he showed up in the Square without security and was mobbed. Hung out with him until security arrived. Weird night all around.

That was the gate to the stairs down to the merch stockroom. Huge space. The back entrance is directly beside the Pirates transition tunnel. On Grad Nights, we would black out the lights and hit kids with a flashlight when they lit up a joint. We’d confiscate the pot then go out back and smoke it.

There was an advantage to Disneyland being closed Mondays and Tuesdays in the off-season… everything was refreshed and repaired every week.

And considering the trays were inches from hot set lighting.

The crazy thing is that at least in 1980, the “hydraulic alert” was literally a float in a cafeteria tray under each character. Even then it didn’t seem the best option for an attraction that cycled 3000 people an hour and a disaster waiting to happen.

Back before ATMs and
Direct deposit, the BOA on Main Street was one of the only places employees could get cash in a pinch. Provided it was before 3pm, when all banks closed.

I was in merch from ‘78 - ‘80.

I used to sell those! Miss the old Gourmet shop.

I know Hildegard also bought for WDW. Really exquisite antique furniture. I was called in for 5am on a Saturday because Mrs. Disney (then Truyens) had lunch at Club 33, stopped by the shop and bought out most of the furniture. Had to swap it all out before the park opened.

I was a lead for NO merch in ‘79-80. One-of-Kinds buyer was named Hildegard and she did travel the world for antiques and other unique goods. The shop had its own warehouse out back behind Small World.

It was the same. Once something was wrapped, it had to be sealed with rectangular pewter seals with the NOS insignia.

New Orleans Square used to have its own wrapping paper - gold with a black NOS logo pattern. I worked merch 78-80 and we were considered the “high end” shopping area- most of our merch was specialty imported themed to the area. And real antiques. Any purchase over $100 had to be boxed and wrapped.

It was the rear cone and it was locked at the hotel. My sister was a monorail driver in the early 80s. The original bubble top trains.