You know how a wool coat smells when it gets wet? Not great. So it was especially considerate of last week's storm clouds to part for 24 hours and let the sun shine on Dapper Day at Disneyland. If you couldn't attend last Sunday, rest assured there will be more.
The original Disneyland designers frequently populated their renderings with guests dressed for a day of sophisticated entertainment. No flip-flops or cargo shorts here! These were men in sharp suits, toddlers working two-pieces, and ladies looking like they just stepped out of Dior's sketchbook - all as if a visit to Disneyland were on par with a night at the opera. And why shouldn't it be?
Justin suggests that dressing in a period "Man Men" look is as correct as the latest haute couture. "Be creative, go Gaga, anything that would make legendary Disney designers Herb Ryman, Mary Blair, John Hench, Dorthea Redmond, Harriet Burns and the rest of the stylish WED lot look proud - or blush!"
Here's the authentic recipe for the Chicken of the Sea Tunaburger precisely as served at the Disneyland Pirate Ship. And guess what? It's really good. Try it!
In 1960, a fantastic tropical environment was added all around the Disneyland pirate ship, with waterfalls and the stoney face of Skull Rock. To rededicate the restaurant, Walt Disney posed for publicity with the owners of the Van Camp Sea Food Company, Frank Van Camp Sr. and Jr. ...and the mermaid in person. 
By the 70s, the sponsorship by Chicken of the Sea had been canned, and the distinctive mermaid figurehead removed to places unknown (by me anyway). Surprisingly, though, the mermaid adorning the stern remained with a few alterations to obliterate her corporate identity. Her familiar hair bun was sawed off and the diamond shapes on her bodice and tail were sanded away. I don't know about you, but the disguise doesn't fool me!
C'mon, let's step downstairs into the hull and see what the interior looked like in the 1970s. Except for the prices on the menu, very little had changed since 1955.
The serving line was still pretty much the way it had always been. (Are you checking out those cool paper cups, too?)
One noticeable difference , however: the original three-paneled mural with its canned tuna and frozen dinners has given way to a waterless aquarium diorama. Nicely done, but we all prefer the mural, right?
For our new Fantasyland Pirate Ship replica, we naturally chose to recreate the 1955 versions of the boat and sign, but, as you might imagine, some details, such as the restaurant's original sponsor name, were not permitted. (I know, I know. Not our call.) Nevertheless, Jody and I did everything else we could to "capture the feel" of the original aesthetic. We both were fortunate to visit the ship as kids, and hold happy memories of lunches with our families while dreaming of sailing out to sea under those red and white striped sails.
This 1955 ad art just shouts Yay! It's beautiful, colorful, charming, and kind of gross. Still if today's Chicken of the Sea executives had any sense at all they'd bring back this mermaid. The current logo is so utterly blah, I won't even besmirch your eyes with a picture of it. Even Charlie the Tuna has better taste.
Back to Disneyland now, for a couple photos of our favorite galleon. Both dated June, 1969.
Panorama! The back side of the restaurant, showing the original kitchen door (far left) and the overflow outdoor dining area. That big back door right in the center was not added to the ship until the 60s. (If you look at the 1955 image of the "proud painter" in the previous post you can see the difference.) 
And now for another shameful plug: The Fantasyland Pirate Ship replica is finally available starting today. Jody and I will be at Disneyland bright and early this morning to launch a thousand ships. 
As a shameless plug for our newest replica to be released this week, it only makes sense to spotlight one of Disneyland's greatest creations ever- the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship Restaurant. A product of pure imagination, the 79' long vessel was appropriately berthed in Fantasyland when the park opened in 1955...and boy, do I miss it!
A twist on authentic sailing ships of the 15th to 18th centuries, her highest mast rose 60' from the deck. Like any other architectural structure in Disneyland, the boat was carefully planned and drafted before being built. 
Here's a delightful sketch detailing some ornamentation - a cheery school of tuna!
The plan for an impressive sculpture to adorn the stern, approved by art director Bill Martin. Dated May 16, 1955, the famous Chicken of the Sea's "blonde mermaid" sits queenlike in her shell throne borne on the back of a giant sea turtle. The turtle's head rests atop a plaque bearing the company's logo. If you scroll back up to the top you can see the painters neglected to paint the turtle's head to match the rest of him. Because of this, most people never even noticed the turtle.
Over at the Disney Studios' staff shop, sculptor Chris Mueller puts the final touches on the figurehead for the ships' bow. According to records, the figurehead and stern ornaments were first modeled in plastilene as 1/2 inch scale miniatures. (Do those models survive anywhere today???)
Meanwhile, down in Anaheim, construction of the full-size boat begins. Believe it or not, the hull was built behind Main Street's Town Square, in an open area behind what is now Disneyland's Opera House, and later trucked over to Fantasyland. The entire ship was made of Douglas fir and trimmed in bright Honduras mahogany.
Welcome back! 
The first lucky people to gobble up tuna sandwiches, tuna burgers, tuna salad, and tuna pot pie on the galleon's deck were those proud painters who invited their equally proud families. Two vending machines dispensed paper cups of coffee and orange punch for ten cents.
Stepping downstairs to the lunch line, we encounter a three-paneled mural displaying some Chicken of the Sea products that you might pick up at the grocery store back home. 
What's in the treasure chests? Could it be just more canned tuna?
Charles Phoenix's laugh-out-loud retro holiday slide shows are a Christmas season favorite here in Los Angeles. I've known Charles for over 15 years and I'm always proud to tell people that Jody and I were at his very first show back in 1998. Each year, as his heap of Kodachrome eye-candy from the past grows bigger, his performances get better - and FUNNIER!
Last week Charles appeared on the Conan TV show with the ultimate yuletide snackable - the Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree. It's pure Charles Phoenix brilliance.
On November 13th, bright and early, Jody and I will be down at Disneyland for the release of our newest collectible based on a classic attraction: The Nature's Wonderland Mine Train. From 1960 to the mid 70s, these bright yellow little trains carried passengers on a scenic adventure through the "unspoiled wilderness" of Frontierland.
Traveling over creaky wooden trestles, through cool rock caves, and beneath a natural arch bridge, passengers viewed over 200 animated animals and birds representing "almost every specie still roaming the North American continent", according to the original press release.
Spoiler alert! (Although, really, how can we spoil something that doesn't even exist any more?) Here is a RARE view of a portion of the Rainbow Caverns during a routine refurbishment in the 1960s. The water is drained, work-lights are on, and a workman's power cord stretches across the tracks, ruining the illusion, but allowing us to appreciate "how it was done"! 
Rocky cut-outs obscure rows of lights, while electric fans mounted on the walls create a refreshing breeze for passengers still warm from their trip across the arid "Living Desert".
We dearly love the Mine Train and wish we could still take a trip through Nature's Wonderland today (although Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of our favorite Disneyland rides, and retains several of the effects and scenes from its predecessor.) 
