Showing posts with label Main Street Cinema. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main Street Cinema. Show all posts

Let's Go to the Movies


Main Street at Disneyland features one of those new fangled movie houses, showing 6 different motion pictures all at the same time! The selection has changed over the years, from silent classics to classic Mickey Mouse. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is the fact that the Main Street Cinema offers Disneyland Guests an air-conditioned respite from the summer heat... with a raised center platform so the kids can see over the heads of all those adults!


In the early years, when separate tickets were required for each attraction in Disneyland, the Main Street Cinema required a "B" coupon. At the entrance of the Cinema today is one of the few ticket booths remaining in the park. Instead of a live Cast Member, though, you'll find the friendly painted face of a mannequin named Tilly. This time of year, Tilly trades in her usual white blouse for a Halloween-inspired ensemble.


Look closely at Tilly's name tag, and you'll discover she's from Marceline, Missouri. Marceline, of course, was Walt Disney's boyhood home and the inspiration for the mid-western small town flavor of Main Street, U.S.A. For more on the Main Street Cinema, be sure to check out this article over at DisneyShawn.com.

They Didn't Need Dialogue, They Had Faces

On the blog this week, I'm featuring segments from articles on the new DisneyShawn.com, currently showcasing the attractions of early Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. Be sure to follow the link for more.


For the first 30 years or so, Main Street Cinema at Disneyland showcased a selection of silent film classics, set to the (pre-recorded) accompaniment of a piano. Even Norma Desmond herself (Gloria Swanson) once graced the screen. There were William S. Hart westerns, Keystone Kops comedies and even non-Disney animation in the form of Gertie the Dinosaur. The six features changed from time to time and were interspersed with the occasional newsreel (only good news, of course) or hand-tinted period slide ("Ladies over 40 need not remove their hats").

It all changed in 1988, when the Cinema honored Mickey Mouse's 60th anniversary by switching over to the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts seen today.

Photo courtesy of Davelandweb.com, used with permission.
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