13.2: Cultural Geography

Southern California is a region with a diverse and vibrant culture. Although other units showcase SoCal’s cultural and ethnic influence, (car culture, indigenous, agriculture, food and more) the author would like to take a moment to highlight some other elements of Southern California’s impressive and influential culture.

Surfing is one of the most iconic aspects of Southern California culture. The region is home to some of the best surf spots in the world, such as Trestles, Rincon, The Wedge, Huntington Beach, and Malibu. Surfing has also had a significant influence on car culture and music in Southern California. For example, the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Dick Dale, and the Ventures were all iconic Southern California artists who were inspired by surfing.

The Beach Boys, one of the most iconic bands of all time, had a profound influence on California culture. Their music captured the essence of the California lifestyle, with its sunny beaches, laid-back vibes, and endless summers. The Beach Boys' songs were played on radios all over the world, and their image helped to make California a symbol of youth, freedom, and fun. To list a few of their most iconic songs which are also considered as part of the ‘Summer Sounds of California’ are: "Surfin' USA," "Catch a Wave," and "Good Vibrations."

Figure 13.6: The Beach Boys- Circa 1963. Image by Wikipedia is in the public domain.

Case Study - Disneyland

Walt Disney's conception of Disneyland originated during a visit to Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon. Watching them ride the merry-go-round, he envisioned a place where adults and children could enjoy themselves together. Although his dream remained dormant for many years, the earliest documented draft of his plans was sent as a memo to studio production designer Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948. Referred to as a "Mickey Mouse Park," the memo was inspired by notes Disney took during his and Ward Kimball's trip to the Chicago Railroad Fair the same month, which included a two-day stop at Henry Ford's Museum and Greenfield Village, a site with attractions like a Main Street and steamboat rides that Disney had visited eight years earlier.

Prompted by letters from fans inquiring about visiting the Walt Disney Studios, Disney realized that a functioning movie studio had little to offer visitors. He began to develop ideas for building a tourist attraction near the Burbank studios, eventually envisioning a small play park with a boat ride and other themed areas. Originally planned for an eight-acre plot to the south of the studio, across Riverside Drive, the initial park concept, the Mickey Mouse Park, was also influenced by Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, Knott's Berry Farm, Colonial Williamsburg, the Century of Progress in Chicago, and the New York's World Fair of 1939.

Although Walt's designers began working on concepts, the project quickly outgrew the available land. Disney hired Harrison Price from Stanford Research Institute to identify a suitable location for the planned theme park, based on projected future growth. Price's analysis led Disney to acquire 160 acres of orange groves and walnut trees in Anaheim, southeast of Los Angeles in neighboring Orange County.

Construction began on July 16, 1954, at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $138 million in 2021). The park opened one year and one day later, just north of U.S. Route 101 (later Interstate 5), which was under construction at the time. In preparation for the anticipated traffic, two additional lanes were added to the freeway before opening day.

Figure 13.7: Walt Disney & Anaheim Dignitaries – Circa 1954. Image by Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Opening Day

On July 17, 1955, Disneyland held an "International Press Preview" event for invited guests and the media. Although the event was intended for 11,000 people, over 28,000 attended the grand opening. Approximately half of those in attendance were either counterfeit ticket holders or trespassers. The event was televised nationwide, and viewers witnessed several embarrassing mishaps, including guests tripping over camera cables, a camera catching Bob Cummings kissing a dancer, and Walt Disney accidentally starting his dedication speech twice.

The following day, Disneyland opened to the public with twenty attractions. However, the park's debut was plagued with further problems. Traffic on the two-lane Harbor Boulevard was congested, and famous guests who were scheduled to appear over a two-hour period all arrived at once. The temperature reached an unusually high 101 degrees Fahrenheit, and due to a local plumbers' strike, Disney had to choose between running drinking fountains or toilets. He chose the latter, leaving many fountains dry. This decision generated negative publicity, as thirsty guests felt that Disney was cynically trying to sell soda. Other vendors also ran out of food, and the asphalt that had been poured that morning was soft enough to let women's high-heeled shoes sink into it. Some parents even threw their children over the crowd's shoulders to get them onto rides, such as the King Arthur Carrousel.

Disney and his executives later referred to July 17, 1955, as "Black Sunday." After the extremely negative press from the preview opening, Disney invited attendees back for a private "second day" to experience Disneyland properly.

Despite its troubled opening, Disneyland quickly became a popular tourist destination. The park's success can be attributed in part to Disney's effective crisis management. He immediately acknowledged the problems that occurred on opening day and took steps to address them. For example, he hired additional staff to improve crowd control and cleanliness, and he installed more drinking fountains. Disney also apologized to guests for the inconvenience and offered them free admission to the park on a future date.

The case of Disneyland's opening day provides a valuable lesson in crisis management. By acknowledging the problem, taking steps to address it, and apologizing to those affected, Disney was able to mitigate the negative publicity and ensure the long-term success of his park.

Figure 13.8: USGS Topographic Map of Disneyland- Circa 1959. Image by Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The 50s-70s

In September 1959, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev spent thirteen days in the United States, with two requests: to visit Disneyland and to meet John Wayne, Hollywood's top box-office draw. Due to the Cold War tension and security concerns, he was famously denied an excursion to Disneyland. The Shah of Iran and Empress Farah were invited to Disneyland by Walt Disney in the early 1960s. There was moderate controversy over the lack of African American employees. As late as 1963, civil rights activists were pressuring Disneyland to hire black people, with executives responding that they would "consider" the requests. The park did however hire people of Asian descent, such as Ty Wong and Bob Kuwahara.

As part of the Casa de Fritos operation at Disneyland, "Doritos" (Spanish for "little golden things") were created at the park to recycle old tortillas that would have been discarded. The Frito-Lay Company saw the popularity of the item and began selling them regionally in 1964, and then nationwide in 1966.

Figure 13.9: Disneyland Skyway- Circa 1966. Image is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Despite the opening of the more expansive Walt Disney World resort in 1971, Disneyland continued to set attendance records and maintained its status as a major tourist attraction. In 1972, the Bear Country land was opened, and the Main Street Electrical Parade was introduced.

Out of the Collection: MSEP – Disneyland

Want to learn more about the Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP)? Either Scan the QR code or visit this link to see Professor Patrich’s original lightbulb from the parade- and to learn more about its history! (Video length: 5min).

Disneyland underwent several changes in preparation for the United States Bicentennial. In 1974, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress was replaced with America Sings, an audio-animatronic theater show featuring the history of American music. America on Parade debuted in 1975 and ran through 1976 in celebration of the bicentennial.

Several of the park's earliest attractions received major changes or were replaced in the mid-to-late 1970s. The Flight to the Moon attraction was rethemed as Mission to Mars in March 1975, five years after Apollo 11 had successfully landed humans on the moon. Construction of Space Mountain began that same year adjacent to the new Mission to Mars attraction but was delayed by El Niño-related weather complications. The ride opened in 1977 to much acclaim as lines would often stretch all the way to Main Street, U.S.A. The final major change of the decade came in 1977 when the slow-paced Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was closed and replaced by the similarly themed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster in 1979

The 80s- and Beyond

In 1982, Fantasyland was closed for refurbishment and reopened to the public in 1983 as "New Fantasyland." On December 5, 1985, to celebrate Disneyland's 30th year in operation, one million balloons were launched along the streets bordering Disneyland as part of the Skyfest Celebration.

America Sings, a bicentennial attraction that did not fit the theme of Tomorrowland, became misplaced after the bicentennial ended. Disney Imagineering began developing new ideas for Tomorrowland, including a new show in the carousel theater, and conceived of the idea for a log flume attraction, Splash Mountain. Knowing that America Sings would eventually close, Imagineers decided to move most of its Audio-Animatronic figures into Splash Mountain.

Figure 13.10: Disneyland Skyway- Circa 1966. Image by Wikipedia is in the public domain.

Some Audio-Animatronic geese were removed from America Sings, their outer skin removed, and their heads replaced. They were then used as G2 droids in the queue to Star Tours, which opened in early 1987. One of them, named G2-9T, still sings a modified "I've Been Working on the Railroad" (retitled "I've Been Looking at the Same Bag") in Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. As a result, the geese quartets in Acts 1 and 2 of America Sings became trios until the attraction closed on April 10, 1988.

In the late 1990s, Disney began to expand the Disneyland Resort, which originally consisted of Disneyland Park, by introducing Mickeys Toontown in 1993, and major updates with the Disneyland Hotel. The expansion would also include the addition of Disney California Adventure Park, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex named Downtown Disney, the construction of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the acquisition and re-branding of the Pan Pacific Hotel as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. Because the existing parking lot was repurposed by these projects, a new six-level, 10,250-space parking structure was constructed in the northwest corner- which at that time was the largest parking garage in North America.

Out of the Collection: DCA Opening Day Map

Want to learn more about the history of Disney’s California Adventure (DCA)? Either Scan the QR code or visit this link to see Professor Patrich’s opening day Cast Member map, pin set, and a few fun facts! (Video length: 3min).

The "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" was an eighteen-month-long celebration (held through 2005 and 2006) of the fiftieth anniversary of Disneyland Park. In preparation for the celebration, the park underwent major renovations, restoring many attractions, including Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Attractions that had been in the park on opening day had one ride vehicle painted gold, and the park was decorated with fifty Golden Mickey Ears.

On January 27, 2023, Disneyland kicked off the year-long celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company, Disney100. Disneyland Park introduced the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show.

On April 13, 2023, it was announced that Disneyland would be holding its first official "Pride Nite" in support of the LGBTQ+ community. This comes 25 years after the first celebrated 'Gay Day' at Disneyland.