Disneyland in the 70's - $5 park entrance and big bands!!!

[Rich Wetzel]

I was just reminiscing with a friend about summers at Disneyland back in the 70's when you could get in the park for $5 and see all those great big bands.

Back then you bought ride tickets seperately, and for you younger folks who may have heard the expression, "That's and E ticket ride baby", that referred to the good rides were E tickets, and in descending alphabetic order your dropped to the not so cool rides, lol...

Park entrance only was a mere $5 and you could see Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Lioniel Hampton, Toshiko/Lew Tabackin, Harry James, and Maynard Ferguson, two shows a night for five nights in a row!

Upfront and close in the carnation theater, although Maynard was usually put over at space mountain theater after that opened.

I grew up right next to Disneyland in Garden Grove. My friends and I just lived there in the summer when the big bands came to play. We would see those bands five nights straight, and the guys always were willing to chat. That was awesome!

I am heading down that way this week and just got to remembering that, thought I would share just how cool it was.

[MIKEY Schmidt]

I once saw Maynard Ferguson live at Disney World.

Priceless.

[Dennis Clouse]

Disney has changed alot! All lilve music was removed from Pleasure Island (Disney World) last Summer. Now all of the Dance Clubs are closing. Pleasure Island will be for Shoppers and Diners.
Live music can be found at Universal Studios (Orlando)!

[Edwardo]

The kicker is they used to provide a place for young musicians to be part of the Disney live experience, but I'm not sure they're still doing this, or will continue if they're phasing out live music. Really too bad.

Ed
www.myspace.com/jazzlips

[David Bass]

The last time I was at Disney (Thanksgiving weekend.. don't do that) there was little to no live music. A year ago at the restaurant going into Tomorrow land there was a live band there playing the Incredibles music.. WOW could that lead player play. His name was Chad Shoopman. This year there is some big dinosaur looking thing pretending to play a keyboard. How they have digressed. They charge more money and yet are providing less.
Peace

[Dennis Clouse]

Chad Shoopman is a regular at Disney. He must have a good contract. I've seen him at The American Amphitheatre for the Thanksgiving thru Christmas Show they do every Year called the Candlelight Procession. He Conducted the Orchestra for Christmas Carol Pre-Show Warmer Upper. He has his signature mouthpiece at Warburton Music Products. I play a WCC (William C Carmichael). He was (maybe is) from Disney gang as well. Both of them are very small diameter, with fat rim, and shallow mod-V cup. I really like my WCC. It makes every thing easier and without being too shrill in tone.

[Geoff Winstead]

Rich, we were probably sitting next to each other half the time and didn't know it! I was going to school down the road at CSUFullerton and was there every night for Maynard, Woody, Buddy, and Don Ellis. And when they had "Big Band Weekends" there, I was in hog heaven, but sort of desperate as to how many bands I could get in in one night, since there were usually five bands playing at the same time. I think 3 road bands and two local bands with L.A. studio players, like Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Bill Berry, Capp-Pierce, etc. Those were great years and will never happen again.