Photos of Disneyland's periphery

Disney Way

Click here to take a brief side excursion down Disney Way, and to return to this point.

Harbor-Disney Junction

Modern Harbor Boulevard, looking northward from the junction of Disney Way.

Disney Way leads directly into the car entrance to Timon parking lot, upon crossing Harbor Boulevard. Timon parking lot is on Disneyland's block and alongside DCA. This is approximately where Disneyland's main parking entrance has always been, although now the main parking area is the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure on Disneyland Drive, and this smaller lot off Harbor Boulevard should be avoided since very long delays can result when attempting to park here.

The way it used to be... Old Harbor Boulevard, looking northward from the junction of what is now Disney Way. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-23-07]. This old sign stood at the northeast corner of Harbor Boulevard and Freedman Way. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-23-07].

(1656) Empty strip with power lines

This empty strip of land under the power lines extends all the way from Harbor Boulevard to I-5 in the distance.

This DANGER sign might explain why nobody builds under these power lines anymore.

This empty lot with nothing but dirt and power lines used to house Golfworld, a miniature golf course on the northeast corner of Harbor Boulevard and Disney Way. I don't know why this strip is currently barren: could it be due to potential dangers of the high power lines overhead?

Golfworld is strongly missed by a lot of people. Unfortunately I never played there, although I used to walk by it all the time. I began attending Melodyland church's youth group around 1976 and was told by members that they were so sick of Golfworld because Melodyland used to go there so much. I always wanted to go to Golfworld, and at Melodyland I was in the perfect environment to do so, but apparently I had come just a few months too late, at the end of their spate of Golfworld trips. So I never did go, and eventually Golfworld was torn down. Golfworld does seem like an ideal place for Melodyland church groups: it's clean-cut fun and extremely convenient to their church.

Ramada Maingate

The south passage is intended to look like a drawbridge, but the details are difficult to discern.

Ramada Maingate's front lot, looking towards the Disneyland pedestrian entrance on Harbor Boulevard.

This is one of several hotels in the area that has a castle theme. The south passage is intended to look like a drawbridge, but one has to look closely to see the spiked bottom of the raised "door" overhead, the heavy chain on the side, and the wooden base of the driveway. Beyond the drawbridge are typical European flower pots on the balcony walkways outside the rooms, and a tile mural of a knight.

This used to be the Saga Resort Motel, and the hotel name is still often given as Saga Inn - Ramada Maingate, and the pizza stand in the building in front of the modern hotel is called Saga Pizza. Other shops exist in front of the hotel, as well: a California surfing themed coffee stand, a souvenir shop with an emphasis on movie stars, a ticket stand, a jewelry shop, and a camera store. This hotel is the first building north of Disney Way, and on busy days there is a stream of Disneyland guests walking along the south side of this hotel on the sidewalk from the Pumbaa parking lot, heading for Disneyland.

The Cowabunga Coffee Shack is a surf-themed corner stand that is one of the businesses on the front of this lot. It serves only coffee, expresso, and a few Danish type rolls. Surf music such as "I Get Around" (The Beach Boys, 1964), "Surfer Joe" (The Surfaris, 1963), and "Surf City" (Jan and Dean, 1963) is broadcast to the tables outside this stand and to outside Saga Pizza next door.

A 1978 phone book shows another motel by the same name also on Harbor Boulevard: Saga Motel North, 1111 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92802, (714) 533-8830.

The way it used to be... Saga Motel, the earlier version of Saga Inn - Ramada Maingate. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-24-07]. Saga Motel was directly across the street from Disneyland. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-24-07]. An old painting of Saga Resort Motel, back when phone numbers often had letter prefixes. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-24-07]. Saga Resort Motel [1960s] 1650 Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 772-0440 Saga Motel North [1978] 1650 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA (714) 772-0440

Del Sol Inn

This registration lobby for Del Sol Inn is set far back from Harbor Boulevard.

Desert Inn & Suites

Desert Inn has some of the most visually uninteresting architecture of any hotel in the area.

The way it used to be... Desert Inn has existed here for decades, though with a different appearance. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-26-07]. Desert Inn at Disneyland [1978] 1600 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 772-5050

Park Vue Inn

Park Vue Inn has a small tower building in front.

The way it used to be... An artist's conception of the original Park Vue Motel. Rock walls abounded.

Created: February 24, 2007
Updated: May 4, 2007