Photos of Disneyland's periphery

Park Place Inn & Mini Suites

The way it used to be... This postcard seemed eager to emphasis that this was a Best Western motel. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-26-07]. Tangier Restaurant used to exist where Mom's Restaurant and Captain Kidd's were later. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-26-07]. Park Place Inn used to be Mecca Motel. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-26-07]. Mecca Motel [1978] 1544 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 533-4581

Tropicana Inn

Tropicana Inn is close to Disneyland's entrance, though is rather plain in appearance.

According to the Internet, this hotel opened in 1959 and was renovated in 2005.

The way it used to be... Tropicana Inn used to be called Tropicana Motel, and has been around since the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-17-07]. Tropicana Motel had a gas station on its north side at one time. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-17-07]. Tropicana Motel [1978] 1540 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 635-4082

Camelot Inn and Suites

Camelot Inn & Suites is directly across from the old Cast Member entrance.

This half-timbered passage is the only really castle-like architecture on the property.

This clock tower is lighted at night, but it is very difficult to photograph well in the dark without a tripod.

Distinctive boulder-embedded brick walls are found on all the buildings at Camelot.

The hotel's own souvenir shop is called Gift Hut, and has nice snacks.

This is yet another Disneyland area hotel with a castle theme. Others are Castle Inn & Suites, Ramada Maingate, and Sheraton Anaheim Hotel. This is one of the least interesting castle style hotels, as far as architecture and decor. A few details of interest are the half-timbered building under which cars drive, the false rock walls, the banners, and the tower clock. Personally, the only thing that really interests me about this hotel is the gift shop, which carries nice snacks like dried tropical fruit and toffee covered peanuts that few local businesses do.

Old Cast Member entrance

This was once the Disneyland Cast Member entrance, but now this gate is generally closed.

Side view of the yellow guard shack.

Just north of Disneyland's main pedestrian entrance on Harbor Blvd. is another entrance: the old Cast Member entrance. I don't know what it's used for now, although what was once the CM parking lot is now a bus and tram area for tourists, and I've seen the gate open up for an ambulance once. The former time clock building (called Harbor House) stands next to a road that dips underneath the Disneyland Railroad near the Grand Canyon & Primeval World area of that attraction.

This must be gate #8.

Is this Nasty Reminder on the Monorail Pylon really Necessary?

There used to be a turn lane in the center divider in front of this former CM entrance, but no light or crosswalk for the turn lane, and there were predictably many accidents there on this busy street. I personally witnessed one such car accident. CMs used to run across the street in front of this entrance when going to or coming from work, and tourists would often enter this entrance by mistake. Nowadays, not only has the turn lane has been completely removed, but a modern fence runs along the middle of the street in front of this entrance to prevent any more car accidents or pedestrian accidents here. The fence ends at the flower planter. Interestingly, there is still a sign on the back side of the monorail pylon in the middle of the entrance that says not to make a left turn, even though a left turn is impossible now. A historical memento, perhaps?

This fence that workers are painting didn't exist in the 1970s.

Around this section of Harbor Blvd., extending from Manchester Ave. down past Katella Ave., the trees are lighted with strings of lights at night, which gives the street a warmer, cozier feel. These lights didn't exist in the 1970s and I consider them an improvement.

At night the trees on Harbor Boulevard are lighted with strings of white lights.

Just north of the old CM entrance, underneath the monorail track alongside Harbor Boulevard, are two "sidewalk alcoves" that are going to waste. My idea is that these unused areas would make cool picnic areas for the general public, with the monorail passing by overhead and Disneyland's fence just feet away. A few picnic tables and some landscaping plants are all it would take, although I'm sure The Walt Disney Company would think the legal responsibilities not worth the free public facilities. Too bad. One more consequence of our excessively litigious society. The low plants in this sidewalk alcove are Yellow Daylily (Hemerocallis thunbergii), which bloom around April.

There are two of these "sidewalk alcoves" alongside Disneyland's Harbor Boulevard fence that would make nice miniature picnic areas.

Divider flower pots

This ornate planter with mirrored posts stands in the center of Harbor Boulevard.

The full structure has two flower pots.

The planter's lighted post and lighted tree at night.

The full planter at night, viewed southward along Harbor Boulevard.

Just north of the old CM entrance on Harbor Boulevard is a modern planter in the center divider. It is decorated with mirrored posts, flags, and two large flower pots that contain colorful Iceland Poppies (Papaver nudicaule) and white Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) in the spring. For such an ornate structure, it has surprisingly little function. Maybe they could have put benches there, although pedestrians aren't supposed to be crossing there. If you want to safely walk over to this planter for some reason, the safest way is to cross Harbor Boulevard halfway at the traffic light on Manchester Avenue, then walk along the center divider toward the south. The rims of the pots are lighted at night with strings of white lights, like the trees.

There are at least two more these divider planters in the area, one on Katella west of Disneyland Drive, in front of Travelodge, and one on Katella near Haster Street, in front of Avis. The flowers vary somewhat between the different planters.

Fairfield Inn

View of the Matterhorn and Mimi's Cafe from Fairfield Inn.

View of Space Mountain from Fairfield Inn.

Another visually unremarkable hotel, except for outstanding views from its upper balconies. From the top (8th and 9th) floors there are particularly outstanding views of Space Mountain, the Matterhorn, the monorail, Tower of Terror, and Disney's California Adventure in general. There are also excellent views of local buildings and hotels such as Camelot Inn & Suites, Howard Johnson's, Quality Inn & Suites, CBRE building, Mimi's Cafe, and to a lesser extent TDAB and Palm Village. Since this hotel is the tallest closest hotel to Disneyland, it is likely this hotel has the best views of Disneyland of any hotel anywhere.

Like Tiffy's Family Restaurant, the lobby of this hotel has nice 8"x10" black-and-white photos of old Anaheim. Inside the elevators are advertising posters for Disney attractions like Tower of Terror, and in the entrance hallway are semi-historical and semi-advertising posters.

Mimi's Cafe

Mimi's Cafe stands at the southeast corner of Harbor and Manchester.

Mimi's Cafe has an outdoor patio facing Harbor Boulevard.

I've never eaten at this particular Mimi's Cafe, though I've eaten at others of the chain. Chain restaurants don't interest me much. I do like the Iceland Poppies around this restaurant that bloom in February, though. Online reviews on MousePlanet give fairly consistent praise for this restaurant, commonly mentioning delicious food in large quantities.

Mimi's Cafe has Iceland Poppies (Papaver nudicaule), as does Disneyland and several motels around Disneyland.

This area around Mimi's on this block has changed very extensively since the 1970s, and it's still changing rapidly. For example, one modern postcard with an aerial view of Disneyland shows businesses across from Howard Johnson's that are currently [4-13-07] only empty lots. I remember taking a picture of Disneyland from an upper story of a tall hotel near here (not Fairfield Inn), a hotel whose name I don't remember and that doesn't exist anymore. Cinemaland used to exist here, too, and I remember seeing "The Exorcist" there around 1978-1980, but that theater with its discount shows is long gone. Address data also shows there was an Acapulco Mexican Restaurant at almost the same location in the same year (1978).

The way it used to be... Cinemaland used to be located about where Mimi's is now, per address data. Photo courtesy of Yesterland [4-15-07]. Cinemaland Theatre [1978] 1414 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 635-7601 Acapulco Mexican Restaurant [1978] 1410 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 956-7380

Created: February 24, 2007
Updated: April 26, 2007