Beastmode

The first game program guide someone brought, there was a Mickey Mouse and a Magic Kingdom castle in the water on the lower half of the cover.

Pretty sure that was about Disney World choosing Orlando instead of New Orleans. It was right about the same time frame that all went down:

The Disney Corporation was already lining up parcels of property on New Orleans’ North Shore for their second park. The then little town of Orlando, Florida offered Disney everything while Louisiana’s politicians demanded everything. After a while, Walt Disney realized Orlando would always “give” to him and his company, while New Orleans and its seedy leaders would always be asking for something. Florida offered Disney major incentives while Louisiana had its hand out. The savvy Disney went to Florida and the rest is history.

I see no other explanation for that odd art work on the program guide and it was the late 60's, same timeframe.

Beastmode

Yep, you can see the palm trees, sun and dolphin to the east and Minny and the castle in the water. Also looks like some oranges.

Beastmode

This guide is worth $45 on Ebay but there is some politics involved so likely worth more than the others if people knew the context. A collection piece for a Disney fan for sure.

SmashMouth

Yep.... sad that it never came to New Orleans. Politicians will be politicians.

Budsdrinker

Could also be about the LA Rams and Disneyland

SaintsBro

^^^^ THIS. No need for conspiracy theories. Has more to do with DisneyLAND and the "New Orleans Square" that was opened there (in California) in 1966. That's the real "Disney" connection between the two cities -- New Orleans Square. Which was brand new Disney attraction, at that time, barely nine months old.

The palm trees are an old symbol of Hollywood -- particularly 1960s Beverly Hills, Wilshire Boulevard, Mulholland Drive and the famous view of the Hollywood sign. This has nothing to do with Florida, Hollywood has been known for its palm trees since the days of Charlie Chaplin in the 1920s, as a symbol of Hollywood glamour.

The same palm trees and sun also show up in several other Rams programs by the same artist/firm in 1967. There's no hidden meaning. Unless Disney was also dissing Chicago?



The castle in the bottom of the picture is very obviously pink, which is the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disney LAND in California -- the castle in Disney WORLD is white/blue, and wasn't built until much later. Nothing to do with Florida, or New Orleans for that matter.


New Orleans Mayor Victor Schiro attended the grand opening of New Orleans Square, in July 1966, which Disney joked was more expensive to build ($18 million) than the Louisiana Purchase was to, well, purchase ($11,250,000).

As christened by Schiro, the French Quarter-themed area covered three acres near the banks of The Rivers of America (Schiro and other dignitaries arrived at the party via the Mark Twain steamboat replica), and included the future home of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (opened in 1967) and was adjacent to the future home of the Haunted Mansion (opened in 1969).

So THAT was news, in fall of 1967.

The whole Disney/New Orleans corruption story comes from ONE ANONYMOUS SOURCE, cited by someone else who wasn't even involved in politics at the time, and people have chased that story for years and years and never found any real tangible PROOF of it, other than that one Slidell politician telling yarns about something he overheard someone say on a car ride.....

According to various Disney books and sources, the Disney site selection committee had its eye on Florida for a second Disney site as early as their first initial recommendation in 1958 and recommended it to Walt again in 1961, and they never really wavered from that. Because of its proximity to the Atlantic Seaboard/coast, Florida was the front runner from the very start. They may have explored and looked at Louisiana a little bit, but Florida was always their main choice from the beginning. So it's a nice story, but not a lot of real facts to back it up.

Beastmode

Thanks. I was guessing but I thought it was a good guess. Disney World opened in 71 I believe but the decision had to be made well before 1967 so I assumed I could be wrong. . Still does not explain the oranges (I believe near the palms). Word is Walt looked at the new highway in Orlando and it was a major turning point. Also, no way to know the one in Disney World was white since it was not built yet. All the artist had to go on is what existed which was the purple castle.

RaginCajun83

I've heard this story too

Beastmode

Likely never know. Nobody remotely involved in it is still alive. Maybe a few in their 90's which is unfortunate. It would have been good to know La was passed over for other reasons than politics.

Rugby Saint II

I thought this article was about the defunct Jazz Land. It would be a good place to shoot a zombie movie so there is potential. Just sayin'