Here at this site, we talk about history and the wonders of yesteryear, especially with regards to some of our most precious themed environments.
Let's go back in time to August 1969.
Disneyland was a happening place in the late 1960's as it saw not only the arrival of the successful shows from the New York World's Fair, but it also saw the debut of a whole new land called New Orleans Square (the first land to be added to the theme park since it opened in 1955), the remodeling of a hopelessly-outdated Tomorrowland, and classic attractions, such as the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.
The Summer of 1969 not only marked the moon landing, but a new take on dark ride, particularly of a spook-house variety, when the long-awaited Haunted Mansion finally opened its doors to the public.
The summertime at Disneyland not only meant the time of year when families would take vacations to Southern California, but it also marked the romantic and exciting era of nighttime entertainment and freedom.
However, our focus is on Disneyland as it looked for my grandparents in August 1969, less than two weeks after the Haunted Mansion had opened. My grandparents got married and had my mom the year prior, so they took an appropriately-timed break that following summer for such a honeymoon. For their honeymoon, they chose the one place where adults could leave their responsibilities at the door and be children again --- Disneyland.
When they took their visit in late August 1969, Disneyland had opened their 53rd major attraction, the Haunted Mansion, which needless to say was their most recent addition.
What they've confirmed about their visit is that they went on both the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, ate at the Blue Bayou, saw the Carousel of Progress and Tiki Room, rode Adventure Thru Inner Space and the People Mover, and at the end of their busy day at Disneyland, they unceremoniously walked back to their motel just a few blocks or so away. Ah, good, old Disneyland.
Even if they went on other rides or saw other shows (my grandpa was always/still is a Lincoln fan), they had fun. I personally imagine that they must've done more than what they could concretely recall. The next time they all went to Disneyland was three years later in 1972 and with company, including my mom, my grandma's sister, and my grandpa's parents, but that's a story for a different time.
However, let's focus on the original Magic Kingdom as it was in August 1969. As I said, the Haunted Mansion was the newest ride and it was very popular at first (then it wasn't seen as living up to the high standard of its neighbor for a couple of months). Nearby of course, the Pirates of the Caribbean was still the Park's most popular and groundbreaking attraction after two-and-a-half years of solid operation. The Jungle Cruise was recently refreshed that Spring with a new paint job and some other cosmetic/operational improvements. The New Tomorrowland was in its third summer of operation and was still new and futuristic with corporate-sponsored attractions, such as Adventure Thru Inner Space, Flight to the Moon, the Carousel of Progress, America the Beautiful, and the People Mover, which glided through all those exhibits. Not to mention, the kids could be entertained by rock bands and other acts at the Tomorrowland Terrace. It was that summer that the moon landing was broadcast on the Tomorrowland Stage where Space Mountain would someday stand. In fact, Space Mountain was still a promised attraction for that spot in Tomorrowland at that time, even as it was being simultaneously planned for Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland.
The most popular attractions of that summer were the Pirates, Small World, Matterhorn, Tiki Room, and late to the show, the Haunted Mansion, which drew a record in park attendance that would be unsurpassed for almost two decades.
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