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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, courtesy of Chris Taylor |
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It’s between 1955 and 1961 on the Rivers of America waterfront. The Dixieland Bandstand is across from New Orleans Street, the Frontierland “neighborhood” with wrought iron balconies. New Orleans Street is also where you’ll find Don DeFore’s Silver Banjo Barbecue Restaurant. Keeping with the New Orleans theme, the bandstand’s octagonal roof is supported by five iron filigree columns. |
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New Orleans Street is not the same as New Orleans Square. New Orleans Street and the Dixieland Bandstand are older than New Orleans Square, which will open in 1966. |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1956, courtesy of Chris Taylor Tom Sawyer Island Rafts on the “river” near the bandshell |
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Photo by Fred Nelson, 1959 Dixieland Bandshell with the brand new Matterhorn in the background |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1956, courtesy of Chris Taylor New Orleans Street restaurant tables, the perfect place to enjoy a performance |
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The Dixieland Bandstand is the home of the Disneyland Strawhatters, a Dixieland jazz combo whose members—not surprisingly—all wear straw hats. |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, courtesy of Chris Taylor Up-close seating for children |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, courtesy of Chris Taylor Same band, different outfits |
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The next time you visit the park, they might be wearing different trousers and coats, but you can be sure they’ll always have their signature straw hats. |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, circa 1956, courtesy of Chris Taylor Are these also the Strawhatters on the bow of the Mark Twain? |
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record cover © 1957 Walt Disney Productions 45 RPM record from Disneyland Records |
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When your day at the park is over, you can take the Strawhatters home with you—in the form of a record with four of their songs: “Fidgety Feet,” “Muskrat Ramble,” “At the Jazz Band Ball,” and “Mississippi Mud.” |
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The waterfront Bandstand in Frontierland was one of the park’s original features when Disneyland opened in 1955. |
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image scan © 1961 Walt Disney Productions Image from the 1961 edition of Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland |
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In addition to their 1957 7-inch record, Dixieland in Disneyland, the Strawhatters recorded an LP album, Cotton Pickin’ with the Straw Hatters, in 1961. Somehow, there was space between Straw and Hatters on the 1961 LP cover. The end was near for the Dixieland Bandstand by 1961. The waterfront area where Adventureland met Frontierland was reconfigured when construction began on New Orleans Square. The Dixieland Bandstand disappeared and did not return to Frontierland. |
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Photo by Charles R. Lympany, courtesy of Chris Taylor Strawhatters in Fantasyland in the 1960s, without a piano |
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The tradition of Dixieland music didn’t disappear with the original waterfront bandstand. Each fall from 1960 through 1970, Disneyland held a Dixieland at Disneyland event with legendary performers, including Louis Armstrong. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2004 Rivers of America waterfront in 2004 |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 River Rascals at the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square |
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After New Orleans Square opened in 1966, the sounds of live jazz could often be heard in its streets and outdoor cafés. Park guests having meals at the French Market Restaurant enjoyed New Orleans jazz and other traditional music performed by musicians on the restaurant’s own outdoor wrought iron bandstand. Tiana’s Palace, which is replacing the French Market, promises to continue this tradition. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2018 New Orleans jazz in New Orleans Square |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2018 Straw Hatters on Main Street, U.S.A. |
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The waterfront Dixieland Bandstand has been gone for more than a half century, but Disneyland still has a band called the Straw Hatters (now two words instead of one) performing traditional jazz. Their wild outfits feature red, white, and blue. Of course, straw hats are still part of their wardrobe—only now with red, white, and blue-striped hatbands. |
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© 2023 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated August 25, 2023 |
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