Friday, June 1, 2007

A Schusssing We Shall Go...

Back in Anaheim, we now visit the Alpine Inn. The Alpine was one of the earliest of the motels that sprouted up to surround Disneyland after it’s 1955 opening. It was/is located at 715 Katella Avenue near the now closed South entrance to the old Disneyland parking lot. Each room had it's own phone and free TV, and also featured refrigerated air conditioning. This postcard shot dates from the late fifties based on the cars in the lot.

Here’s the Alpine in 2004. The sign now conforms to the new Anaheim Resort code, but this old motel is definitely still kicking. I’m not sure when the well-themed snowy roof and log siding was added, but one could argue that the Alpine looks better now than when it was new some fifty years ago. I think I’ll dial KEystone 5-2186 and book some rooms for my annual June trip...

8 comments:

Synthetrix said...

We moved to Anaheim in 1972 and he Alpine had the snowy roof at that time. The famous Chalet Restaurant used to be next door.

http://65.254.59.194/%7Evstapf/apc/13.html

walterworld said...

Victor---

Do you know when the Chalet went out of business? Did the building stand dormant for awhile or did some other restaurant take it's place after it went under? I have no recollection of the place in any form....

Thanks for the interest and the info on the Alpine RE the snow covered roof. It seems as if there was some sort of Swiss synergy attempted between the Chalet Restaurant, Alpine Inn and the Heidi Motel...All one owner maybe?

Daveland said...

Let me know how it is; I have often considered staying there; looks cute on the outside, but past the front gate looked a little sketchy!

walterworld said...

Hi Dave---

I'll actually be staying at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel this June. I was trying to make a funny regarding a stay at The Alpine. In all fairness, some of the reviews on Trip Advisor are quite positive. One should remember that it is a BUDGET motel though, and not to expect the Ritz. I walked through the complex when I took the picture, it didn't seem too bad. My kids would probably give me some dirty looks if I took them there though...

Thanks for checking out my blog. I'm a daily reader of Daveland and enjoy it very much---Take care!

Synthetrix said...

As far as I know the Chalet operated under that name until it was bought by Disney and torn down for the California Adventure expansion. A close friend of mine worked there as a busboy when we were about 16.
The Sir Rudimar and Muskateer motel were also on that side of the street just west of Harbor Blvd.

you'd be surprised said...

It's a friggin dump! The rooms reek like urine, mold, bongwater and dog crap. It's a haven for prostitutes and crack addicts.

I'll be in room 16 all week.

Chuck said...

Despite all of the changes in the Disneyland area in the past 50 years, it's refreshing to note that some things stay the same. The Alpine Inn still has the same phone number in 2015 - 535-2186.

walterworld said...

Chuck, thanks for stopping by. It's amazing that the Alpine Inn is still with us and going strong. A few others have since bit the dust, including Zaby's at the corner of Katella and Harbor (nothing too much lost there though I guess).

Cracker: I waited around for you but you never showed. What gives?