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EVEN the ride from Los Angeles to Disneyland is enchanting for those who ride on a new bus line operated by Metropolitan Coach Lines direct to the 160-acre playground in Anaheim.

[image]In Los Angeles, passengers board Metro's new "Snow White" bus for the 22 mile trip to Disneyland.[/image]

Since its opening in July, 1955, Disneyland has become the leading playground in Southern California. Of last years nearly two million visitors, more than 40,000 have made the visit in Metro coaches.

[image]Disney artists at Burbank painted in gold and white on the magenta body of the new 51 passenger GM coach.[/image]

As a promotional endeavor, Metro’s new Disneyland Line 58-D is essentially the utilization of motor coach equipment during off-peak hours—a perennial problem for transit companies. The service, operating on both “local” and “express” headways, makes the 22 mile trip from downtown Los Angeles over the fast Santa Ana Freeway direct to the main gate of Disneyland.

[image]Jacques Rupp, Disney artist, installed Disneyland photos in card racks while Metro Supervisor H. F. Fortner watched.[/image]

For visitors who take the motor coach, the trip is more than just another bus ride. A delight for people of all ages is the new “Snow White” bus, carrying out the Disney theme in rich magenta against a white background with lettering and trimmings in gold. Besides the comfort and convenience of a new “air suspension” coach, the passengers also enjoy its charming interior of Disneyland photographs, pictures and paintings that take the place of regular car card advertising thruout the white interior.

[image]More than 40,000 visitors have come to Disneyland in Metropolitan Coach Lines buses since the fabulous amusement pork opened in July, 1955.[/image]

Because of the many things to see in a single day’s excursion, scheduling experts at Metro established the service on the theory that the bulk of the passengers wanted to arrive there as soon as possible after the gates opened each day. Therefore, in establishing the new line, service was designed primarily as a morning operation, with a timetable all its own.

[image]DISNEYLAND'S 16 piece brass band led the way as the Metropolitan Coach Company's new "Snow White" bus rolled into fabulous "Main Street — U.S.A." for the christening ceremonies.[/image]

Besides the “Snow White” bus, which is used regularly as the 9:45 a.m. “express”, seven other round-trips operate daily from 6th and Los Angeles Streets in Los Angeles. On Sundays and holidays, ten round-trips are provided. Two of the weekday and four of the Sunday and holiday trips operate on “express” headways with a 47 minute running time schedule for the 22 mile route.

The “Snow White” bus, with the novelty of the Disney theme, makes the 9:45 a.m. schedule by far the most popular. The “Snow White” bus also is used over the freeway in charter operations, bringing children and large groups to the Disney playground.

[image]Metro President Jesse Hough and Walt Disney christened the new "Snow White" bus with bottles filled with water from the rivers of America.[/image]

Christening of the “Snow White” bus late last year brought all the charm and pageantry of the Disneyland spectacle to millions of television viewers during gala ceremonies in “Town Square.” Surrounded by hundreds of youngsters, Metro president Jesse L. Haugh, and Walt Disney, himself, carried out the christening with the first bus load of children.

Now that Metros Disneyland Line has become an inseparable part of Disneyland, itself, passenger volume has grown and one major airline is using thousands of timetables and special folders describing the coach service in offices all over the country.

[image]Disneyland visitors are kept transportation conscious, not only by Santa Fe's old time train and a stern-wheeler, but also by TWA's rocket to the moon.[/image]