Get ready to “dine at Disneyland” like never before - enjoying “Tomorrow’s food service today!” A long time ago…before General Electric’s Carousel of Progress…before Innoventions…and (definitely) long before Star Wars Launch Bay…was Tomorrowland’s “Stratosnak” Space Bar!

According to “THE DISNEY THEME SHOW - an introduction to the art of Disney outdoor entertainment: Volume II”: Of all the guests’ senses that come into play at Disneyland, the most difficult response to predict was taste. If 70,000 guests were to arrive on a single day, there would probably be 70,000 different ideas about food. Generally speaking, Disneyland food locations fall into three categories - sit-down restaurant service, “buffeteria,” and fast-food categories. The most extensive theming has always been found in the sit-down restaurant locations but all locations were housed in authentically motified facilities.

The Space Bar was to be the first West Coast version of the automat (a common type of dining experience in New York during the 50s and 60s), with a catch - guests would dine in the futuristic year of 1986. Both Herb Ryman and Gabriel Scognamillo created many concepts (rough layouts, elevations, and artistic drawings) which contributed to the final design of the “futuristic” automat. [Some of these designs were refined and published later on July 15, 1955, as a supplement for the “Register” of Santa Ana, California.]

Meanwhile (in 1954), Walt was searching for participants to lease shop and restaurant spaces at Disneyland, and help generate the necessary capital to fund construction of Disneyland. In a synergistic relationship, the companies (in turn) could sell their products and advertise their corporate names in the Park. Several “reliable old firms” sponsored the “abundance of restaurants devoted to pleasing all tastes and all budgets,” according to “The Story of Disneyland”, published 1955. “55er” Rima Bruce (who started with Jim D'Arcy in Food when all food was Lessee and typed memos and menus) recalled that “the phone never stopped ringing with everybody trying to get a food lease in the Park.“

By October 195, 34.48% of Disneyland Inc. stock was owned by American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc.

By July of 1954, Raul Grizante of Disneyland, Inc. was overseeing food philosophy, area & location, food specialties, and beverages for Disneyland. This colorful quick service pavilion would be both partially designed and operated by UPT Concessions Inc. a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theaters Inc. Food service equipment was provided by Coast Distributing Company of Los Angeles (who ran a “Congratulations” message to Walt Disney and Staff in “The Disneyland News,” Vol. 1, No.2 ; August 10, 1955). “55er” Marion Schawacha recalled: “one day I put in an application and I saw Chet Miller with the U.P.T. We were taken around the property, climbing over piles of lumber, as projects were pointed out. On the first of June, I went to the Space Bar, doing everything… stocking the shelves and getting set up for hamburgers. chicken pot pies, tuna burgers, chili beans.”

The Space Bar structure was a one-story cafe comprising 2,779 square-feet. The Space Bar was of stucco and cemesto board on steel frame composition, built atop a concrete foundation and slab. The entire plywood interior structure was covered by a flat composition roof, with a formed steel canopy covering the concrete and terazzo floors. The Space Bar also had three restrooms (containing 19 fixtures) and was connected to the 1,760 square-foot Skyway Station. Altogether, the Space Bar was valued between $63,100 and $65,900.

Some of these viable project Concepts (as seen above), were supported by a well-developed business case and built expectation.

Disneyland, Inc. continued to team with the Participant sponsor to develop the attraction. As late as May 25, 1955, “ABC’s Automat type restaurant… was [sic] changed from Autosnak to Stratosnak,” according to one official and authorized “Disneyland Information & Nomenclature List” (prepared by Bill Cottrell of Disneyland Inc., by May 25, 1955). It was estimated that the Stratosnak Space Bar would have the capacity to serve 800 guests per hour. With that, the Space Bar would become one of Disneyland’s eating facilities which was predicted to contribute to accommodating “15,000 persons daily, hitting a peak of 60,000 on holidays and week-ends…” and one of “twenty restaurants and snack bars, capable of saving 8,000 hourly,” at least according to “Building A Dream” (prepared by the Disneyland, Inc. Public Relations Department).

As of June 2, 1955, C.V. Wood Jr. sent an Inter-Office Memorandum to Walt Disney regarding the best estimates that could be obtained at the time regarding the completion status of individual sections of the Park and Opening Day. C.V. wrote: “Stratosnack: Will be completed.”

“55er” Dean Penlick was a Chef Manager in a very successful Beverly Hills Restaurant when it was purchased by the American Broadcasting Company. Then UPT was the Lessee for all fast foods in Disneyland, and brought Dean to Disneyland as a food consultant.

“55er” Marion Schawacha recalled opening day: “The waiting lines were all mixed up and criss-crossing each other. The line from Autopia would end up at the Space Bar, and vice versa. All you could see in Tomorrowland was PEOPLE!”Beginning in July of 1955, a variety of food and refreshments were available! Guests could order soft drinks (Root Beer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, and Orange Drink), salads, sandwiches (hamburgers, hot dogs), desert (pastry and pie), Coffee and candy. Carnation Farms would also serve this and 14 other wholesale customers who operated restaurants and snack bars in Disneyland.

Dean Penlick recalled: “I was working in Tomorrowland at a food facility that was an automat. It was all vending machines. This operation would take in many thousands of dollars a day in coin… but we were too busy to count the coins. So we worked up a formula where we weighed the coins and used that weight as a basis for our deposits.”

A few Disneylanders fulfilled a starting role at the Space Bar, like Terry Carnes.

Guests selected these items from immaculate, fully-automated vending machines, and placed them on their trays, before making their way toward the Patio Seating area. The Space Bar Patio Seating Area was located in a rather central location - providing a great view of several attractions, like the busy Tomorrowland Autopia race track and (later) the Skyway cabins ascending from the Tomorrowland Skyway Station! This early Disneyland Map excerpt (though rather simple) gives an idea of what the Space Bar Patio’s table arrangement under the Space Bar awning looked like.

The Space Bar was operated by U.P.T. Concessions with a scope of sales on snacks and soft drinks for VIPs and Disneylanders. Marion Schawacha recalled: “Walt was a fantastic man...he had great pride in the place. He liked popcorn and he liked hot dogs and he would always PAY for his food! Instead of taking his guests to a fine restaurant, he would bring them to the SPACE BAR!”

Additional covered seating was available nearby, offering another amazing view of Tomorrowland! At one time there were a total of 26 metal canopies (measuring 4’x4’) on steel posts.

In a move of corporate synergy, the Space Bar was one of 16 Disneyland “eating places” which featured “fine food with fine coffee - Maxwell House,” from 1955 to 1957, as well as Carnation Farms products!

The vending machines at Disneyland also yielded some revenue for Disneyland Inc. Notwithstanding annual operating expenses (at $1,429 in materials) and repair and maintenance materials (at $15), a total of $8,497 (less $154 for expenses) for the fiscal year (52 weeks) ending September 29, 1957 and a total of $10,333 (less $1,468 for expenses) for the fiscal year (52 weeks) ending September 28, 1958.

Space Bar construction (and barriers) as seen from a shaky Skyway gondola descending into Tomorrowland.

A storage addition was added to the Space Bar in 1958. After labor, materials, purchases, and sub contracts (Automatic Sprinklers, Allstate Roofers, and Jezowski & Markell), the cost of the job totaled $1,615.57. By September of 1958, an appraisal of Disneyland “land improvement” assets valued the Automat at $129,117.

In the left corner of the photo, you’ll notice a space in the midst of the Tomorrowland “StratoSnak” Space Bar seating area. This location was often utilized for dancing and Date Night Dance bands during peak seasons.

According to Disneyland World of Flowers by Morgan Evans, “On each side of the dining terrace you will see a curious tree called ‘star pine’ (Araucaria excelsa). It comes from faraway Norfolk Island in the south Pacific, where it is known (not surprisingly) by yet another name, ‘Norfolk Island pine.’ It is not truly a pine, but a sort of second cousin. If you are a tree and have needles, and your seed is borne in cones, it's all in the family - the conifer family.”

This was the view from underneath the StratoSnak Space Bar awning.

According to Dave Smith (previous Chief Archivist Emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives), “In its early years, Disneyland did not have the atmosphere bands that are used today… It would be several years before other bands appeared on a regular basis : Kay Bell and the Spacemen first performed in 1961.” [Disney Facts Revealed by Dave Smith, 2016] In addition to the usual Tomorrowland ambiance, entertainers made appearances at the Space Bar. Chuck Corson (Disneyland Entertainment casting Director, 1959 - 1973) was responsible for much of the big-name talent (and big bands) that appeared in the Park, it was Sonny Anderson (of Disneyland Entertainment) who was largely responsible for many of the youthful bands that performed at the Space Bar (and later, Tomorrowland Terrace). Acts like the Mustangs and the Spacemen owe their appearance at Disneyland, predominantly to Sonny Anderson.

The area had a permanent, covered dance floor for Date Night dance bands during peak seasons. Guests also found plenty of room to swing at the Space Bar Dance Area (labelled in some guides like “Walt Disney’s Guide to Disneyland”, published 1964). Both the Space Bar Band (debuting during the summer of 1961), and the Astronauts (the band) could be found providing swingin’ melodies during Date Nites (perhaps starting during the Summer of 1961) at the nearby the Space Bar! During 1962, both Teddy Buckner and his Band performed during Disneyland’s 2nd Annual Grad Nite, and Bobby Rydell performed in a segment of “Disneyland After Dark,” from the Space Bar Stage. The 5th Annual New Years Eve Party (held Monday, December 31st, 1962 thru Tuesday, January 1st, 1963) brought the vocalist Kay Bell and the Spacemen to the Space Bar. Grad Nite 1964 continued to bring performances by the Spacemen and Kay Bell to this dining area. Also during 1964, Gary Lewis (Jerry Lewis’ son) won the contract to perform with his six-piece rock and roll band (at the Space Bar in Tomorrowland) on Friday and Saturday nights. Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra also performed at the Space Bar.

By January, 1966, Disney had bought out the UPT facilities, a subsidiary of American Broadcasting Company.

I’m 1967, the Space Bar tarmac was raised in front to a point, level with, or just a bit higher than the dance floor.

For about a decade (during the 1960s), the Patio Seating area was elevated and enclosed with panels.

According to Bill Evans (“Walt Disney Disneyland World of Flowers”): “Yucca and Australian spear lily, seasonally highlighted by cockscomb and verbena, greet visitors to the Space Bar.”

During the construction of the New Tomorrowland, the site of the old Space Bar was utilized for the Carousel Theater.

While located beneath the PeopleMover station, the new Space Bar offered “soft drinks, ice cream, popcorn and other refreshments.”

During the development of Space Mountain, a new form of the Space Bar was renamed The Lunching Pad. About 1981, the Tomorrowland fast food location offered Popcorn, Space Mist, Ice Cream Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Frozen Bananas, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Twinkies, Milk, Almonds, Raisins, and Ham and cheese sandwiches.

If you would like to read more about the original Space Bar, it’s my pleasure to recommend adding Marcy Smothers’ “Eat Like Walt - The Wonderful World of Disney Food” to your personal Disney Home Library! Therein, Marcy has extensively researched and finely crafted a small section of a chapter dedicated to “Walt Disney’s Disneyland - Tomorrowland” If you would like to bring the magic of Disneyland restaurants and concessions to your dining room table, “please step this way” toward www.eatlikewalt.com where Marcy has shared a few recipes for memorable Disneyland menu options, so you too can “Eat Like Walt.”