Opening Day Souveneirs

brdwyguy · Post by **brdwyguy** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 5:53 pm

In 1976
March of 76 in Santa Clara
the Great AMerica Singers were given a disk made of porcelein
with the Great America Insignia on iit

i have been franctically lookin for mine!!!!!

is there anyone who worked that 1st year at MGA still have theirs?

Did just the show ops people get them?
or
Was is just the MGA Singers who got them?

Did the employees of Gurnee's 1st year also get them?

please let me know

If i find it I will scan it so people can see what I am talking about

thank
JDM
brdwyguy

Post by **steven** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 6:00 pm

Hi, Joey!

I believe I know this piece. Was it a circular white ceramic with the Carousel Columbia on it with the Marriott's GREAT AMERICA logo below and "GRAND OPENING - 1976" along the top? I don't know how it was originally distributed, but I've seen it occasionally for sale on eBay. This same ceramic piece was also mounted in the center of a larger pewter plate. Apparently this plate was given out to certain employees, contractors, and VIPs. It was also sold to the public in the shops in Gurnee. I don't know about Santa Clara, but it was probably sold there, too. I didn't buy one at the time because it was too expensive! I got one off of eBay at a good price a few years ago.

Hope you find yours soon!

Steven

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 8:54 pm

Here's a picture of the plate you are talking about. This was taken inside the Gurnee Park's wardrobe department.

A friend of mine has one as well. I think she got it off of ebay. Not sure how much she paid for it.

Post by **steven** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 10:54 pm

Thanks, Brian.

On eBay, the price depends mostly on luck. Sometimes several people compete for one and drive the price up. Other times, there are no bidders. I think I got mine for just under $10.00. It's in excellent condition.

Steven

brdwyguy · Post by **brdwyguy** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:36 am

yes that is the disk
i have just the center ceramic piece
it was given to the Great America Singers that 1st year
wrapped in a blue box

and as more and more memories are coming back
i have a feeling that it is possible that
they were given to us as a gift from Jim & Judy Bates
the Director/Choreographer of Music America '76
but im not positive

it could also have been a gift from the Show Ops Dept
Marriott itself - not really sure.

thanks for the pic
jdm

segerken · Post by **segerken** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:58 pm

On opening day at Santa Clara they gave frisbees with the logo and the opening day date on it. I don't know if they gave one to every guest or just to the first X number of guests.

I've got one in a box some where.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:36 am

Here is a 1975 MGA ceramic Bugs Bunny on ebay for anyone that is interested (not my auction)

http://cgi.ebay.com/BUGS-BUNNY-MARRIOTT ... dZViewItem

brdwyguy · Post by **brdwyguy** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:55 pm

yes they did give everyone a frisbee
i still have mine boxed away in the basement

does anyone have the Rabbit Ears?
I kept mine but they are not in great shape

Post by **steven** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 2:41 pm

I wasn't there for opening day, so I had to get my frisbee off of eBay.

It's in great condition, too!

I never got any of the rabbit ears, but here's a whole set of 'em:

Steven

rich12_16 · Post by **rich12_16** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:12 pm

I love how all those kids look so innocent, If only i was around in the 70's and 80's(I was born in '89)

GREATAMERICAparks.com

Opening Day Souveneirs

Opening Day Souveneirs

wow

frisbee