FrankieRider2
01-11-2005, 10:06 AM
An aunt and I went last week (I hadn't been inside the house in several years), and it was interesting to see things that were new to me, even after all the years the house has been open. It's been a LONG time since I held ticket # 000003 in my hands. My mother and I were part of the first tour group to tour the mansion on the first day it was open to the public.
I was glad to see that the tour is continuing to evolve. Some new "firsts" for me were: the parents' bedroom, the offices off the den now open as display rooms, and the racquetball court with all the gold records on display. Alas, the multitude of jumpsuits were no longer there; just several outfits in sealed cases.... as they should be, IMO.
I did like how certain outfits were kind of scattered throughout the house, but they are now open to the elements as well.... so how smart is that, really? I naturally gravitate to the trophy room, and the displays there. I really missed that there was not a 1969 or Jan. '70 Vegas stage costume on display this time. The last time I toured the mansion, the beautiful light blue tapestry suit from the Jan. '70 season was on display.
My aunt was glad to see the "Chain" suit from TTWII have a prominent display; she saw him wear that in St. Louis on the Sept. 70 tour. It has always been on of her favorites (although it had the suit's orignal belt on the dispaly instead of the red macrame style worn in STL). Has anyone also noticed that the "stage rehearsal outfit" on display from TTWII has white-striped pants on it instead of the red-striped style that Elvis wore in the film?
Anyway, we both really enjoyed the tour, but I guess my biggest question (and the thing I was most shocked by) was.... how long has that CBS '77 footage been playing on display at the end of the racquetball display????? That shocked me to death to see that on TV in the same room with the "Aloha" footage.
Was just wondering how long the estate has had this "progressive" viewpoint.....? :P
I was glad to see that the tour is continuing to evolve. Some new "firsts" for me were: the parents' bedroom, the offices off the den now open as display rooms, and the racquetball court with all the gold records on display. Alas, the multitude of jumpsuits were no longer there; just several outfits in sealed cases.... as they should be, IMO.
I did like how certain outfits were kind of scattered throughout the house, but they are now open to the elements as well.... so how smart is that, really? I naturally gravitate to the trophy room, and the displays there. I really missed that there was not a 1969 or Jan. '70 Vegas stage costume on display this time. The last time I toured the mansion, the beautiful light blue tapestry suit from the Jan. '70 season was on display.
My aunt was glad to see the "Chain" suit from TTWII have a prominent display; she saw him wear that in St. Louis on the Sept. 70 tour. It has always been on of her favorites (although it had the suit's orignal belt on the dispaly instead of the red macrame style worn in STL). Has anyone also noticed that the "stage rehearsal outfit" on display from TTWII has white-striped pants on it instead of the red-striped style that Elvis wore in the film?
Anyway, we both really enjoyed the tour, but I guess my biggest question (and the thing I was most shocked by) was.... how long has that CBS '77 footage been playing on display at the end of the racquetball display????? That shocked me to death to see that on TV in the same room with the "Aloha" footage.
Was just wondering how long the estate has had this "progressive" viewpoint.....? :P