Most of the motels that sprang up around DISNEYLAND were owned and operated by small businesses. The big guys initially shunned Anaheim, feeling that DISNEYLAND was still not established enough. (They wouldn't enter the market until the late 1970's.)
Without established names, the small business owners had to find other ways to get attention. Many of them borrowed their theming from inside the park. One of the biggest new attractions to hit the Magic Kingdom was the Matterhorn. Guests who viewed the Matterhorn's grand opening at DISNEYLAND flocked to the park by the millions, so an enterprising motelier found an easy name for his new endeavor: the Alpine Motel:
Experienced guests of Anaheim's Vacationland might not recognize the place. Other than the name, the facade originally inspired thoughts of mid-century motel instead of Swiss chalets. As the motel found quick success, it later renovated its facade to match its theme and name:
Amazingly, this business is still open among the more modern look of the Anaheim Resort. A relic of the early days of Walt Disney's Vacation Kingdom.
