Welcome back to Disney Stuff. I’m thrilled as always to be discussing all the Disney collectibles and things that make us Disney fans so happy on a daily basis. As we hit the third week of the New Year, I’m sure many of us out there in the MousePlanet universe can proudly say, “I got some new Disney stuff over the holidays!” That’s a no-brainer around here. My lovely wife has a few avenues to choose from when it comes to choosing gifts for me. I knew that the new Bruce Springsteen re-release was headed my way and she should have stock by now in my favorite clothing catalogue The Territory Ahead. Of course, there’s always a gifts from a certain mouse and the company that he started. When in doubt, “Give Chris a Disney present!” is certainly a safe mantra for my wife and family around the holidays.
I have to say that my beloved really found me a great collectible this year that I know I’ll enjoy for many years to come. She did well at Phil Sears Collectibles on the web and found me a pristine copy of Disneyland: Inside Story by Imagineer Randy Bright. Anyone interested in serious Disney collectibles should be familiar with Phil Sears Collectibles. On Phil’s site you can find everything from vintage Disneyland tickets, to animation art, to Disneyland Railroad Conductor Hats, to checks with Walt Disney’s signature on them. He has a great collection and I’m so glad that Diane found him.
The front cover of Disneyland: Inside Story. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
I have many Disney books on the shelves in this house, but this is my first out-of-print book and it’s quickly become my new favorite. Randy Bright is a Disney Legend who began his career at Disneyland in 1959. After almost a decade of working on almost every attraction in the Park, Marty Sklar brought Randy into Imagineering to be a show writer. Bright produced films for Epcot and Tokyo Disneyland. He wound up being promoted up the ladder to Executive Producer for Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
The inside cover of Disneyland: Inside Story. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
In 1987 my Christmas gift was published and Disneyland: Inside Story came to be known as the authoritative work on the Park. The book is a wonderful inside look at Disneyland from its inception. It’s full of amazing insights and stories about Walt’s Happiest Place on Earth. 32 years of Disneyland history is thoroughly covered. The stories of how Walt brought his dream to life are almost upstaged by the remarkable collection of photographs included in the book.Here are some of my favorites.
There are many early photographs such as these:
The Carolwood-Pacific chugging through Walt’s backyard in Holmby Hills. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
An early design for the park as it would have been across from the Disney Studio. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
Walt and a three-dimensional model of Main Street. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
There are shots of long-gone attractions such as these of the Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland.
The Devil’s Paint Pots in Nature’s Wonderland. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
Old Unfaithful Geyser in the Painted Desert. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
The full-page photos are really stunning.
The Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
The Skyway passing through the Matterhorn. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
Rope drop on Main Street U.S.A. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
The Mark Twain plying the Rivers of America. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
This book was published in 1987, so there are photos and discussion of “future attractions” such as Splash Mountain which would open in 1989.
Concept art for Splash Mountain. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
Imagineers Tony Baxter and Chris Tietz designing Splash Mountain. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
You could call Disneyland: Inside Story a coffee table book, but that would be selling it short. It’s definitely a larger size book but this only accentuates the amazing photographs. The heart of the book, of course, is Randy Bright’s inside look at the attractions that the world grew to love and the people that brought them to us. The book was obviously a labor of love and it shows.
Finding Disneyland: Inside Story isn’t such an easy or inexpensive task. Pristine copies can sell for at least $150.00 or more online. I’ve seen some for twice that. As I wrote this, there was only one available on eBay, so the book is definitely scarce. If you’re treating it like the collectible that it is, be prepared to spend a few bucks. If you’re interested in the book for a great read and for the fantastic photographs than shop around and maybe you’ll catch a good deal.
The back cover of Disneyland: Inside Story. ©1987 The Walt Disney Company.
If you can get your hands on one, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I’ve been enjoying mine; and if you’re lucky enough to have one already, I hope this article inspires a re-read.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time with some more of that great Disney Stuff.
