Staff writer Chris Barry’s articles on Disney Stuff garner lots of mail. In this week’s mailbag, we start with letters in response to his article on vintage Disney postcards (May 28, 2010).
Bob B. writes:
I first visited Walt Disney World in 1977. Just a young Airman at tech school at Keesler, MS with no camera and a long weekend coming up. Morale, Welfare & Recreation made available a trip to Walt Disney World for $50. Roundtrip on a bus, 2 nights in a hotel and a day and a half in the park. So where am I going with this? Well postcards were the best thing to pick up for my visit and memory of the trip to look back on. So on the last day I grabbed a bunch. I still have them and today even with cameras my family still picks up a postcard or two to add to the photo book of our trip.
On another note after reading Nickel Tour I started collecting Disneyland postcards and have a pretty extensive collection now. Like you pointed out its fun reading some of the letters, and also looking at the stamps from that era.
That was a pretty exceptional deal you got there, even by 1977 standards. I think I’m going to start looking for some vintage Disneyland postcards now after writing this article.
Anna B. writes:
I was SO excited to see your article on the post cards! I’ve had these stack of old postcards in my Disney collection box for years and never thought too much about them until your article. My mother was going through some old photos and found them tucked away. Four post cards from Walt Disney World and several from Sarasota and Tampa (Busch Gardens included!) Of course, she gave them to me, being the Disneyphile that I am.
Two of the Walt Disney World post cards were exactly the same as the ones you had posted. The Main Street Railroad station and the Riverboat. I also have one of Main Street looking at the castle from the round-about and one in Liberty Square with the Fife and Drum Corps. All of them are in excellent condition and now I’m thinking, I need to frame these!
Thanks for the great read! I’m excited to know that these cards are more of a big deal than I had thought. I mean, they were special to me, but I didn’t know others cared like I did.
Very cool. I figured some reader would unearth these as well. The two that you mentioned, Liberty Square and Main Street were also included in the photo book.
There are always people out there that care about any kind of Disney collectible.
Laurel S. writes:
I’ve been collecting Disney postcards for several years now and have an adequate collection. Many of my cards are from visits to Disneyland (California), the 1950’s through today, but most have been purchased on eBay. The auction prices vary from seller to seller, so one really needs to do research to make sure they are not paying too much for a very common postcard.
There is a book called The Nickel Tour written by Bruce Gordon and David Mumford. It tells the history of Disneyland through its’ postcards and is very informative. It’s sort of the Bible for Disney postcard collectors. I’ve seen some of the earlier postcards sell for over $100.00 each. The most I have spent on one postcard is probably around $50.00. Unfortunately, the park seems to have the same postcards they have had for years with very few new views, (the rides, shops, updated character cards). This may have something to do with the wide use of digital cameras and the ability for guests to take their own “picture postcards”. I’m hoping to pass on my collection to my children and grandchildren someday and hope they enjoy visiting Disneyland by way of these wonderful photographs.
I know of “The Nickel Tour” book, but haven’t purchased it yet. It’s one of my favorite ideas for a book, to tell the history through the postcards. Keep your collection, it is a great thing to pass on through the family.
Next, readers respond to Chris’ article on “Disney Kitchen Stuff” (June 25, 2010).
Carolyn writes:
Great article! I too would love to have a completely Disneyfied kitchen, but equally I love the fact that my stuff is all subtle. We just got back (to the UK) from a trip to Walt Disney World, and this time we added a Mickey teapot trivet to our kitchen – it’s lovely! We have mugs, obviously, and a cookie cutter come pancake mould, glasses etc, but nothing electrical sadly – I would dearly love a waffle iron or toaster, but they are different voltages to what we have in the UK!
It’s great to have readers from overseas. Thanks for reading and taking the time to respond. Sounds like you need a waffle maker and one of those converter plugs.
Glenn M. writes:
After several trips, the only coffee cups, glasses or beer mugs in our kitchen are all Disney products, along with a fair number of dish towels of course.
What I really want to know is where did you get the Winnie the Pooh waffle iron? It’s awesome! I’ve got to find one.
There are no dish towels in our kitchen just yet.
I have to think back, but I feel like the waffle iron was a Disney Catalog purchase. I remember after our daughter’s first trip when she was 4, she loved the waffles at the Crystal Palace so much, we found the iron for her so she would have an extra breakfast choice on her finicky list of foods.
Pete writes:
Man I love those iced tea glasses; very retro. I wish they were still available. I’ve forced myself not to buy anymore coffee cups, as I already have more than enough to use a different cup each day for a few weeks without using the same one twice. Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. As always, I enjoyed your piece.
You’re probably not exaggerating. I love the retro looking iced tea glasses so much I bought a second set right away. The funny thing is I broke the Minnie glass of each set. I guess I’m not supposed to have a Minnie Mouse iced tea glass in my home.
Theresa writes:
I loved your article because you showed some older Disney kitchen stuff. I have my whole kitchen as Mickey: the strainers, blenders, etc. that you mentioned. Although the appliances work great the pieces like the spatula, ice cream scooper, etc. do not last at all. They break quite easily and since we have season passes we can go back and return them. I’ve found I just use them for decoration. It is a bit annoying though because of the cost.
It’s a shame that those items don’t last. You should bring it to the manager’s attention when you return. They should know that there is a level of customer dissatisfaction out there. Maybe they can do something about it on the supply end. Enjoy your Disney kitchen.
Laurie writes:
I really enjoyed your article about Disney kitchen stuff. I try to buy myself a “kitchen” souvenir each time we visit Walt Disney World. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen so I like to have a little bit of Walt Disney World in there with me. I especially like my Mickey spoon rest. I use it every day. On the days I need a little “pick-me-up” I just look at it and think of a happy Walt Disney World memory. Thanks for sharing! I really enjoyed reading your article!
That’s always been my point for this column is to celebrate just what you said. We collect and accumulate for a lot of reasons. I think most of all it’s because just a glance at some trinket or collectible brings you back to a happy moment and makes you long for a return trip to the Happiest Places on Earth.
Rae M. writes:
Most of my Disney collection is contained in my Disney dedicated office/TV/craft room but I do have a few kitchen collectibles. There is the Disney spoon rest, kitchen timer, cookie presses and MANY Mickey ear wine stoppers. However, my two most used Disney items are Mickey icon plates I use daily at the pediatrician’s office where I work. Many a child has smiled at the plates pointing at Mickey or Goofy only to find out the plates hold their scheduled immunizations! Ouch! It’s not all bad though as the plates have initiated many Disney conversations about experiences at Walt Disney World or future trips.
Ouch is right! Nice move though. If it makes a kid smile or feel at ease when they’re about to get a shot than you’re doing your job well. I wish my doctor would add something fun into his exam room.
Carol S. writes:
I really enjoy reading your columns about what you have collected from Disney. This one really hit home for me. I have quite a few Disney things in my kitchen and like you many are from the old Disney catalog.
A wooden Mickey chalk board hangs on the wall. I have a metal Mickey paper towel holder and a napkin holder. Like you I have some of the refillable mugs in the cabinet as well as some ceramic mugs. In the hutch in the dining room I have my good set of Mickey dinnerware including some platters and a cake plate. There are also several sets of salt and peppers shakers of various styles and characters in there.
I also collect Disney snow globes and I am frankly afraid to count how many. I have told my husband that I can not have anymore only less there are tiny as I have run out of room. Throughout the house are some Disney lithographs that I used to pick up when the Disney Store used to have a wider variety of stuff.
Like you I miss the Disney catalog that I could leave open on a table to something that I wanted around holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, etc.
Sounds like you have a whole bunch of Disney Stuff in your home. I’ve surprisingly never gone the snow globe route. Some of them are really well made and beautifully designed. It’s just never been my thing, but I do appreciate them. Considering I write for a Disney web site and utilize the Internet for all sorts of things in my life, I really don’t like shopping on DisneyShopping. I will if I need a gift, or I get a good coupon in my email, but I still miss the Disney Catalog experience. I know I kept the last one that was printed. Maybe I should do a Disney Stuff article on that?
