Product Description

On July 17 1955 Walt Disney opened the gates to Disneyland(R) the beloved American icon that has become a cherished destination for generations. It was also the day Walt's sixteen-year dream came true. The centerpiece of this volume is a captivating and nostalgic film that takes you inside that dream. Rare archival footage new interviews with key people and Walt's own words reveal how his innovative vision became a reality. Then discover more Disneyland(R) secrets with a fun-filled trivia game and relive the magic of the recently restored PEOPLE AND PLACES: DISNEYLAND U.S.A. presented in CinemaScope with a new 5.1 audio mix. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.System Requirements:Running Time: 332 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: NR UPC: 786936702057

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37501 in DVD
• Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
• Released on: 2007-12-11
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, NTSC, Closed-captioned
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 332 minutes

Features

• On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney opened the gates to Disneyland(R), the beloved American icon that has become a cherished destination for generations. It was also the day Walt's sixteen-year dream came true. The centerpiece of this volume is a captivating and nostalgic film that takes you inside that dream. Rare archival footage, new interviews with key people and Walt's own words reveal how

Amazon.com
Originally conceived as a fiftieth anniversary tribute to Disneyland, this 332-minute DVD set celebrates Walt Disney's vision and drive in imagining, building, and marketing America's first-ever theme park. This compilation offers fascinating insight into Walt Disney's enormous undertaking through the documentary "The Secrets, Stories, and Magic of Disneyland," the retrospective "Operation Disneyland," three episodes from "The Wonderful World of Color" television series, one "People and Places" episode, and a collection of historical time-lapse construction footage from Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Leonard Maltin and Julie Andrews provide an introduction to the 80-minute "Secrets, Stories, and Magic" which details Walt Disney's initial vision for Disneyland, considered to be "Walt's Folly" by many Disney Studio employees, and the various stages of the park's planning and construction culminating in its grand opening on July 17, 1955. Extensive new and vintage footage address virtually every aspect of the conception and realization of Disneyland from the original site plan and concept art to the tight construction schedule, logistical problems during construction and on opening day, the development of new enhanced motion vehicle technology for the rides, and the shelved ideas that make up the "Disneyland that never was." Extensive interview footage includes Walt Disney, George Lucas, Roy Disney, artist Herb Ryman, retired president of Disneyland Jack Lindquist, composer Richard Sherman, and many others. After an interactive Disneyland trivia game that's none-to-easy even in the beginner mode, it's on to a restored version of the 1956 "People and Places: Disneyland USA" episode which highlights Walt Disney's goal that Disneyland serve as a place of enlightenment, happiness, and the pursuit of fun and takes viewers on a slow-paced exploration of the five areas of Disneyland. Modern audiences might be inclined to condemn this particular feature as a 42-minute-long Disneyland commercial, but in 1956 it functioned more as an exploration of a distant place that many around the world had never had the opportunity to visit.

Disc two begins with "Operation Disneyland," a 14-minute black and white documentary produced for ABC closed circuit television which looks at the technical aspects of broadcasting the opening ceremonies of Disneyland on live television. Never intended for public viewing, the program offers an interesting and historically valuable look back at the mechanics of live television in the 1950's. Next are three episodes of Walt Disney's weekly program "The Wonderful World of Color." "The Golden Horseshoe Revue" features the 10,000th vaudeville-inspired performance at Disneyland's The Golden Horseshoe Saloon with Betty Taylor, Wally Boag, Gene Sheldon, Ed Wynn, and former Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair" details Disney's contributions to the New York World's Fair of 1964-1965 including the creation of "It's A Small World" for UNICEF, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln," and the "Primeval World" audio-animatronic dinosaurs currently on exhibit in the Disneyland Railroad. "Disneyland Around the Seasons" celebrates Disneyland's 11th year with a look at special holiday programming at Disneyland. Finally, footage from several time-lapse cameras scattered throughout Disneyland during the park's construction is presented with narration by Tony Baxter from Disney Imagineering, and Ed Hobbleman and Walter Magnuson from the Disney Studio Inventory Group. Just about everything one could ever want to know about the history of Disneyland is right here in this thorough Disney collection. --Tami Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

A Day at the Park
I generally enjoy Disney's "Treasures" releases, due to their wealth of insiders knowledge and vintage film and shows that appear in these special collector's packages. I do own Walt Disney Treasures - Disneyland USA, and watch it from time to time, fascinated by the many selections offered. I was so happy to learn that Disney was releasing a new set of videos, "Disneyland- Secrets, Stories and Magic".

This two-disc set offers a small variety of shorts, clips, and films that were used to promote Disneyland in it's earliest stages. The first disk contains a recent documentary on the creation and development of Disneyland, with many, many interviews by Disneyland insiders still living, which provides a fascinating look at how Walt built the park. This doc tends to concentrate on the early years, instead of a broader fifty year view of the park.

The treasure on this disk, however, can be found in the "People and Places" documentary filmed in a new technology at the time, "Cinemascope". Filmed in all four lands, this film shows Disneyland in it's true infancy, with stage coach rides, the trip to the moon, and a park without New Orleans Square. Despite it's occasional un-PC tone (you audibly groan as the narrator talks about Native Americans), it's a fascinating look inside the park early on. I watched it once, then immediately watched it with the insightful commentary track by Leonard Maltin and Tony Baxter. Wheeeee!

Disc two is a bit more disappointing. There is an unexplicable boring "Operation Disneyland" made for TV stations showing the technological nightmare of bringing the live opening day Disneyland broadcast to the public. I stopped it three minutes in for fear I'd fall asleep. Fortunately, "Disneyland through the Seasons" makes up for this faux pas. I loved watching it, despite the hint of sadness, realizing Walt had died just prior to its broadcast.

I gave this set, which in my opinion is sold VERY cheaply, four stars, only because I want more. As a true Disney fan, who loved Disneyland ever since he was six years old, it's hard to satisfy my hunger for Disney information. This is a great, great appetizer, though!

Great & 6 years over due
When the "Walt Disney Treasures" sets started in 2001 the very first one I purchased was the Disneyland set.
I love it & still watch it now.

Why did it take Disney 6 years to put together another set/package for Disneyland is beyond me.
WAY TOO LONG to wait Disney.

I love this set.

Some of the episodes I have on video tape already. It is so nice to have all of them with perfect picture. Having the "Disneyland "U..S.A." show in wide screen is great & the commentary with Leonard and Tony is fantastic.

Let me say this to Disney-PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER 6 YEARS TO GET ANOTHER DISNEYLAND SET/PACKAGE TOGETHER.

And, my requests for the next set/package. 1959 for the opening of the Matterhorn, Monorail & submarines, 1967 for the opening of Pirates & the new Tomorrow land & 1969's "Disneyland Showtime" for the opening of the Haunted Mansion with Kurt Russell & the Osmond Brothers.

Annette on The Golden Horseshoe Revue
This review was going to be strictly for the Annette Funicello fans out there until I previewed one of the episodes. I only bought this DVD because it contained a show entitled THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE REVUE which aired on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color some 45 years ago. The Revue is a staple at Disneyland. Here, it was presented for TV with a few Guest Stars, one of whom was Annette. I am a Annette "completist". I hadn't seen this since it was first aired. I had been working late and so I thought I'd just take a look at Annette's song "Mr. Piano Man" and watch the entire DVD some other time. I ended up watching the entire episode. This show never looked so good. Remember the kaliedoscope opening with a chorus singing; "Color... color!"? I was hooked from the start. Some quick math indicates that Annette was about 18 years old here. She's even prettier than I remembered and, not only does she sing "Mr. Piano Man", she sings something called "The Buffalo Round-Up" which I didn't even remember at all! I also loved Betty Taylor as Slue-foot Sue, a pretty Patti Page type with a nice strong vocal delivery. I had forgotten how entertaining Wally Boag could be with just a few props, a rubbery face and a contortionists' body. His style reminded me of a slightly less handsome version of Dick Van Dyke. Ed Wynn and Gene Sheldon are here along with a staged saloon fight that has become a staple of theme parks throughout the country but never done better than on this show with musical accompaniment. I had forgotten how good wholesome family entertainment could be! This really took me back. Now, I can't wait to see all the rest of the features on this set. Five stars!