Behind the Magic-50th Disneyland Exhibit Report

[Alchimedes]

So I took a little trip to the Oakland California Museum to see this exhibit.

http://www.museumca.org/exhibit/exhi_disney1.html

First off No one was allowed to take Photos. They had security everywhere, not to mention lots of tiny cameras.
Here's a list of a few interesting things I personally had seen before or had not seen in a while and or
As you walk up you see the classic photo of Walt before Opening day, with a Giant Classic "D"
-Different angles of Main Street under Construction, facing the train Station, -Blacklight Painting of Disneyland done by Peter Emmerich,
-Herb Ryman sketch and the actual pitch folder for presenting Disneyland plan to the ABC television company, (too anyone who went please add more, --please help me out here. I'm trying to remember it all.
-Many videos of Disneyland and the different lands of the park, mostly that are on the Disney Treasures, also saw some that were playing on July 17th 2005 and more that I had not seen.
-Different videos and artwork,
-Swiss Family Tree sign, A Jungle Cruise Sign that had a quote, that I wish I could remember.
-Menus from the Blue Bayou,Tahatian Terrace,Disneyland Hotel
Disneyland Hotel Carpet samples,tiles, linolium, (I know for some whoopiee!
-Disneyland Employee Manual, and you were allowed to thumb thru it.
-A sketch of a ride called the "Reel" Ride where your favorite Cowboy Star chases a Villain, with Mechanical Horses for the audience to ride, that never came to be.
-Two of the original Pirate shooting arcade games
-Davey Crockett merchandise hat,
Two of the Disneyland themed trash cans
-All the fortune Cards from the Pirate Fortune Teller. There was alot more in the first section. More to come....

[Radiobarry]

Great stuff TicToc!!! The magic of Disneyland is everywhere...

--Barry

[Alchimedes]

Second and third sections were in the back of the Museum,

This section started off with a Haunted Mansion section with the Woman changing to Medusa exactly like the one at Disneyland, It changed and cracked lightning exactly the same.





There were all the Stretching portraits,
small Raven exoskeleton AA in a glass case.(non functioning)
The Original video of the making of HM.
-A sculpture of one of the Hitchhiking Ghosts in a glass case
Diorama model of the Peter Pan ride so you can see down inside, Also they had one of the Pirate ship ride vehicles that one could sit in.
-A Lincoln AA with just the head covered and one hand, the greatest thing was being able to see this with just the see through exoskeleton and all the working mechanisms.
-A mold of Lincoln's head (probably was at DL already)
A HUGE diorama of the Jungle Cruise and Adventureland and I mean huge
the one thing that stuck out the most was the artwork for the walkthrough of the Pirates of the Carribean. In the Drawing you could actually walk up to the Pirate Ship.
Then the third Section was kind of small, but ok. It had a section for Toontown, also they had the AA control panel from the old days, that has been on television before. With one control panel you could actually play around with.
- A drawing of the artwork for Indy from 1988. Also a full size Snake from Indy that is blacklit. I'm sure there was more, but hopefully those who had the chance to see it will share what they thought of it.

[A Disney Dreamer]

Thanks for the thread! Its great!

[Alchimedes]

Great stuff TicToc!!! The magic of Disneyland is everywhere...

--Barry

It sure is Barry, never too far at all.

[Crazy Legs]

Wow what a report I love the photos thanks for sharing...I wish I could have gone.

[Alchimedes]

A few pics of the Disneyland Book, I love this pic.

[Alchimedes]

Opening day

[Bornieo Goes Bananas]

Excellent stuff TTD!! Wish gas was cheeper or I'd take a day trip up to see that. What a treat!!

[peoplemover1]

Really great photos and report.... thanks for sharing!

[Flaming Cabin]

Did they have a statue of Paul Pressler?

[Alchimedes]

Did they have a statue of Paul Pressler?

Thank goodness no.

[Radiobarry]

Excellent stuff TTD!! Wish gas was cheeper or I'd take a day trip up to see that. What a treat!!

Looks like we have some time to plan a trip...

Walt Disney’s legendary theme park, conceived and created with his design wizards, the Imagineers, opened July 17, 1955, in Anaheim, on 160 acres of former orange groves. The rest is American history.
The Oakland Museum of California helps celebrate the first half-century of Disney’s magical kingdom when Behind the Magic—50 Years of Disneyland opens on Saturday, May 6, 2006. The exhibition is on view through August 20.
Behind the Magic provides a rare look at American icon Walter Elias Disney and his vision for a new genre of family entertainment. Graphic designers, Disney aficionados, film historians, and generations of Disneyland visitors will find plenty of living history to explore.

http://www.museumca.org/press/press_disney.html

Anyone for a carpool?

--Barry

[PirateMickey]

GREAT report!

We'll be there in a couple of weeks (with our spy camera, of course).

Thanks!

(BTW-a friend of ours works for the museum, and told us that she has not seen this much security for any previous exhibit!)

[TheSwami]

Is there any chance you'd be willing to get another one of these posters and mail it to me? I'd happily pay cost + shipping + extra for your trouble. That poster is awesome! Unfortunately Oakland is an 8-hour drive for me.