Rare Look at Disneyland's Initial Design Art and Prospectus
If you're a hardcore fan of Disneyland you're going to love this. This is the initial 1953 pitch document for Disneyland from Walt and Roy Disney. It gives us a rare glimpse at what the first design of the theme park was supposed to be and the prospectus that was used to help raise the money to build their dream. In it Walt describes the park as a "new experience in entertainment." These documents are so rare that Disney doesn't even own them!
The document you see here was sent to Boing Boing by an "anonymous benefactor," but it's owned by Glenn Beck. The site also goes into a lot of detail about the the contents of the pitch that is worth reading when you get a chance. One of the interesting things that they point out is that merchandise was one of the main points of the pitch. People would come to Disneyland to shop. Even in 1953 they understood the power and money of merchandise, and Walt even made up a unique word for it… "merchantainment."
People would be able to purchase "magnificently plumed birds and fantastic fish from all over the world." You could buy your kids "scientific toys, chemical sets and model kits." The park would have "slidewalks," "robotic kitchens," and there was even supposed to be a Lilliputian Land, where "mechanical people nine inches high sing and dance and talk to you."
The Disneyland planned in 1953 sounds like it would have been an insanely good time. Please make sure to read the article over on Boing Boing, it really is filled with interesting stuff.
