Book Review: Disneyland: From Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After

DISNEYLAND: From Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After

Jeff Kurtti

Photographs by Michael Carroll

2010

64 pages

Disney Editions

$7.95

In recent weeks, Jeff Kurtti released a delightful look back at the history of Disneyland in Disneyland Through the Decades. He has now come up with one of the best park souvenir books that I have ever seen. At $7.95 it is a huge bargain.

The idea is pretty simple. Take a historic photo from the park. Then take a new photo from the same point of view. Witness the change. As Kurtti notes in the introduction, Disneyland “is revelatory in the drastic change you will see – and the almost complete lack of change you will see.” He puts into perspective the shifting thematic foundations that time and taste have forced upon the park.

Some of the photos are taken at angles that only a Disney insider could hope to get. For example, there is a terrific view looking northwest from on top of a Main Street building. In this case, the trees are even smaller than the early photo and the signs are different. But very little has changed.

In an ironic twist, there is a photo and commentary about the Disneyland Bandshell. This poor thing’s first location was right were the flagpole on Main Street stands today. Walt thought it blocked the view of the castle and had it moved. It bounced around the park and is now living in Newport Beach. The modern day photo that features the hideous “Celebrate” obstruction that used to block the view of the Castle is no better. Thankfully it is now gone.

Along with a rare construction photo of Monstro at the Storybook Land Canal Boats comes a fun story. Monstro was supposed to be a water flume where you escape out of the beast’s mouth. Walt had a better idea. He wanted you to see Monstro so he reversed your direction so that now you could be swallowed up instead.

The photos comparing the old and new Fantasyland are eye-openers. For Walt Disney World fans, you are going to see where your Fantasyland got its start. Some of the most dynamic changes have come with Tomorrowland. You will simply not believe how much has changed. And this is not always a good thing. The reminder that the Mary Blair mural is still beneath the spaceships along the Buzz Lightyear building is very sad.

This is a terrific book and I highly recommend it.

I purchased this book at the Disneyana shop in Disneyland.