Complete Your Back to School List

 

Main Street, USA eraser

Complete your back to school supply shopping list with these early WDW erasers.  Although it looks like a child drew the logo, the sketches are great!  My collection is missing just one of the lands.  Can you tell which one is missing in action?  It was probably used to erase a young child's doodle on their notebook... "I wish I was back at Disney."

Walt Disney World Sucrology

Dixie Crystals Sugar Packet

Apparently, people collect lots of interesting thing.  (Who am I to judge, right?)  But in looking for information about these items, I learned of Sucrology, "the hobby of collecting sugar sachets and/or packets."  Thank you, Wikipedia.


Here is a set of Dixie Crystals sugar packets, "The Official Sugar in Walt Disney World."  The set contains seven different packets.  Each packet has a photo from WDW on one side and the globe head logo on both.  I'm not sure when these packets were made but the images do contain the Walt Disney Productions copyright which I don't seem to find on the earlier 70's items.

The packets feature some great shots of The Magic Kingdom: The Hall of Presidents, Cinderella Castle, Rivers of America and Main Street USA, as well as The Contemporary Resort.  You can see another set of these on Flickr, posted by Sucrologist, Sugar Packet Chad.

WDW Souvenir Catalog 1

Gift Catalog
1976

This is a 12 page catalog of Walt Disney World souvenirs...a collector's dream.  It contains several must-haves for my collection.  I love the 1970's brown globe-head pattern on the background of the order form.

The mail order form reads, "Prices good until December 31, 1976."  So I guess I won't try to send it in and expect these prices.
The items from my collection,"Blue Plate Special", are shown on the back page of the catalog.  I have yet to obtain either of the cups/saucers.

Models of Main Street - QUIZ

Main Street, USA postcard
0110201 dp 79908-c

Let's play a game!  In the days prior to the Magic Kingdom's opening in 1971, models were used in photo shoots for the marketing, publications and post cards.  Several of the models in this Main Street, USA postcard can be found on another card.  Can you find the people below in the above picture?  To see the full postcard were these models also appeared, check out Riding Down Main Street, USA.

Best of 2015

Walt Disney World: a coloring book
Golden, 1983

Based on the popularity of Adult Coloring Books this year, it should be no surprise that the most popular items from my blog in 2015 were from the 1983 Walt Disney World: a coloring book posts.

Coloring Main Street - March 21

Coloring Frontierland - March 27

Coloring Long Lost Attractions - April 3
 

Coming in a close second to the coloring book posts, was the Water Recreation pre-opening postcard that Bob sent his friend Al.  If you missed it, you can revisit it at this link: Sorry, Al - August 7.

The First Snow

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party button
1994

We have yet to see our first snow this season here in Pennsylvania but we leave for Walt Disney World this week where we are guaranteed snow on Main Street at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  I assumed that 1994 saw the first snow on Main Street USA based on the theme of the button but my research shows that this didn't occur until 2000 in Disneyland.  Hmmm.....but even in 1995 the button features snow.  Anyone have any additional thoughts on "The First Snow?"

Back to School - WDW Style

Main Street, USA eraser

Here is the remainder of my early Walt Disney World eraser set that I began sharing last week.  These two highlight Main Street, USA and Tomorrowland.  My collection is missing just one of the lands.  Can you tell which one is missing in action?  It was probably used to erase a young child's doodle on their notebook... "I wish I was back at Disney."

Lessons Learned

Life magazine
October 15, 1971, pg. 45

As we celebrate the big sister's 60th birthday, here is a short article from the iconic October 15, 1971 edition of Life that discusses the lessons learned from the original park.  The biggest lesson: "We lost control of the environment."  Thus the reason WDW has over 27,000 acres compared to Disneyland's 200.  PS-Don't miss the caption under Mickey's picture.

Coloring Main Street

Walt Disney World: a coloring book
Main Street U.S.A., 1983

Main Street, U.S.A. is the perfect place to start our tour through "Walt Disney World: a coloring book" that I introduced last week.  Each land has a section showing characters interacting with attractions in the respective area.  Peter Pan & company are checking out the shops, Goofy & Donald are trying their hand at firefighting and Mickey is taking Minnie on a date to the Crystal Palace.  These are just 4 of the 12 pages highlighting  turn of the century fun on Main Street, U.S.A.

Heading clockwise around the hub, Adventureland is the next stop.  Mickey & Minnie are the first brave souls to enter past the tiki gods.  Of course, you will find Mowgli & Baloo there, along with the Three Cabelleros.  Adventure can happen in any type of jungle, right?  Then there is adventure on the high seas in Pirates of the Caribbean.  Check out Grandma Duck scolding the pirates.  

Coloring the Lands

Walt Disney World: a coloring book
1983

For the past few weeks I have been sharing WDW items that highligted or omitted 'Lands' of the Magic Kingdom.  This 1983 coloring book from Golden Books features all six of the lands with several of our favorite Disney characters enjoying attractions throughout the Magic Kingdom. 
The title page has Mickey Mouse juggling hats from the six....no wait....5 of the 6, lands.  Can you figure out which one isn't represented by a hat?
There are, coincidentally, 71 pictures in the coloring book.  I will be sharing some from each land over the next couple of weeks.

Missing Lands: Found

Pewter keychain

Last week I shared with you the coaster set that excluded Frontierland and Tomorrowland.  I am happy to report that they have been found on the back of this 1 1/2 inch pewter keychain.  The front has the curved logo with the Big D pulled out, similar to some of the early plate designs.  

The Case of the Missing Lands

Glass coaster set

This set of coasters is one of the most popular* early Walt Disney World souvenirs.  Four of the Lands of the Magic Kingdom are featured on these tiny 3 1/4" glass coasters.  Why only four?  Why no love for Frontierland or Tomorrowland?

The coasters match the design of the also popular* ruffled bowl.  The bowl, with 6 spaces for images, also leaves out Frontier and Tomorrow.  While only artist's renderings, can you spot the errors in Adventureland & Liberty Square?
*based on frequency of appearances on eBay

Drink Service

metal drink tray

As the holiday season approaches, it is time to pull out this drink serving tray.  It measures approximately 10 1/2 inches in diameter.  The six recessed glass holes are about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and about .25 inch deep.

If this tray looks familiar to you, it is because I previously posted the original version of this tray.  The early version was most likely pre-opening of WDW because the images were all drawings. 

All of the "lands' are still represented and use the same subjects, with the exception of Tomorrowland.  The entrance image was replaced by 'Star Jets' and 'Space Mountain."  I'm sure glad they kept the 'Jungle Cruise' vultures, though.