The Start of My Collection

Walt Disney's Donald Duck
Coloring Book Page
1972

So my love for Donald and the early Walt Disney World logo may come directly from these pages.  The book itself, "Walt Disney's Donald Duck: Donald Duck's Camper USA," is long gone,  but I did save these few pages that reference WDW.  The book was published in 1972 but from my handwriting and expert coloring, I must have colored it in the mid to late '70s. 

Riding Thru the Contemporary Resort

Riding Thru the Contemporary Resort
pre-opening postcard
(FL-025)

This pre-opening postcard shows an artist rendering of the Contemporary Resort and the monorail leaving it on the "Highway in the Sky."  

This version has the standard globe head logo.  There are other versions of this card that contain the Florida Flag logo.  

There are also editions of this postcard that refer to the Tempo Bay Resort, the once potential name for the Contemporary.  

You can read more about this pre-opening card on Big Brian's blog.

Highway in the Sky

Monorail to the Magic Kingdom postcard
01110242 dp 87164-c

I had already planned to share this postcard today because of the sequence of cards and because I spent the earlier part of the week riding the Las Vegas monorail.  I was so disappointed each time the doors closed and I did not hear that familiar voice say...."Please stand clear of the closing doors...."  Ironically, today this same color monorail (I can't assume it is the same one from 1971) stalled on the "highway in the sky" leaving passengers stranded for 2 hours.

As you can see from the images, this Dexter Press card was printed with and without the Florida Flag logo.

  

Preview Edition Map

Walt Disney World Preview Edition
1970, pg. 12

In the middle of the 1970 Preview Edition of Walt Disney World is this most excellent caricature map of the Magic Kingdom, the two original themed resorts and the recreation that surround the "2,500 acres of resort and recreation land."

The map is filled with representations of opening day attractions.  The image was used by Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily for a set of dinner plates to celebrate WDW's 40th.  You can see those and other great retro-disney inspired art work on Kevin's blog.

The text is taken from  the perspective of the 'Walt Disney World-Alweg Monorail...riding over a scenic 'highway in the sky.'  Apparently the editor must have felt the text was too imaginative and so there is a disclaimer at the beginning.  It's worth a read if you can pull yourself away from looking at the great images.

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World 11th Birthday Button
1982

Today is the 41st anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney World and the 30th anniversary of EPCOT Center.  This hard plastic, pin-back button from 1982 celebrated the 11th Birthday of WDW and the opening of EPCOT Center with this combined image of Cinderella Castle and Spaceship Earth & Monorail that connected the two.  These birthday buttons have been a tradition since the first anniversary in 1972.

Happy Birthday Walt Disney World & EPCOT Center! 

Ruffled Bowl with or without Gold?

Ruffled Bowl with White Trim

These ruffled or scalloped or bent glass bowls (which ever you choose to call them) seem to be one of the most popular early Walt Disney World souvenirs based on how often I see them on ebay.

I have two versions of this bowl, the one above and on the left with white trim and with gold on the right and in the bottom image.  Both feature the same images, copyright and logo.

I'm not sure of the exact age of these pieces but I assume early 1970's since the Osceola steamship stopped running in 1976 and many of the images resemble artist renderings like those on the pre-opening postcards.

From My Childhood

Walt Disney's Donald Duck
Coloring Book Page
1972

So my love for Donald and the early Walt Disney World logo may come directly from these pages.  The book itself, "Walt Disney's Donald Duck: Donald Duck's Camper USA," is long gone,  but I did save these few pages that reference WDW.  The book was published in 1972 but from my handwriting and expert coloring, I must have colored it in the mid to late '70s. 

Riding Thru the Contemporary Resort

Riding Thru the Contemporary Resort
pre-opening postcard
(FL-025)

This pre-opening postcard shows an artist rendering of the Contemporary Resort and the monorail leaving it on the "Highway in the Sky."  

This version has the standard globe head logo.  There are other versions of this card that contain the Florida Flag logo.  

There are also editions of this postcard that refer to the Tempo Bay Resort, the once potential name for the Contemporary.  

You can read more about this pre-opening card on Big Brian's blog.