Original Magic Kingdom Icons

Preview Edition: Walt Disney World "The Vacation Kingdom of the World"
1970, pg 4

In the Preview Edition: Walt Disney World "The Vacation Kingdom of the World", each land was represented by their own unique icon.  These icons also appeared at the bottom of the early DP Postcard series.  If you have seen these images appear on other items, please share!  I would love to see these logos make a return to the Magic Kingdom.

The First Postcard

Contemporary Resort
pre-opening postcard
(Fl-024)

It all started with a....postcard.  This pre-opening postcard of the Contemporary Resort is sequentially the first postcard created for the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World.  Why Fl-024 if it is the first card?  Great question.  My research has yet to figure that one out.  You can read more about these early postcards at WDW in Postcards.

Bob, Bob, Bob....

Water Recreation
pre-opening postcard
(FL-026)

Sorry, Al, the girl in the picture does not come with the hotel.  At least that is Bob's joke on this pre-opening WDW postcard.  But there are "...many like her down here asking for you."  The postcard was created prior to the 1971 opening (notice the future tense in the text) but Bob's visit and stay in the Contemporary was in March of 1973.

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.

Pre-opening Cruising

Cruising By Excursion Steamer
pre-opening postcard
(Fl-027)

Prior to its opening in October 1971, Walt Disney World released a series of postcards highlighting some of the coming attractions.  This 4th in the series (Fl-027) features an 'old-fashioned excursion steamer' offering cruises over the unnamed lake and lagoon.  
The previous cards in this series are:
Contemporary Resort (Fl-024)
Riding Thru the Contemporary Resort (Fl-025)
Water Recreation (Fl-026)
There is also a second version of this card which features the Florida Flag logo, to separate WDW from its big sister in California.

Postcard #1?

Contemporary Resort
pre-opening postcard
(Fl-024)

It all started with a....postcard.  This pre-opening postcard of the Contemporary Resort is sequentially the first postcard created for the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World.  Why Fl-024 if it is the first card?  Great question.  My research has yet to figure that one out.  You can read more about these early postcards at WDW in Postcards.

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.

Sorry, Al

Water Recreation
pre-opening postcard
(FL-026)

Sorry, Al, the girl in the picture does not come with the hotel.  At least that is Bob's joke on this pre-opening WDW postcard.  But there are "...many like her down here asking for you."  The postcard was created prior to the 1971 opening (notice the future tense in the text) but Bob's visit and stay in the Contemporary was in March of 1973.

Turn and Learn About the Walt Disney World That Never Was

Mickey Mouse and his Friends in Walt Disney World
Ideal Toy Corp., 1971

This unique pre-school 'Turn and Learn Storybook' was produced by the Ideal Toy Corp. in 1971.  It measures 11.5" x 9.5" when closed. The wheels turn and create images that correspond to the story when the numbers are lined up in the center picture frame.

The story follows Donald and his nephews thru WDW.  But Huey and his new balloon gets whisked up by a gust of wind.  Peter Pan, in order to find him, flys over "The Old Caribbean Village, The North African Market Place, Persia and Italy," locations that were planned but never completed.

Ideal clearly anticipated the completion of these planned resorts, although they were not expected in Phase One.  Based on this oversight and the early Bay Lake logo on the front, I assume this item was developed in early 1971 before WDW opened to the public.

Preview Edition - The Master Plan

Walt Disney World Preview Edition
1970, Back Cover

The final sections of the 1970 Preview Edition of Walt Disney World describe the resort amenities, provide a Q & A, and layout the "Master Plan" for the 43 square miles where "...Walt Disney incorporated the ideas and philosophies of a lifetime."

Pages 16 & 17 detail the entertainment, golf and convention options that would be available.  The Q & A section contains a map with the 'original' castle logo and the Big D/Globe Head marking Orlando.  There is also information on the Preview Center as well as instructions on purchasing an additional "Preview Edition" for $.65.

The Master Plan included "an airport of the future, an industrial park designed to showcase American industry at work...and an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,"  and new innovations, such as "the first 21st century information communication system" and vacuum tube disposal system.

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.