The Disneyland Resort has begun its 60th anniversary celebration, which makes it the perfect time to look back at the start of the original park. There have been excellent books written about Disneyland (Sam Gennawey’s The Disneyland Story is a strong example), but we’ve yet to see a quintessential documentary.
In the meantime, what remains are options that get at least part of the subject right. The 81-minute Disneyland: Secrets, Stories, & Magic arrived in 2007 as part of the “Disney Treasures” DVD series, and there is a lot to like. Where this film stumbles is trying to combine the PR needs of the Disney Company with history. It’s a tricky balance, and the result doesn’t reach the great heights deserved for Disneyland.
It’s not all sad news, however. The first half provides a warm look at the origins of Disneyland and Walt’s passion for making it happen. Julie Andrews introduces the story, and it’s clear it was designed for the 50th anniversary. There are many familiar names involved, though many have limited screen time.
Harrison “Buzz” Price, Rolly Crump, Marty Sklar, X Attencio, and Tony Baxter are just a few of the countless participants. It’s clear how much these guys loved Disneyland. Clips of Walt introducing the park and famous attractions reveal the glint in his eye that was always there when discussing Disney’s latest projects.
Andrews calls this doc the “real Disneyland story”, and we do learn about challenges. The gaffes in the live TV show on opening day are fun. Disney was inventing a new genre of entertainment right before our eyes, and not everything succeeded. Kids running a potato derby at Disneyland may sound ludicrous, but it happened. Even the misses seem more like hiccups because we know where the park is now.
The first 35 minutes is a fast-paced and fun take on Disneyland’s origins. It’s a thrill to watch segments on 1964 World’s Fair attractions like ‘it’s a small world’, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and the Carousel of Progress. Each one set the stage for Walt Disney World seven years later.
Secrets, Stories, & Magic functions like a 40-minute TV episode with deleted scenes added to the end. Sadly, they were part of the main feature. The segment about Walt’s death is very well done, but any narrative coherence disappears after that point. Are Directors Bob Garner and Pete Schuermann commenting thematically on Disneyland’s uneven history since 1966? I don’t think so.
After moving chronologically through the first 11 years, we leap around inexplicably the rest of the way. Brief segments appear on the Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, and Star Tours, but they mix with PR from Disney’s leadership. A fun “Disneyland That Never Was” segment is placed right after info on updating the Finding Nemo Subs. I think the editor left the project at the halfway point.
The poster child for selling the company line is Jay Rasulo, who recently stepped down as CFO. His comments are filled with marketing speak. When you’ve just heard from amazing legends, Rasulo stands out as a phony. He’s a business guy and too polished to make us believe him. By contrast, former Disneyland president Matt Ouimet (now in charge of Cedar Fair) believably sells the magic.
Sitting between the two is Bob Iger, who’s more laid back than Rasulo. He still uses corporate phrases like “raising the bar” that mean little. However, he’s smoother and doesn’t sound like a salesman. The contrast between Iger and Michael Eisner is startling, though. Eisner’s tenure had some low points, but he’s from a different sphere than the business guys who currently run Disney.
Thankfully, Rasulo and Iger make limited appearances and give way to Baxter, John Hench, and other artists before the show goes off the rails. Fun inclusions like the swimming event with Michael Phelps on Main Street keep the story engaging. The final segments give short mentions to parades, entertainment, and merchandise.
The brief time on these topics shows just how much there is to cover with Disneyland. You could spend hours and barely scratch the surface. The wealth of possibilities helps to explain why this doc struggles to stick the landing. It’s interesting enough for Disney fans but leaves us waiting for the iconic film the park deserves.
Additional Thoughts
Here are some other quick thoughts on this documentary:
- It’s funny to see the segment on the Flying Saucers, which everyone remembers fondly. The subsequent arrival (and failure) of Luigi’s Flying Tires revealed that even modern technology couldn’t make this idea work.
- I love Crump’s description of Disneyland as the “most beautiful salad ever built”. It’s such a perfect way to explain the longevity and magic of the park. There’s just something for everyone.
- There are so few women in this film, and the exceptions like historian Stacia Martin talk about mermaids. Disney was definitely a boys club, and I’m not sure the culture has totally changed.
- It was great to see the late Diane Daisy Miller, who did so much to preserve her father’s legacy. I wish she’d had more screen time, especially in the first half.
- I’d love to hear stories from modern Imagineers that rival Bob Matheson’s on the Abe Lincoln animatronic giving the finger. The PR that pushes the magic too much tends to dominate the new announcements.
The images in this post are screen shots from the DVD presentation. All images are © Disney.
Related Articles: Secrets, Stories & Magic
A Visit to Disneyland in 1959 (Photo Essay)
A Visit to Disneyland in 1968 (Photo Essay)
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Thank you Dan. I tried.
I am anxious to see Leslie Iwerks’ Imagineering documentary. I hope that is the one.
Sam Gennawey
No problem, Sam. I’m also intrigued by Leslie Iwerks’ documentary and love the idea of focusing just on Imagineering. I’m also optimistic about the PBS Walt Disney documentary since the American Experience films are usually very good. I expect that will have a lot on Disneyland. I really appreciate the comment!
Dan, your review of this video project my company, Forest Rose Productions LLC co-produced for Buena Vista Home Video (a Disney company) is a pretty fair assessment and I’d love to provide some “behind the scenes” insights re. some of your quandary… in particular your “editor must’ve left” observation. It’s kind of neat knowing I still have copies of the complete interviews for all the Disney VIPs I interviewed (off-screen) including George Lucas, the late Diane Disney Miller, Rolly Crump, the late Bruce Gordon, X Atencio, Tony Baxter and the rest. Although it was challenging, the experience making it… meeting and interviewing all the talented people behind “the mouse,” was incredible… but the more intriguing stories are those that played out off-screen. Ha! Great job!!
Jan C J Jones, Research / Writer / Executive Producer
Forest Rose Productions, LLC
Jan, thanks so much for the comment! It’s great to hear from someone who worked on such an interesting project. I’m sure you have a lot of cool off-screen stories on how the film came together. A lot of the documentary works very well. I always love to hear from Rolly Crump, Tony Baxter, and the other legends in any format. If you’re interested in sharing more behind-the-scenes details, definitely let me know!
Hello again, Dan. Some time has passed since our last exchange. I’m now pretty much retired and have ALLLLL the raw materials including the complete uncut interviews on DVD discs (along with the original signed releases) of 95% of all the VIPs that were interviewed for this documentary including George Lucas, Diane Disney Miller, Rolly Crump, et.al. I don’t know what to do with them as they belong to my company (Forest Rose Productions). They certainly should have historic / collectible value to someone so my company can’t let them go for free. Suggestions? Thanks.
Hi Jan. Thanks for checking in once again! This isn’t really my area of expertise, so I’m unsure of your options for the unseen footage. It’s good that they belong to your company, but the legal side of it may be tricky given all of the individuals and footage involved. Have you thought about the Disney Archives? On a personal note, I’d love to see these full interviews. I’m just unsure of your options and don’t want to send you in the wrong direction.
I love to Go Disneyland every year it’s Fun place to Go I have Child experience to in the park I hared music playing in the Castle it’s gives me Emotional I Grew up watching Old Disney Classics as a Child it’s makes me Happy and I don’t why Disney is my Childhood Home it’s like I Go Back in time way to 1994 to 1995 Thanks Disney to make my Childhood Films made me Emotional Thanks for making Old memories
Definitely! It’s such a great place.
Disneyland it’s magical place it’s have full of Dreams i experience in Disney is the Rides it Felt Real to me I’m on Peter Pan ride I feel like I’m Flying at Neverland and I am on Ailce in Wonderland Ride I felt I’m in her Wolrd at Wonderland and I’m on The Little Mermaid ride I feel like I’m under the water Swimming with Ariel all those Rides at Disneyland it Felt Real I don’t know why it’s feels Magical full of Dreams comes true it Felt Real experience to me Thanks Disney for your Hard work I love your Rides are Real like Magic
Hi Dan I’m asking you why Disney changing old rides to make new rides for the future I don’t like when Princess in the mountain Ride at Disneyland it won’t fit with Fox bear or Rabbit I do love go on my favorite Splash Mountain it’s opens 30 years ago since 1989 my Question why Disney companies to change song the south to princess and the frog I don’t like please understand this comment I felt about new Ride I don’t liked and what is your Advice thank you Dan
Hi Chris. I think there are multiple issues with updates. Most of the time, the goals are to bring in new guests that are interested in seeing the latest attractions. Some won’t keep coming back without new things. Also, Disney wants to connect the attractions to character that guests know. With Splash Mountain, there’s also the issue with Song of the South and the racist source material. So it makes sense for Disney to change it to connect to a different film.