Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland—Secrets, Stories & Magic

A companion to the moratorium-ed Disneyland U.S.A., this two-disc set further immerses viewers in the history of Disneyland, or as it was initially known, "Walt's Folly." The “treasure” in this set is the newly-produced 81-minute documentary Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic, which covers a lot of ground, from the initial planning and construction of the theme park to current attractions such as the animatronic Johnny Depp-ed upgrade of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the "Finding Nemo" submarine ride. Also featured on the first disc is an archival rarity: the 1956 Cinemascope featurette, "People and Places: Disneyland U.S.A.", which offers a now-quaint overview of the Magic Kingdom, then about a year old. The second disc contains three Wonderful World of Color episodes: "The Golden Horseshoe Revue" (1962), an old school, sometimes cringe-worthy stage show featuring legendary Disneyland entertainer Wally Boag (who gets a shout out in Steve Martin's recently published memoir, Born Standing Up); "Disneyland Goes to the World's Fair" (1964), which spotlights a number of exhibits the Disney team created for the New York World's Fair that later became Disneyland staples ("It's a Small World" indeed); and "Disneyland Around the Seasons" (1966). The disc also includes "Operation Disneyland," created for ABC affiliates in anticipation of the live broadcast of the theme park's opening day (July 17, 1955), and recently discovered time-lapse photography of "Disneyland Under Construction." For Disney buffs and Disneyland aficionados, this is definitely the ticket. Highly recommended. (D. Liebenson)