Continuing into the Mary Jane Wick Gallery, the exhibit truly blossoms into a Disney wonderland. Throughout the large exhibition room are wonderful displays of personal items from the Walt Disney Family Foundation, Retlaw Enterprises and the Walt Disney Corporation celebrating the life and times of Walt Disney.

Below a handful of insignias designed during World War II are animation cels from the short, The New Spirit (1942). A long display case features many items that inspired Disneyland, including the painting of Disneyland that Walt Disney used to introduce the world to his newest creation in Anaheim; the Lilly Belle, boxcar, cattle car, gondola, caboose and track from the Carolwood-Pacific Railroad; and the original model of the Mark Twain Steamboat. In the middle of the room is "Walt's Car," the only remaining 1955 Autopia Mark I car, designed by Bob Gurr.

Many more awards that Walt Disney received are assembled in one corner of this room. Highlights include Academy Awards, including one for the Multi-plane Camera; Golden Globes; an Emmy for Best Producer of a Filmed Series for the Disneyland TV series; a Grammy; the Sylvanian Award; the Thalberg Award; and the Cecil B. DeMille Award, among many others. Also on display is Walt's Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by Lyndon B. Johnson at the White House on September 14, 1964.

Along a back wall are displays of costume pieces. Alongside costumes of Sergeant Garcia and Don Diego de la Vega from Zorro are the Talent-Roundup Day costumes of Tommy and Doreen from The Mickey Mouse Club. Furniture from Walt's private apartment above the firehouse at Disneyland is also on display.

In addition to a photograph of Ronald Reagan at Disneyland's opening, a display case features Governor Reagan's correspondence with the Postmaster General supporting the issue of a commemorative Walt Disney stamp. Reagan's actions resulted in a six-cent commemorative issue on September 11, 1968.

A Discovery Center for Children allows kids the opportunity to try their hand at animation with ample supplies of coloring and drawing materials. There are books for kids to read, puppets and a train set to play with, and hats to try on. A video plays on a large screen and includes an excerpt about Walt's train fascination with clips of his backyard setup from an episode of the anthology television series, the opening of Walt's Train Barn at Griffith Park and a look at his former home on Carolwood Drive. Inside is also a "Ratty" ride vehicle from Mr. Toad's Wild Ride that kids can sit in. The Discovery Center is the only part of the exhibit where photographs are allowed.

Another room at the end of the Ronald Reagan portion of the museum features an animation-lover's paradise. Animation art processes including concept drawings, layout drawings, backgrounds, pencil drawings, inking, painting and an example of how the multiplane camera worked are featured. Original artwork from feature films and shorts, including Alice in Wonderland, Fantasia, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty adorn the walls. A bronze bust of Ronald Reagan by Blaine Gibson created for the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World is also displayed.

Among the Jelly Bellys and chunks of Berlin Wall for sale in the library's gift shop is a collection of Mickey Mouse souvenirs and Disney train memorabilia. The assortment of Carolwood-Pacific merchandise includes T-shirts, hats, pins, medallions and matted photographs of Walt with his trains. The aforementioned Walt Disney CD-ROM is selling for $14.95. Other Disney merchandise includes Disney books, music, windsocks, watches and plush. A television plays seldom-seen programs featuring Alice in Wonderland, which draws a fairly large crowd of its own.

The exhibit is impressive, though not without errors. Peter Ellenshaw's painting of Disneyland is incorrectly attributed to Herb Ryman, while concept art of the G.E. Carrousel of Progress is labeled as the plans to "Project X," which would become Epcot. But the collection of seldom-seen artifacts more than compensates for mislabeled displays.

The exhibit will feature guest lecturers in the near future. On Saturday, June 23, a lecture and book signing by Dave Smith, Director of the Disney Archives, is scheduled. Michael Broggie, author of Walt Disney's Railroad Story, will present a multimedia program about Disney on Sunday, July 1, and Saturday, August 18.

- Story and Photos by Matthew Walker
Posted

E-mail Matthew at matt@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this story in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

We Were Started By A Mouse Too!  •  When In Cyberspace ... Disney Link Directory  •  

  •  Purchase Walt Disney World Tickets here - DISNEY TICKETS via DWTickets.com  •  

  •  Receive discounts on ORLANDO VACATION HOMES near Disney World from OrlandoVacation.com  •