Presenting Disneyland Book Preview
If you think you’ve seen every angle of Disneyland’s opening day, Presenting Disneyland: Forgotten Photos from Opening Day is about to politely prove you wrong. Author Aaron H. Goldberg dug up a set of forgotten color photographs from July 17, 1955, shot by a Disney studio employee who was there as an invited guest. The result is less “official souvenir book” and more “you’re standing just off-camera while history happens.” Add in a foreword by Disney Legend Bob Gurr, and you’ve got a photo-driven time capsule that’s perfect for Disney history nerds, Imagineering fans, and anyone who loves seeing the parks before the polish and pixie dust settled.
The photos are a fresh take on an old subject and show a side of Disneyland, Walt Disney, and the cavalcade that surrounded the opening of the nascent theme park. Aaron offers a unique spin on the text by providing quotes from newspapers and magazines of the time to showcase how the world first saw Disneyland. It’s quite a fascinating way to look at The Happiest Place on Earth.
Forgotten Photos of Opening Day Video
If you collect Disney books for concept art, maps, or rare ephemera, this one scratches a different itch. It’s a visual document of process and people as much as place. Even if you already know the opening-day stories, these images give you new “wait, what’s happening over there?” moments that are perfect for slow flipping, repeat viewing, and showing off to your most Disney-obsessed friend.
Should You Add This Disneyland Book to Your Collection?
If your Disney bookshelf is heavy on legends and light on evidence, Presenting Disneyland: Forgotten Photographs From Opening Day is an easy fix. It’s the kind of book you’ll revisit, not just read once, because every pass reveals a new detail from that first chaotic, thrilling day. If you love Disneyland history, early Imagineering, or just seeing Walt’s big swing up close, go ahead and treat yourself. Grab a copy of Presenting Disneyland and add a genuine opening-day time capsule to your collection.
Head on over to Amazon to pick up your copy today (you will not regret it)!