Disneyland 1956

Sometime in 1956 Jeff Altman's grandfather, who had a fondness for 16mm movie film, shot some film during a visit to Disneyland, just one year after it opened. He recently discovered this film and posted it for Disney fans to enjoy. He even has shots of his grandmother meeting Walt Disney himself who was filming in the park that day.

Home Movies At DisneyLand - 1956 from Jeff Altman on Vimeo.

I was born that year, so chances are when this film was shot I was just a months old infant a few miles away in Pasadena. Fifty-three years later much of the park looks the same, and much is significantly changed. I recognized several shots where large trees exist today but were pretty much open area in '56. Fascinating to watch.

One of my biggest regrets (and I know it sounds silly to call this a big regret) is the loss of a 2 hour video I shot at Disneyland in 1988. My wife was pregnant with our first, and during the Lamaze classes they suggested we bring videos to the hospital to make the labor time pass a little easier. Since Disneyland was our favorite place to go, I grabbed our new video camera, took a day off from work, and headed over there for some filming.

It was a spectacular October day and there was NOBODY in the park. I took that camera on every ride I could, including several that aren't there anymore including the PeopleMover and the Skyway buckets. I sat in the very front of the monorail and filmed the entire trip. I had film of all sorts of rides and of the park in general as I spent several hours there that day. Two hours of video altogether.

When we got to the hospital the video never came out since my wife was too busy crushing my hand during labor pains. She wasn't really interested in watching TV.

After my daughter was born I must have used the tape to film other stuff, figuring I didn't need it anymore.

Stupid. I'd pay a lot of money for that tape today.