About a year ago I started collecting vintage Disneyland postcards and would buy them whenever they were cheap on eBay. Many that I got were used- and I think they provide a fun glimpse into Disneyland's early years.
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Disneyland Postcards from the 50s-80s
- Thread starter SuddenStorm
- Start date
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I can't quite figure out what I'm most fascinated by, the postcard's pictures or the notes written on back.
My absolute favorite so far is the first one, where they typed out a short letter single spaced just to save one penny on a 3 cent postcard stamp instead of a 4 cent letter stamp. Hilarious! And the note had absolutely no mention of a trip to Disneyland, much less a visit with the Natives on the Jungle Cruise. People are funny!
My absolute favorite so far is the first one, where they typed out a short letter single spaced just to save one penny on a 3 cent postcard stamp instead of a 4 cent letter stamp. Hilarious! And the note had absolutely no mention of a trip to Disneyland, much less a visit with the Natives on the Jungle Cruise. People are funny!
D.Silentu
Well-Known Member
I'm trying to imagine the arduous chore of getting a postcard lined up in a typewriter!
I can't quite figure out what I'm most fascinated by, the postcard's pictures or the notes written on back.
My absolute favorite so far is the first one, where they typed out a short letter single spaced just to save one penny on a 3 cent postcard stamp instead of a 4 cent letter stamp. Hilarious! And the note had absolutely no mention of a trip to Disneyland, much less a visit with the Natives on the Jungle Cruise. People are funny!
I love that the postcard is dated September 17, 1959. What a year for Disneyland.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I thought of that too!
It was sent in 1959, so it couldn't have been an IBM Selectric with the easier rotary balls. It must have been one of those small portable models people use to set up in their den or kitchen nooks, specifically to write letters or recipe cards. But even then, a glossy postcard is stiffer than a recipe card. But God bless 'em for it.
The mind boggles at the thought process it took to save one cent on a postcard stamp.
Funny story: A couple summer's ago at a neighborhood BBQ a neighbor's young daugther-in-law raved about my deviled eggs. (My secret - Dry Vermouth instead of vinegar, a couple dashes of Worcestshire, and Old Bay Seasoning instead of Paprika). Later, I snagged a recipe card from the hostess and wrote out my recipe and gave it to the young lady. She marveled at the concept of a recipe card, and how clever they were, and that you wrote it all down in ink on it. She'd never seen one before.
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TP2000
Well-Known Member
Yes. I was struggling to read some of the handwritten ones, but they were gems.
I loved the lady writing to her friend in New York "I love California, but everything is very expensive!"
Tell us about it, sister.
@SuddenStorm what a fun hobby you have! If you have more of these, please continue to share them as your time permits. And don't forget to scan the backside so we can read the senders thoughts!
That's kind of become my rule. High quality scans of just about every Disneyland postcard exist online. So to me, the appeal is the notes. This site has tons-
Vintage Disneyland Postcards: Fantasyland | Atomic Redhead
Today is the final installment of my vintage Disneyland postcard series, and with it, I saved the most iconic land for last, Fantasyland. Disneyland perhaps wouldn’t be what it is if it were …
atomicredhead.com
Here's a few more- I'm trying to scan a few at a time whenever I have a second.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
These are endlessly entertaining!
I had forgotten about one cent stamps, when postage rates started to go up in the 1970’s. You’d add a one center to still use your old stamps.
I also love the second one to Nana, where the child apparently time traveled 17 years to 1989 to ride Splash Mountain. Or more likely lumped a day at Knott’s into the Disneyland postcard. You better not lie to Nana!
Chinese Dinner tonite!
These are so cool!! I love the typed one with no street address or zip code. I was also amazed that I lived within a block of the Waukegan IL one on the same street.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Wait a second, the Bice's in Holidaysburg, PA got two of these Disneyland postcards from Don a full 13 years apart! They got the typewritten one from Don in '59, and then in '72 they got the Treehouse one where Don was salivating over tonite's Chinese dinner.
There's gotta be a story there. Maybe Don had regular business trips to Anaheim? Or lived in Anaheim?
Or was Don the world's very first Disney Influencer and was working his brand via postcards instead of the Internet?!?
I imagine Don is no longer with us, but the next time I have a Chinese dinner I'm going to raise a toast to him.
There's gotta be a story there. Maybe Don had regular business trips to Anaheim? Or lived in Anaheim?
Or was Don the world's very first Disney Influencer and was working his brand via postcards instead of the Internet?!?
I imagine Don is no longer with us, but the next time I have a Chinese dinner I'm going to raise a toast to him.
Got a new one-
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Man, imagine getting to experience Disneyland in the 50s and 60s. If I had to pick one year I’d go back to 1969 I think.
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Yes, seeing the Mansion right after it opened would be awesome. I ordered a few postcards and will be posting them as they come in.
I love the description for the Tiki Room on the back of the card- It's amazing that at one point that attraction was groundbreaking for the park.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
I just figured it was the earliest point that had Mansion, POTC and TL 67.
Lol I know right. Kind of amazing it’s still around. Definitely got saved by its small footprint.
Practical Pig
Well-Known Member
I did! Well, not the 50s, but I think my first childhood visit was in 1961. Retaining memories was a recent skill then, but my strongest recollections are of Mine Train Trough Nature's Wonderland (particularly Rainbow Caverns), The Submarine Voyage, and all of Fantasyland. I think I remember being fascinated by the flying saucers in Tomorrowland but I don't think I could ride.
Tomorrowland '67 brought my family back to DL, and that experience, Pirates and The Tiki Room stitched Disneyland into my fabric (though that fabric is frayed and unraveling with age).
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I met a lady through work about a year ago who worked Fantasyland dark rides/Storybook in the '60s. She shared some great stories- and was a participant in the first ever Employee Canoe Race.
She mentioned she has an incredible scrapbook of photos- both onstage and backstage- I really regret not begging her to let me borrow the scrapbook for a few days to digitize everything.
Practical Pig
Well-Known Member
Man, that would have made for an amazing thread!