Rating: 
Summary: Disneyland as seen through the airwaves...
Review: In order to get financing for his theme park, Walt Disney agreed to a weekly television program called appropriately, DISNEYLAND. In addition to regular programming, he wisely used this series to promote the park. This DVD set (served in a gorgeous metal case) features large portions of four of the DISNEYLAND themed episodes. The first episode features a look at the park 10 months before opening. the second, opening day of the park including all sorts of technical mishaps. The third, a look at the park at night featuring lots of life performances. And finally, the last feature sthe park on its 10 year anniversary. All of these episodes are great for archival purposes but they are only for a Disney Die-Hard. They don't tell a story and spend most of their time in self-promotion. they are well remastered but quite often the source material is horrible so it'll never look great. This will be the least re-visited of the four DISNEY TREASURES DVDs. As in the others in the series, Leonard Maltin introduces the episodes with appropriate excitement and intelligence.
Rating:
Summary: Mickey Mouse Clubless!!!
Review: For the most part the DVD of Dateline Disneyland and the rest was quite clear. However, I am concerned that the two parts where the Mousketeers appeared in the network version have been deleted. Can you give me some information as to why this is?
Rating: 
Summary: An absolute must for any Disney fan
Review: This DVD interested me because I love the Disney Parks. I had no idea that I would be educated about Disney Studios operations and see so many appearances of Walt Disney himself. I enjoyed seeing the historical footage of Disneyland and the planning process that goes into creating a place like Disneyland. All in all, I loved it.
Rating: 
Summary: For Die-Hard Disney Fans Only
Review: Walt Disney was a visionary when it came to entertainment. This 2 DVD collection showcases one such example, his theme park Disneyland, as it was portrayed on TV during his lifetime.This set contains four programs. The first is the first ever episode of the TV show Disneyland. It introduces the park and future episodes of the show. At the end, it includes several Mickey Mouse cartoons, including "Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Lonesome Ghosts." The second program is the opening day live broadcast. I enjoyed finally getting to see it. Technical problems aside, it's quite fun. The second disc contains "Disneyland after Dark," an episode of the TV show that includes some great shots of the place at night, but is mainly a show of people performing at various places in the park. The last program is the 10th Anniversary show. This one was most interesting because it featured the planning stages of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the "Haunted Mansion," as well as a look at how the park had changed over its initial 10 years. This is a collection a Disney die-hard, like me, will enjoy. It's got some great behind the scenes info and Disney history to keep us satisfied. However, the average consumer will probably not enjoy it as much. Frankly, I probably won't watch it as much as some others from this series. Still, for its historic significance and fun for the Disney fan, I rate it 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: A Welcomed Disney Treat
Review: Most reviewers of this DVD have been quite critical of it. I, however, found it to be well worth the money. I was a bit reluctant at first to buy it, but I eventually talked myself into it since it is a limited edition film (each DVD has a unique number embossed on the beautiful silver tin that it comes in). Since I have always enjoyed stories about Walt Disney and his park, I found this DVD fascinating. I never got to see this footage when it originally aired, and I don't have the Disney Channel, so I can't see it on Vault Disney. This DVD is a great way to view the material of the original creation of Disneyland. I also thoroughly enjoyed the cartoons and such that are inserted periodically among glimpses of Walt and his park. I particularly liked the segement from "Song of the South," which has yet to be released in the U.S. on video or DVD. I would not recommend this for the average "Mickey fan"; however, I think anyone fascinated with Walt's dream, with Disneyland, or with theme park history will find this DVD very enjoyable (all three hours and fourty eight minutes). It does seem to be a bit "promotional" at times, however you must remember that it was originally introduced as promotional material for Disneyland. It is easy enough to get past this and really enjoy the film. A "chapter selection" feature would be nice. However, it's easy to note where the tracks start and end for future viewing. Overall, I am very happy to own this exclusive (and limited) piece of Walt Disney history.
Rating:
Summary: Heavy, Tear-Jerking Nostalgia For the Disney Fanatic
Review: This set wasn't created for the typical Disney fan, it was created for folks like me: Disney ADDICTS. We fanatics tend to be more demanding, but I always pride myself in being able to appreciate the good points, while still realizing the flaws, in all Disney products. I've managed to get my hands on all the Disney Treasures sets so far, and so far they've all been wonderful, but this review is about the unnecessarily weakest one, Disneyland, U.S.A.
There are 4 feature programs and 2 extras in this set. Disc 1 contains The Disneyland Story and Dateline Disneyland, both black and white. The Disneyland Story is the 1st ever episode of the Disneyland TV series. This milestone from 1954 begins with Walt Disney telling us of his plans to build the Disneyland Park, then switches to a discussion about the TV series and how it will tell stories from the various areas of the theme park, such as Davy Crockett's story from Frontierland. The 2nd half of this feature is a tribute to Mickey Mouse (by way of cartoon clips), as Walt expresses that he wants everyone to remember that, "It all started with a mouse." The 2nd feature on Disc One, Dateline: Disneyland, is the live ABC Broadcast of Disneyland's opening day in 1955, hosted by Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Bob Cummings. This features the hosts in the various "Lands" of the park, explaining the themes and rides of each of them. We are treated to celebs like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. riding rides, and live performances by the likes of Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen. We also see Walt's own, live dedication ceremonies of the Park and its various lands. It can really bring a tear to the eye of a true fan.
Disc 2 contains two more features, Disneyland After Dark and Disneyland 10th Anniversary, both in color, and this time from the 1960s. Some time has passed, and now the park is an established American treasure! Disneyland After Dark is a collection of live performances from musical celebrities of the time, such as Annette Funicello and Bobby Rydell in Tomorrowland, the Osmond Quartet at the Plaza Gardens, and the highlight for me, Louis Armstrong aboard the Mark Twain! We also are treated to hula dancers and a fire dance in Adventureland. In Disneyland 10th Anniversary, we see some of Walt's last work on the park as he gives Miss Disneyland Tencentennial (some sort of Disneyland 10th Anniversary Beauty Pageant Winner) a tour of the Imagineering Department to fill her in on future park plans before she goes on tour. Here we get to see Disney attractions in early production stages, such as a 1/8th inch to a foot scale model of It's A Small World and miniature versions of some elements of the Haunted Mansion. Walt also explains audio-animatronics, showing the work being done for Pirates of the Caribbean, and treating us to a sample of the Enchanted Tiki Room show. We also see various clips of early park production and a parade down Main Street. Also on the 2nd disc are the extras; a gallery of some of the Disneyland ride poster art over the years, and a short Leonard Maltin featurette on Disneyland.
The set comes in a lovely snap case with a small litho, and is in a very nice tin box with serial number. If you are a nut for Disneyland and Disney history in general, this set is for you. Be warned though, if it's a tour of the park you are looking for, you won't find it here. Many of us were disappointed that the actual film, "Disneyland, U.S.A.," was not in this set. Strange, considering the title. That short film actually IS a tour of the park, and hopefully will find its way to DVD SOMEDAY. My other complaints? Well, the DVD set is missing scenes involving the original Mousketeers, as well as certain Tiki Room sequences. All I can say is I HATE it when I buy a DVD and find out it's been edited, but especially when it's classic Disney, as was the case with Melody Time and Make Mine Music! That's just unacceptable, especially in these Deluxe sets! Also, the "do not try this at home" warnings added onto the fire-dance and fire-walk sequences were totally unnecessary and annoying. Lastly, there was the problem of simply not enough stuff. C'mon, there is a ton of material they could have included! I would have been satisfied if they had at least included Disneyland, USA. They also could have included some of the Birthday specials of the past years, like that Disneyland Birthday that had Tony Danza, Charles Fleischer, Ernest, etc... That would have been nice! But, despite these complaints, I do love the set, I just hope this is not the only time we'll ever see this material on DVD, because we definitely require unedited releases, not to mention releases of the other episodes of the Disneyland TV show, from day one to today; from Swamp Fox to Fluppy Dogs, from The Scarecrow to Mickey's 60th Birthday. Not to mention all the other stuff on the parks, like Disneyland, U.S.A., Gala Day At Disneyland, and Disneyland Showtime. Let's hope we see another Disneyland set for these shows, and some sets for my favorite place, Walt Disney World! But unless you are incredibly easily disappointed, I encourage any fans of Disney history, or Disney park history, to pick up this set and check out the other Disney Treasures collections! Even with its disappointments, this set is still a hit!
Rating:
Summary: Simply fascinating!
Review: I'm so glad that Disney released this DVD -- it's great for Disneyland memorabilia collectors. I have so many books about the park and the history of the park, that seeing all these classic shows is a treat!! Especially, the "live" opening day ceremonies. My favorite show on this DVD is "Disneyland After Dark." It's still a very entertaining piece today. I love the segment at the Tahitian Terrace with the fire walker and Tahitian dancers. The Tahitian Terrace was one of my favorite restaurants/shows in Disneyland. First time I saw it was 1980. Wish they'd bring that attraction back. Also, if you love Dixieland Jazz, the segment with Louis Armstrong on the Mark Twain is outstanding! He was having so much fun!! I also like these episodes because Walt is the host. Disneyland was his project. Perhaps, that's why I've always liked Disneylnd better than the other parks -- Magic Kingdom in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland (haven't been to Disneyland Paris yet!) Disneyland has Walt's personal touch. I've also found it very interesting that ABC helped Walt build Disneyland (he provided the network with programming; they provided financing for the park), and years later, Disney now owns ABC!! So if you love Disneyland, this DVD is for you!
Rating:
Summary: Perfect for Disneyland Devotees
Review: If you're a Disneyland fanatic, you'll love this DVD! If you're not, then don't bother. That isn't meant to be a criticism of this set at all. However, if you're thinking about buying this DVD, make sure you know what you're getting. This fine collection includes four hour-long broadcasts from the original "Disneyland" TV series on ABC in the 1950s and 1960s. There are no "in-depth" documentaries on the park today, or any sort of Travel Channel-esque behind-the-scenes looks. The original television broadcasts include a show filmed before Disneyland was built, "Dateline Disneyland" - the show broadcast live the date Disneyland opened, a show celebrating Disneyland's 10th anniversary, and a show about Disneyland after dark. These four shows are absolutely fascinating for those interested in the history of Disneyland and the Disney company. Walt Disney is the host for all but the "Dateline Disneyland" episode, which is co-hosted by Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and other Hollywood stars. The first show takes viewers to an orange grove west of Los Angeles, the site of the future Disneyland. It also features Walt Disney introducing his park with maps, drawings, and models. "Dateline Disneyland" is a lot of fun as you watch the park on opening day - including the broadcasting snafus. Art Linkletter runs around for a few minutes in search of a microphone, many rides break down, and other problems arise to be documented in this important historical collection. Disneyland After Dark showcases the happenings in the park during nightime. This is a fun look at the park, also hosted by Walt Disney. The last broadcast, Disneyland's 10th anniversary, might be the best of the set. It too is hosted by Walt, just a year and a half before his death. At one point, Walt shows off Disneyland's newest idea, a ride called "Pirates of the Carribean". The ride hasn't opened yet, but Disney shows some of the audio-animatronics that will be used. If you're looking for a DVD that takes you behind-the-scenes at Disneyland and gives you a comprehensive look at the history of the park and the status of Disneyland today, look elsewhere. If you're a fellow Disneyland aficionado interested in some fascinating and important historical broadcasts, get this great set now.
Rating:
Summary: DisneyLand, the way Walt wanted it to be
Review: We just went on a trip to Disney World and I wanted my 4 year old son to see how it all started. This DVD set, while mostly in black and white, kept his and our interest because a lot of the original designs still exist today. The DVD is for Disney Land, but Disney World was built on the successes of Disney Land, so everything is similar. It was a lot of fun to see how the concepts became reality. On the second disc there are interviews with Walt Disney where he describes things that he would like to see. These things, including EPCOT became a reality after he had passed away, but his vision is what EPCOT was designed around. I highly recommend this DVD set, even though Elvis is not mentioned at all.
Rating:
Summary: For a casual viewer, this is not the set...
Review: As a huge Disney fan and a person who appreciates documentaries a great deal, I can attest that this is one of my favorite DVD collections. I cannot hoever, promise that it will be one of yours. To the average DVD viewer, this DVD may just seem like boring footage of a bygone era and wont move you in any way. Although I was not alive when most of this footage was shot, I can understand what the times were like and gain a great deal of insight into the making of Disneyland just from the interviews and footage. The looks on the faces of children when they see Davy Crockett riding in seals the et for me and helps me remember the weeks i spent at Disneyland and Disneyworld. I would recommend this set to you only if you are interested in Disneyland a great deal.
|
