A home movie from a family’s 1956 trip to the newly opened Disneyland theme park in Anaheim is one of twenty five films to be included in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as classics and genres from every era of American filmmaking.
Robbins and Meg Barstow, along with their children Mary, David and Daniel were among 25 families who won a free trip to the newly opened Disneyland as part of a “Scotch Brand Cellophane Tape” contest sponsored by 3M.
Through vivid color and droll narration, we see a fantastic historical snapshot of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Catalina Island, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios and finally Disneyland in mid-1956.
The home movie lasts a little over 34 minutes and follows the family’s journey of entering and wining the contest along with their travel to Anaheim from Wethersfield, Connecticut. It then highlights some of their pre-Disney activities such as their visit to Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios and even their first trip to the Pacific Ocean.
If you wish to skip right to the good stuff (footage of Disneyland), you’ll find this at the 19 minute mark. From there you will see lost but not forgotten attractions such as the Rocket to the Moon, the Skyway and the Pirate Ship in Fantasyland.
You’ll see the original Autotopia cars, Fantasyland as it was before its major transformation in the 80’s, the original pack mule ride and so much more. But rather than continue to write about the film, why not see it for yourselves?
