Magic Kingdom Map Found in a Main Street Wall
Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 4:06PM Posted by Mitch ;)
While doing occasional work on Main Street, U.S.A. (Magic Kingdom) we had the thrill of walking between the walls. That is, the space between those great-looking Main Street facades and the actual buildings behind them. On the ground level there are few areas of dead space between walls, mostly due to large doorways and windows. On the upper level, however, there are long narrow walkways behind the facades which accommodate decorations (lamps, chairs, etc.) intended to be seen from the street below. These are designed to look like turn-of-the-century shop keepers' residences. You know, the shop owners would live in apartments above their shops back in olden times. Anyway, the offices behind are your regular, windowless run-of-the-mill boring offices.
So one day I was behind a wall and THERE IT WAS... An old folded-up yellowed piece of paper shoved between wooden framing and drywall. It looked like it could have been a big ol' souvenir poster map and it was. Poster-sized, old, and in pretty good shape. I had always been on the lookout for these things since boyhood- long before ebay.
So how long had it been there? Why was it there? Who put it there? Did some custodial guy buy it at a gift shop, leave it behind the wall until after his shift, then never remember to come back for it? By the looks of things it was stuck behind the framing for some time. The exposed surface of the paper was significantly more yellow than any other part. I imagine it could have been there for 30 years. The best part: No one on the project wanted it and it was to be trashed if I didn't take it home. Tough decision.
Without a year printed on the map it was up to the process of deduction to know when it was made. Some things you see: Pirates of the Caribbean- so it was made after '73. Carousel of Progress and Space Mountain are there- so it had to be '74 or later. You don't see any sign of Big Thunder- so it's definitely earlier than '80. It can't be later than June '75 because you still see Flight to the moon and there is no mention of it's successor Mission to Mars. One final clue: Look at Space Mountain. It looks more like John Hench concept art or the rendering below than the Space Mountain built in '74. Check out all the extra spires. So the map artwork had to be from a time between the announcement of this new ride and the completion of the ride building.
I'm sure Disney blog geeks everywhere know exactly when this map was made but without knowing exactly I had to guess mid 1974. Any earlier, Magic Carpet 'Round The World would be America the Beautiful. Any later, Space Mountain would not look like that.
Are there variations of this same map? Not sure but I imagine there are. By the late 70s the souvenir map had become much more cartoony with little kids in the Grand Prix cars and many more characters dancing around the poster and such.
;)
So here the map sits- in my home office among other old souvenir poster maps from Disneyland, Epcot, EuroDisney, and even California Adventure. Sadly the Disneyland poster map that once hung on my childhood bedroom wall is long gone. But much like my grade school years, I sit and stare at these things and study them like a textbook. "NERD", you say??? Tell me I'm not the only one. Admit it. You do the same.
;)
Things you may or may not miss from this era...
Tropical Serenade without plastic flying carpets blocking the view.
Mike Fink Keel Boats
;)
Plaza Swan Boats
;)
Main Street Cinema when it was a cinema.
;)
The Mickey Mouse Review
;)
Fantasy Faire Stage
;)
Related posts:
1962 Disneyland Souvenir Map - High Res
Fantasyland Expansion Model
THEN AND NOW: MK Tomorrowland [Part 1]
THEN AND NOW: Liberty Square [Part 1]
THEN AND NOW: MK Fantasyland [Part 1]
Swiss Family Treehouse Model
Behind-the-Scenes, Magic Kingdom, Maps, Mystery
Reader Comments (18)
What an amazing find! Wow, I remember when Main Street used to be more than just the Emporium. I always wanted to go into the Main St. Cinema when I was a kid, but sadly my parents weren't too keen on it, and by the time I went as an adult it was gone.
This is such an awesome find!! :) I keep hoping that I'll find something like this in my dad's basement from when he went when the park first opened...no such luck yet.
WOW! That's a pretty damn cool discovery!!!
An outstanding find, though I'm not too surprised you were the one who discovered it. I would have done the exact same investigating to figure out what era it was from, even going so far as to have DNA tests. You're far from a Disney nerd, which is only accompished when you attack another fan for bad-mouthing Stitch. I would probably still have my Disney posters from when I was young, if only my mom wasn't psycho. I loved the flashback photos and the brief glimpse into your studio, though you need a better chair and someone needs to make the bed.
On the downside, that "old folded-up yellowed piece of paper shoved between wooden framing and drywall" was there for a reason. Back then, unions were overworked and this was hastily installed to keep the wall up. Within hours, it came crashing down, taking with it the person who was to be Walt's true successor. Since then, imagineers have been left flailing, their ideas too often passed over like a Christmas fruitcake. Now we have suits who can't even name the parks making decisions when the should be on trash patrol. Thanks a lot. ;)
Neat ..I had one on my wall when I was young. Not sure if it is buried in my collection or not...I would guess this is around 74.
Mitch,
I purchased what appears to be that exact same map on eBay a few months ago. If I can remember correctly, the product listing claimed that the map was from 1976, although your reasoning for 1974 seems to be correct.
I have this exact poster and it was purchased in February of 1976, my second trip to the world. The previous poster I have is from Dec of 1973 and it was/is in the original (weird) style. I'll have to dig it out and see if the actual attractions listed match yours. It is really cool to look at the old posters and note the changes over the years. Awesome find!
i have the same map along with the opening day map of the MAGIC KINGDOM 1971, Also I have a map of Tokyo Disneyland's Magic Kingdom and Disneyland 1966, the year Walt Disney pass away.
This map is from 1975. I've never seen it before but here's how I know this:
Space Mountain opened in 1975 the SAME year Flight to the Moon closed and became Mission to Mars. This map shows "Space" and "Moon" as attractions existing at the same time ! An extremely small window of weeks or a couple of months.
Even though the map art remained the same for a few years, the attraction and shop numbers changed easily. You have a rare 1975 map here.
Wow Hoot, that's pretty good!
So many great comments.
Brett- Haha. My wife would love (if she actually read this blog) that you noticed the unmade bed in the background. She has a flawless record of making the bed but this pic was taken on a day she left before I got up!
Hoot- I do believe you are right. The one thing that might make this a possible '74 map would be the fact that they MAY have released it before '75 with Space and COP being "Future Attractions"- like so many other maps do. HOWEVER there is no mention of "Future Attractions" on the map when other maps at least make mention of that. SOOOO.... you are most likely correct.
Awesome map!
@Steve2WDW Any pics of THAT map? I have one from 1971/2 (assuming that my research is right) and want to see if the "wierdness" matches up. I'm thinking your map uses a lot of yellow and orange?
I should add, however, that the map that Mitch posted is quite similar to the 71/72 map, in the style of how the buildings are sketched. The coloration on this one, is more normal and closer to the ones actually seen in the MK..
I have this exact same poster!!! its been in my grandparents basement since i was a kid. I finally took it down and let it dry. I plan on framing it soon. :)
I'm sitting in my living room, looking at the exact same map, framed and hanging on my wall. I bought it in the summer of 1977, my first trip to WDW. It has Flight to the Moon, Magic Carpet Around the World, etc. They may have been selling this earlier than then, and the Space Mountain artwork may be a hold over, but I think its just a little creative license, kinda like the trees behind Main St. rather than a parking lot ;-)
Great find, I'm very happy for you.
I have that map on my wall right now as well. It's one of my prize retro Disney collections.
Hi...does anyone know what these maps are worth today?
I have one from 79. It's in the same style, it just looks like they drew characters and more people all over the place.