One of the reasons for the success of Disney parks around the world is their deft balance of nostalgia and new magic. While theme park enthusiasts aren’t usually happy to see their beloved rides and landmarks retire, theme parks have grown in popularity by keeping things fresh for younger generations to discover.
What happens to theme park artifacts when attractions are reimagined?
Throwing away the old and bringing in the new is common in Disney parks, but what happens to old attractions that are retired?
Some of the theme park artifacts are sold at Disney auctions and become private collections. The Heritage Auction House in Dallas, Texas recently held a two-day Disney his theme park auction. The auction brought in $1.8 million and sold merchandise from Disneyland, Walt Disney World and the Disney Store.
Yes, that means there are people who own some of the iconic monorails, Dopey’s car from Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and more.
Heritage Disney Auction
One lucky Disney fan took off into the sunset with a one-of-a-kind piece of Disney nostalgia: a stagecoach. This bidder was one of many who could have his vintage Disney items at home, including a monorail car, Skyway his gondola, and life-size Disney his character figures.
This 2023 Heritage Disney event follows the record-breaking 2/2 million Art of Disneyland auction in 2022. These events coincided with both his 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company and his 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, also known as “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.”
“The event showcased all aspects of the park,” says Jim Lentz, Animation Art Director at Heritage. “In two full days he delivered more than 850 lots to collectors.
Stagecoach of Rainbow Mountain in front of you
Many young Disney fans may not remember the stagecoach that sold for $84,000. This is the highest amount ever paid for the entire auction. The 9-passenger Overland Stagecoach has been part of the Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach since the early days of Disneyland.
The stagecoach opened at Disneyland in 1955 as part of the original line-up of Frontierland attractions. This attraction closed in his 1959 and he is known as one of Disneyland’s iconic “disappeared but unforgettable” attractions.
When this attraction opened in 1955, it was called the “Stagecoach Ride.” It adopted the name “Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach” in 1956, but continued to be called “Stagecoach”.
Authentic frontier stagecoach
This stagecoach wasn’t just part of a theme park attraction. It was a genuine Frontier stagecoach that made its final run from Tombstone, Arizona to Sacramento, California. This stagecoach was once the property of Walt Disney’s friend Ben Hathaway, a businessman from Anaheim.
Few real frontier stagecoaches still exist, so this is a rare piece of Americana and the inspiration behind the iconic Disneyland attractions of the 1950s. The stagecoach defined Disneyland’s opening years and preceded the famous monorail.
“This full-fledged frontier stage evokes Disneyland’s depiction of the early days of America’s past and its ultimate transition to a vision of the future,” says Lenz. “The winning bidder of this amazing piece of American history has instant and exclusive bragging rights.”
Other notable Disney items for sale at Heritage Auction
Other notable Disneyland items sold at the Disney Theme Parks Auction include Disneyland’s two autopia cars from circa 1967-1999 and Tomorrowland’s rare original Skyway Gondola.
Walt Disney World’s top dollar was the original Mark IV Monorail Cabin, which sold for $36,000. All doors remain closed and open, all windows intact. The vehicle used at the park in Snow White’s Scary Adventure sold for his $33,600.
Disney store goods are very active
In 1987, the first Disney store opened in Glendale, California. By 1997, over 700 Disney stores had opened around the world. These stores have brought a bit of the Disney-his theme park experience to the local shopping center.
The store was adorned with large fiberglass statues created by Disney artists. Character statues adorned the store entrance and were seen throughout the store.
“These statues were very popular and people were always asking to buy them,” Lenz says. “This led to the creation of ‘Disney Big Figs’ as collectible large-format versions of your favorite Disney characters.”
Disney’s Big Fig at Auction
Big Figs exploded in popularity and became available through mail order at Disney parks, stores, and eventually Disney’s online auctions. This heritage auction offered the largest collection of real-life character figurines to grace the Disney Store.
A life-sized Mickey Mouse figurine sold for $20,400 at a heritage auction. A life-size figure of Sully and Mike from the movie “Monsters, Inc.” sold for her $15,600.
These sales are just a small sampling of the Heritage Disney events that take place over the weekend. Full results can be found here: HA.com/7314.
Heritage auction details
Heritage Auctions is the largest art and collectibles auction house established in the United States and the largest collectibles auctioneer in the world. Heritage has offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam, Brussels and Hong Kong.
This article was written and distributed by Wealth of Geeks.
Jill is Wealth of Geeks travel editor and expert writer focusing on family and adventure travel, as well as providing practical tips to help travelers get the most value from their vacation experiences. I’m here. In addition to Wealth of Geeks, Jill has written for Business Insider, MSN, Tripsavvy, Matador Network, Canadian Traveler, and Travel Awaits. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and her sons, but is usually in another location.
