Disney\'s Ward Kimball estate - RARE plans/docs for a Disneyland ride never made
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Disney\'s Ward Kimball estate - RARE plans/docs for a Disneyland ride never made :
$2499.00
Truly a one-of-a-kind item for the discriminating Disneycollector. Buy it for the Disneycollector who thinks they have everything – cuz they won’t have this. Would make a truly special gift for aserious Disney fan (maybe yourself !)
Keywords: WardKimball, Walt Disney Imagineering, WED, Disneyland, Ride development, MartySklar, WED Enterprises.
I bought this on-line a few years ago from the Ward Kimballestate and it has a letter of authenticity from Betty Kimball, Ward’swife, now deceased also.
It is from Ward’s filing cabinet and it is his legal sizefolder labeled “MICKEY’S Madhouse”. Itis a folder of correspondence between Ward and folks at WED Imagineering (suchas Marty Sklar) about a ride design which never came to be. There is a lot of documentation about theride development and design. There aresome funny letters and correspondence.There are a lot of notes made by Ward Kimball.
Based upon what I have read in the folder, there once was a ride design in 1979 called “Mickey’sMadhouse”. The first page of the outlinestates:
A “thrill ride” featuring a combination of film andsimplified animatronics. An updated crazy “funhouse” in the style of earlyDisney cartoon shorts where the participant is treated to visual delights andphysicals surprises while riding a vehicle track which combines the bestcharacteristics of the “haunted house” and “Space Mountain” rides.
Wow. They should havemade this !
Then it must have lay dormant for a while and wasresurrected by Marty Sklar. Included isa typed (with a typewriter) letter on WED Enterprises embossed stationary toWard signed by Martin A Sklar Executive Vice President of WED CreativeDevelopment dated June 17, 1983. Obviously,he is trying to contract Ward out of retirement. Here is a transcript:
Dear Mr. Kimball
Your attention is directed towards the subject “MICKEY’SMADHOUSE”.
The above company, operating at its previous successful modeof nurturing projects of great potential, has decided to dust off the cobwebson Mickey’s Madhouse. (We are not, however, interested in resurrecting theGreat Cookie Wall, since the grease has only recently biodegraded).
Because of your stature and supposed independence, we arenot suggesting conscription, but rather offering you the opportunity tore-enlist in this exciting project.
We are prepared to get started on your terms, which is tosay you could work as few hours per week as you want to. We are prepared to dedicate the necessarysupport (including unlimited cookies) to work at your direction.
If this proposal has charmed you and warmed your creativejuices, please give me a call and we can arrange a meeting. Perhaps we couldtalk over morning grits.
I look forward to hearing the gurgle of your creativejuices.
Best regards,
Marty
Martin A Sklar
Etc.
cc. John Hench
Randy Bright
Funny stuff. I’d love to know what the Cookie Wall wasabout. If you know, tell me please.
The following items are in this folder and included in thissale:
1) 1) Letter transcribed above signed by Marty onembossed WED Imagineering letterhead.Very cool.
2) 2) Original 8x11 envelope addressed to Ward Kimballfrom WED Enterprises Imagineering – but it has no postage – so it must havebeen hand delivered.
3) 3) 2 stock paper cards each filled front and backwith hand written notes which Ward made in pencil. These contain his “creative juices”.
4)4) Probably one of the best parts of this folder is11 pages on legal size paper of hand drawn sketches of the ride itself. This appears to be a photocopy. I do not know who drew this – but they wereobviously cartoonists / imagineers. Itmay have been Ward but I do not know.Based on the fact that Ward did the original outline (item 5 below) – Ibelieve these could be Ward’s sketches – but it is only a copy – not theoriginals.
5) 5) Original ride design outline. A 5 page hand typed document with handwrittennotes added – probably by Ward. Also hasWard Kimball (10/1/79) at the top of the first page. So, this ride must have been dreamed up byWard initially.
6)6) There is another copy of item 5 with a big reddate: 10/1/79 written on the cover page.
7) 7) Two WED Enterprises Inter-Office Communicationpapers in pink from Marty Sklar to Ward.Both have signatures by “Marty”. One has copies to Tim Kirk and SteveKirk.
8) 8) A hand written paper which apparently givescharges addressed to John Bloss at Disney.Looks like Ward was asking $500 to $1500 per day. Not sure about that though.
9) 9) A NOTICE about a design contest at the studio.
1910) Copy of an inter-office communication from Martyto Tony Baxter and Chris Carradine. Ward was on the copy-to list. In this key communiqué – the ride name ischanged to Mickey’s Movieland and Marty suggests a whole new “Land” atDisneyland. Could this be the birth ofToon Town ? Dated March 7, 1984
1111) Copy of a letter to Ray Watson about D/L 40 acreMkt research. Looks like they werediscussing buying land or dedicating 40 acres to Movieland.
1212) Mickey’s Studio Tour Preliminary FigureList. 2 pages.
1313) Notes: Mickey’s Movieland – copy of a 3 pagetyped document.
1414) Six page inter-office communiqué from WEDEstimating – giving price and cost estimates.
1115) Copy of a 47 page document prepared by WED ScopeProductions called “Mickey’s Studio Tour: A Project Program, Scope Level1. This refers to Walt DisneyWorld, Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland.Released 8/23/84
1116) 26 page document from 3/13/84. Each page has a grid with nine squares titled
a.Description
b.Figures
c.Set and Props
d.Special EFX
e.Figure Animation
f.Prop Animation
g.Audio
h.Film
i.Notes
1717) 11 page document from Systems Engineering titled“Mickey’s Studio Tour Functional Requirements”.
1818) Ward’s original legal size manila folder withhis handwriting
1919) Letter of Authenticity on Grizzly Flats Railroadletterhead from Betty Kimball.
I will pay for shipping and insurance.
This is a super rare chance to get a glimpseinto the creative development and engineering development of a Disney ridedesign and to own a piece of Disney history from one of Walt’s nine oldmen, Ward Kimball.
Why am I selling it ? because is offering a special rate ($10 max fee) . If it doesn\'t sell - I will cherish longer.
Buy with confidence from a reputable 5 starseller (check out my rating). Itypically ship within 24 hours of receiving payment. I know how to package things to arrive ingreat condition. I describe things likethey really are – no hidden guesswork. Why? because I am also a buyer andcollector – and I also enjoy smart sellers who know how to package and deliveron time !
Please pay within 3 days.
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Disney\'s Ward Kimball estate - RARE plans/docs for a Disneyland ride never made :
$2499.00