Discover how Disney toys shaped the company, the industry, and the world through behind-the-scenes stories and with over 500 enchanting photos and rare artwork.
Calling all fans of Disney toys—The Art and History of Disney Toys was made for you and me.
The Walt Disney Company has enjoyed a unique—perhaps even surprisingly intimate—relationship with the toy industry for nearly a century. Walt Disney developed his sense of play as a young boy from Middle America before setting out for California when he was twenty-two. By pioneering new Hollywood industries, Walt’s creations would provide a much-needed booster shot to America’s flailing manufacturing sector at the height of the Great Depression. The fledgling studio would also establish the importance of toys in marketing theatrical entertainment, invoking the idea of “total merchandising.”
In the decades that followed, toys became a catalyst for many future innovations, inside and outside the toy manufacturing arena. Walt’s passion for model trains ultimately expanded the horizons of entertainment, giving birth to the modern theme park. Toys would also play a key role in funding his theme park construction, while providing inspiration for future enhancements like Audio-Animatronics figures.
As with any great memory that tugs at the heartstrings—and every great story—Disney’s “odyssey of play” has seen its share of surprises over a long and fruitful tenure. Discover how modest beginnings would revolutionize the world’s movie capital . . . and how toys would become an epicenter for reinventing entertainment.
Alex Miller began his career at Disney in January of 2010 but has been a fan of Disney toys, theme parks, and films his entire life. While at the company, Alex has played an instrumental role in championing innovation across Disney’s toy lines with particular emphasis on integrating emergent technologies. He has been a part of all of Disney’s most iconic franchises—from classic titles, to the latest blockbusters, and everything in between. Alex is the author of several books, including California Theme Parks and Florida Theme Parks: A Guide. He lives in Santa Clarita, California, with his wife, Hanna, and their two children, Piper and Kayden.
View titles by Alex Miller
Discover how Disney toys shaped the company, the industry, and the world through behind-the-scenes stories and with over 500 enchanting photos and rare artwork.
Calling all fans of Disney toys—The Art and History of Disney Toys was made for you and me.
The Walt Disney Company has enjoyed a unique—perhaps even surprisingly intimate—relationship with the toy industry for nearly a century. Walt Disney developed his sense of play as a young boy from Middle America before setting out for California when he was twenty-two. By pioneering new Hollywood industries, Walt’s creations would provide a much-needed booster shot to America’s flailing manufacturing sector at the height of the Great Depression. The fledgling studio would also establish the importance of toys in marketing theatrical entertainment, invoking the idea of “total merchandising.”
In the decades that followed, toys became a catalyst for many future innovations, inside and outside the toy manufacturing arena. Walt’s passion for model trains ultimately expanded the horizons of entertainment, giving birth to the modern theme park. Toys would also play a key role in funding his theme park construction, while providing inspiration for future enhancements like Audio-Animatronics figures.
As with any great memory that tugs at the heartstrings—and every great story—Disney’s “odyssey of play” has seen its share of surprises over a long and fruitful tenure. Discover how modest beginnings would revolutionize the world’s movie capital . . . and how toys would become an epicenter for reinventing entertainment.
Creators
Alex Miller began his career at Disney in January of 2010 but has been a fan of Disney toys, theme parks, and films his entire life. While at the company, Alex has played an instrumental role in championing innovation across Disney’s toy lines with particular emphasis on integrating emergent technologies. He has been a part of all of Disney’s most iconic franchises—from classic titles, to the latest blockbusters, and everything in between. Alex is the author of several books, including California Theme Parks and Florida Theme Parks: A Guide. He lives in Santa Clarita, California, with his wife, Hanna, and their two children, Piper and Kayden.
View titles by Alex Miller
