Disneyland

Officially founded on February 4th, 1956 as a division of Walt Disney Productions. However, the Disney company issued a small number of releases before its official founding using the Disneyland brand.

In the 1940s, the musical rights to Disney films were spread across many different companies. This led to poor profits from these ventures, with Disney typically getting 50% royalties and then having to distribute a majority of those payments as royalties to the artists. To remedy this, Disney established the Walt Disney Music Company (ASCAP) in August 1949 and the Wonderland Music Company (BMI) in 1952.

These initial attempts weren't entirely successful, until the debut of the Davy Crockett TV show in December 1954. The company issued a promotional record with songs and stories from the show - Walt Disney Presents From Walt Disney's "Davy Crockett". Disney felt it wasn't quite ready to enter the music business just yet and issued the official recording by Fess Parker in a short term license to Columbia. This record went on to sell over a million copies and pushed the company to finally found the label officially on February 4th, 1956, as a division of Walt Disney Productions. The president was Jimmy Johnson (10) and the musical director was Tutti Camarata. Albums were released with the catalog number prefix "WDL" (and later "STER" for stereo albums) - these releases were priced at $4.98 and mostly oriented towards "adult" audiences or were soundtracks to Disney films. By 1957, the "ST" catalog number prefix was introduced for the children's "Storyteller" albums.

Initially, the label was distributed by Hansen Records Inc. and records were issued with the "pixie dust" yellow label. This distribution deal didn't work out and the label quickly switched to various independent distributors before Fall 1957. However, the label continued to have financial issues. In 1959, Disney decided to drop the WDL series* for "adult" oriented audiences and most of the non-Disney artists to focus solely on children's music and the Storyteller (ST) line. Prices were dropped to $1.98 and a budget line with the catalog number prefix "DQ" was introduced. Non-children's music after this time was typically issued on the Buena Vista Records label, also founded in 1959.

On February 6, 1986, Walt Disney Productions was renamed to The Walt Disney Company and labels issued after this date use the new company name.

In August 1988, all Disney related labels were consolidated under the Walt Disney Records name.

*The last "WDL" series issues were in 1961 - single LP reissues of the Fantasia pieces.

Note: Most Disneyland record issues were repressed and reissued multiple times - please enter as much information as possible, including the runouts, label color and companies listed.

Brief/approximate label guide:

1956 to 1957 (all): yellow "pixie dust" label
1957 to 1975 ("WDL" 1000 & 3000 series; "ST" releases): plain purple label
1957 to 1959 ("WDL" 4000 series): plain red/maroon label
1958 to 1959 & 1961 ("STER" releases & last "WDL" issues): plain gray/black label
1959 to 1975 ("DQ" releases): plain yellow label
1975 to 1976 (mostly 7" records): pink & purple "pixie dust" label
1976 to 1988 (all): yellow "rainbow" label

ST-1900 series releases: First, light blue label, then dark blue label and ended with green label.

These dates are rough estimates and there may be examples of pressings slightly outside of the listed date ranges.

Some other label colors were inconsistently used, such as light blue (typically "ST" releases), light green (typically 7" book releases), dark blue ("WDX" release), and dark green.

Label Code: LC 0181 / LC 00181

Also appears as "A Disneyland Record", "Disneyland Records", "Disneyland Records and Tapes", or "Un Disque Disneyland". Early label designs, from before the label was officially founded may state "From Disneyland".

See also Discos Disneylandia (South America/Spain) and Discos Disneylândia (Brazil/Portugal).