The Most Expensive Disney Merchandise Ever Sold — and Who’s Buying It
Written by
Heather Altamirano
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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The magic of Disney started in 1923 when visionary Walt Disney launched his company where he created timeless characters, iconic films and lifelong fans.
For decades, Disney has influenced pop culture and is a place where adults can escape from reality and kids can immerse themselves in an unforgettable world filled with positive themes of joy, friendships and fun.
People love Disney so much that they’re willing to pay big bucks for beloved memorabilia — and we’re not talking just a few hundred dollars. Fanatics have no problems shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars to own a piece of Disney history and in 2017 and 2018 some of the most expensive pieces of merchandise sold.
Here are four Disney collectibles that went for top dollar.
Walt Disney’s Presentation Disneyland Map
- Sold for $708,000
In 1955 Disneyland opened, however, two years prior, Walt Disney was scrambling to get the money for his fantastical project. He enlisted the help of Herb Ryman, a Disney Imagineer, to design a hand-drawn map that featured a layout of what the theme park would like to secure funding. In 2017, the presentation map sold at an auction to an unknown buyer for $708,000, according to Forbes.
Skyway Gondola
- Sold for $621,000
According to Disney Wiki, the Skyway gondola opened at Disneyland in 1956 and carried passengers from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland. The ride shut down in 1994 and an original bucket was part of a 900-piece collection from Disney collector and Hollywood agent Richard Kraft, according to Reuters. Van Eaton Galleries hosted the auction and a private bidder bought the classic piece in 2018 for a whopping $621,000.
Original Dumbo the Flying Elephant Car
- Sold for $483,000
At the same Van Eaton Galleries auction, a private bidder took home an original Dumbo the Flying Elephant car that was also part of Kraft’s collection. Magician David Copperfield was a bidder at the auction and scored a neon letter D from the Disneyland hotel for $86,250.
Tiki Room Animatronic Bird
- Sold for $425,000
Another big-ticket item Kraft sold at the auction was José, an animatronic bird from the Tiki Room. José was one of the four main characters of the original show and was red, white, and green to represent his implied country of origin-Mexico reported by WDW News Today.
Kraft had a 10,000-piece collection that started after his brother David died in his 30s from complications from Crohn’s disease, according to NPR. He collected everything from original rides to ticket booths and signage. As kids, the two went to Disneyland often and collecting memorabilia helped him feel close to David.
After years of collecting, he wanted to share his joy with others and held a month-long exhibit in Sherman Oaks, California, before selling some of his prized possessions. “When I finally decided to let it go it became much more about throwing a grand Bon Voyage party to those magical artifacts than about making projections about their worth,” Kraft said in a statement to Reuters.
Forbes reported that the two-day auction raised over $8.3 million and part of the proceeds went to organizations to help children with special needs and suffer from Coffin-Siris Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder his daughter Daisy battles.
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