Why theme park postcards are collected
Theme parks change constantly. Attractions are redesigned, renamed, replaced and removed, and early guests saw a park that no longer exists. Postcards are one of the best records of those early years, and there is a dedicated community of collectors interested in the history of the parks and of mid-century amusement design. That interest is what gives some early park postcards value.
What makes an early park card more interesting
Opening-era cards. Cards from the park's first years, often with standard-size chrome printing, white borders and period details such as clothing and cars in the parking areas.
Changed or closed attractions. Cards showing rides, shows, shops and areas as they first appeared, before later redesigns.
Condition. Clean, bright, unused cards with sharp corners are preferred, since many survive in good condition and collectors can be selective.
Unusual issues. Oversized cards, fold-out souvenir sets, cards issued for special events and early sponsor-related cards are less common than standard views.
How to recognize an early card
Early cards tend to be standard postcard size, roughly 3.5 by 5.5 inches, with chrome printing and often a white border. The backs carry the publisher's name, a code number and a caption describing the scene. Later cards are often larger continental size, full-bleed, on heavier glossy stock. Clothing, cars and the look of the attractions themselves are also good clues.
Why most park postcards are common
Millions of visitors bought postcards every year, and the most popular views were reprinted many times. Later cards in particular survive in large quantities, often unused, and sell for little individually. That is normal for souvenir chrome cards of any famous destination; see chrome postcards.
Other amusement parks
Postcards of amusement parks generally follow the same pattern. Cards of defunct parks, early roller coasters, trolley parks and seaside amusement piers from the early twentieth century, especially real photo views, are often more collectible than cards of famous parks that are still operating, because fewer were made and the places are gone.
Park cards in a family collection
Theme park cards usually turn up in collections assembled in the 1950s through the 1970s, alongside other travel chromes. If you have a run of early cards from a single trip, keep them together and photograph a few fronts and backs. I count them as part of the collection along with everything else.
The souvenir postcard trade
Mid-century travel created a huge market for souvenir postcards. Publishers specialized in photographing destinations and supplying cards to gift shops, hotels and restaurants, and visitors bought them by the handful. That is why so many chromes from the 1950s and 1960s survive, often in near-perfect condition, and why most of them are common. The cards that stand out are the ones whose subjects have changed or disappeared, and the ones printed in small numbers for local businesses.
Photographing park cards for a quote
One photo of a stack of park cards fanned out, plus a few close-ups of the fronts and one or two backs, is enough. If you know the cards came from an early trip, say so; the year of a family trip is useful context.
Fairs and expositions of the same era
Postcards from the 1939 New York World's Fair, the 1962 Seattle World's Fair and the 1964 New York World's Fair often turn up in the same collections as mid-century park cards. These are collected by exposition specialists; see world's fair postcards. Like park cards, most are common, but unusual views and fine condition stand out.
Questions people ask
Are 1950s Disneyland postcards valuable?
Some early cards interest collectors, particularly in fine condition and showing attractions that have changed. Values vary.
Are Disneyland postcards from the 1970s or 1980s worth anything?
Usually only a little individually; they were printed in large numbers.
Do unused park postcards sell better?
For these cards, clean unused examples are often preferred.
Are souvenir postcard folders collectible?
Some early folders are, but most are common.
Do you buy collections of theme park postcards?
As part of a broader collection, yes. A collection made up only of later park chromes is usually of modest value.
Caring for chrome park cards
Glossy chrome cards can stick together in humid storage and show scuffs and fingerprints easily. Store them upright in sleeves or boxes, in a dry place, and handle them by the edges.
Seaside and trolley parks
Before theme parks, Americans flocked to trolley parks, built by streetcar companies at the end of their lines to attract riders, and to seaside amusement piers and boardwalks. Real photo and printed postcards of these parks from the early 1900s, with their carousels, roller coasters, dance halls and bathing beaches, are generally more collectible than later theme park cards. Many of those parks closed decades ago, and postcards are among the few surviving images of them.
Value in context
Theme park and amusement cards are rarely the heart of a collection's value. They are part of the bigger picture of what a family traveled to see and saved. When I look at a collection, early real photos, small towns and holiday cards usually matter more, but notable amusement park cards are counted and appreciated.
Are amusement park real photo postcards collectible? Yes. Early real photo views of carousels, coasters, trolley parks and seaside piers are among the more collectible amusement cards, especially of parks that have closed.
What is a continental-size postcard? The larger, roughly 4 by 6 inch format common from the 1960s and 1970s onward. Earlier standard-size cards are generally of more interest.
How should I store mid-century park postcards? Upright in a box or in archival sleeves, somewhere dry, so the glossy surfaces do not stick together.
Sources and further reading
Ready to sell? Compare where to sell old postcards, or see how to sell old postcards step by step.