Auction of Disneyland memorabilia raises more than $8M

Since Disneyland opened in 1955, kids and adults have flocked to the beloved theme park, and collector Richard Kraft is no exception.

Kraft has been collecting park rides, props and artifacts for the past 25 years and recently decided to let others share in the joy of the memorabilia by holding an auction.

Prior to the event, Kraft filled an old sporting goods store in Los Angeles with the 900-piece collection.

“You never actually see this stuff up close and personal the way you would see it in this exhibit,” Kraft said.

Thousands of Disney fans popped in to the “That’s From Disneyland” pop-up exhibit, and one couple even got married there.

The two-day auction was held over the weekend, where an original Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride car sold for $483,000.

“No matter how much it’s worth, I really hope the people who buy it appreciate it as much as I do. I don’t want the people to go, ‘Oh, it’s an investment,’” Kraft said.

Magician David Copperfield made more than $86,000 appear to by the neon “D” from the Disneyland Hotel and a Skyway gondola from the 1950s went for the record-breaking price of $621,000.

The auction raised over $8 million and Kraft will be using the money to help his 4-year-old daughter, who has special needs, and donating a portion of sales to charities to help other kids like her.