You know it’s an old school Disney movie when there is a storybook opening in the opening sequence. There’s always a beautiful fairytale-esque storybook which opens to reveal the beautiful artwork on the pages and the beginning of the story. It all feels very magical and Classic Disney. In good fashion Disney released a range of replica journals of a number of storybooks featured in classic Disney movies. The range is absolutely adorable and very exciting for Disney collectors!
The Cinderella Replica Journal
The Cinderella A4 Replica Journal from the Disney Store is a replica journal of the storybook featured in the 1950 animated Cinderella movie. It was created specifically for the Disney Store and is part of the Walt Disney Archives collection.
This is a hard cover journal with a secure metal clasp and approximately 120 blank lined pages inside. There is also a golden tassel bookmark attached inside.
Dimensions: Height: 28cm; Width: 21cm; Depth: 2cm (approximately)
Exterior
The journal is hard cover and the exterior is very sturdy. It is a lovely golden colour with beautiful gold foiled edges and embossed artwork including the ‘Cinderella’ wording. There is also a metal clasp with plastic gemstone details which wraps around to the back of the journal. The tassel bookmark pops out at the bottom of the journal and is made using very silky smooth and shiny gold thread. As long as you handle the journal with care, the exterior should remain nice and sturdy.
The Artwork
The embossed artwork on the cover is absolutely stunning. Of course the colours and material are going to be different to the movie, however the artwork itself is a perfect replica. It is exactly the same as the artwork on the storybook in the movie. You can see the comparison below.
The artwork features the two blue birds we see at the beginning of the movie waking up Cinderella from her dream-filled sleep. They are holding a banner with the ‘Cinderella’ title front and centre. Underneath is some artwork of the glass slipper on a thick tasselled pillow. Jaq and Gus are also featured on the bottom corners of the journal staring at the key artwork in between them. There is also a lot of decorative gold artwork all around the edges of the journal. All the artwork is embossed and features beautiful and elegant gold foiling details.
The Clasp
There is a golden coloured metal clasp to keep the journal securely shut and it is relatively secure. The clasp features green, pink, and white plastic gemstones which provide a little luxury and shine to the journal. Again, it is very movie accurate as the shape and detailing on the clasp is very similar to the movie. The plastic gems are also movie accurate both in shape and colour.
Initially it wasn’t clear to me where the clasp opened and I almost damaged the journal by pulling too hard on the incorrect part! I was trying to lift up the entire front portion of the clasp but it actually opens at the end on the very right hand side. As you will see above, even the way the clasp opens is movie accurate.
Interior
Inside the journal there are approximately 120 off white ruled pages with artwork in the corners.
The above image is the first page of the journal which includes some information about the journal in both English and French.
The second and third pages have the exact artwork and introduction to the story seen at the beginning of the movie. The last page also has the “and they lived happily ever after” artwork exactly as it is in the movie. All three pages are perfectly movie accurate and really make you feel like you have a piece of the magic at home.
The blank ruled pages commence on page 4 of the journal. All the pages on left hand side have glass slipper artwork in the top left corner. All the pages on the right side have artwork in the bottom right corner of Cinderella running away with a missing slipper. The missing slipper is a lovely touch as it is cohesive with the slipper on the left page. The pages are very simple, clean, and tidy.
How much is it and where can I find it?
This replica journal was created specifically for the Disney Store. It was available in store and online. In the UK, it was available online for £7.50. Unfortunately at the time of this post, it is out of stock online. It is available online from a couple of other online retailers but for a considerably higher price – £39.95! The prices on eBay are unfortunately in the same range and many even higher. Some as high as £100!
It is a beautiful journal and a beautiful replica display piece for any Disney collector. A price of £40 in my opinion is high but on the other hand it is an officially licensed replica that is part of the Walt Disney Arches Collection. I think the price someone is willing to pay should depend on how valuable it is to them. Whilst a price in the region of £40 is high, it is manageable.
Are there any other Disney Replica Journals?
Yes! If Cinderella is not your cup of tea, there are a number of other Disney replica journals out there including:-
- Adventure Book from Up
- Anyone Can Cook book from Ratatouille
- Fairy tale book from The Princess and the Frog
- Fairy tale book from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Fairy tale book from The Sword in the Stone
- Fairy tale book from Enchanted
- Fairy tale book from Pinocchio
- Fairy tale book from Sleeping Beauty
- Fairytale book from Robin Hood
Unfortunately a lot of the replica journals are now out of stock. At the time of this post, there are still some available on the Disney Store website including the journals from Up, Ratatouille, and The Princess and the Frog. If you are interested in purchasing any of these, grab them while you can!
Geekkie Opinion
Classic Disney movies were a big part of my childhood so these replica journals are very dear to my heart. They are beautifully movie accurate, they are very well made, and they were sold for a very reasonable price. I am so happy I managed to snatch one of these while I had the chance. Although it is no longer available from the Disney Store, if you’re a collector or big fan of the classic Disney movies, this is definitely worth seeking out for a reasonable price. It is a beautiful display piece.
If you’re a collector, I recommend leaving the journal blank to keep it in pristine condition for display. If you’re not worried about keeping it in good condition, it would be a great journal for writing your own story. Alternatively, you could turn it into a bucket list scrapbook, scrapbook of your achieved dreams, or even an anniversary or wedding scrapbook <3 The only limitation is your imagination!
