Captain EO | DISNEY THIS DAY | September 18, 1986

September 18, 2026

On this day in 1986, the Captain EO attraction opened at Disneyland six days after premiering at EPCOT Center. The 70mm 3-D sci-fi short film was conceived by incoming Disney chiefs Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and executive-produced by George Lucas, it leveraged Michael Jackson at the height of his fame. The 500-seat Magic Eye Theater was built for the film and replaced the Space Stage in Tomorrowland. At roughly $1.76 million per minute, Captain EO was the most expensive film ever produced for its runtime. [40 years ago in 2026]

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