Category: Disney This Day
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The Birthday Party | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 7, 1931
On this day in 1931, the Mickey Mouse cartoon ‘The Birthday Party’ was released. Minnie hosts a surprise party for Mickey with all of the early Disney characters attending, including Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. Mickey is gifted a miniature piano, and the group celebrates with music and dancing. Mickey’s official birthday was not established…
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Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 6, 2021
On this day in 2021, Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew opened their doors in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort. The specialty snack shop was a new concept designed specifically for the West Side of Disney Springs. It carries jumbo-sized, extravagantly-garnished donuts, gourmet cold brew coffees, and savory sandwiches, all known for being…
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Disney Legend Al Taliaferro | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 5, 1931
On this day in 1931, cartoonist and Disney Legend Al Taliaferro was first hired at Walt Disney Studios. He first acted as an inker for the “Mickey Mouse” and “Silly Symphony” newspaper comic strips. In 1938, he was inspired to argue for and create a new daily comic strip dedicated to Donald Duck. Notably, Taliaferro…
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Mickey’s Polo Team | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 4, 1936
On this day in 1936, the cartoon ‘Mickey’s Polo Team’ was released. The short reflects Walt Disney’s own love of polo, a sport which caught the interest of Hollywood’s elite at the time. Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and the Big Bad Wolf take on movie stars Laurel and Hardy, Harpo Marx, and Charlie Chaplin in a…
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Florence Pugh | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 3, 1996
On this day in 1996, actress Florence Pugh was born. Her breakout came in 2019 with a trio of films, including ‘Midsommar’ and ‘Little Women.’ Marvel fans know her best as Yelena Belova – Red Room agent and Natasha Romanoff’s adoptive younger sister. Pugh originated the role in 2021’s ‘Black Widow’ and went on to…
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Disney Parks Rose Parade Float | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 2, 2026
On this day in 2006, Disney Parks submitted the float “The Most Magical Celebration on Earth” to a rainy 117th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. The entry celebrated the 50th anniversary of Disneyland and Disney Parks. It featured all five castles from each Disney resort around the world at the time: Anaheim, Orlando, Tokyo, Paris,…
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Walt Disney | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 1, 1966
On this day in 1966, Walt Disney served as Grand Marshal of the Tournament of the Roses Parade for the first and only time. Walt rode together with Mickey Mouse. The pair was joined by about two dozen Disney characters walking alongside their car. Fittingly, the theme of the parade was “It’s a Small World,”…
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Disney’s Pleasure Island | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 31, 2005
On this day in 2005, the last nightly New Year’s Eve celebration took place in Disney’s Pleasure Island at the Walt Disney World Resort. From 1990 to 2005, the area nightclubs would pause at midnight every night for a public countdown and fireworks display. This farewell celebration on the actual New Year’s Eve marked the…
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Mickey Mouse | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 30, 1980
On this day in 1980, the U.S. Selective Service System sent a draft registration notice to Mickey Mouse. The humorous reminder was sent to “Michael M. Mouse” at Disneyland. It notified him that he was at risk of becoming a draft dodger since registration was required for all young men. Disneyland responded that Mickey was…
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Otis Harlan | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 29, 1865
On this day in 1865, old Hollywood character actor and comedian Otis Harlan was born. Harlan began his career in farce comedies on Broadway and vaudeville in the 1890s and early 1900s. He was famous for appearing in Irving Berlin’s ragtime musicals. For Disney, Harlan is best known for voicing Happy in ‘Snow White and…
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Man and the Moon | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 28, 1955
On this day in 1955, “Man and the Moon” was released as part of a three-part ‘Disneyland’ television series about space travel. Disney animator Ward Kimball directed, co-wrote, and co-hosted the episode that discussed humanity’s fascination with the moon across history. Aerospace engineer Dr. Wernher von Braun described scientists’ preparations for a mission to orbit…
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Playful Pan | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 27, 1930
On this day in 1930, the ‘Silly Symphony’ ‘Playful Pan’ was released. The Greek God Pan, a goat-like satyr, comes to Earth and brings music and mischief to the forest. At first, all of the flora and fauna are enchanted by his pan pipe. Soon, though, lightning strikes and starts a fire, threatening everyone in…
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Temuera Morrison | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 26, 1960
On this day in 1960, actor Temuera Morrison was born in New Zealand. He is best known for portraying Jango Fett and his clones, including the adult Boba Fett and the Clone Troopers, in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. Morrison’s first ‘Star Wars’ film was ‘Attack of the Clones’ in 2002. He maintained the roles for…
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One Hour in Wonderland | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 25, 1950
On this day in 1950, ‘One Hour in Wonderland’ aired on NBC as Walt Disney’s very first television special. Walt hosted the program as a holiday party at his home. Guests included Edgar Bergen and his ventriloquist dummies, Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, and Walt’s two daughters. The group watched various Disney clips plus a sneak…
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Winnie the Pooh | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 23, 1925
On this day in 1925, the very first Winnie the Pooh story was published in ‘The London Evening News’ on Christmas Eve. It was called “In Which We Are Introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees, and the Stories Begin.” Readers met a certain silly old bear, originally known as “Edward Bear,” and followed his search…
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Walt Disney World Railroad | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 23, 2022
On this day in 2022, the Walt Disney World Railroad reopened at the Magic Kingdom after a four-year hiatus. The Railroad was suspended in December 2018 for the construction of the TRON Lightcycle/Run attraction. The project included a new tunnel for the train to pass through. The Walt Disney World Railroad started as an opening…
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O Brother, Where Art Thou? | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 22, 2000
On this day in 2000, ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ was released by Disney’s Touchstone Pictures. It loosely adapted elements of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ into the Depression Era in the Deep South. Three convicts escape from a chain gang and go through a series of fantastical escapades while searching for hidden treasure and evading a…
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Swiss Family Robinson | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 21, 1960
On this day in 1960, ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ opened in theaters. It was loosely based on the 1812 novel by Swiss author Johann David Wyss. A family en route to New Guinea is attacked by pirates and shipwrecked on a deserted island, filmed in real-world Tobago. The resourceful group builds an elaborate treehouse and learns…
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Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 20, 1968
On this day in 1968, ‘Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day’ was released in theaters. It was Disney’s second ‘Winnie the Pooh’ film and was inspired by seven A. A. Milne stories. In it, the Hundred Acre Wood encounters some wild weather, including high winds, heavy rains, and a flood! ‘The Blustery Day’ was…
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Robert B. Sherman | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 19, 1925
On this day in 1925, acclaimed songwriter, painter, and Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman was born. He and his younger brother Richard formed one of the most prolific and memorable songwriting teams in Disney history. Robert joined the U.S. Army at age 17 and was part of a squad that liberated the Dachau concentration camp…
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 18, 2015
On this day in 2015, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ was released in theaters. It was the first entry in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. Its story picked up about 30 years after the events of ‘The Return of the Jedi.’ All of our favorite core characters returned for this adventure and were joined by…
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Mickey’s Good Deed | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 17, 1932
On this day in 1932, the holiday short ‘Mickey’s Good Deed’ was released widely in theaters. At the height of the Great Depression, Mickey and Pluto are homeless street musicians. Mickey makes the painful decision to sell Pluto to a rich family. He uses the money to provide a Christmas meal and toys to a…
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Disney’s Riviera Resort | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 16, 2019
On this day in 2019, Disney’s Riviera Resort opened at Walt Disney World. Plans for the resort were first announced at the D23 Expo in 2017. The Riviera is a Disney Vacation Club resort located close to EPCOT on the Disney Skyliner gondola system. It is styled after Walt Disney’s trips to the Mediterranean, including…
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The Emperor’s New Groove | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 15, 2000
On this day in 2000, ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’ was released in theaters. It starred David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton. Following the Disney Renaissance, the film was praised for its rapid pacing, witty ad-libbed dialogue, and irreverent humor. Originally called ‘Kingdom of the Sun,’ the story was drastically and rapidly overhauled…