Category: History
-
Titanic | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 19, 1997
On this day in 1997, the blockbuster ‘Titanic’ was released by 20th Century Fox. It stayed at number one at the box office for 15 weeks. It was the highest grossing film of all time until 2009 when ‘Avatar’ took over the distinction. ‘Titanic’ was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 11, including Best…
-
Avatar | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 18, 2023
On this day in 2009, ‘Avatar’ was released in the U.S. by 20th Century Fox. It was nominated for nine Oscars at the 82nd Academy Awards and won three. ‘Avatar’ was also the first movie ever to top $2 billion at the worldwide box office. The movie would become a franchise and be incorporated into…
-
Disney Harmony in Color – Sunday Spotlight
Today I write my last Sunday Spotlight from Japan. To say it has been a great trip would be a major understatement. While I haven’t gotten my trip report up yet for Tokyo Disneyland (you can see Tokyo DisneySea here), I did feel like there were a few things that were worth throwing the spotlight…
-
Sunday Spotlight: World of Color – Winter Dreams
In 2013, a holiday version of World of Color came to the Disneyland Resort. World of Color – Winter Dreams ran from November 15, 2013 through January 6, 2014. For the world premiere of this version of World of Color, the voice of Olaf Josh Gad was on hand to kick the show off the…
-
Sunday Spotlight: it’s a small world Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Several years ago I had the opportunity to attend a media event that was a special event for it’s a small world Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Disneyland. This was a brief, but beautiful, ceremony that was full of magic as the facade of it’s a small world was brought to life for the holiday season…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage
Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage is a dark ride attraction located at Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disney Resort. The ride takes visitors on a magical journey through the adventures of Sindbad the Sailor, a character from the collection of Middle Eastern folktales known as One Thousand and One Nights. The boatride takes guests on an enchanting and…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Instant Concert, Just Add Water with Goofy
Through the years there have been some fun little magical moments that have come and gone in the parks that truly were hidden gems that were placed right in front of us. One of these was Instant Concert, Just Add Water With Goofy at Disney California Adventure. This show was only about five minutes long…
-
The History and Legacy of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom
Cinderella Castle is an absolutely beautiful icon in the Disney Parks. The centerpiece of Magic Kingdom, it is a symbol of magic, hope, joy, and inspiration for all who visit Walt Disney World Resort. Below is a look at the origins, creation, evolution, and legacy of Cinderella Castle. This is a beloved and beautiful castle…
-
Sunday Spotlight: A Moment with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
There have been many magical moments that I have experienced through the years, first as an Annual Passholder and then as a Magic Key holder, at Disneyland. One that always seems to pop up and bring and make me smile was a day when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs enjoyed a day together at…
-
History of the Disney Park Castles
October 16, 2023 marked the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company. When we think of Disney, we think of great storytelling, wonderful movies, and great music. Of course, we also think of the castles at each of the Magic Kingdom-style parks. We start with Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, which was dedicated on the…
-
Sunday Spotlight: World of Color: Villainous!
The first year of Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure included a new version of World of Color. Called World of Color: Villainous!, this show followed the story of a young girl named Shelley Marie as she encounters multiple Disney villains. This version of World of Color only was presented in 2019. In 2020…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Space Shuttle Endeavour
For this week’s Sunday Spotlight I thought we would take a trip to the past and remember one of the most magical things I’ve seen in the skies over the Disneyland Resort. It isn’t fireworks, lightning, or Tinker Bell. Instead, it’s the Space Shuttle Endeavour. This ship made its last flight aboard a specially modified…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Richard Sherman Performs “Feed the Birds”
Through the last 18 years of Daps Magic we have been very privileged to get to experience some very magical moments. There are a few of them that are even more magical and stand out from the rest. One of these is getting to hear Richard Sherman perform Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins. Back…
-
Sunday Spotlight: DJ’s Haul-O-Ween Dance ‘n Drive
There are plenty of fun and entertaining things to experience during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. Some of these things come back on a yearly basis, and some of these things disappear. One of the entertainment offerings that has disappeared is DJ’s Haul-O-Ween Dance ‘n Drive. This was a Halloween (or should we say…
-
Sunday Spotlight: EPCOT Forever
EPCOT Forever debuted at EPCOT on October 2019. It was originally created as an interim show between Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and Harmonious, which debuted in the fall of 2021. The show is a musical celebration of the history of EPCOT. It returned to EPCOT after the conclusion of Harmonious in the spring of 2023.…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Voyage of The Little Mermaid
Voyage of The Little Mermaid was a show that could be seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This show opened in 1992 and continued until 2020 in the Animation Courtyard. It closed when Walt Disney World Resort closed down and then never reopened when the parks did after the pandemic. The show was a shorter version…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Lightning at Oogie Boogie Bash
There have been many magical moments through the nearly two decades of Daps Magic that are core memories. As I sit here thinking about them, I think of meeting Richard Sherman for the first time, the first day of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, my first press event. All of these moments were absolutely magical and I…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Jake the Droid
Jake the Droid (officially J4-K3) was a friendly and inquisitive droid that was occasionally be found in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. He was (or perhaps still is) a prototype droid. Basically this means he was still under development. When he appeared at Disneyland, he was always learning and growing, and loved to interact with guests. Jake…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Olaf in Fantasyland
There was a time when you could find Olaf in Fantasyland at Disneyland. This goes back about ten years ago when Olaf arrived on the roof of a building where Anna and Elsa were meeting. He arrived in November 2013 and immediately began delighting guests throughout the day and the night as they waited to…
-
Sunday Spotlight: Frozen – Live at the Hyperion
Welcome back to another Sunday Spotlight! This week we take a look back at Frozen – Live at the Hyperion. This theatrical recreation of Frozen was presented at Disney California Adventure from May 2016 through March 2020. The show basically followed the plotline that was seen in Frozen, the musical movie that was released by…
-
Celebrating 60 Years of Tropical Magic: The Enchanting History of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland
Today, let’s raise our glasses filled with tropical cocktails (or our Dole Whips) and embark on a journey to the heart of the enchanted Polynesian paradise that is Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. As the Tiki Room celebrates its 60th anniversary, let’s take a moment to appreciate the rich history and enduring charm…
-
“Animazement – The Musical” – 25 Years Later
25 years ago today Animazement – The Musical debuted in the Fantasyland Theatre at Disneyland. This magical musical began with a new theme song written for the show itself called It Starts with a Sketch and then went on a musical adventure through several different Disney stories. This included The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast,…
-
Remembering the Last Show of Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple Four Years Later
—
by
On November 4, 2018 Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple had its final training show in Tomorrowland. This show, which taught younglings, the ways of the Jedi inspired guests young and old during its run at the Disneyland Resort. During the process, the Padawans would learn to face their fears as they found themselves facing…