Category: History
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Anthony Daniels | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 21, 1946
On this day in 1946, actor Anthony Daniels was born. He is famous for his longstanding portrayal of protocol droid C-3PO in the ‘Star Wars’ saga. Daniels is the only actor to be included in every ‘Star Wars’ theatrical film from 1977 to 2019. He also participated in many ‘Star Wars’ spinoffs across television, video…
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Moose Hunters | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 20, 1937
On this day in 1937, the Mickey Mouse short ‘Moose Hunters’ was released. Hoping to attract a bull moose during a hunting expedition in the woods, Goofy and Donald dress up in a questionable female moose costume. Meanwhile, Mickey attracts a moose of his own while hiding in a tasty bush. The trio gets into…
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Keller’s Jungle Killers | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 19, 1956
On this day in 1956, the Keller’s Jungle Killers circus act opened at Disneyland. The big cat show was held over after the Mickey Mouse Club Circus closed. College professor George Keller grew up training house cats and eventually upgraded to wild cats like lions, tigers, and leopards. He and the big cats performed their…
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Mickey’s Surprise Party | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 18, 1939
On this day in 1939, the animated short ‘Mickey’s Surprise Party’ was released to the Nabisco snack company to be shown at the New York World’s Fair. Minnie’s batch of cookies is ruined when her dog Fifi gets popcorn into the batter, and they explode. Mickey saves the day by bringing home some Nabisco treats.…
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 17, 1981
On this day in 1981, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt was born. He began his career as a child actor, appearing in Disney’s ‘Angels in the Outfield’ in 1994. That role earned him a Young Artist Award and a Saturn Award nomination. Gordon-Levitt went on to voice Jim Hawkins in ‘Treasure Planet’ and Jiminy Cricket in the…
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Muppet Treasure Island | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 16, 1996
On this day in 1996, the swashbuckling musical ‘Muppet Treasure Island’ was released to theaters. It was the fifth Muppet film and the second directed by Brian Henson. The story largely followed Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 tale. The film starred Tim Curry as Long John Silver, who said it was his favorite acting role. Kevin…
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Team Disney Anaheim | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 15, 1996
On this day in 1996, the Team Disney Anaheim building officially opened on the north side of Disneyland. Designed by famed postmodernist architect Frank Gehry, the structure was intended as an interpretation of a cartoon. It is known for its custom quilted stainless steel facade that appears to change color from iridescent green to blue…
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Jake and the Never Land Pirates | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 14, 2011
On this day in 2011, ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates’ debuted on Disney Junior. The show takes place in Disney’s ‘Peter Pan’ universe between the events of J. M. Barrie’s original story and ‘Return to Never Land.’ Three young pirates, Jake, Izzy, and Cubby, along with their parrot Skully, living pirate ship Bucky, and…
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A Disney Valentine | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 13, 1982
On this day in 1982, the ‘Walt Disney’ anthology series aired the episode “A Disney Valentine.” It portrayed Disney romance through shorts and film clips. Mickey and Minnie fall in love at first sight in ‘The Nifty Nineties.’ Donald’s eccentric personality comes out in ‘Donald’s Double Trouble’ and ‘Donald’s Diary.’ Goofy saves a damsel in…
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Bob Iger | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 12, 2016
On this day in 2016, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame by the Toy Industry Association. The ceremony was held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Iger was recognized for enlarging Disney’s storytelling reach to include Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, as…
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Gnomeo and Juliet | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 11, 2011
On this day in 2011, ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ was released. The story drew from William Shakespeare’s classic play, ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ with two garden gnomes from rival households forced to hide their forbidden romance. James McAvoy and Emily Blunt led an all-star voice cast that included Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, and Patrick Stewart. The film…
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Bob Iger | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 10, 1951
On this day in 1951, Disney CEO Robert A. “Bob” Iger was born. Iger started his career with ABC in 1974 as a weatherman in Ithaca, New York. He rose through the ranks at ABC, becoming president in 1994. Iger served as CEO of The Walt Disney Company from 2005 until 2020, returning in 2022-2026.…
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Cold Storage | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 9, 1951
On this day in 1951, the Pluto cartoon ‘Cold Storage’ was released. Pluto has to defend his dog house when it is taken over by an opportunistic stork looking for shelter during sub-zero winter conditions. Pluto and Fred Stork spar over ownership of the structure in creative ways all winter long. Voice actor Clarence Nash,…
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Disney’s California Adventure | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 8, 2001
On this day in 2001, Disney’s California Adventure officially opened its gates as the second theme park of the new Disneyland Resort. On opening day, DCA was made up of three main themed areas showcasing the state of California: Paradise Pier, the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, and the Golden State. The park saw incremental changes to…
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Golden Dreams – 25 Years at Disney California Adventure
25 years ago today, many attractions and experiences were being dedicated ahead of the official opening of Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. One of these attractions was Golden Dreams. This was a show about the history of California. It was in the Golden State area of the park in the location where The…
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Golden Dreams | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 7, 2001
On this day in 2001, the Golden Dreams attraction was dedicated at Disney’s California Adventure the day before the park opened to the public. Then-Disney President Bob Iger hosted a ceremony to introduce the theme of the “Golden Dreams” film, an ode to the history and spirit of California. Whoopi Goldberg spoke about her performance…
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The Walt Disney Company | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 6, 1986
On this day in 1986, the House of Mouse was renamed The Walt Disney Company, a moniker that is still in place today. The change came after Walt Disney Productions was restructured on a large scale by incoming CEO Michael Eisner and President Frank Wells. Also on this date, Walt Disney Feature Animation was split…
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Two Happy Amigos | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 5, 1960
On this day in 1960, “Two Happy Amigos” debuted on ABC as an episode of ‘Walt Disney Presents.’ The program served as a sequel to ‘The Three Caballeros,’ reuniting Donald Duck with his friend José Carioca from Brazil. José visits Donald in the United States and the two take a tour of the country through…
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Aladdin – A Musical Stage Spectacular – 25 Years of Disney California
Disney California Adventure will be celebrating its 25th anniversary on February 8, 2026. For the celebration of this milestone, Disney has announced a few things. This includes some special offerings that include new costumes for Mickey and Minnie Mouse on Buena Vista Street, the return of Soarin’ Over California Adventure, new merchandise, food, and a…
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Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 4, 1966
On this day in 1966, the short film ‘Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree’ was released. The story was based on the first two chapters of A.A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh,’ marking the first time Disney adapted these beloved works for the screen. The story stayed true to its source material except for the addition of…
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Glow Fest – 25 Years of Disney California Adventure
On February 8, 2026, Disney California Adventure will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Leading up to this milestone day, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will debut new outfits, the original Soarin’ Over California will return, and there will be merchandise, food, and a day-of commemorative map. Daps Magic is celebrating the anniversary by sharing some favorite…
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Pixar Animation Studios | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 3, 1986
On this day in 1986, Pixar Animation Studios was founded when Steve Jobs purchased the Computer Division of Lucasfilm with a $10 million investment. The new independent company originally sold high-end computer hardware, called the Pixar Image Computer. Disney was an early buyer of the technology for their CAPS system, which digitized the ink and…
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California Screamin’ – 25 Years of Disney California Adventure
On February 8, 2001, what was then known as Disney’s California Adventure opened at the Disneyland Resort. With it came Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Downtown Disney District, which had opened the month before. This coming week, the 25th anniversary of Disney California Adventure will be celebrated by the Disneyland Resort. This will…
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Help Wanted: Kids | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 2, 1986
On this day in 1986, the Disney Sunday Movie series debuted on ABC with the film “Help Wanted: Kids” starring Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson. The premiere marked Disney’s return to broadcast television and a revival of the anthology format of years past. New Disney CEO Michael Eisner served as the host of the series.…