Category: History
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The Best of Muppets Tonight | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 28, 1997
On this day in 1997, The Best of Muppets Tonight debuted on the Disney Channel. When Carl the Big Mean Bunny eats the pre-recorded show, Gonzo and Rizzo put together a selection of the best clips from Muppets Tonight. Not to be outdone, Statler and Waldorf also host The Worst of Muppets Tonight, showing the…
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Pantry Pirate | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 27, 1940
On this day in 1940, the animated short ‘Pantry Pirate’ starring Pluto was released. In the cartoon, Pluto is sent to the doghouse for trying to raid Mickey’s pantry. The smell of roasting ham is too tempting, though, and Pluto plots a way to get back into the house. He doesn’t plan on a bucket…
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Caroll Spinney | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 26, 1933
On this day in 1933, puppeteer Caroll Spinney was born. He was best known for bringing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life on ‘Sesame Street’ for 50 years. Spinney had guest appearances in many Muppet films and television shows, including ‘The Muppet Show,’ ‘The Muppet Movie,’ ‘The Great Muppet Caper,’ ‘The Muppets Take…
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Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 25, 1983
On this day in 1983, the first Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade aired live from the Magic Kingdom. Since then, the broadcast has branched out to include segments from the four Walt Disney World Parks, the Disneyland Resort, all of the international Disney Parks, the Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani. This year, we…
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From All of Us to All of You | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 24, 1959
On this day in 1959, a holiday tradition began in Sweden when the ‘Walt Disney Presents’ Christmas special, “From All of Us to All of You” premiered on TV1 without commercial interruption. Half of the country made it part of their family Christmas Eve celebrations that year, and continued to do so for the next…
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Holiday Time at Disneyland | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 23, 1962
On this day in 1962, Walt Disney’s ‘Wonderful World of Color’ TV series first aired “Holiday Time at Disneyland.” In it, Walt Disney appears in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle as an enthusiastic bell ringer. He is joined by Victorian-era carolers and Santa Claus himself, portrayed by actor Paul Maxey. This segment is featured in…
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TUBACHRISTMAS | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 22, 1974
On this day in 1974, the first TUBACHRISTMAS event took place at New York City’s Rockefeller Center. It featured 300 tubas playing Christmas carols. Since then, TUBACHRISTMAS has been featured all over the country, including the past 20 years in and around the Disneyland Resort! The Disneyland group set a world record for Most Tubas…
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The Three Caballeros | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 21, 1944
On this day in 1944, the film premiere of ‘The Three Caballeros’ was held in Mexico City. This would be the first time Disney incorporated live-action characters into animated scenes since the ‘Alice Comedies’ in the 1920s. ‘The Three Caballeros’ takes place in seven individual segments with Donald Duck, Panchito Pistoles, and José Carioca exploring…
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Father of the Bride | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 20, 1991
On this day in 1991, ‘Father of the Bride’ was released by Touchstone Pictures. The popular film starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Diane Keaton was actually a remake of a 1950 film of the same name. They were both based on a 1949 novel written by Edward Streeter. In each version, a father becomes…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Sunday Spotlight: Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage
Mr. Daps focuses this week’s Sunday Spotlight on Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage at Tokyo DisneySea.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…