Tag: DAPs Magic
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The Moon Spinners | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 8, 1964
On this day in 1964, the live-action adventure mystery ‘The Moon-Spinners’ was released in theaters. It starred a 17-year-old Hayley Mills in her fifth out of six films for Disney. On a visit to Crete, Mills gets tangled up in intrigue and romance when a stash of jewels goes missing. ‘The Moon Spinners’ was the…
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Pirates of the Caribbean | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 7, 2006
On this day in 2006, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction reopened at Walt Disney World after being updated. The changes tied in with ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,’ which was released the same day. The reimagining added Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa Audio-Animatronics, a projection of Davy Jones, and new dynamic…
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Captain EO | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 6, 1994
On this day in 1994, Captain EO closed at EPCOT after running for nearly eight years. Starring Michael Jackson, produced by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Captain EO was a fantastical sci-fi 3-D film musical. The film was cutting-edge for its time. It was shown in a custom-built theater with lasers, smoke,…
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Hot Lead & Cold Feet | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 5, 1978
On this day in 1978, Disney’s comedy western ‘Hot Lead and Cold Feet’ was released. Twin sons, one a gunslinger and the other a mild-mannered missionary, must fight each other to gain control of the town of Bloodshy, established by their father. All the while, a corrupt mayor plots against them for his own gain.…
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Liberty Bell | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 4, 1989
On this day in 1989, a reproduction of the Liberty Bell was placed into its permanent spot inside Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The replica was produced by the Paccard Bell Foundry in Annecy, France, the 300th copy they made. It replaced a borrowed Liberty Bell that had been on…
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Tinker Bell | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 3, 1985
On this day in 1985, Tinker Bell took her first flight over Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World as part of the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks show. Tinker Bell’s flight was planned to be only a seasonal event, but the first night drew over 60,000 guests for the occasion! Tinker…
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Rainbow Caverns Mine Train | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 2, 1956
On this day in 1956, the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train debuted in Disneyland’s Frontierland. It was part of the new Living Desert, which the Stage Coach, Conestoga Wagons, and Pack Mules also navigated. Guests of the Mine Train took a leisurely ride through the arid landscape, observing whimsical cacti, balancing rocks, and interesting stone formations.…
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The Lion King Celebration Parade | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 1, 1994
On this day in 1994, The Lion King Celebration Parade premiered at Disneyland. The parade showcased six elaborate floats, each themed after an element of Africa. It used both “Puppetronics,” a method to animate large characters on floats, and Audio-Animatronics in a parade for the first time. Four of the floats eventually found a permanent…
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The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 30, 1974
On this day in 1974, the The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue dinner show debuted at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. Six students from the Disney World Fine Arts College Workshop Program made up the cast over the opening summer. The show became such a hit that a permanent cast took over that fall. It has…
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Autopia | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 29, 2000
On this day in 2000, the Autopia at Disneyland reopened with much longer tracks, including a new off-road section. It had updated cars that replaced the original Chevrolet Corvette Stingray-style cars. These cars were styled after the new sponsor, Chevron, and their animated “Chevron Cars” line that was made into advertisements and toys. They were…
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Peter Linz | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 28, 1967
On this day in 1967, puppeteer and Muppet performer Peter Linz was born. Linz loved puppets from an early age, starting the craft at age 3 and giving his first performance for birthday party guests at age 8. He began working with the Muppets in 1991 and has since become most well known for performing…
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The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 27, 1979
On this day in 1979, Disney’s comedy The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, starring Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Tim Matheson, Harry Morgan and Ruth Buzzi, is released. The film is a sequel to the film about a slick gambler named Russell Donovan who is duped into taking care of a group of orphans who eventually…
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Donald in Mathmagic Land | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 26, 1959
On this day in 1959, the Disney short ‘Donald in Mathmagic Land’ was released. It was shown ahead of ‘Darby O’Gill and the Little People’ in theaters. Through a series of adventures, Donald Duck learns about how math is more than just numbers and graphs. He explores how math has a role in real life,…
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Milt Kahl | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 25, 1934
On this day in 1934, animator and Disney Legend Milt Kahl began a prestigious 40-year career at Disney Studios. Kahl would become one of Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men, often considered the most influential of the group. His immense talent meant that he was often assigned the hardest tasks, like animating Pinocchio, Peter Pan, and…
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Phil Harris | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 24, 1904
On this day in 1904, actor, musician, and entertainer Phil Harris was born. He is best known by Disney fans for lending his voice to Baloo the Bear in ‘The Jungle Book’ and later ‘TaleSpin,’ Thomas O’Malley in ‘The Aristocats,’ and Little John in ‘Robin Hood.’ Harris had a long career in radio, where he…
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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 23, 1989
On this day in 1989, ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ was released in theaters. Inventor Wayne Szalinski, played by Rick Moranis, accidentally zaps his kids to the size of insects with his shrinking machine. Wayne tries to rescue them while they face big dangers on a small scale in the yard. The sets and props…
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Videopolis | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 22, 1985
On this day in 1985, Videopolis opened at Disneyland. “A musical kaleidoscope of sight and sound,” Videopolis was a high-tech dance club for teens. It featured a 5,000 square foot dance floor, two 12×16 foot video screens, a video wall with 70 TV screens, and live cameras capturing all the action. It was the first…
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The Blue Umbrella | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 21, 2013
On this day in 2013, the Disney-Pixar short, ‘The Blue Umbrella’ was released in theaters ahead of ‘Monsters University.’ In the midst of a bustling rainy day commute, a Blue and a Red Umbrella spot each other amidst a sea of black. It’s love at first sight, but Blue and Red are soon separated. The…
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20th Century Music Company | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 20, 1999
On this day in 1999, the 20th Century Music Company opened on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. At its debut, the shop sold Disney CDs and videos. Today, one can find a selection of Disney pins. The location formerly housed the Tobacco Shop from opening day until 1990. The Main Street Chief statue still stands…
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Bill Barretta | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 19, 1964
On this day in 1964, Muppets puppeteer Bill Barretta was born! He has performed with the Jim Henson company since 1991 and has taken on many of Jim Henson’s roles in the Muppets, including Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, Mahna Mahna, and the Swedish Chef! He performs quite a few other characters and has been a part…
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Tarzan | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 18, 1999
On this day in 1999, ‘Tarzan’ was released in theaters. It was Disney’s 37th animated feature and the last movie considered to be part of the Disney Renaissance. The plot of the film was based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s novels, ‘Tarzan of the Apes.’ It would be the first film to use Deep Canvas, a…
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Finding Dory | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 17, 2016
On this day in 2016, Disney-Pixar’s ‘Finding Dory’ was released in theaters. It was a sequel to 2003’s ‘Finding Nemo’ and brought back most of the original cast. Its plot focused on Dory’s journey to reconnect with her family and find her origins. ‘Finding Dory’ would become the third highest grossing movie of 2016, only…
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Magic Journeys | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 16, 1984
On this day in 1984, the 3D film ‘Magic Journeys’ began a two-year run in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, first on the outdoor Space Stage and later in the Magic Eye Theater. The show originally premiered in EPCOT in 1982 and was Walt Disney Imagineering’s first 3D film for a Disney theme park. ‘Magic Journeys’ looked…
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Mad T Party | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 15, 2012
On this day in 2012, guests of the Mad T Party fell down the rabbit hole for the first time at Disney California Adventure. Visitors entered a modernized, off-kilter version of the Alice in Wonderland universe, complete with a live band, a DJ spinning the hottest tracks, curious entertainment, arcade games, dance parties, and specialty…