Tag: Disney History
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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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Disney Gives a Photographical Look at Walt Disney World Resort Christmas Celebrations of the Past
Christmas is just a few days away. Ahead of the arrival of this jolly holiday, Disney has shared photos of Christmas celebrations past. Many of these include Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Others show traditions that continue today. All of them are from the Walt Disney World Resort. Take a look at these special and…
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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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The Arrival of the Partners – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Do you remember “The Globe of Death?” If you do, it will remain only a vivid memory. That is because, thirty years ago this month, Disneyland dedicated the Partners statue at the center of the park, creating a permanent tribute to the man who started it all, and the mouse that he said started it…
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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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Two Concert Orchestrions Provide Unique Halloween Music at Disneyland
At Disneyland, there are many different entertainment offerings to enjoy during different seasons. Halloween Time is no different. For guests wandering through the Candy Palace on Main Street, USA, or in Frontierland, two concert orchestrions provide a very different approach to Halloween music. On Main Street, USA at the Candy Palace, the orchestrion is made…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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54 Years of the Haunted Mansion
Today the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland celebrates its 54th anniversary. Since opening originally in 1969, it has been a fan favorite as the happy haunts bring spirited delight to those who make their way through its spooky halls. Haunted Mansion History The Haunted Mansion took many years to come to be. Walt Disney had the…
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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…
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A Different Summer at Disneyland Without the Disneyland Resort All-American College Band
On June 21, 2022, the 2022 Disneyland Resort All-American College Band stepped out and performed in Disneyland in front of guests for the first time of its summer season. The arrival of the Disneyland Resort All-American College Band in the parks marked the arrival for summer for many guests who have followed the band for…
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‘The House of the Future: Walt Disney, MIT, and Monsanto’s Vision of Tomorrow’ Available for Pre-Order
A new book by author David A. Bossert is coming out in November and is now available for pre-order. The House of the Future: Walt Disney, MIT, and Monsanto’s Vision of Tomorrow looks back to the 50s and 60s at the iconic house that was once in Disneyland. The book is set to be released…
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“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,…
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Fans Take Final Splash on Splash Mountain’s Final Day at Disneyland
On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Disney fans descended on Disneyland to take one last splash on Splash Mountain before the attraction closes and is transformed into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The attraction, which originally opened in 1989 and had been one of the mountains in Disneyland’s mountain range. Daps Magic had several team members on hand…
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Bring the Whole Family! – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
After spending so much time on Toontown this year, this month’s entry will get us back into and around the rest of Disneyland. In May of 1993 (May eighth, to be precise) I again renewed my Annual Passport. This time it cost $119, but I felt the expense was worth it, considering the use I…
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Long Live Fantasmic! – Why Trouble Doesn’t Spell the End for Fantasmic!
There was an outpouring of emotion as people witnessed the recent fiery demise of the massive Maleficent-inspired dragon that is the most memorable aspect of Disneyland’s Fantasmic! The spectacular nighttime water show has performed thousands of times since its debut in May of 1992. For many, Fantasmic! is as iconic as Main Street, the Matterhorn,…
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Mickey’s Toontown (Part 2) – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
This month— the suburbs. But first, a short diversion. How should we get there? We could walk (it’s a pleasant walk). Or, we could take the Jolly Trolley. Despite what anyone may have told you, thirty years ago at Disneyland the Jolly Trolley was a real thing. It really traveled along the tracks in Toontown,…
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Mickey’s Toontown (Part 1) – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Last month we looked at the grand opening of Mickey’s Toontown, January 25th, 1993. Or the 24th. Or 26th. This month I anticipated writing up a complete tour of the new land, but after going through the many, many photos that I took that day, I decided to present Toontown over two months. This month…