Tag: Disney History
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Opening Mickey’s Toontown – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Serendipity is a word I have always enjoyed. It sounds as joyful as its meaning: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. This month’s column, all about the opening of Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland 30 years ago, falls on the same week that there will be a dedication…
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Walt’s Plane at the Palm Springs Air Museum, a Fantastic Day Trip Destination!
After appearing earlier this year at the D23 Expo, Walt’s Plane has made its way to the Palm Springs Air Museum. This plane was purchased by Walt Disney in 1963 and is a Grumman Gulfstream I that was commonly referred to as “The Mouse.” After the D23 Expo, the plane was moved to the Palm Springs Air…
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Mickey Mouse One: Walt’s Plane to Get Interior Restored and Recreated
It has been a big year for Mickey Mouse One: Walt’s Plane. Earlier this year it had its exterior restored and made the trek from Florida to California for the D23 Expo. Then it was moved to the Palm Springs Air Museum to be on display as a part of a long term loan. Now,…
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Day Nine: The Disneyland Resort All-American College Band – 24 Days of Thanksgiving
As we continue 24 Days of Thanksgiving I would be remiss if I were not to express my thanks for the Disneyland Resort All-American College Band. This collection of exceptional college students come to the Disneyland Resort each summer and perform throughout the resort. It is always a highlight of the year. Through the years…
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Remembering the Last Show of Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple Four Years Later
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…
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Day Three: Envisioning Novelty – 24 Days of Thanksgiving
As Mr. Daps highlighted yesterday, Walt Disney came up with the idea of Disneyland as he was sitting on a bench in Griffith Park, watching his daughters riding the carousel and dreaming of a place where families could enjoy themselves together. Of course, this was only the beginning of Walt’s great vision, not the end.…
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New Trailer Released for “Mickey: The Story of A Mouse” Before Arrival on Disney+
A new trailer has been released that gives a look at the upcoming documentary about Mickey Mouse. Mickey: The Story of a Mouse is directed by Jeff Malmberg and will be released on Disney+ on November 18, 2022. This is appropriately Mickey Mouse’s birthday. This documentary will take a look at the story behind the…
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Day Two: An Idea and a Dream – 24 Days of Thanksgiving
There are so many things to be thankful for when it comes to the many worlds of Disney this month. One of the things that seem almost to be a no-brainer is the idea that Walt Disney had while sitting on a bench at Griffith Park. Now found at Disneyland in the Opera House, this…
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A Daytime Parade to Remember – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
This month’s column was supposed to be about a very memorable 1992 daytime parade that ran from June 19 to November 15. “The World According to Goofy” may have seemed a somewhat random choice, unless one remembers that Goofy made his Disney debut in 1932. For his 60th birthday, Disneyland created a zany parade tracing…
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Enjoy 4 Hours of Original EPCOT Entrance Area Music Loop
For EPCOT’s 40th Anniversary, original area music was played at the entrance of EPCOT in front of Spaceship Earth. This music added a healthy dose of nostalgia and was an excellent addition to the day’s celebration. The Daps Magic team sat down and enjoyed this music (while filming) both during the day and at night…
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EPCOT Celebrates its 40th Anniversary With Special Event, Ceremony, and Beautiful Beacon of Magic
On this day 40 years ago, what was then known as Epcot Center opened at Walt Disney World Resort. This was a park that celebrated the magic of possibility. Over the next four decades, the park has grown and changed. In fact, it is currently in the midst of a massive transformation. However, it celebrates…
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Mickey’s Toontown Under Construction – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
You may recall that a year ago I was writing about Afternoon Avenue Live! at Disneyland, and specifically about the closure of Baloo’s Dressing Room. That meet ’n greet, located immediately beyond that new railroad trestle to the west of it’s a small world, had been replaced by a construction wall. In case there was…
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Souvenir Guide 1992 – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
One of the tangible things I miss from 30 years ago at Disneyland is their over-the-top souvenir guide. Starting in 1955, with a modest flyer printed in two colors (black and turquoise), guests were always provided with basic information to make their visit “more enjoyable.” By 1992, that single sheet had grown into a 32-page…
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A Stroll Around the Park – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Disneyland in the Summer of 1992 had matured and grown in many ways, but for guests who had been visiting since the 1960s, it was still a pretty familiar place. Thirty years later, on the other hand, it seems like change has come to every corner of Walt’s original Magic Kingdom. But don’t take my…
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ElecTRONica – DAPS From the Past
ElecTRONica made its debut at Disney California Adventure on October 8, 2010 in Hollywood Land. This nighttime offering celebrated the world of TRON in conjunction with the arrival of TRON: Legacy in theaters. It included entertainment, Laserman, a DJ playing electronic dance music, a preview of TRON: Legacy (in the MuppetVision 3D Theater), a recreation…
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So, That’s a Fantasmic! – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Last month, I described the events leading up to the May 15 public debut of Fantasmic!, the new nighttime spectacle that had everyone guessing about what, exactly, it would be. This month I will be describing my reaction, the public reaction, and the long-term impact it had on Disneyland. On Friday, May 15, I made…
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Main Street Electrical Parade Celebrates 50 Years of Magic
50 years ago today the iconic music of the Main Street Electrical Parade was first heard at Disneyland. For the first time, guests would hear, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland proudly presents our spectacular pageant of nighttime magic and imagination in thousands of sparkling lights and electrosynthomagnetic musical sounds. The Main Street Electrical…
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Cars Land Celebrates 10th Anniversary at Disney California Adventure
June 15, 2012, saw Cars Land officially welcoming guests at Disney California Adventure. After an opening ceremony for the media on June 13th, guests found themselves falling in love with this 12-acre expansion to the park. Ten years later, the land that brings to life the world of Pixar’s Cars celebrated its 10th anniversary with…
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The Rededication of Disney California Adventure – Looking Back 10 Years
10 years ago today Disney California Adventure was rededicated by then Disney CEO Bob Iger during a ceremony on Buena Vista Street. This marked the completion of five years of transformation of the Disneyland Resort’s second gate. Through the course of this transformation, the park saw a LOT of changes and new things added. This…
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Some Imagination, Huh? Fantasmic! Celebrates 30 Years of Magical Dreams at Disneyland!
On Mary 13, 1992 Mickey’s imagination came to life for the first time in Fantasmic! This incredible nighttime spectacular brings the Rivers of America to life as Mickey Mouse’s imagination takes guests on a magical journey through multiple Disney stories. Eventually, he ends up facing some darker parts of his imagination culminating with a Mickey…
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Looking Back at the Reopening of Disneyland One Year and Thousands of Memories Later
One year ago today Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopened their gates and guests could once again experience the magic of the parks after an extended closure. This closure lasted 412 days. It was expected to last just a few short weeks. However, things didn’t go as planned. For over a year, fans waited to…
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Happy Easter! – Looking Back at a Bunny Hop or Two at Disneyland
Happy Easter! Wishing you and yours a wonderful day however you celebrate! One of the ways Disneyland has celebrated Easter in the past is with the Bunny Hop. This came in a couple of different forms. Today, let’s take a moment to look back at two iterations of the Bunny Hop at Disneyland. In 2013…
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Update on Fantasmic! – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
As if Daylight Saving’s Time wasn’t bad enough, last month we leaped a year ahead (or 29 years behind) our usual thirty years ago. This month we are back on track but will be starting out on the wrong side of the park. Yes, this is an update on the construction of Fantasmic!, but first…
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Looking Back at Magic Happens Two Years After Its Official Disneyland Opening
Two years ago from today Magic Happens officially opened at Disneyland. It had a soft opening the day before on February 27th to the delight of Disneyland guests. This parade brought many magical Disney moments to life through two new songs and nine floats. Over 90 performers brought this character to life with over two…