Tag: Disney History
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The Evolution of “it’s a small world”: From the World’s Fair to Disneyland
Prep for the 1964 World’s Fair In 1963, WED Enterprises was knee deep in projects; not only for Disneyland, but pavilions for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair in New York. They were working on Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln for the State of Illinois Pavilion, Magic Skyway for Ford, and Carousel of Progress for General Electric.…
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15 Years Later – Looking Back at Disneyland’s 50th Celebration on May 5, 2005
15 years ago today several of us from the DAPS MAGIC team were having one of the most magical days ever at the Disneyland Resort. It was a day full of new entertainment, celebrities, magical moments, cupcakes, fireworks, merchandise, murals, and more! For many, it will be one of the most special days ever experienced…
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One Man’s Dream – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
I missed Videopolis by just a few weeks. Perhaps I should explain. This month’s entry is all about a stage show that was presented on the Videopolis Stage in the Winter of 1989 through the Spring of 1990. It closed on April 29. The stage was part of a larger venue called Videopolis. This area…
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Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Celebrates 13 Lucky Years at EPCOT
On April 6, 2007, the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros opened in the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. This attraction replaced ‘El Rio del Tiempo,’ which ran at Epcot from October 1, 1982 to January 2, 2007. ‘El Rio del Tiempo’ began on a quiet river under an evening sky. It passed a volcano…
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An Annual Pass, the Disney Decade and a Day at the Park – 30 Years Ago At Disneyland
After spending two months to cover a single day thirty years ago at Disneyland, this month’s entry will cover a lot more ground. In fact it will cover a month, a decade, and many, many years. The month is March 1990. We’ll take a look at what a typical day was like. The decade is…
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The Little Man of Disneyland
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! It seems like a perfect time to look back at The Little Man of Disneyland. Originally this was a book that was released in 1955 in Disney’s Little Golden Books series. It was published as A Mickey Mouse Club Book in this series. For me personally, this was a book I grew…
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Honoring and Celebrating Walt, Trains, and Mickey & Minnie Through the Years
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse have been international and cultural icons spanning generations. It all began on November 18, 1928 with their first appearance aboard a black-and-white steamboat in “Steamboat Willie,” and continues today with their latest adventure searching for the perfect picnic spot. The first Disney Parks attraction featuring our favorite mice opens tomorrow…
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Disneyland Debuts 35th Anniversary (Part Two) – 30 Years Ago in Disneyland
Last month’s entry covered the first part of January 11, 1990, the day that kicked off Disneyland’s 35th anniversary year. Before getting to the rest of that memorable day, I do want to clear up one detail. In the course of last month’s post I mentioned that former President Ronald Reagan’s appearance included snipers on…
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New Features Appear at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Entrance Connects Back to the Past
New features have appeared at the entrance to Tomorrowland at Disneyland. These features have a modern floral look. They also happen to look a lot like what was found at the Tomorrowland entrance in the late sixties for what was dubbed the “new Tomorrowland.” During this era, these were utilized as both planters and also…
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30 Years Since the 35th! – GEEKS CORNER – Episode 1017 (#488)
This week on GEEKS CORNER we did things a little bit differently! We welcomed a wonderful friend of the show, Doug Marsh, to the table and he talked through some of his favorite memories from 30 years ago at Disneyland! On January 11, 1990, Doug witnessed the kickoff of the 35th-anniversary celebration! The beginning of “party gras”…
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45 Years Later, a Day to Remember at the Magic Kingdom
45 years ago today was a big day for guests visiting the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. It was the opening day for two iconic attractions. Space Mountain and the Carousel of Progress opened on January 15, 1975. These two attractions are iconic and continue to be part of the traditions for…
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Introducing 30 Years Ago in Disneyland!
One of my favorite things since starting DAPS MAGIC in 2004 has been the collection of amazing people I have been able to meet. Through the years I have met Disney legends, Muppets, incredible talent and entertainers, other Disney fans, and other members of the Disney media. The experiences and relationships that have grown out…
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Walt Disney’s Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks – Mr. DAPs Book Review
Most Disney fans have a working knowledge of who Ub Iwerks was. Known as the creative collaborator of Walt Disney back in the early days of Disney’s career, Iwerks is known for his work on the early Disney shorts. However, there is so much more to this man than early animation advances. Walt Disney’s Ultimate…
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The Imagineering Story Beautifully Brings History of Imagineering to Life – Review
There have been a few really good Disney documentaries through the years. When asked the question, I often refer to The Boys or Waking Sleeping Beauty. Both were released quite some time ago but both told excellent stories about different parts of The Walt Disney Company story. Walt and El Groupo was also quite good.…
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The History of Halloween Parties Through the Years at the Disneyland Resort
The tradition of special event Halloween parties at the Disneyland Resort surprisingly did not begin until 1995 with Mickey’s Halloween Treat. It was held at Disneyland because it was the only Park at the time. The party featured merchandise, trick or treat locations, hoot locations, a kids costume cavalcade, and character meet and greets. Most…
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Sunday Spotlight: Astro Orbiter
There are a few icons at Disneyland that just can’t be missed. Obviously, there is Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Matterhorn and the other mountains, the Train Station, and the Mark Twain. Another one, that might be first on the list, is the Astro Orbiter. It is nearly impossible to walk through the Hub and not…
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Sunday Spotlight: The Great Movie Ride
The Great Movie Ride was an attraction that also was the centerpiece of Disney’s Hollywood Studios when it opened as the Disney-MGM Studios. It was a celebration of the movies and lived in a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It was iconic and beloved my some while tolerated by others. History of The Great Movie…
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Sunday Spotlight: Walt Disney World Railroad
.The Walt Disney World Railroad is a train that normally circles the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. Currently, however, this isn’t accurate. Due to construction on an upcoming Tron Lightcycle Power Run attraction at the Magic Kingdom, it is a walk up attraction where guests can check out the trains at the…
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Sunday Spotlight: Disney Afternoon After Dark
This week the Disneyland Resort hosted guests to a special ticketed event. Disneyland After Dark – 90s Nite was a celebration of Disney of the 1990s. Throughout the course of the night, there were lots of different experiences available. One of the best, according to the DAPS MAGIC team, was the fireworks show Disney Afternoon…
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Sunday Spotlight: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is an opening day attraction at Disneyland. This attraction takes guests through the story of The Wind in the Willows. This was one of two segments of 1949’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. It also was an opening day attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. At Disneyland Paris, a restaurant…
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Sunday Spotlight: Sailing Ship Columbia
One of the most beautiful sights to see at the Disneyland Resort is the Sailing Ship Columbia cruising on the Rivers of America. Since June 14, 1958 guests have been able to board this ship and explore her as she makes this cruise. The Sailing Ship Columbia was added to the Rivers of America when…
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Sunday Spotlight: Alice in Wonderland
Disneyland has some absolutely incredible dark rides. These attractions retell some classic Disney tales in ways that are fun for the whole family. One of the best dark ride attractions in Fantasyland has to be Alice in Wonderland. This attraction retells the story of the Disney animated movie of the same name. Alice in Wonderland’s…
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Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of D23 with a Fan-tastic Pin Set Highlighting 90 Years of Disney History
As 2018 comes to a close, we look forward to what will be an exciting year for Disney fans. We’ll see the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A number of great movies are slated for release from Disney Studios, Marvel, and Pixar in 2019. The D23 Expo…
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The Halloween Tree: Hidden Disney
Spookiest greetings to all this Halloween season! A big part of our fall-time traditions on the DAPSmagic team is visiting the Disneyland Resort and enjoying the wonderful seasonal decorations and experiences. But there’s one special Halloween tradition at Disneyland we are especially fond of: The Halloween Tree! There’s a good chance you’ve seen it if…