Tag: Disney History
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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…
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Mickey’s Toontown Then… and Now! – 29 Years Ago at Disneyland
I hope you did a double-take at the title of this month’s blog. 29 years ago at Disneyland? 30 years was an odd enough choice. But why change it now? This is not really a change, just an acknowledgment of an item that is better presented a year in advance. You see, Toontown, which opened…
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Star Tours Celebrates 35 Years of Adventures at Disneyland
35 years ago today Star Tours opened at Disneyland. On Jan. 9, 1987 guests first hopped aboard Starspeeders for an out-of-this-world adventure. RX-24 then took people on his first flight that ended up being full of adventure and featured iconic Star Wars locations and moments as they make their way to Endor… with a bit…
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Mickey’s Nutcracker – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
In 1991, the former Videopolis stage in Fantasyland offered a holiday entertainment that could have easily become a long-running seasonal tradition at Disneyland. Mickey’s Nutcracker promised to be a contemporary version of the well-known Christmas entertainment but proved to be a quirky retelling of the beloved ballet with some dancing, some singing, and some other…
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Monorails Return to Again Take Guests on Disneyland’s Highway in the Sky!
Guests are again able to ride aboard monorails at the Disneyland Resort. This morning, Monorail Blue and Monorail Red again began transporting guests over the skies of the Disneyland Resort. The monorails had not been transporting guests since the spring of 2020 when the Disneyland Resort closed due to the pandemic. DAPS MAGIC team member…
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Walt Disney’s Laugh-O-gram Studio Restoration Hit By Car
Walt Disney’s Laugh-O-Gram Studio restoration has hit a setback. A car hit the building where Walt Disney founded his first studio. Thank You Walt Disney, Inc has been working towards “saving Walt Disney’s Kansas City history and providing a place for art and animation study, while encouraging confidence and entrepreneurial individualism.“ In a Tweet this…
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Whatever Happened to Port Disney? – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
July is, of course, an important month for fans of Disneyland. July 17 is the anniversary of the day that Walt’s dream was officially revealed to the public. July 18, by the way, is the actual opening day, but we won’t get into that. The events of July 17, 1991 were not as auspicious as…
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Happy 4th of July! – Looking Back at Patriotic Moments at the Parks!
Happy 4th of July! We hope you are having an absolutely wonderful and safe day celebrating the 245th birthday of the United States of America. Walt Disney was known for his patriotism. It started at a young age when Walt Disney showed up to school as President Abraham Lincoln. Dressed as Lincoln, Disney recited the…
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Disneyland Honors the Men and Women of Desert Storm – Thirty Years Ago at Disneyland
This month’s entry is quite appropriate as we enter the Fourth of July weekend. Disneyland has never shied away from patriotic spectacle. Indeed, Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “If you could see in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and my spine is growing this red, white and blue…
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Introducing the Disneyland Resort! – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
When this blog began in January of 2020, I had no idea that taking “virtual visits” to Disneyland in the 1990s would become such an attractive idea. The “Disney Decade” began with soaring announcements and exciting expectations. For Disney fans the spring of 2021 is also marked with announcements and expectations. We can only hope…
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Remembering the Opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Two Years Later
It’s hard to believe that two years ago thousands of Disney and Star Wars fans converged on the Disneyland Resort for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Waking up at the crack of dawn, the DAPS MAGIC team was among them as we made our way into Tomorrowland for our wristbands to get into…
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Easter Eggs at Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree – DAPS From the Past
Happy Easter! A few years ago Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree was the place to be for some special offerings at Disneyland throughout the year. In the spring, it was a great time to see some characters, entertainment, food, and Easter eggs! These eggs were specially decorated by Disney artists and were themed to various Disney,…
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Looking Back: One Year After Disneyland’s Closure
One year ago today, I was making my way over to the Disneyland Resort for what I thought would be my last day at the parks for a few weeks. There was a sense of uncertainty but there was definitely no recognition over how significant of a day this would end up being. One year…
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Exhibition Celebrating 100 Years of The Walt Disney Company to Launch in 2023
The Walt Disney Company partners with SC Exhibitions on a production marking a century of Disney innovation and inspiration. PHILADELPHIA – March 3, 2021 – In celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company, SC Exhibitions has begun production on an exhibition that showcases the company’s history and rich legacy, to premiere at…
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A Leisurely Amble Around Disneyland: The Original – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Last month, you may recall, we learned that the 1991 Disneyland promotion was “Disneyland: The Original.” This month’s blog will follow that theme with a somewhat “original” amble around the park. These photos were taken days (and in some cases months) apart, but pretty much represent what Disneyland looked like in the early winter months…
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Magic Happened One Year Ago Today!
One year ago today Magic Happens officially debuted at the Disneyland Resort. This energetic new parade at the Disneyland Resort featured a new theme song of the same name as the parade that was co-written by Todrick Hall. It also featured new costumes, floats, characters new and old, and some incredible choreography. It was an…