Tag: Disney History
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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…
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A Look Back at a Grand Opening – GEEKS CORNER – Episode 1119 (#542)
Welcome to another episode of GEEKS CORNER! This week, the geeks are joined by Disney expert and historian Doug Marsh! Doug was at the grand opening of Disney California Adventure and shares about his experience with the geeks as they geek out about all that is Disney California Adventure! We hope you enjoy this special…
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The Grand Opening of Disney’s California Adventure: A Personal Memoir
Can you recall, precisely, where you were in the early morning hours of February 8, 2001? I certainly recall where I was. I was at the Happiest Place on Earth, trying to get some sleep on the freezing cold pavement of the parade route between Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn. As I shifted from…
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An Original Idea for 1991 – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
1990 had been a memorable, event packed year for Disneyland. Kicking off on January 11, the 35th birthday of the park had driven attendance (and profits) to new heights. It was only natural that the powers-that-be at the top of the Walt Disney Company wanted to continue that success. But it must have been difficult…
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Walt Disney World: A Portrait of the First Half Century Debuts Ahead of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary
Walt Disney World: A Portrait of the First Half Century is a book celebrating 50 years of Walt Disney World Resort and it will be arriving just days before the 50th anniversary of the resort. This hardcover book is written by Kevin M. Kern, Tim O’Day and Steven Vagnini. The book is published by Disney…
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Glamorous Glennis Pilot and World War II Flying Ace Chuck Yeager Dies at 97
Chuck Yeager, a World War II flying ace and the first pilot to break the sound barrier has died at the age of 97. His wife tweeted from his Twitter account with the news. Yeager spent his career flying. Much of this career was spent breaking barriers in aviation, like the sound barrier, along with…
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Visiting Virtual Disneyland – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Even at my age, whenever September rolls around, I find myself with an odd, nagging feeling in the back of my mind. There’s something looming, something just around the corner. And I know what it is. It’s… Back to School. For students, spontaneous trips to the Magic Kingdom have to wait for next summer. And…
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Introducing DISNEY THIS DAY
Today DAPS MAGIC would like to introduce a new segment that we will be offering called DISNEY THIS DAY. This daily show is a brief look at Disney’s history that is a little bit wacky. Hosted by Egon Bonkers, it will offer the chance for Disney fans to learn about what happened on this day…
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Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double Cross – 30 Years Ago At Disneyland
If you have been reading this blog over the last few months, you will recall that in April I wrote about the closing of a popular stage show at the Videopolis Theater. One Man’s Dream had been in place for only a few months when it was shuttered, to make way for another show that…
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Splashing into the 35th Anniversary – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary had everything, or so it would seem. There was a vivid logo and a boatload of merchandise covered with it. There was a brand new parade with a theme song that stayed stubbornly lodged in your memory for days. There were stage shows and promotions (they gave away a free car EVERY…
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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.…