Tag: Disneyland History
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Magic Journeys | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 16, 1984
On this day in 1984, the 3D film ‘Magic Journeys’ began a two-year run in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, first on the outdoor Space Stage and later in the Magic Eye Theater. The show originally premiered in EPCOT in 1982 and was Walt Disney Imagineering’s first 3D film for a Disney theme park. ‘Magic Journeys’ looked…
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Looking Back at the Matterhorn Bobsleds As it Turns 65 at Disneyland
The Matterhorn Bobsleds celebrates 65 years of guests racing down icy slopes at Disneyland!
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Sunday Spotlight: Fantasmic! at Disneyland
On this Sunday Spotlight, Mr. Daps takes a look at the three main iterations of Fantasmic! at Disneyland through the years.
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Busy Summer Nights – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
The return (again!) of Fantasmic! brought back some very specific memories of Disneyland from thirty years ago. These days, crowds jostling to get good viewing spots for the nighttime spectacular have no idea what it was like back in the early 1990s. In previous columns I have already touched on those first season adjustments that…
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New Tomorrowland | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 21, 1998
On this day in 1998, New Tomorrowland was dedicated in Disneyland. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Wally Schirra were among the honored guests. New Tomorrowland was a retro-futurist retheme loosely inspired by Jules Verne and similar to Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris. The buildings, including Space Mountain, were repainted in bronzes, golds, and dark browns. The changes…
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Main Street Horseless Carriage | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 12, 1956
On this day in 1956, the red Main Street Horseless Carriage debuted at Disneyland. Imagineer Bob Gurr built the car from scratch using parts he sourced himself. He and fellow Imagineer Roger Broggie decided this was the best approach after scouting antique cars at a lot in San Bernardino. Many of the cars were in…
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More Construction Mysteries – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
The last couple of months have been spent unraveling some mysterious (for the time) construction that was taking place out in the parking lot to the west of the entrance to Disneyland. Early in 1994 all was revealed when the construction of the Indiana Jones Adventure was officially announced, and a big construction wall went…
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Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage | DISNEY THIS DAY | April 12, 1992
On this day in 1992, ‘Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage!’ debuted at the Videopolis Stage in Disneyland. Recreating the story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ through music and dance, it was similar to the show that premiered at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida five months earlier, along with the film. The Disneyland version would…
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Construction Mystery Revealed – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
Last month’s column left us with a bit of a cliffhanger (at least, a cliffhanger thirty years ago). What was that very large structure rising up all the way out in the parking lot where the Eeyore section used to be? It was definitely looking more substantial as the steel skeleton was being filled in.…
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Disneyland Marathon | DISNEY THIS DAY | March 26, 1995
On this day in 1995, Disneyland hosted the inaugural (and only) Disneyland Marathon in celebration of the park’s 40th anniversary. In all, 2,200 runners participated. The course made a double loop through Disneyland and then took to Anaheim area streets. The route had to be remeasured during the race when bicycle escorts turned left instead…
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Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years | DISNEY THIS DAY | March 15, 2009
On this day in 2009, ‘Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years’ ended its run at the Main Street Opera House. The experience featured an exhibit made up of models, photos, concept art, and sculptures as well as a 17-minute film hosted by Donald Duck and former Cast Member Steve Martin. The attraction took a nostalgic…
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Columbia | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 22, 1964
On this day in 1964, the Below Decks Maritime Museum opened onboard the Sailing Ship Columbia at Disneyland, six years after the ship debuted. The museum gives an idea of the living conditions of sailors in the late 1700s, during the time that the original ‘Columbia’ circumnavigated the globe. The museum features the captain’s cabin,…
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Ward Kimball | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 15, 2006
On this day in 2006, the Ward Kimball steam engine was dedicated at Disneyland at an exclusive ceremony attended by hundreds of Cast Members. Engine No. 5 was the first locomotive to be added to the park in almost 50 years. It was built in 1902 and once operated at Cedar Point in Ohio. Named…
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Grim, Grinning Ghosts | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 14, 1969
On this day in 1969, “Grim, Grinning Ghosts” was recorded for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. This would come on the second day of recording for the attraction, six months before it would open. The producer noticed how good Thurl Ravenscroft, Jay Meyer, Bob Ebright, Chuck Schroeder, and Verne Rowe looked together. They were cast…
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Disneyland | DISNEY THIS DAY | February 6, 1985
On this day in 1985, Disneyland began operating seven days a week throughout the year. Up until that time, Disneyland would often be closed Mondays and Tuesdays in the off season, including early spring, fall, and winter. The closure days were used for park upkeep and attraction maintenance. Interestingly, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT at Walt…
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Toontown Redux – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
If you were reading this blog a year ago (and I sincerely hope you were), you were sharing the excitement of the grand opening of Mickey’s Toontown, on January 24, 1993. Or January 26th. Or the 25th. (You will have to check out last year’s blog to figure that one out.) And what are we…
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Walt Disney’s Disneyland Band Concert – A Musical Look Back in Time
Walt Disney’s Disneyland Band Concert is vinyl that was originally released in 1956. This recording has a variety of music from the Disneyland Band that was led by Vesey Walker at the time. This record is a look back in time for the history of Disneyland from a musical perspective. Along with having some great…
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Rainy Disneyland Day | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 20, 1962
On this day in 1962, a record low number of guests visited Disneyland – only 389! Heavy rain and wind would force the park to close after only three hours. That Saturday would be one of the lowest attendance numbers ever recorded at Disneyland, and the lowest during Walt Disney’s lifetime. The rainy weather would…
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Disneyland Hotel | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 15, 1969
On this day in 1969, the Marina Tower officially opened at the Disneyland Hotel. This second tower would feature 319 rooms on 11 stories and a brand new registration lobby—the largest in the U.S. at the time! The Hotel entrance moved to the north side of the complex, where it remains today. An adjacent 3.5…
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Remembering Disneyland 55 Years Ago
As I look back over my 68 years on this earth, I think of three experiences that profoundly and forever changed my reality of entertainment. The first was in 1964 when I was eight years old. We were visiting my Aunt Susie in Alexandria, Virginia and I came down sick. I remember the doctor coming…
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Disneyland’s Chicken Plantation Restaurant | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 8, 1962
On this day in 1962, Disneyland’s Chicken Plantation Restaurant closed to make way for New Orleans Square. A popular dining location since opening day, the Chicken Plantation served fried chicken dinners that some said were the best meal in the park! It was located on the waterfront of the Rivers of America, between what is…
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Rivers of America | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 6, 2003
On this day in 2003, the Rivers of America in Disneyland was drained for the first time in ten years. Without the river’s six million gallons of water, crews found some strange items, like a toaster and a full bottle of rum! With Tom Sawyer Island closed, Cast Members entertained guests by re-enacting the fence…
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New Year’s Eve Party at Disneyland | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 31, 1957
On this day in 1957, Disneyland hosted its first New Year’s Eve party. A total of 7,500 guests attended at the cost of $3.95 per person. Each ticket included unlimited rides on all attractions (no ticket books needed!), dancing to three live bands, activities until 2AM, and a New Year’s Eve Fun Package with streamers,…
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New Orleans Square’s Old New Waterfront – 30 Years Ago at Disneyland
The last new “land” that Walt Disney personally dedicated at Disneyland was New Orleans Square. The appearance of the deceptively small area has remained pretty much the same since that July 24, 1966 day, with winding streets and secluded courtyards creating the illusion that it is much larger. One important area of New Orleans Square…