Tag: Puppet
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Planes: Fire & Rescue | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 18, 2014
On this day in 2014, ‘Planes: Fire & Rescue’ was released in theaters. It was the sequel to 2013’s ‘Planes,’ which was part of the Disney-Pixar ‘Cars’ franchise. Dusty the plane, voiced by Dane Cook, learns that damage to his engine may end his racing career. He discovers what it means to be a hero…
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The Happiest Faces on Earth … A Disney Family Album | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 17, 2004
On this day in 2004, Disneyland announced “The Happiest Faces on Earth … A Disney Family Album” on the park’s 49th anniversary. Guests were asked to submit photos of their favorite Disney memories to be used in collages that were posted during Disneyland’s 50th anniversary. Guests shared over 200,000 photos that were assembled into 35…
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Angels in the Outfield | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 15, 1994
On this day in 1994, the live action sports comedy ‘Angels in the Outfield’ was released. An orphaned boy prays for a family, dependent on the Angels winning the pennant. Actual angels are sent in to turn the struggling baseball team around. It was a remake of a 1951 film by the same name, but…
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X-Men | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 14, 2000
On this day in 2000, the original ‘X-Men’ movie was released by 20th Century Fox. Starring Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Sir Ian McKellen, the film introduces a world where super-powered mutants exist and are discriminated against. Professor Xavier’s X-Men and Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants each prepare for an oncoming conflict. The film would…
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Stitch Encounter | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 13, 2006
On this day in 2006, three new attractions opened in Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland. Stitch Encounter, Autopia, and UFO Zone expanded the park’s offerings just in time for its one year anniversary. Fans of Stitch could now interact with him in real time on a large video screen–in three languages! Autopia delivered electric technology…
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How to Dance | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 11, 1953
On this day in 1953, Disney released the cartoon ‘How to Dance’ starring Goofy. In the short, Goofy appears as his alter ego, George Geef. He learns about the impact of dance across human history and then attempts to learn some steps, with predictably chaotic results. The likenesses and music of The Firehouse Five Plus…
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La Place de Rémy | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 10, 2014
On this day in 2014, La Place de Rémy opened at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. Inspired by the Disney-Pixar movie ‘Ratatouille,’ the mini-land contains the original Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction. Foodies can also enjoy French cuisine at the land’s table service restaurant, Bistrot Chez Rémy. Diners appear to shrink to the size of…
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Spaceship Earth | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 9, 2007
On this day in 2007, the EPCOT letters and Mickey Mouse arm, glove, wand, and stars that had decorated Spaceship Earth were removed. The installation was added for Walt Disney World’s Millennium Celebration in 2000. It weighed 50 tons and included a 36-foot-tall sign! Originally, the display above Spaceship Earth read “2000,” but it was…
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The Moon Spinners | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 8, 1964
On this day in 1964, the live-action adventure mystery ‘The Moon-Spinners’ was released in theaters. It starred a 17-year-old Hayley Mills in her fifth out of six films for Disney. On a visit to Crete, Mills gets tangled up in intrigue and romance when a stash of jewels goes missing. ‘The Moon Spinners’ was the…
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Captain EO | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 6, 1994
On this day in 1994, Captain EO closed at EPCOT after running for nearly eight years. Starring Michael Jackson, produced by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Captain EO was a fantastical sci-fi 3-D film musical. The film was cutting-edge for its time. It was shown in a custom-built theater with lasers, smoke,…
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Hot Lead & Cold Feet | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 5, 1978
On this day in 1978, Disney’s comedy western ‘Hot Lead and Cold Feet’ was released. Twin sons, one a gunslinger and the other a mild-mannered missionary, must fight each other to gain control of the town of Bloodshy, established by their father. All the while, a corrupt mayor plots against them for his own gain.…
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Liberty Bell | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 4, 1989
On this day in 1989, a reproduction of the Liberty Bell was placed into its permanent spot inside Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The replica was produced by the Paccard Bell Foundry in Annecy, France, the 300th copy they made. It replaced a borrowed Liberty Bell that had been on…
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Tinker Bell | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 3, 1985
On this day in 1985, Tinker Bell took her first flight over Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World as part of the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks show. Tinker Bell’s flight was planned to be only a seasonal event, but the first night drew over 60,000 guests for the occasion! Tinker…
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Rainbow Caverns Mine Train | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 2, 1956
On this day in 1956, the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train debuted in Disneyland’s Frontierland. It was part of the new Living Desert, which the Stage Coach, Conestoga Wagons, and Pack Mules also navigated. Guests of the Mine Train took a leisurely ride through the arid landscape, observing whimsical cacti, balancing rocks, and interesting stone formations.…
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The Lion King Celebration Parade | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 1, 1994
On this day in 1994, The Lion King Celebration Parade premiered at Disneyland. The parade showcased six elaborate floats, each themed after an element of Africa. It used both “Puppetronics,” a method to animate large characters on floats, and Audio-Animatronics in a parade for the first time. Four of the floats eventually found a permanent…
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Autopia | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 29, 2000
On this day in 2000, the Autopia at Disneyland reopened with much longer tracks, including a new off-road section. It had updated cars that replaced the original Chevrolet Corvette Stingray-style cars. These cars were styled after the new sponsor, Chevron, and their animated “Chevron Cars” line that was made into advertisements and toys. They were…
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Peter Linz | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 28, 1967
On this day in 1967, puppeteer and Muppet performer Peter Linz was born. Linz loved puppets from an early age, starting the craft at age 3 and giving his first performance for birthday party guests at age 8. He began working with the Muppets in 1991 and has since become most well known for performing…
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The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 27, 1979
On this day in 1979, Disney’s comedy The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, starring Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Tim Matheson, Harry Morgan and Ruth Buzzi, is released. The film is a sequel to the film about a slick gambler named Russell Donovan who is duped into taking care of a group of orphans who eventually…
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Donald in Mathmagic Land | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 26, 1959
On this day in 1959, the Disney short ‘Donald in Mathmagic Land’ was released. It was shown ahead of ‘Darby O’Gill and the Little People’ in theaters. Through a series of adventures, Donald Duck learns about how math is more than just numbers and graphs. He explores how math has a role in real life,…
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Milt Kahl | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 25, 1934
On this day in 1934, animator and Disney Legend Milt Kahl began a prestigious 40-year career at Disney Studios. Kahl would become one of Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men, often considered the most influential of the group. His immense talent meant that he was often assigned the hardest tasks, like animating Pinocchio, Peter Pan, and…
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Phil Harris | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 24, 1904
On this day in 1904, actor, musician, and entertainer Phil Harris was born. He is best known by Disney fans for lending his voice to Baloo the Bear in ‘The Jungle Book’ and later ‘TaleSpin,’ Thomas O’Malley in ‘The Aristocats,’ and Little John in ‘Robin Hood.’ Harris had a long career in radio, where he…
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Honey, I Shrunk the Kids | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 23, 1989
On this day in 1989, ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ was released in theaters. Inventor Wayne Szalinski, played by Rick Moranis, accidentally zaps his kids to the size of insects with his shrinking machine. Wayne tries to rescue them while they face big dangers on a small scale in the yard. The sets and props…
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Videopolis | DISNEY THIS DAY | July 22, 1985
On this day in 1985, Videopolis opened at Disneyland. “A musical kaleidoscope of sight and sound,” Videopolis was a high-tech dance club for teens. It featured a 5,000 square foot dance floor, two 12×16 foot video screens, a video wall with 70 TV screens, and live cameras capturing all the action. It was the first…
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The Blue Umbrella | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 21, 2013
On this day in 2013, the Disney-Pixar short, ‘The Blue Umbrella’ was released in theaters ahead of ‘Monsters University.’ In the midst of a bustling rainy day commute, a Blue and a Red Umbrella spot each other amidst a sea of black. It’s love at first sight, but Blue and Red are soon separated. The…