Tag: This Day in Disney History
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Don Donald | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 9, 1937
On this day in 1937, the animated short ‘Don Donald’ was released. It was the second cartoon to star Donald Duck and the first to include his love interest. The short featured “Donna Duck” in her only cartoon appearance, a predecessor to Daisy Duck. Both Donald and Donna were voiced by Clarence Nash. Donna’s voice…
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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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Nicolas Cage | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 7, 1964
On this day in 1964, actor, producer, and director Nicolas Cage was born. Disney fans may know him as Benjamin Gates in the ‘National Treasure’ series, Balthazar Blake in ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,’ and the voice of Speckles the mole in ‘G-Force.’ Cage also had notable roles in ‘The Rock,’ ‘Con Air,’ and ‘Gone in 60…
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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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The Tortoise and the Hare | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 5, 1935
On this day in 1935, the classic Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare” was released as a ‘Silly Symphony’ cartoon. Toby Tortoise teaches Max Hare the famous lesson that slow and steady wins the race. Toby beats the odds to prevail over Max, who is distracted from the race when he stops to show…
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Buddy Baker | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 4, 1918
On this day in 1918, composer, orchestrator, and Disney Legend Norman “Buddy” Baker was born. He had an extensive music career at Disney that began in the mid-1950s. In all, Baker penned almost 200 scores for Disney movies, TV, and the theme parks, including for EPCOT Center, the Mickey Mouse Club, and “Grim Grinning Ghosts”…
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Mel Gibson | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 3, 1956
On this day in 1956, actor, director, and producer Mel Gibson was born. Disney fans know him for his portrayal of John Smith in 1995’s ‘Pocahontas.’ Gibson performed both the speaking and singing voices of the character. Gibson may be best known for his performances in both the original ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Lethal Weapon’ series.
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Sherry Lansing | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 2, 1980
On this day in 1980, Sherry Lansing became the first woman to head a major studio when she was hired as president of production at 20th Century Fox. Lansing was responsible for the development and production of all feature films worldwide for the studio. She started her career as a high school math and English…
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Tower of Terror Float in the Rose Parade | DISNEY THIS DAY | January 1, 2004
On this day in 2004, the Disneyland Resort presented a float in the 115th Annual Rose Parade themed to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror called “A Sudden Drop in Pitch”. It featured a rotating Sun Wheel, a dangling elevator with live performers, and fireworks. The Tower Hotel stood nearly 100 feet tall, making it…
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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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The Gallopin’ Gaucho | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 30, 1928
On this day in 1928, the Mickey Mouse short ‘The Gallopin’ Gaucho’ premiered at the Mark Strand Theater in New York City. It was animated by Ub Iwerks, who co-directed with Walt Disney. ‘The Gallopin’ Gaucho’ was a parody of the Douglas Fairbanks film, ‘The Gaucho.’ It would become the second Mickey cartoon. The rights…
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Donny Osmond | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 29, 2006
On this day in 2006, recording artist and actor Donny Osmond appeared at Disney Outfitters, a store in Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. He signed copies of the DVD and soundtrack for 1998’s ‘Mulan.’ Osmond provided the singing voice of Shang in the film. He and his brothers were discovered at Disneyland in 1961 while…
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The Best of Muppets Tonight | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 28, 1997
On this day in 1997, The Best of Muppets Tonight debuted on the Disney Channel. When Carl the Big Mean Bunny eats the pre-recorded show, Gonzo and Rizzo put together a selection of the best clips from Muppets Tonight. Not to be outdone, Statler and Waldorf also host The Worst of Muppets Tonight, showing the…
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Pantry Pirate | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 27, 1940
On this day in 1940, the animated short ‘Pantry Pirate’ starring Pluto was released. In the cartoon, Pluto is sent to the doghouse for trying to raid Mickey’s pantry. The smell of roasting ham is too tempting, though, and Pluto plots a way to get back into the house. He doesn’t plan on a bucket…
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Caroll Spinney | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 26, 1933
On this day in 1933, puppeteer Caroll Spinney was born. He was best known for bringing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life on ‘Sesame Street’ for 50 years. Spinney had guest appearances in many Muppet films and television shows, including ‘The Muppet Show,’ ‘The Muppet Movie,’ ‘The Great Muppet Caper,’ ‘The Muppets Take…
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Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 25, 1983
On this day in 1983, the first Walt Disney World’s Very Merry Christmas Parade aired live from the Magic Kingdom. Since then, the broadcast has branched out to include segments from the four Walt Disney World Parks, the Disneyland Resort, all of the international Disney Parks, the Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani. This year, we…
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From All of Us to All of You | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 24, 1959
On this day in 1959, a holiday tradition began in Sweden when the ‘Walt Disney Presents’ Christmas special, “From All of Us to All of You” premiered on TV1 without commercial interruption. Half of the country made it part of their family Christmas Eve celebrations that year, and continued to do so for the next…
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Holiday Time at Disneyland | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 23, 1962
On this day in 1962, Walt Disney’s ‘Wonderful World of Color’ TV series first aired “Holiday Time at Disneyland.” In it, Walt Disney appears in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle as an enthusiastic bell ringer. He is joined by Victorian-era carolers and Santa Claus himself, portrayed by actor Paul Maxey. This segment is featured in…
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TUBACHRISTMAS | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 22, 1974
On this day in 1974, the first TUBACHRISTMAS event took place at New York City’s Rockefeller Center. It featured 300 tubas playing Christmas carols. Since then, TUBACHRISTMAS has been featured all over the country, including the past 20 years in and around the Disneyland Resort! The Disneyland group set a world record for Most Tubas…
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The Three Caballeros | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 21, 1944
On this day in 1944, the film premiere of ‘The Three Caballeros’ was held in Mexico City. This would be the first time Disney incorporated live-action characters into animated scenes since the ‘Alice Comedies’ in the 1920s. ‘The Three Caballeros’ takes place in seven individual segments with Donald Duck, Panchito Pistoles, and José Carioca exploring…
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Father of the Bride | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 20, 1991
On this day in 1991, ‘Father of the Bride’ was released by Touchstone Pictures. The popular film starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Diane Keaton was actually a remake of a 1950 film of the same name. They were both based on a 1949 novel written by Edward Streeter. In each version, a father becomes…
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Titanic | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 19, 1997
On this day in 1997, the blockbuster ‘Titanic’ was released by 20th Century Fox. It stayed at number one at the box office for 15 weeks. It was the highest grossing film of all time until 2009 when ‘Avatar’ took over the distinction. ‘Titanic’ was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 11, including Best…
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Avatar | DISNEY THIS DAY | December 18, 2023
On this day in 2009, ‘Avatar’ was released in the U.S. by 20th Century Fox. It was nominated for nine Oscars at the 82nd Academy Awards and won three. ‘Avatar’ was also the first movie ever to top $2 billion at the worldwide box office. The movie would become a franchise and be incorporated into…
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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…