Take 5: Mickey Mouse at Disney Parks
posted on November 19th, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
In case you missed it, we celebrated a special birthday at Disney Parks on Friday. It was Mickey Mouse’s birthday! Mickey made his grand debut in “Steamboat Willie,” which was released at the Colony Theater in New York on Nov. 18, 1928.
Today, I wanted to share a look at some of the ways Mickey has inspired fun events with Cast Members and Guests worldwide.
Take 5: Mickey Mouse at Disney Parks
- Sights & Sounds at Disney Parks: Happy Birthday, Mickey! – Mickey’s birthday has a long and colorful history of music and celebration. Take a look back as we share with reader how this mouse has been celebrated over the decades.
- Mickey Mouse Header Images Debut – We were so excited to celebrate Mickey’s birthday, we incorporated brand new header images into the Disney Parks Blog!
- Behind the Scenes: Mickey Pumpkin Magic at Disneyland Paris – Check out how Europe’s largest pumpkin grower David Bowman grew this special crop of Mickey-shaped pumpkins for Disneyland Paris.
- Indiana Family’s Love for Disney Parks Grows – Literally – with a Unique Set of Mickey Mouse Crop Circles – See how Disney magic found its way to a family in Indiana who paid a special tribute to Mickey Mouse in their backyard.
- Vintage Walt Disney World: The Flight of EARFORCE ONE – Everyone knows that President Obama flies on Air Force One, but do you remember the flight of EARFORCE ONE? In honor of the Walt Disney World Resort’s 15th Anniversary in 1986, a gigantic 10-story hot-air balloon in the shape of Mickey Mouse took to the sky.
Disney Cruise Line Earns Several Accolades
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Jason Lasecki, Public Relations Director, Disney Cruise Line
It’s been a great week for Disney Cruise Line. Over the past few days we have been recognized with several reputable awards. We know our crew delivers an outstanding experience at sea, and we’re equally proud of those behind the scenes whose hard work has brought forth many “firsts” and innovations in the cruise industry.
Cruise Critic honored Disney Dream as “Best New Ship” and for “Best Inside Cabins” in its Editors’ Picks Awards. It also awarded “Best Standard Cabins” to the entire Disney Cruise Line fleet.
Porthole Cruise Magazine bestowed three awards on Disney Cruise Line in its 13th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards – “Most Family-Oriented Line,” “Best Children’s Programs” and “Best Entertainment.”
And finally, in its 18th annual Thea Awards, the Themed Entertainment Association honored the new Animation Magic show at Animator’s Palate on the Disney Fantasy with the “Ingenious Use of Technology” award.
Animation Magic showcases guests’ drawings during their dining experience on a big screen in an animated sequence with beloved Disney characters. Watch this video for a sneak peek.
The Thea awards committee noted the show’s “amazing animation” and called it “a refreshing take” on interactive technology. How would you describe it?
Disneyland Resort Diversity Resource Group Welcomes ABC News Correspondent John Quiñones
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Betsy Sanchez, Manager of Media Relations, Disneyland Resort
Earlier this week, ABC News Correspondent John Quiñones shared his compelling story about the road from growing up in a San Antonio barrio to becoming an award-winning journalist with members from a Disneyland Resort diversity resource group, HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership Advancement).
Quiñones, who grew up picking tomatoes and cherries with his family, told the audience to do whatever it takes to take hold of their dreams. It may have seemed unlikely that he would become a co-anchor for ABC’s “Primetime,” but it was his perseverance and drive that made him succeed.
His storytelling includes political and economic turmoil in Argentina and civil war in El Salvador. One anecdote that stood out for many in the audience was that he aims to shine a light where there is darkness by speaking to the “moved and shaken” rather than the “movers and shakers.”
Quiñones refers to his latest project, the “Primetime” series “What Would You Do?,” as a candid-camera of ethics, capturing people’s reactions when confronted with real-life dilemmas including topics such as racial profiling and elderly abuse.
Quiñones had a great story to tell and I believe we all took away something important from hearing his life story. It’s events like these that make our diversity resource groups exactly that – a resource to the company and to our cast so that we may teach each other what it truly means to understand the impact of valuing diversity.
Caption This: Tomorrowland ‘Spacecouple’ at Disneyland Park
posted on November 18th, 2011 by George Savvas, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort
Guests visiting Tomorrowland in the 1950s and 1960s would encounter a unique original Disneyland character that symbolized Americans’ interest in space exploration. In this rare photo from the summer of 1960, the Tomorrowland “Spaceman” is apparently joined by “Spacewoman.”
So, space explorers, “Caption This!”
D23 Events Go Coast to Coast—and Park to Park
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Jeffrey Epstein, Manager, Marketing
From Walt’s boyhood hometown to an animation celebration, D23—Disney’s official fan club—is making 2012 a fan-tastic year with more unique immersive experiences than ever before – events we know passionate Disney enthusiasts will enjoy.
We’re sure many of you have seen the famed “Partners” statue with Walt and Mickey at one of the Disney parks. If you look closely at Walt’s tie you will see the letters “STR”—that stands for Smoke Tree Ranch, an exclusive Palm Springs resort Walt called “my own laughing place.” And January 23 – 25, D23 Members will have a chance to experience this retreat the way Walt did during the “Smoke Tree Ranch Roundup” with three days of screenings, presentations, activities and delectable meals, all while staying in a Smoke Tree Ranch cottage.
If you have ever visited the “One Man’s Dream” attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Presented by D23) then perhaps you enjoyed learning about Walt’s early years in Marceline, Missouri? This March, D23 will take members on a Journey to Marceline for full-day experience seeing the town that partially inspired Walt’s creative vision for Main Street, U.S.A.
This spring will see the debut of a new event called D23 Fanniversary Celebration, a series of cross-country events marking over 40 magical milestones in Disney’s rich history from attractions and theme park openings to live-action and animated films and beyond. Disney fans will be able to join the “celebration” in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New York and Orlando.
Speaking of anniversaries, in March D23 will celebrate its third anniversary with a special event at Disneyland park followed by Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animation which will be held at the Disneyland Resort this August honoring the diamond anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Disney feature animation. At Walt Disney World Resort, D23 will celebrate Epcot’s 30th anniversary and fan favorites like the holiday tradition Magic & Merriment will return along with Sip & Stroll, which in 2012 will get a Halloween twist and become Sip & Scream!
Want more? Well, there’s the new screening series From the Vaults at the Walt Disney Studios, which brings beloved live-action films from the past back to the big screen, like Newsies, Sister Act and Treasure Island. The 50 and Fabulous screening series returns, as do D23′s signature tours of the Studio and Walt Disney Archives—which will double in capacity!
And that’s just the beginning! Look for even more events to be announced in the upcoming months as D23 continues to create one-of-a-kind events for Disney fans.
Video: Mickey Mouse Brings Disney Magic to Times Square
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
Yesterday on the Disney Parks Blog, we told you about the fun augmented reality event we’re presenting in Times Square this weekend. It’s been a memorable experience for hundreds of guests who saw themselves broadcast on huge digital billboards towering over Broadway.
Today, we’re sharing some of those special moments.
Remember, the event is free of charge and continues today and tomorrow during daytime hours. You can find us in front of the Disney Store on Broadway at 45th Street. If you’re not in Times Square, you can always follow the fun on Twitter with #DisneyMemories.
Things You Might Not Know About Holidays at the Disneyland Resort
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print
The holidays are here, and that means Santa Claus, snowmen, twinkling lights and bulb-covered garland have taken over! You might know your favorite sweet treat or holiday-themed attraction, but here are a few things about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort you might not know:
- The Disneyland Christmas tree in Town Square stands 60 feet tall and has 280,000 pine-tip branches. It is decorated with more than 2,000 ornaments, including the three-foot star on top, and nearly 4,800 energy-efficient LED lights.
- When Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle show reaches its finale, more than 60,000 LED lights and 1,200 strobe lights combine to create the effect.
- Each performance of “A Christmas Fantasy” parade features 105 performers, 18 float drivers and 12 musicians. With daily parade performances, it takes approximately 200 performers to stage the parade during the holiday season.
- Decorators use 50,000 Christmas lights on the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday, and an additional 200,000 mini-lights in the trees, hedges and topiaries surrounding the attraction.
- The graveyard in the Haunted Mansion Holiday finale is covered with 7,500 square feet of snow. Trees in the graveyard are decked out with 1,000 tiny orange lights.
Take a look back at more from the “Things You Might Not Know…” series:
Sights & Sounds at Disney Parks: Happy Birthday, Mickey!
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Greg Ehrbar, Writer/Author, Disney's Yellow Shoes Creative Group
Best wishes to the leader of the club that’s made for you and me! Mickey’s birthday has a long and colorful history of music and celebration. Back in 1937, comic performer Billy Murray (no, not that Bill Murray) and the International Novelty Orchestra recorded “Mickey Mouse’s Birthday Party” on 10-inch 78 rpm records made of brittle shellac as breakable at Aunt Marge’s best china.
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Forty years later, Epcot favorite and legendary Monkee Davy Jones brought his own groove to “(Hey Ra-Ra-Ra-) Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse.” The was written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschorn, who also wrote the songs for the Disney musical fantasy feature, Pete’s Dragon.
And of course, there was once an entire Mickey’s Birthdayland at Magic Kingdom Park, which in a few months will start to reveal its transformation into New Fantasyland. I’m sure Mickey is as excited to see it all as we are. Mickey, being the self-effacing fellow he is, may have found the whole Birthdayland thing to be a little more fuss over him than he’d prefer – clearly he’d rather make a great big fuss over all his park guests instead!
What’s your favorite Mickey birthday memory? Mine is being a cast member Disney VoluntEAR for Mickey’s 65th, when underprivileged children were invited to enjoy Walt Disney World Resort vacations. I helped host a group of these wonderful kids from Cleveland, Ohio. I’ll never forgotten what fun it was to take them through the parks. I felt kind of like Willy Wonka (without all that nasty blueberry and fizzy lifting drink stuff)!
When we had to say goodbye to the kids, I could hear Tommy Steele singing these classic Sherman Brothers lyrics from The Happiest Millionaire in my head: “We knew we’d never meet again, and yet it’s clear to see / I’d always be a part of them and them a part of me.”
Thanks, Mickey. You’re a pal.
Mickey Mouse Header Images Debut
posted on November 18th, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
If you’re anything like me and you love Disney trivia, it will come as no surprise that Nov. 18 is a momentous day in the history of Disney animation – it’s Mickey Mouse’s birthday!
Mickey made his grand debut in “Steamboat Willie,” which was released at the Colony Theater in New York on Nov. 18, 1928.
In honor of this anniversary, the header images on each page of the Disney Parks Blog will feature a rotating selection of Mickey Mouse images. Each time you visit a story or refresh a page, a new image will load. These images represent life with Walt Disney, special moments at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, and more.
Which is your favorite? Let us know in the “Comments” section below.
New TARINA Collection at Disney Vault 28 is Fit for a Princess!
posted on November 17th, 2011 by Michelle Harker, Merchandise Marketing & Communications Project Manager, Disneyland Resort
Listen up Sparklettes! If jewelry is at the top of your wish list this holiday season, then consider me your ‘sparkling superhero’ ready to save the day! I’m here to tell you all about the new PRINCESS TARINA collection, debuting December 3 at Disney Vault 28.
Perhaps it would have been more fitting of me to start this post with “Once Upon A Time …” like every great fairy tale begins. Instead, I invite you to enter the sparkling world of TARINA TARANTINO, where she conjures up her inspiring collections and inspires her fearless fans to follow their sparkling dreams.
So how can I best describe this new designer collection? Let’s start with… Charming, enchanting, beauty, true love’s kiss, happily ever after… Rather fitting names for bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more, don’t you think? And that’s what you can expect to see… this new series is positively a dream come true.
The fuchsia-tressed designer’s iconic cameo stone has been updated with the image of PRINCESS TARINA. Each piece in the collection was designed to be worn separately, or layered together, and features everything from statement necklaces to stackable bracelets featuring Swarovski crystals, fire polished two-tone glass beads, and “Tarina Pink” Lucite beads, hearts and charms.
It’s time to put the new Princess Collection by Tarina Tarantino at the top of your list and start dropping those subtle hints to the ones you love. The collection will debut December 3 at Disney Vault 28 in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, and Tarina will be on hand for a special appearance and signing from 1-4 pm. For a look at the entire collection, visit ArtofDisneyParks.com.
