by Beth Keating
News
DisneyBizJournal.com
October 7, 2022
On October 16, 1923, Walt Disney and his brother, Roy, formed “Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio” in order to produce a series of live-action cartoons, based on Walt’s earlier short, “Alice’s Wonderland.” Walt had created “Alice’s Wonderland” under his Laugh-O-Gram label, but with a contract in hand to continue producing the “Alice” shorts, the brothers formed what would one day become a world-wide entertainment giant. Shortly after their successful launch, they changed the name to Walt Disney Studio, which later became the Walt Disney Company.
Next year, the Disney company will be kicking off “Disney 100 Years of Wonder,” the largest cross-company global celebration in the 100-year history of The Walt Disney Company. And while the main focus of the celebration will take place at the park Walt himself oversaw at Disneyland California, all of the Disney Parks around the world will have a place in the celebration of the 100th anniversary. (And, no doubt, they will be rolling out the 100th anniversary snacks, food and merch at each of the parks along the way.)
Disneyland Resort has announced that the Disney100 anniversary celebration will officially kick off January 27, 2023, but many of the special events will take place all year long.
Here’s what’s been shared so far:
• Disneyland will rock new party colors for the celebration, with “platinum-infused décor throughout the resort, new sparkling looks for Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their pals, special food and beverage offerings, merchandise and more.”
• Sleeping Beauty Castle will get a party-makeover as well, “adorned with elegant platinum banners and bunting, accented by a magnificent cabochon featuring the three Good Fairies who illuminate it with their shimmering pixie dust. Two majestic water fountains will grace either side of the moat, while a beautiful wishing star will sparkle from the tower above.”
• Two all-new nighttime spectaculars will debut. “World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure will “celebrate the storytelling legacy started by Walt Disney a century ago. It will tell a new story of how a single action, like a drop of water, creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change.” At Disneyland park, “Wondrous Journeys” will feature “nods to every Walt Disney Animation Studios film to date, taking us on a journey filled with artistry, music, storytelling and heart.” State-of-the-art projections on Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, the façade of “it’s a small world,” and the Rivers of America will help to tell the tale, and on select nights, “Wondrous Journeys” will add fireworks to the show. Both nighttime spectaculars will feature new songs written for the occasion.
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open ahead of schedule on January 27 to help kick-off the celebration. The rest of the revamped Mickey’s Toontown is slated to reopen in spring 2023.
• The “Magic Happens” parade will be returning to Disneyland park, after its all-too-brief, pre-Covid run. The “Magic Happens” parade “reminds us we don’t need wings to fly, shooting stars were made to wish upon, and magic doesn’t stop at midnight.”
Additional details for the Disney100 celebration will be released as plans for the festivities at the other Disney parks are finalized. Check back at the Disney Parks Blog, or at Disneyland Resort for future info.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
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