Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which opened its doors to the public on April 22, 1998, is a unique theme park that combines the magic of Disney with the wonder of nature. From its early planning stages to its grand opening, this park has been a labor of love for the Imagineers who designed it. Join us …
Category: Disney
Jan 01 2023
Disneyland’s Fantasyland Autopia Opened On This Day in 1959
What began as Junior Autopia in 1956, the Fantasyland Autopia ride opened on this day January 1, in 1959 in California’s Disneyland as an expanded version of its predecessor. The attraction was located between the Matterhorn and the Disneyland railroad, in a space now replaced by the modern Autopia and It’s a Small World. The …
Jul 17 2022
Happy Birthday Disneyland! Here’s a Look at Some of the Events of Opening Day
Disneyland opened its gates on July 17, 1955, on a plot of land in Anaheim, California that previously consisted of orange groves. It cost $17 million to open the park, and its opening day was referred to as “Black Sunday” by Disney employees for years afterward because it had a bumpy start. Several rides were …
Jun 27 2022
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
The first image that comes to mind when anyone mentions Tiki to me, is the famous Walt Disney Enchanted Tiki Room. There are three such rooms. One is located in Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and the other is located at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida, and the third is located in Tokyo, Japan at the Tokyo …
Jun 04 2022
Remembering the Shining Charisma of Rosalind Russell
You’re guaranteed to get at least this from seeing a movie starring Rosalind Russell: the sheer pleasure of watching a sparkling, sharp-witted, and warm character. Russell is well known for her lovable characters, especially her high energy socialite role in Auntie Mame (1958), her sharp repartee in His Girl Friday (1940), and her stern yet …
May 28 2022
“It’s a Small World” Opened On This Day In Disneyland In 1966
Happy birthday, Small World! 🎈 The colorful “It’s a Small World” attraction first opened in Disneyland on this day, May 28, 1966, following its successful showing at the New York’s ’64-’65 World’s Fair UNICEF salute at the Pepsi-Cola pavilion. In the opening ceremony, children from around the world in traditional costumes joined Walt Disney. Water that …
May 19 2022
Pollyanna Was Released on This Day One Fine May
On May 19, 1960 this cheery Disney film was released to the public. It is the story of an orphaned girl raised by missionaries who arrives in a town fraught with feuds, and transforms the community with her positive attitude. Pollyanna’s shining quality is that she can always find the good in something. Yes, it …
Feb 27 2022
Disney Legend Rolly Crump
Disney imagineer and animator Rolly Crump was born on February 27, 1930 in Alhambra, California. Inspired at the young age of three by the Disney Silly Symphony short, Three Little Pigs, Crump began drawing in 1933. He started working with Disney in 1952, doing “inbetweening” or “tweening” to provide the illusion of smooth movements between film frames. …
Oct 21 2021
Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
Today is the birthday of Disney artist and designer Mary Blair, born on this day October 21, 1911 in McAlester, Oklahoma. Blair was an integral part of Disney, designing incredibly beautiful, unique concept art for a variety of Disney attractions and animated films, including her most well known work on the “It’s a Small World” …