America’s bicentennial kicked off a year early, when America on Parade skyrocketed onto the streets of Walt Disney World, and a week later, on this day in 1975, at Disneyland. The gala salute to the nation’s history, creations, contributions, and achievements was several years in the planning and included many innovative live production techniques. Most …

George Walsh and Pete Renoudet traveled to the moon and to Mars thousands of times. While that may sound extraordinary, it’s quite typical in the Disney theme parks. Each provided pre-recorded voices for the Flight to the Moon and Mission to Mars attractions which were at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. During their journey, …

By 1975, it had been three years since astronauts had walked on the moon, and the Flight to the Moon attraction, which opened at Disneyland in 1955, needed a more distant itinerary. Mission to Mars opened that year in the place of Flight to the Moon, with the Audio-Animatronics® figure of Mr. Johnson serving as …

Screen legend James Garner stars as Lincoln Costain, a mid-19th century Texan rancher who’s shanghaied placed aboard a ship bound for Hawaii. He escapes his fate by jumping off the ship near the coast of Kauai. Saved from drowning by a young boy, he decides to help the boy’s mother’s failing potato plantation by turning …

Although the musical extravaganza America Sings opened officially on this day in 1974, the big press event was “conducted” the following day. At that time, 1974 Disneyland Ambassador Carol DeKeyser stated, “More than 110 Audio-Animatronics® animals star in this comical attraction which features 40 of America’s most popular songs. As you’ll see in just a …

Situated off the shore of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, the Treasure Island Nature Preserve became Discovery Island on April 8, 1977 and eventually closed on April 8, 1999. The 11-and-a-half-acre paradise was home to exotic birds and animals. Originally, the island was themed to the film Treasure Island and a wrecked ship inspired from the …