Ahoy there! We’ve got a whale of a tale to tell you about today! On this day in 1955, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea exhibit weighed anchor at Disneyland. Not even a month after the park’s grand opening, original sets from the movie were brought to Tomorrowland, to help enhance the one land that …
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Ladies and Gentlemen, the one… the only… Casey Jr., based on the circus train from the film Dumbo, debuted at Disneyland just 14 days after the park opened. Although the little engine thought he could, he thought he could… he just could not run on Disneyland’s opening day due to mechanical difficulties. Until 1956, Casey …
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Many years before spaceflight in the real world was a reality, it was a daily occurrence in Disneyland. Rocket to the Moon launched park guests to the moon beginning on July 22, 1955, which really made Tomorrowland a land of the future! With screens above and below the theatre, acting almost as windows, guests blasted …
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(Pictured above Christine Vess and Michael Schwartner) It was on this day in 1955 that Disneyland opened to the public for the first time, the day after an ambitious — and stressful — Sunday press preview that survived the myriad complications of a live televised broadcast, invited guests that stayed longer than expected and thousands …
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Take a “paws” to learn about the breakout character from the 1955 Disney animated classic, Lady and the Tramp, who was nameless in the film. Scamp was born to Lady and Tramp at the end of the story. The puppy who closely resembled his father was first seen in comic strips on this day in …
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Work on the beloved Lady and the Tramp, released on this day in 1955, actually began in 1937 when Walt bought the story from Ward Greene, a friend and head the King Features Syndicate, which distributed Disney comic strips. As Neal Gabler recounts in his recent biography, Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination, Lady …
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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea proved to be a whale of a tale not only for moviegoers but for the filmmakers who were tasked with creating Walt Disney’s greatest special-effects film to date. As the first Disney production filmed in Cinemascope, all the bells and whistles went into this landmark production. A special effects soundstage—Stage …
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On this day in 1955, Man in Space took to the air as an episode on the Disneyland TV series. This episode offered viewers a realistic look at the possibilities and challenges of space travel. With the help of the world’s top scientists, this program was met with great praise. In fact, President Eisenhower requested …
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Pictured above Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke In the 1955 episode of the Disneyland TV series, “Cavalcade of Songs,” viewers learned what goes into the creation of some of Disney’s best-loved songs. Although footage from story meetings and composing sessions are hokey reenactments, it doesn’t detract from the entertainment or informational value. There’s a sense …
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On this day in 1950, Cinderella made a bibbidi, bobbidi de-boo in theaters. In the ads to market the film, Cinderella promised to “Put a smile in your heart…and laughter in your dreams.” The ad continued, “A story written in stardust…six years in the making…Walt Disney’s Cinderella will give a new gleam to your hopes, …
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