On June 6 1959, guests were able to dive into the newest attraction at Disneyland, which according to Walt Disney was the “eighth largest submarine fleet in the world.” The Submarine Voyage journeyed under the sea to discover a world of giant clams, moray eels, and sunken ships, with a sea serpent and mermaids thrown …
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“Some time ago, I decided to make an Irish picture, for Ireland is the home of the leprechaun, and the little people have always fascinated me,” Walt Disney explained to his TV audience on this day in 1959, in the Walt Disney Presents episode entitled “I Captured the King of the Leprechauns.” Walt continues, “When …
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Its wide expanse and cavernous depths make the Grand Canyon an extraordinary natural setting, one that has inspired artists around the world, including Walt Disney. All have tried to capture through words, drawings, and paintings its majestic splendor. The Walt Disney Company did it with film. In 1959, the Disney Studios released Grand Canyon with …
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In The Shaggy Dog, Disney’s first live-action comedy and the first to star Disney Legend Fred MacMurray, young misfit teenager Wilby Daniels happens across a magic ring which leads to his transformation into a Bratislavian sheepdog. The Shaggy Dog set the formula Disney would follow for many years to come — kids, animals, transformative events, …
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On this day in 1959, Walt Disney was replaced by a pair of rodents who took over as host of an episode of the Disneyland TV show, entitled The Adventures of Chip ‘n’ Dale. As hosts, Chip and Dale prove that they are not only “a great sensational corporation,” as their theme song states, but …
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In “Duck Flies Coop”, an episode of the Disneyland television series which took to the air on this day in 1959, Donald Duck has it out with his boss, Walt Disney. Feeling overworked, that temperamental star decides to duck away for a vacation, vowing never to return. Walt decides to teach him a lesson, and …
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While yesterday marked the anniversary of the release of Sleeping Beauty which showcased Tchaikovsky’s musical themes, today marks the anniversary of The Peter Tchaikovsky Story, an episode of the TV series Walt Disney Presents. Background information gathered during the making of Sleeping Beauty served as inspiration for this production which dramatizes the life of the …
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On this day in 1959, Sleeping Beauty was awakened in theaters across the country. Based on the classic fairy tale, and including musical themes from Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet version of the story, the entire look of the film was different from any animated movie ever produced, partly because of a budget that exceeded $6 million …
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It was on this first day of 1959 that Fantasyland Autopia first opened its highways to Disneyland guests. To steer us in the right direction for this topic, we turned to the man who was responsible for creating the attraction vehicles, Disney Legend Bob Gurr, who told us, “From Disneyland’s opening day, the Autopia in …
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It was on this day in 1958 that Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland was first illuminated with choirs holding candles proceeding down to Town Square during the very first Candlelight Procession and Massed Choir Ceremony. The ceremony was conceived by Dr. Charles Hirt of the University of Southern California School of Music, who had been …
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