IllumiNations 25, a new show debuts at Epcot. The first version of IllumiNations 25, later unofficially referred to as IllumiNations 25 A, was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World. This version, ran until 1997 and was most notable for its non-classical soundtrack, in contrast to the classical soundtrack of the original IllumiNations.
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Disney CEO Bob Iger and Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs announce a long-term creative partnership with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the fantasy world of AVATAR to life at Disney Parks. Cameron and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve as creative consultants and work side-by-side with Walt Disney Imagineers on the first AVATAR-themed land in Disney's Animal Kingdom. (Construction is expected to begin by 2013.)
Walt Disney gives what will turn out to be his last press conference. He speaks about the development of the Mineral King ski resort in southern California. It will feature skiing, an alpine village, skating rink, hotels, dormitories for young people, and restaurants. (Disney's plans will quickly be put to a stop when critics and environmentalists feel the untouched land would be desecrated. Congress will eventually vote to turn Mineral King into a part of Sequoia National Park.)
Captain EO, a 3-D, 70mm, Sci-fi, fantasy, musical movie attraction starring Michael Jackson, opens at Disneyland. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and executive-produced by George Lucas, the movie tells the story of Captain EO (Jackson) and his ragtag crew of space travelers. The seventeen-minute film has cost an estimated $30 million dollars to produce - at this time the most expensive film ever produced on a per-minute basis. Already playing at EPCOT, Disneyland is the second Disney park to present the film (it will eventually open at Tokyo Disney in 1987 and at Disneyland Paris in 1992).
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon The Whoopee Party is released. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, Mickey and his pals throw a wild party - that includes roast chickens and lamps coming to life and joining in the chaos. The police are summoned to quiet things down ... but end up joining in themselves!
Three weeks after "Here Come the Muppets" closes, another stage show called "Muppets on Location" opens on a stage near the "Muppet*Vision 3-D Theater" at Disney-MGM Studios. The show features human-sized walkaround versions of the characters. Click the link below to check out what the show was like. The Universe of Energy reopens at Epcot. It now stars comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. (The original Universe of Energy pavilion itself was an innovation in energy technology - its entire roof was covered in photovoltaic solar panels that partially powered the ride vehicles.) The new DeGeneres version now features Bill Nye 'The Science Guy,' TV game show host Alex Trebek, and actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Although called Ellen's Energy Crisis, the attraction will later be re-named Ellen's Energy Adventure.
At the White House, U.S. President Johnson presents Walt Disney with the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil honor. Recipients of the medal are those who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interest of the United States or to world peace, or those who have made a significant public or private accomplishment
Walt Disney's father Elias passes away in Los Angeles, California at the age of 82. Walt is currently in South America in the middle of a 10-week tri
After six years of planning and building costs of $1.8 billion, Hong Kong Disneyland has its grand opening. It is Disney's 5th vacation resort and 11th theme park in the world. It consists of the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, two hotels (Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel), and retail, dining and entertainment facilities stretching over 310 acres on Lantau Island. Hong Kong Disneyland's Adventureland is the largest Adventureland of all the Magic Kingdom parks around the world!
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