A Very Animated History of Disney
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company with a review of its storied history, from Oswald to Mickey Mouse and beyond.
Tag: Disneyland
Death at Disneyland
Disneyland: It’s the happiest place on Earth! Well, not if you die there, it’s not. In 1984, a California woman named Dolly Regena Young boarded the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Sometime during the ride, her seatbelt came undone and she was thrown from the ride and onto the tracks. As she was riding in the back of […]
Did You Wish Upon a Star for Some Walt Disney Facts?
The name (and work of) Walt Disney looms large over American pop culture. Dozens of movies, lots of TV shows, characters, and even amusement parks bearing the Disney name promise wholesome, satisfying entertainment. The life of Walt Disney is an inspiring one of gumption, hard work, and luck — and we decided to write it […]
5 Disneyland Knockoffs From Around the World
These unauthorized—and blatant—fakes wouldn’t fool even the dumbest of children.
Dreamland (Japan)
In 1959, a group of Japanese investors tried to convince executives at the Walt Disney Company to build a second Disney theme park… in Japan. Disney liked the idea, but not the location and opened a sister park for its Disneyland in California with Disney World in Florida. Undeterred, the consortium decided to move forward without Disney’s blessing and build an exact replica of Disneyland in Nara, Japan. Opening in 1961, Dreamland had all of the amenities of Disneyland, such as replicas of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, The Jungle Cruise, Autopia, the Matterhorn, a monorail, and even a Main Street USA recreating that old timey small town Americana feel for Japanese tourists. Dreamland was the top amusement park in Japan throughout the ’60s and ’70s…until the genuine article Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983. Dreamland closed for good in 2006.
