Yesterday was the 35th anniversary of the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort. However –since that the Disney Company’s primary focus right now is on the successful launch of its new worldwide “Year of a Million Dreams” campaign — this auspicious occasion pretty much got ignored. The only acknowledgment of the event was the “35th Birthday” pins that all WDW cast members were wearing yesterday.
Ah, but the Mouse didn’t always deliberately ignore Disney World’s birthday. In fact, 15 years ago yesterday, Disney World’s PR department staged the mother of all photo-ops. With the hope that newspapers & magazine around the world would then run this image. Which — in turn — might then help promote the resort’s 20th anniversay celebration.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
Mind you, it wasn’t the easiest photo shoot. October 1, 1990 dawned cold and wet. And those “scattered showers” continued on well into the morning. Which made it kind of difficult for Tom Bergeron (Who — back then — was just the host of a local Boston area TV show, “People Are Talking”) to interview a few members of the MMC on an outdoor stage that had been set up right in front of the Magic Kingdom‘s train station.
Photo by Jeff Lange
But inside the theme park, hundreds of photographers and TV crews had crowded into Town Square. All because they hoped to get a shot of this image that Disney’s PR flaks promised was really going to “wow” them.
Photo by Jeff Lange
In spite of the continued light drizzle, the festivities still got underway as scheduled, kicking off at 10 a.m. with an elaborate production number right in the middle of Main Street U.S.A.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
Even for those of us who were watching from the sidelines, this was really quite the spectacular show.
Photo by Jeff Lange
There were marching bands and banners …
Photo by Jeff Lange
Hundreds of cheerleaders waving flags …
Photo by Jeff Lange
Even Samuel Wright (I.E. The voice of Sebastian from “The Little Mermaid“) got into the act, belting out a live rendition of “Under the Sea” from high atop a “Surprise Celebration” parade float.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
But once the production number was complete, it was time for that photo op. So Roy E. Disney first joined Michael Eisner on a float that had been especially decorated for this photo shoot.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
Then everyone smiled for the camera as a squadron of fighter jets flew in tight formation directly over Cinderella Castle & Main Street U.S.A.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
Everyone was then asked to remain in place for a moment, as Mickey’s PR staff conferred. In the end, it was decided that — just to be on the safe side — they’d do one more take.
So as everyone smiled & posed for the camera again, the fighter jets made one more pass over the Magic Kingdom …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… And then everyone got out of the rain, hoping to find someplace warm & dry. Or maybe even a change of clothes.
Photo by Jeff Lange
Now where this gets interesting is that — in the end — the Walt Disney Company found that it just couldn’t live with the real photo that had been taken that morning. Which showed those fighter jets soaring through a slate grey sky over the Magic Kingdom.
Soooo … After the fact, Disney’s PR staff had this image retinted. Which was quite a project back in those pre-Photoshop days.
Copyright 1990 The Walt Disney Company
You know what I love about the retouched photo (Which — obviously — is on the right)? It wasn’t enough for Disney’s PR staff to make the sky blue. No, they had to make sure that the sky over Cinderella Castle also featured fluffy white clouds.
Which reminds me of another logo that I’ve seen recently …
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Anyway, that’s what Disney did to commemorate WDW’s 20th anniversary. And speaking of that anniversary …
In addition to being JHM’s official photographer & archivist, Jeff Lange also produces a best-selling series of Disney theme park DVDs. His most recent title is a three disc set that commemorates Walt Disney World’s 20th anniversary celebration. For further information on this DVD as well as all of the other titles in Jeff’s catalog, please follow this link.