On this date in 1986, 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).
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Source: ThisDayInDisneyHistory
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On this date in 1958, The Disneyland attraction Alice in Wonderland debuts in Fantasyland. Actress, Kathryn Beaumont, voice of Alice in the 1951 animated movie, provides the voice for the dark ride. It follows the path of the movie, as the riders (as Alice) follow the White Rabbit down the Rabbit Hole into Wonderland. Disneyland’s first “Alice” attraction – Mad Tea Party (a spinning tea cup ride), has been operating since the park’s debut in July 1955.
On this date in 2005, The Walt Disney Company donates several Disneyland objects to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Among the donated items are vehicles from two of Disneyland’s opening year attractions: “Dumbo the Flying Elephant” and the “Mad Tea Party.”
On this date in 1966, The It’s A Small World attraction (direct from the World’s Fair) opens in Fantasyland at Disneyland. Also stylized as “it’s a small world,” the interior boat ride (sponsored by Bank of America) features 297 animated children, 256 toys, a canal filled with 233,000 gallons of water, and of course the famous song It’s a small world (after all) written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. It is the park’s first continually loading high capacity ride. The day is marked by special ceremonies attended by Walt Disney himself in which water from all over the world is poured into the attraction’s moat. It’s A Small World will prove to be so popular that versions will later be added at the Magic Kingdom in WDW, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
On this date in 1977, Disneyland holds a grand opening ceremony for its newest attraction, Space Mountain (just in time for the Memorial Day weekend crowds). Attending the debut are the six surviving astronauts from the original seven Project Mercury space travelers and the widow of the seventh. Also opening along with Space Mountain is the 1,100-seat Space Stage, the 670-seat Space Place fast-food restaurant and the Starcade electronic arcade. It is the second Space Mountain in the world (the first one opened at WDW in Florida in 1975).
On this date in 1992, Disneyland’s Fantasmic! – a new night-time fireworks and visual hydrotechnic show – is officially dedicated in Frontierland. The 22-minute presentation, featuring fireworks, live actors, water effects, fire, music, boats, decorated rafts and projections onto large mist screens, takes place over the Rivers of America. (A second Fantasmic! will debut in 1998 at Disney-MGM in Florida.)
the attraction. Despite efforts by designers and mechanics, the Rocket Rods was plagued with problems. Essentially a faster version of the PeopleMover, Rocket Rods took riders through the building housing Star Tours, the Star Trader, and the Starcade, offering views of all three through glass panes in a tunnel.
On this date in 1988, a Super Hooper Duper takes place at Disneyland with 1,527 hula-hoopers setting a new Guinness Record (at the time the largest hula hoop gathering)! The event is part of the park’s “Blast to the Past” – a tribute to the 1950s.
On this date in 1992, Movie star Elizabeth Taylor takes over Disneyland for a private after-hours 60th birthday bash.
