Travel through time with Walt Disney and the crew to see the evolution of his magical world as documented through the newspapers of yesteryear.
As Walt would say, “Dream, Believe, Dare, Do.” And he did.
1928
The Mickey Mouse character is born. Can you spot the advertisement for a Mickey Mouse cartoon in this 1929 newspaper?
A “positive knockout,” the highly popular Steamboat Willie, starring the famous mouse, played in theaters everywhere.
1937
Disney’s first full-length feature production is released – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It premiered in Los Angeles on December 21, 1937. The film cost more than $1.3 million to produce.
1951
Disney’s 13th animated feature was released on July 26, 1951. Alice in Wonderland was based on the books by Lewis Carroll. According to the “Movie News” in the Fairbanks News Daily-Miner, there is “evidence of the Disney genius in the choice of “voices” cast.
1954
The Disneyland TV series debuts with Walt Disney as the host. The series included “all cartoon animations, some live action and some a combination of the two” and covered “four entertainment realms – Frontierland, Tomorrowland, True-Life Adventureland, and Fantasyland.”
1955
Prepare to be transported to the “Happiest Place on Earth” for the opening of Disneyland in California. This “Premiere Silver Edition” was published in the Independent Press Telegram. The special edition spanned pages 37-52 of the July 15th newspaper. The last page was a wealth of information for the first time visitor – from directions on how to get to the park to hours, admission cost, and a whole lot more.
1955
The cast of twenty-four Mouseketeers debuted in The Mickey Mouse Club. The talented group of kids aged 5-14 danced and sang in their special uniforms complete with a felt Mickey Mouse cap with ears.
1966
A new land opened for the first time since the original five in 1955. New Orleans Square made its debut at Disney with a price tag more than the Louisiana Purchase itself. Two of Disney’s biggest attractions would be added to New Orleans Square in the next couple of years – Pirates of the Caribbean (1967) and the Haunted Mansion (1969).
1966
The ultimate creator of magic, Walt Disney, died at the age of 65. A two-page spread in the Oakland Tribune included articles such as “A Man of Rare Talent” and “A Child at Heart” with some of Walt’s drawings.
1971
Disney World opened in Florida. Newspapers everywhere included ads for Disney vacations. The park opened with roughly 10,000 visitors and more than 6,000 park employees.
Walt Disney left a “magical” impact all over the world in the past century. To learn more about Walt and all things Disney that made headlines, visit NewspaperArchive.com for a 7-Day Free Trial today.
