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A History Of Animatronics

Way back when… so far back that the Disney Channel showed actual Disney-related content… the network often filled time between its programs with informative interstitials about Disney history. A series of these featurettes were produced about Walt Disney Imagineering, hosted by then-frequent Disney Channel host Eric Boardman. One of these, shown below, provides a glimpse [...]

Bye, Bye Birthdayland

One day more…

Tomorrow marks the end of an era, when Mickey’s Toontown Fair closes in Orlando. Twenty-two years after its opening as a “temporary” area, Mickey’s Birthdayland, the cobbled-together land will face the bulldozer in preparation for the Fantasyland expansion.

Mickey’s Birthdayland debuted to celebrate the Mouse’s 60th birthday in 1988. Pieced together [...]

Debuting Norway, 1988

In the summer of 1988, EPCOT was celebrating the arrival of Norway – World Showcase’s 11th pavilion. The pavilion had soft-opened that May, with a grand opening celebration following in June. So by the time of Walt Disney World’s 4th of July parade, it was time to give people a glimpse of the pavilion and [...]