June 18, 1988 – Mickey’s Birthdayland Opens in Walt Disney World
Image Credit: lostepcot.com
“All aboard for Birthdayland!”
On June 18, 1988, the Mickey’s Birthdayland area opened in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World. The area was created to celebrate the 60th birthday of Mickey Mouse, and closed on April 22, 1990. Thinking that there should be something to celebrate the birthday of everyone’s favorite mouse, Disney executives decided on short notice to create the town. After Birthdayland closed, the area was redesigned as Mickey’s Starland (opening on May 26, 1990), and then evolved into Mickey’s Toontown Fair in 1996, which eventually closed on February 11, 2011, as expansions to Fantasyland were taking place.
Mickey’s Birthdayland Area had many interesting facets, one being the inclusion of the town of Duckburg, and a statue of Duckburg’s founder, Cornelius Coot. There was a train station along the route of the area to help bring in guests from Main Street Station, a petting farm called Grandma Duck’s Farm, a live show with Disney characters, and even Mickey Mouse’s house. One of the major attractions was in Grandma Duck’s farm: a cow named Minnie Moo, who had a Mickey Mouse head mark on one side of her body.
disneydetail 