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June 14

June 14, 1958 – The Fantasyland Attraction Alice in Wonderland Opens in Disneyland

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“Can you escape in time for a very ‘unbirthday party’ where you’re the guest of honor?”

On June 14, 1958, the Fantasyland attraction Alice in Wonderland opened in Disneyland. Based on the 1951 animated feature, the attraction is a dark ride, with parts of the ride illuminated using ultraviolet light and special paint. Guests board caterpillar-shaped boats and head into “Wonderland,” viewing several iconic scenes from the film, and meeting the beloved characters. The attraction was closed on September 6, 1982, for a major remodel, which included a re-recording of the voice of Alice by original actress Kathryn Beaumont. As of the date of this entry, the ride has been closed again for another remodel. This is one of the few attractions that exists only in Disneyland.

June 13

June 13, 2011 – The Disney X D Original Series Kickin’ It Premieres

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“That was the most incredible thing I’ve seen in my entire life – and I’ve been to the Ice Capades!”

On June 13, 2011, the Disney X D Original Series Kickin’ It premiered. It was based on creator Jim O’Doherty’s childhood experiences with karate, as well as his daughters’ interest in the martial arts. The show, originally called Wasabi Warriors, was the highest rated series premiere in the channel’s history, and is the first Disney X D series to run past three seasons. As of this date, the show has 73 episodes. It stars Leo Howard as Jack Brewer, Dylan Riley Snyder as Milton Krupnick, Mateo Arias as Jerry Martinez, Olivia Holt as Kim Crawford, Alex Christian Jones as Eddie Jones, and Jason Earles as Rudy Gillespie.

The first episode, “Wasabi Warriors,” begins at Seaford High School, where new student Jack meets student Kim in the cafeteria, and is then invited to sit with a bunch of kids that do karate together after school, and are bullied by kids from another karate dojo. Jack stands up for them with some hidden karate skills of his own, leaving everyone in the cafeteria impressed. He quickly flees the scene after the fight. After school, the kids gather at the Bobby Wasabi martial arts dojo, where owner Rudy is given the bad news that he is in danger of being closed down, unless his students win two belts at the next meet. The kids recommend that Rudy bring Jack in as a member, but Rudy is unconvinced. Meanwhile, Jack heads through the mall on his skateboard, and is chased by mall police, where he ends up crashing into the dojo. As he tries to leave, he is arrested by mall police, but Rudy, who is impressed by Jack’s skills as he tried to escape, makes a deal with the kid: help Bobby Wasabi Dojo win two belts, and he’ll makes sure Jack doesn’t go to juvie. Jack agrees.

After facing trouble with the mall cops, Jack decides to join the Bobby Wasabi dojo

After facing trouble with the mall cops, Jack decides to join the Bobby Wasabi dojo

Later, when Jack is hanging out with the guys from the dojo, Kim stops by and asks to speak with Jack alone. Kim tells him that he should be at the best dojo in town: the Black Dragon dojo. She takes him there and shows off her black belt. The owner of the Black Dragons tries to get Jack to join them, but Jack refuses, as he gave his word already to Bobby Wasabi. When Rudy finds out that Jack even went to the Black Dragons, he gets angry and lets it slip that Jack was never going to go to juvie, but be banned from the mall for two weeks. Jack is furious, and decides to join the Black Dragons. He stops by the next day to pick up his things, and discovers that the dojo is closing. As the students say their farewells, Jack has a change of heart and decides to show the kids that they really can do karate, and will help them keep the gym open.

At the next advancement tournament, the Wasabi Warriors are ready to get their belts, with Eddie going first against a giant of a guy. Jack gives him a pep talk, telling Eddie to use his anger that has built up since Marge the Lunch Lady started kicking him around. Eddie is able to earn his first belt for the gym. Jerry is up next using nun-chucks, but accidentally hits himself in the groin and loses. Milton is up next, and needs to break more boards than his opponent. Milton is able to break two boards at once, and wins the dojo’s second belt, but the belt is taken away from him when he starts beating up a member of the Black Dragons, one of his bullies. It’s then Jack versus Kim, but one of the Black Dragons hurts Jack’s leg to cause him to lose. When Kim finds out that the Black Dragons cheated, she quits. Jack tries to win the belt for the dojo, as he wants to help his friends. Jack is able to win the belt, and Bobby Wasabi Dojo is saved. Later, Kim decides to join the Bobby Wasabi Dojo, telling them they need all the help they can get.

June 12

June 12, 1957 – The Monsanto House of the Future Attraction Opens in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland

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“The Home of the Future was always a great one. You’d go in and see all the things that you wondered why you didn’t have them in your home.” – Dick Cook, Former Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios

On June 12, 1957, the Monsanto House of the Future attraction opened in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. Like many attractions at this time, it was meant to be a view of the future; it was built with plastic, and featured many appliances and furniture pieces that were uncommon in homes at the time. In 1967, like many pieces of Tomorrowland, the house began to look dated thanks to advances in technology at the time, and was scheduled to be torn down. However, the house was so well built that it wasn’t able to be destroyed in the regular fashion, as the wrecking ball just bounced off the house; crews had to take the place apart piece by piece. The home was completely demolished by December of 1967.

June 11

June 11, 2010 – The Nighttime Show World of Color Premieres in Disneyland’s California Adventure

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“Watch images of characters come to life on a veil of mist, while water forms fanciful shapes in time to memorable music.”

On June 11, 2010, the nighttime show World of Color premiered at Disneyland’s California Adventure park. The show takes place at Paradise Bay in the Paradise Pier area, and is an outdoor light and music extravaganza, with over 1,000 fountains shooting enough water to create a 19,000 square-foot screen, where 28 projectors display clips from classic Disney movies. Music plays in time with the projected clips, ranging from all across Disney film history. The show has become immensely popular, and is frequently updated for special events or holidays. Special “Glow with the Show” ear hats are also available for guests to purchase, and the ears glow to match the rhythm of the show.

June 10

June 10, 1998 – The BET Soundstage Club Opens in Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island

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“The best in urban contemporary music and entertainment.”

On June 10, 1998, the BET Soundstage Club opened in Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island Area. As the only nightclub that bore the name of Black Entertainment Television (BET), it replaced the Neon Armadillo Music Saloon, a nightclub that featured a country-western theme. The nightclub featured music by popular R&B, hip-hop, and rap artists, as well as various Caribbean-style appetizers and drinks. The nightclub closed on September 27, 2008.

June 9

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June 9, 1950 – The Pluto Short Film Puss-Café is Released to Theaters

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On June 9, 1950, the Pluto short film Puss-Café was released to theaters. It was directed by Charles Nichols, with story by Dick Kinney and Milt Schaffer.

A cat is walking past a fence, when he smells something nice. Ignoring the “beware of dog” sign, he races across town to pick up his bigger, dimwitted feline friend, and the two hurry back to the house, where the first cat points out the three bottles of milk on the porch, the plentiful amount of birds in the birdhouse, and the fish leaping happily in the pond. The bigger cat points out that the owner of the house has a dog, but the first cat doesn’t care, as the welcome mat is laid out in front. The two head over to the milk, but as they open the bottle, Pluto wakes up from his nap in the hammock. When he spots the cats drinking the milk, he leaps after them, but they narrowly escape. With a snort, Pluto locks the door to the yard, then hops back into his hammock.

The cats break in a second time through a loose brick in the wall

The cats break in a second time through a loose brick in the wall

As Pluto is snoozing, the cats break back in through a loose brick in the wall, and quietly make their way to the birdhouse. As they get inside the birdhouse, the two begin to fight after the bigger cat accidentally grabs the smaller cat, thinking he was a bird. The two are kicked out by a bird and fall into the hammock, where Pluto begins to fight. Once again, the two are able to escape, just barely. They sneak back in a third time, this time to go after the fish, but they first catapult Pluto from the hammock across town. Pluto ends up catching the two, and they quickly run from the house. Pluto chases them to their hideout, where a third, bigger cat is waiting to beat up Pluto. Pluto flees, and the three cats go back inside their garbage can hideout.

June 8

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June 8, 1956 – The Donald Duck Short Film How to Have an Accident in the Home Premieres

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“My middle name is Jonah, and Jinx is in there, too. Hoodoo fits me like a glove, but Fate’s my name to you.”

On June 8, 1956, the Donald Duck short film How to Have an Accident in the Home was released. This is the first in a string of education films starring Donald that ran through the late ’50s and early ’60s, and was filmed in Cinemascope. It was directed by C. August Nichols, with story by Jack Kinney and Bill Berg.

The short opens with an introduction by J.J. Fate, who shows off an average neighborhood, and an average citizen who lives there (Donald). Donald, however, encounters several troubles on his way home, including being chased by a streetcar and nearly getting hit with a falling piano. Donald thinks he is safe at home, but Fate reminds the audience that nearly 5 million people suffered injury due to accidents in the home in the past year, and is angry that they all blame him. He shows Donald recklessly using a rocking chair to stand on while hanging a picture, with Donald leaving holes in the wall and falling off the chair. Fate then takes a tour of Donald’s accident-filled house, with cluttered stairs, tangles of wires, several lit cigarettes and pipes, and an iron left on and burning a hole through the ironing board. Due to a leaky pipe letting out gas, when Donald attempts to light his pipe, the house explodes.

Donald trips on a misplaced throw rug, spilling water from a full fishbowl and literally landing in trouble

Donald trips on a misplaced throw rug, spilling water from a full fishbowl and literally landing in trouble

The next example Fate shows is Donald carrying a full fishbowl and slipping on a throw rug. Fate slows the fall down on the instant replay, and shows each misstep Donald takes to land on the ground with the fishbowl on his head. The next example is Donald in the bathroom, where he slips on soap, gets burned on a vent, and electrocutes himself using his electric razor in the bathtub. Fate explains that, while Donald is an upstanding, average citizen, he takes several chances in his home that should be avoided for safety’s sake. One example is an overloaded circuit with frayed wires, and another is sticking his head in the oven when cooking with gas. Donald continues to have accident after accident, including falling down the stairs in several different ways. Finally, after one nasty fall, Donald decides to clean up his act – literally. He then goes to work, “where it’s safe,” he proclaims, only to have the audience find that he works at the Surefire Dynamite Company. In the end, Fate warns the audience not to blame him for their carelessness.

June 7

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June 7, 1946 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Squatter’s Rights Premieres in Theaters

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“Pluto, you put some logs in the stove and we’ll build a nice, big, roaring fire.”

On June 7, 1946, the Mickey Mouse short film Squatter’s Rights premiered in theaters. Although labeled as a Mickey Mouse short, it had been labeled by Disney as a Pluto short film, as Pluto is the main character. This was the second short to feature the characters of Chip and Dale, although they have still not been identified, and are still drawn similarly. The short was nominated for an Academy Award, but lost to MGM’s The Cat Concerto. It was directed by Jack Hannah.

It’s a snowy day at Mickey’s “Hydout,” which has been locked up for quite some time, and inside, Chip and Dale are sleeping peacefully inside the cabin’s stove. The two get ready for the day when they hear the strange sound of barking. Pluto and Mickey enter the cabin, startling the chipmunks, especially when Mickey asks Pluto put logs in the stove so he can start a fire. The chipmunks start distracting Pluto from his task, but after he tries to attack them, he is told off by Mickey, who thinks the pup is just goofing off. Pluto finally gathers the logs, and Mickey attempts to build a fire. Every match he lights, however, is blown out by the chipmunks. When they see Pluto grab the kerosene, they take the drastic action of using a match to light Mickey’ shoe. Pluto catches the pair under the stove, but they plant the used match in Pluto’s mouth, making Mickey believe that Pluto was the culprit. Mickey can’t stay mad at Pluto, and goes out to chop more wood. The moment he leaves, Pluto starts chasing the chipmunks around the cabin, leaving a mess in his wake.

Mickey holds Pluto, thinking that the dog is dying from a gunshot wound

Mickey holds Pluto, thinking that the dog is dying from a gunshot wound

At one point, Pluto gets his nose stuck in the shotgun on the mantle, and as he triest remove it, he realizes that the trigger will be activated, and he will be shot. Pluto falls from the mantle and the gun goes off, luckily missing the dog; however, the butt of the gun hits Pluto on the head, knocking him unconscious. The chipmunks get an idea to get Pluto to believe he has indeed been shot, and use ketchup to resemble blood. Mickey enters the cabin again and, seeing Pluto lying on the ground covered in “blood,” rushes to his pal’s side. He picks Pluto up and rushes him out of the cabin, leaving Chip and Dale to celebrate their victory.

June 6

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June 6, 2011 – The Pixar Short Film La Luna Premieres at the Annecy Film Festival

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On June 6, 2011, the Pixar short film La Luna premiered at the Annecy Film Festival, held in the town of Annecy, France. The short was then released on June 22, 2012, with the theatrical release of Brave. It was nominated for an Academy Award at the 84th Academy Awards, but lost to The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. It was written and directed by Enrico Casaroa, and stars Krista Sheffler as Bambino, Tony Fucile as Papa, and Phil Sheridan as Nonno.

A young boy heads out to sea with his father and grandfather, when his grandfather gifts him a new hat. Bambino is excited, until Papa and Nonno get into an argument about how the boy should wear the hat. Papa wins, and Nonno angrily turns down the lantern, leaving the trio in the dark, waiting in the open water. Suddenly, the moon rises to the sky, and Bambino is given the anchor while his father pulls out a giant ladder. As Bambino reaches the top of the ladder, the moon’s gravitational pull pulls him onto its surface, where he is surprised to see that the moon is covered with glittering stars. He quickly hooks the anchor into a crater so Papa and Nonno can reach the moon. Bambino soon discovers that it’s their family’s job to sweep the stars from the moon’s surface and, once again, Papa and Nonno get into an argument about which broom is better to use. In the middle of the argument, a giant star hurtles toward the moon, and the family runs for cover.

The family stares at the giant star, unsure of how to remove it

The family stares at the giant star, unsure of how to remove it

After the giant star lands, the family looks with confusion, as they are unsure what to do. They try to pull the star out, but break every tool in the process. While Papa and Nonno continue to argue, Bambino gets an idea, and is soon scaling up the star. Reaching the peak, Bambino hits the top with a hammer, and the star breaks into many little stars. In the end, Papa and Nonno realize that Bambino has his own way of doing things, and they finish their job. In the end, they let the moon back into the sky, revealing that they have swept the stars to make the moon shine as a crescent moon.

June 5

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June 5, 1999 – The Stage Musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame Premieres

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“…two lost souls finally find each other. People will cry, but they’ll be moved. And it is a very romantic ending.” – Translator Michael Kunze

On June 5, 1999, the stage musical version of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, retitled in German as Der Glöckner von Notre Dame, premiered at the Stella Musical Theater at Potsamer Platz in Berlin. The music was written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who added nine new songs, and the book was written by James Lapine. It was the first musical by Walt Disney Theatrical to premiere outside of the United States. Although based on the animated film, the overall musical is much darker, with many striking differences: the gargoyles are renamed Charles, Antoine, and Loni, and are firmly established as figments of Quasimodo’s imagination; Frollo has a background as a priest, hearkening back to Victor Hugo’s original manuscript; the animals Djali the goat and Phoebus’ horse Achilles are cut from the musical; and many other changes. The original cast includes Drew Sarich as Quasimodo, Judy Weiss as Esmeralda, Fredrik Lycke as Phoebus, Jens Janke as Clopin, Norbert Lamla as Frollo, Valentin Zahn as Charles, Yvonne Ritz Andersen as Loni, Tamas Ferkay as Antoine, and Carlo Lauber as the Archdeacon. The musical was quite successful, and ran for three years before closing in June 2002. The popularity of the musical has led to the production of a Broadway version, which will, as of this date, be running at the Paper Mill Playhouse from March 4 through April 5, 2015.