June 16, 2016 – The Shanghai Disneyland Band Begins Performing
“Get in the swing as this lively ensemble welcomes you to Mickey Avenue with a high-spirited mix of music and fun.”
On June 16, 2016, the Shanghai Disneyland Band began their performances on Shanghai Disneyland’s Mickey Avenue. This entertainment ensemble features marching band instruments, along with some slide whistles and kazoos to entertain guests of all ages. The show last twenty minutes, and occurs throughout the day.
June 9, 2007 – The Attraction Cars Quatre Roues Rallye Opens in Disneyland Paris
“Rev up your engines and zoom alongside Lightning McQueen in this speedy circuit from the world of Cars.”
On June 9, 2007, the Toon Studios attraction Cars Quatre Roues Rallye opened in Disneyland Paris’ Walt Disney Studios Park. Based on the Pixar film franchise Cars, guests board cars that spin around in a Radiator Springs service station area; the spinning ability is similar to the Mad Tea Party attraction found in most Disney parks.
May 10, 2010 – The Attraction MicroAdventure! Closes in Tokyo Disneyland
On May 10, 2010, the 3-D film attraction MicroAdventure!, a revised version of the Honey, I Shrunk the Audience attraction from Epcot, officially closed. Having been open since April 15, 1997, the Japanese attraction featured new sequences that would appeal to Japanese audiences. The attraction had been sponsored by the Japan Credit Bureau, and was replaced by the Captain EO Tribute.
April 26, 2018 – The Disney-Pixar Toy Story Land Expansion of Shanghai Disney Opens
“We’re incredibly proud of the success of this one-of-a-kind, world-class destination and we are thrilled to give our Chinese guests even more to explore and enjoy at the resort with the addition of a spectacular new land based on Pixar’s beloved Toy Story characters.” – Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company
On April 26, 2018, the first major expansion of the Shanghai Disneyland park, known as Disney-Pixar Toy Story Land, opened. Shanghai Disneyland, open since 2016, had quickly become the most successful theme park to open in China; likewise, the Toy Story franchise had a huge impact on China, with Toy Story 3 becoming the highest-grossing Pixar film in China at the time. The expansion gave guests the illusion of being the size of a toy as they travel through the exquisitely decorated area, meeting characters from the film and having unique dining experiences. Similar expansions were also built in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, to much success. The grand opening ceremony featured CEO Bob Iger among a variety of local Chinese government officials and honored guests.
April 15, 1983 – The Restaurant Royal Street Veranda Opens in Tokyo Disneyland
“ジャズが流れる街角のドリンクバー”
On April 15, 1983, the quick service restaurant Royal Street Veranda opened in Tokyo Disneyland’s Adventureland area. Sponsored by Kirin, this juice bar provides Kirin lemon soda, apple tea soda, and mix orange soda. The stop also features specialty candy and decorated cases.
April 12, 1992 – The Restaurant Last Chance Café Opens in Disneyland Paris
“Trek your little outlaws for a place to lay low and fill up on some tasty Tex-Mex tucker.”
On April 12, 1992, the quick service restaurant Last Chance Café opened in Disneyland Paris’ Frontierland area. The restaurant features Western-themed fare such as pork sausage with Cajun spices, chicken wings, and potatoes with chili con carne.
March 28, 2002 – The Video Game Kingdom Hearts is Released in Japan
“君という光が私を見つける 真夜中に”
On March 28, 2002, the video game Kingdom Hearts was released in Japan. Created through a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios, the game features the characters from the famous Final Fantasy series of games and The World Ends with You Square Enix game in an elaborate crossover. The game is set in a special Disney universe, where main character Sora must travel to different character worlds, accompanied by magician Donald and knight Goofy, to fight against Ansem and his army of evil beings known as the Heartless. The game was eventually released in North America on September 17, 2002. Its theme song was “Hikari” by J-Pop artist Hikaru Utada; she would also sing the English version known as “Simple and Clean.” The game was critically successful upon its release, and spawned a franchise that, as of 2019, features 14 games on a variety of platforms.
March 16, 2002 – The Restaurant Backlot Express Opens in Walt Disney Studios Paris
“Dine amongst Disney blockbusters in this industrial props warehouse serving up a range of hot and cold dishes.”
On March 16, 2002, the quick-service restaurant Backlot Express opened in the Walt Disney Studios Paris park of Disneyland Paris. Similar to the original restaurant that opened in Walt Disney World’s Disney-MGM Studios park, it served fast versions of American dishes, including sandwiches and pizza. The restaurant was revised in June 2009, when it became the Backlot Express Restaurant, and was themed to be a props storage room.
March 12, 2011 – Tokyo Disney Parks Closes Due to Earthquake
On March 12, 2011, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea Park closed to examine the damage caused by the Touhoku earthquake that occurred the day prior. When the earthquake hit, 69,000 people were reportedly stranded at the parks, with most guests able to vacate by the next day. As park operational calendars were updated with closings through the 21st of March, crews were brought in to assess the damage. Flooding and caved pavements were spotted throughout the park, and were subsequently fixed before the parks eventually reopened on April 28, 2011; this was the longest closing of any Disney park.
January 13, 1927 – President of Walt Disney Creations S.p.A and Disney Legend Antonio Bertini is Born
“There is always a market. There is never a problem when you give a good product at the right price. And Disney is a very good product.”
On January 13, 1927, Antonio Bertini was born in Milan, Italy. He attended the University of Pavia, and while there he explored market research, a concept that was unfamiliar in Italy at the time, and eventually graduated with a Ph.D. in political science in 1955. Soon after, he joined the Lever Brothers company in Milan as a planning officer, putting his skills to use as he coordinated the operating, marketing, and publicity of the company’s four Italian factories. He joined Walt Disney Productions in 1960, after answering an anonymous ad in a newspaper, as the assistance to Major John William Holmes, the Italian sales representative. Bertini had almost immediate success; he was able to negotiate several new contracts with Italian licensees to create Disney-themed projects, ranging from toys to housewares, and was subsequently promoted to sales manager a year later. At the same time, Bertini was also asked to join the Board of Directors, and after another stellar year, Roy O. Disney personally named Bertini the president of Walt Disney Creations S.p.A. Bertini continued to expand Disney influence in Italy through the 1960s and 1970s, creating educational films for the country and creating over a $1 million in revenue; this success helped lead the way for Disney’s eventual success in the home video market through the 1980s. Bertini was also instrumental in creating a booming publishing division in Italy for the Disney books, comics, and magazines, rather than licensing out the characters to other publishers. After 30 years with the company, Bertini retired from Disney in 1990; he was honored as a Disney Legend in the category of Disney Consumer Products in 1997.
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