The year of celebrations and initiatives that will lead us to the 100th anniversary of Disney has officially begun; although International Animation Day has just passed, we take it as inspiration to deal with that.
It was on October 16, 1923 when Walt Disney and his brother Roy presented for the first time what would become perhaps the most interesting reality in the world of entertainment, especially in terms of fantasy and inspiration. It all started with a Mouse and it was Mickey Mouse himself who kicked off the celebrations, as part of the London ‘Disney100 Debut’ event; Mickey Mouse apart, the preview of Disney 100 Years Of Wonder was hosted by TV presenter Emma Willis with famous faces such as Rachel Stevens, Andrea McLean and Kimberly Wyatt among the attendees.
Exhibitions, Hollywood Sound Orchestra concerts, dedicated merchandising, rich prizes and cotillions are planned throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Disney100: The Exhibition will be particularly suggestive; to be honest we do know something about since last October, from the official website d23.com:
At D23 Expo, it was announced that Disney100: The Exhibition will open on February 18, 2023, at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Chicago, Illinois, and Kansas City, Missouri, set as the next two stops on the North American tour. The international unit of the exhibit will open on April 18 in Munich, Germany, with more cities to be announced in the coming months. The stunning key artwork for the exhibit was also revealed, which invites guests to step into their favorite stories using innovative and immersive technology throughout ten galleries in the 15,000-square-foot exhibit. The Walt Disney Archives is opening its vault of treasures, showcasing more than 250 of its “Crown Jewels”, rarely seen original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other memorabilia. Disney has curated special behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creation of the company’s most popular characters, films, shows, and attractions—from Disneyland to Walt Disney World and beyond. The ten magnificent and imaginatively themed galleries, all featuring moving stories, unique interactive installations, and exciting background information, will take visitors on a journey through 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, celebrating the classics from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World, as well as the latest members of the Disney family—Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.
There will then be a campaign, Disney D100 Let’s Play! which will celebrate 100 years of characters, stories highlighting the ability of the Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and National Geographic universes to help parents create shared experiences with their children. The parks in Europe, Disneyland Paris, will also be involved with particular performances on September 16, 2023 in particular. Dedicated social media and launches of new celebratory products are part of the celebration.
Nicole Morse, vice president of Brand and Franchise Marketing Strategy, Disney EMEA, said:
“Anyone who has seen a child’s face light up watching Frozen or meeting Buzz Lightyear in real life knows the sense of wonder we are celebrating tonight.
For 100 years, Disney has had the privilege of bringing our stories and characters into people’s lives and bringing joy to fans around the world.
Tonight is the perfect way to kick off our 100th anniversary celebrations as we begin our second century of creating magic.
We are so very grateful for our fans, and we can’t wait to bring all these Disney100 experiences to them here in the UK and across Europe, Middle East and Africa.”
Sources: https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/; https://d23.com/