History Trivia / DisneyThemeParks

** Some parks (such as Disneyland Paris and especially Tokyo Disney Resort) also have Disney characters who can be extremely rare, or exclusive to each park, some not even showing up at all. For example, the characters from ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' have be reported to be spotted only in Disneyland Paris but aren't seen in the other parks [[note]] Kuzko, Kronk, and Yzma actually were meetable at Disneyland and Walt Disney World during the film's original release [[/note]]. Same goes for [[WesternAnimation/TheAristocats Berlioz and Toulouse]] who are only found in Paris, Tokyo and recently Shanghai [[note]] [[https://twitter.com/ParksAndCons/status/1193011248280944641 Toulouse and Berlioz finally made their U.S. debut at Disneyland Park on November 8, 2019 for the Christmas/Holiday celebration]]. Both appear at Tommorowland's Christmas dance party along with their sister Marie[[/note]]. [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Chef Louis]] can only be found in Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo [=DisneySea=], the [[WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland Cheshire Cat]] has been exclusive in Disneyland Paris for a few years now [[note]] The Cheshire Cat finally made his U.S. debut at Disneyland for 2019's "Oogie Boogie Bash" at DCA for the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRneEEOUJwo "Frightfully Fun Parade"]] [[/note]] , and other characters such as [[Franchise/LiloAndStitch Jumba, Pleakley, Gantu, Dr. Hämsterviel, and some of the other experiments besides Stitch]][[note]]the [[Characters/LiloAndStitchExperiments experiments]] in question being [[Characters/LiloAndStitchExperiments0Series Felix]], [[Characters/LiloAndStitchExperiments2Series Sparky, Sample]], [[Characters/LiloAndStitchExperiments6Series Angel, Reuben, and Experiment 627]][[/note]] can only be found during special events in Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, although Disney in the United States have been ''slowly'' bringing the ''L&S'' costumed characters other than the title duo to Walt Disney World in the 2010s.[[note]]Gantu and Dr. Hämsterviel made their first U.S. appearance at a 2014 Disney Villains event at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Instagram and Flickr photos have revealed that almost all the other aforementioned ''L&S'' characters (Sparky being excluded) have begun appearing in Florida in the late 2010s, but mostly in only Cast Member (Disney employee) exclusive and other private events. Jumba, Pleakley, and Angel made their proper U.S. debuts in May 2019 for a Disney Vacation Club member-exclusive event at Epcot. Besides all that, Pleakley had a statue near the DVC booth in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom, but it was removed after Stitch's Great Escape! entered seasonal operation.[[/note]]

** In 2023, Disneyland Resort joined in the company-wide [=Disney100=] festivities by unveiling an updated Toontown, containing an expanded clone of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. It also premiered new nighttime shows for each park: At Disneyland, ''Ride/WondrousJourneys'' combines emotionally-resonant elements from the Disney Animated Canon's first 62 movies, and some shorts, including the Blue Fairy and Baymax flying over a temporarily-redecorated Sleeping Beauty Castle. At California Adventure, ''World of Color'': One highlights inspirational moments from various Disney-owned works, both animated and live-action.

** For a while, shouting "Andy's coming!" at a cast member portraying a ''Franchise/ToyStory'' character would cause them to 'hide' and flop to the ground. This became such a common but annoying request, one believed to even be risking damage to the costumes, that Disney explicitly forbids cast members from doing it. If you try the trick now, the cast members will likely look around in concern but won't drop to the floor.

* IKnewIt: Given that Disney's attitude towards ''Film/SongOfTheSouth'' since the late '80s has been to [[BuryYourArt bury and not acknowledge the film]] (due to its controversial racial elements), no one was surprised by the company's decision to close down ''Splash Mountain'', and many fans had predicted it for years before Disney officially announced its shutdown in 2020. Some fans had also predicted that the ride would be replaced by a ride based on ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' due to the ride's close proximity to New Orleans Square (which is based on New Orleans, the setting of ''The Princess and the Frog'') in Disneyland Park.

*** Tokyo Disneyland would debut a new stage show in front of Cinderella Castle called "Rock Around the Mouse". The show pays tribute to the rock 'n' roll culture that was prominent at the time of Disneyland's opening. Over in Tokyo [=DisneySea=], the "Raging Spirits roller coaster would open.

** While some of their bigger plans have been hampered, if not scrapped, by the ongoing UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, Walt Disney World is also pulling out all the stops for its 50th anniversary, which continued until April 2023. There wasa slew of new attractions and entertainment, including a version of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}'' ride from DLP, in the France Pavilion of Epcot. Southwest Airlines launched a Disney-themed plane, [=McDonalds=] had Happy Meal toys with iconic Disney characters, and there was a special aired on ABC about the anniversary. While originally not part of the 50th anniversary offering, Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's ''Drawn to Life'' stage show (and Cirque's 50th show) also premiered a month after Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary was officially kicked off which was a love letter to Disney's hand-drawn animation era.

* In the mid-1970s, Michelle Pfeiffer played Alice in the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade.

* Ever wonder why Tokyo Disneyland's Western River Railway doesn't circle the entire park like its American and French counterparts do? Well, blame Japanese law for that. At the time of the railway's opening in 1983, if Tokyo Disneyland were to have a full-fledged railway with multiple stops, it would've had to follow the same rail regulations that mainline railways do, including having to charge fees and to run on a timetable. Disney and the Oriental Land Company would find a way around this law by [[LoopholeAbuse only including one station]]. Funnily enough, Japan would end up repealing this law a few years later in 1987, meaning if Disney and the OLC had been just a little more patient, they could've had a full-fledged railway in Tokyo like the rest of the parks.

** Also during that year, Tokyo Disney Resort celebrated their 40th anniversary (''"Dream Go Round"'') with a new parade at TDL known as ''Harmony Go Round'', a new Harbor Greeting at TDS as well as a line of retro-inspired merchandise known as ''Memory Go-Round'' complete with new illustrations of Mickey Mouse in his outfits from past celebrations at TDR (his standard theme park outfit, his stars and stripes outfit, [[WesternAnimation/Fantasia Sorcerer Mickey]], his carnival outfit, his blue and whites outfit from TDL's 20th anniversary, his blue and cyan outfit from TDR's 25th anniversary holding a key (which was the main gimmick of the 25th anniversary celebration at that time), his red and gold outfit from TDR's 30th, his blue outfit from TDR's 35th and his colorful outfit from the current 40th anniversary festivities at TDR). TDR also received a small amount of exclusive [=Disney100=] merch.

** While some of their bigger plans have been hampered, if not scrapped, by the ongoing UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, Walt Disney World is also pulling out all the stops for its 50th anniversary, which continueD Onto April 2023. There will be a slew of new attractions and entertainment, including a dark ride based on ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}'' in the France Pavilion of Epcot. Southwest Air launched a Disney-themed plane, [=McDonalds=] had Happy Meal toys with iconic Disney characters, and there was a special aired on ABC about the anniversary. While originally not part of the 50th anniversary offering, Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's ''Drawn to Life'' stage show (and Cirque's 50th show) also premiered a month after Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary was officially kicked off which was a love letter to Disney's hand-drawn animation era.

** Also during that year, Tokyo Disney Resort celebrated their 40th anniversary (''"Dream Go Round"'') with a new parade at TDL known as ''Harmony Go Round'', a new Harbor Greeting at TDS as well as a line of retro-inspired merchandise known as ''Memory Go-Round'' complete with new illustrations of Mickey Mouse in his outfits from past celebrations at TDR (his standard theme park outfit, his stars and stripes outfit, [[WesternAnimation/Fantasia Sorcerer Mickey]], his carnival outfit, his blue and whites outfit from TDL's 20th anniversary, his blue and cyan outfit from TDR's 25th anniversary complete with a key (which was the main gimmick of the celebration at that time), his red and gold outfit from TDR's 30th, his blue outfit from TDR's 35th and his colorful outfit from the current 40th anniversary festivities at TDR). TDR also received a small amount of exclusive [=Disney100=] merch.

** For Disneyland Paris' 5th anniversary (which the anniversary's theme was, in fact, ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}''), the Sleeping Beauty Castle was briefly rethemed to the Carnival Castle.

** For Disneyland Paris' 5th anniversary (which the anniversary's theme was, in fact, ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'', the Sleeping Beauty Castle was briefly rethemed to the Carnival Castle.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNfMzgG5U6k Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary]] had Cinderella Castle decorated in the infamous "Castle Cake" alongside debuting a new daytime parade called "Remember The Magic" (later renamed to "Magical Moments Parade" after the celebration ended).

*** Walt Disney World went all out for the celebration. They would bring one new attraction or show from a different Disney resort to each of their four theme parks. Magic Kingdom would debut the "Cinderellabration" show from Tokyo Disneyland on the stage in front of the castle, and receive the updated ''Ride/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' ride; Epcot would obtain "Soarin' Over California" from Disney's California Adventure; The then named Disney-MGM Studios would receive the "Lights Motors Action!" stunt show from Walt Disney Studios Park; and lastly Disney's Animal Kingdom would eventually open up the resort's latest E-Ticket attraction ''Expedition Everest''.
*** Finally, the namesake Disneyland Resort would go all out. Not just to celebrate it's golden anniversary, but also to make up for the downturn in quality that occurred during Paul Pressler's presidency. Sleeping Beauty Castle was decorated with several golden structures, each of the remaining opening day attractions would receive a golden ride vehicle, and many deteriorating attractions would receive a sprucing up. Most notably, ''Ride/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' would add several new scenes featuring characters from [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean the film franchise]], and ''Ride/SpaceMountain'' would reopen after a two-year overhaul with updated effects and a new soundtrack. In addition, a ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' themed recreation of the iconic "Submarine Voyage" would be announced, "[[Franchise/ToyStory Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters]]" would open in Tomorrowland, and a new daytime parade called "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" would debut. And to top it all off, a new fireworks spectacular called "Remember, Dreams Come True" would premiere, which honored all of the park's most iconic attractions through the past 50 years. Disney's California Adventure wasn't spared either. A new parade called "Block Party Bash" featuring the Creator/{{Pixar}} characters would debut, and a ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' dark ride called "Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!" would replace the infamous ''Ride/SuperstarLimo''.

** While some of their bigger plans have been hampered, if not scrapped, by the ongoing UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, Walt Disney World is also pulling out all the stops for its 50th anniversary, which is set to continue into April 2023. There will be a slew of new attractions and entertainment, including a dark ride based on ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}'' in the France Pavilion of Epcot. Southwest Air launched a Disney-themed plane, [=McDonalds=] had Happy Meal toys with iconic Disney characters, and there was a special aired on ABC about the anniversary. While originally not part of the 50th anniversary offering, Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's ''Drawn to Life'' stage show (and Cirque's 50th show) also premiered a month after Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary was officially kicked off which was a love letter to Disney's hand-drawn animation era.
** In 2023, Disneyland Resort celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company by unveiling an updated Toontown, containing an expanded clone of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. It also premiered new nighttime shows for each park: At Disneyland, ''Ride/WondrousJourneys'' combines emotionally-resonant elements from the Disney Animated Canon's first 62 movies, and some shorts, including the Blue Fairy and Baymax flying over a temporarily-redecorated Sleeping Beauty Castle. At California Adventure, ''World of Color'': One highlights inspirational moments from various Disney-owned works, both animated and live-action.

* BTeamSequel: [[Ride/TokyoDisneyResort Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo [=DisneySea=]]] are the only Disney parks to not be owned by Disney in any capacity. They are instead owned by The Oriental Land Company, with a license from Disney that allows them to use their properties and their Imagineers. This puts both parks in a rather unique position amongst the Disney parks, as because of the different owners, they are not as bound to the same ExecutiveMeddling and restrictions the other Disney parks are prone to, causing both parks to become known as a breeding ground for more ambitious and out-there ideas that would otherwise not be approved by Disney. Inversely, the OLC can veto decisions made by Disney at the other parks -- for example, their version of ''Ride/SplashMountain'' remains the same while the two US versions were announced to be rethemed to ''Tiana's Bayou Adventure''.

* BTeamSequel: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo [=DisneySea=] are the only Disney parks to not be owned by Disney in any capacity. They are instead owned by The Oriental Land Company, with a license from Disney that allows them to use their properties and their Imagineers. This puts both parks in a rather unique position amongst the Disney parks, as because of the different owners, they are not as bound to the same ExecutiveMeddling and restrictions the other Disney parks are prone to, causing both parks to become known as a breeding ground for more ambitious and out-there ideas that would otherwise not be approved by Disney. Inversely, the OLC can veto decisions made by Disney at the other parks -- for example, their version of ''Ride/SplashMountain'' remains the same while the two US versions were announced to be rethemed to ''Tiana's Bayou Adventure''.

** In 2023, Disneyland Resort celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company by unveiling an updated Toontown, containing an expanded clone of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. It also premiered new nighttime shows for each park: At Disneyland, ''Wondrous Journeys'' combines emotionally-resonant elements from the Disney Animated Canon's first 62 movies, and some shorts, including the Blue Fairy and Baymax flying over a temporarily-redecorated Sleeping Beauty Castle. At California Adventure, ''World of Color'': One highlights inspirational moments from various Disney-owned works, both animated and live-action.

** [[http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1262449/000119312510008732/dex1057.htm A perpetual licensing deal]] that Creator/MarvelComics signed with Ride/UniversalStudios in 1994 prevents Disney from building anything Marvel-related in Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, their two biggest theme park markets. However, they are free to build Marvel attractions in their four other resorts. How, you ask? Well, originally, the licensing deal extended to California as well,[[note]]Universal has no parks in France so the deal was not extended there, and at the time of the deal neither company had a park in China[[/note]] but when Universal got into a dispute with Marvel over the profits of the license, Universal Studios Hollywood let the rights lapse back to Marvel in 2008... one year before Disney purchased the company. God knows what happened to the poor sod in Universal who made ''that'' call. Disney has found a loophole around this contract by using Marvel characters that Universal doesn't own the license to: the Franchise/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy and Film/DoctorStrange2016. A ''GOTG'' rollercoaster opened at EPCOT in 2022. However, Marvel is not as popular in the Japanese market as it is stateside ([[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff except]] for ComicBook/SpiderMan), so the IP missing from the Tokyo resort is not as big of a missed opportunity as it is in Florida.