{"id":6666,"date":"2013-01-10T10:00:18","date_gmt":"2013-01-10T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.extrawdwmagic.com\/?p=6666"},"modified":"2013-11-16T14:56:20","modified_gmt":"2013-11-16T19:56:20","slug":"d23-magic-merriment-2012-at-walt-disney-world-archival-presentations-on-day-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extrawdwmagic.com\/?p=6666","title":{"rendered":"D23 Magic & Merriment 2012 at Walt Disney World – Archival Presentations on Day One"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Let<\/a>

Let the Magic & Merriment Begin…<\/p><\/div>\n

Our hosts for the D23 Magic & Merriment at Walt Disney World were Laura Sanchez (Special Events D23) and Jeffery Epstein (Marketing D23)<\/p>\n

\"Jeffrey<\/a>

Jeffrey & Laura<\/p><\/div>\n

The archival presentations at D23 Magic & Merriment were much better than the D23 Epcot 30th Anniversary<\/a> presentations at Walt Disney World. We were pleasantly surprised… A lot of our notes coincide with photos, so this will be a photo heavy post.<\/p>\n

Graham Allen – Disney Historian – Holidays at Disney throughout the years!<\/h4>\n
\"Graham<\/a>

Graham Allen, Disney Archivist<\/p><\/div>\n

In 2007, he went through the archives looking for material for an article for the D23 Magazine (this<\/a> isn’t that article, but it’s sure to contain some of the material)<\/p>\n

\"Contemporary<\/a>

Contemporary with red and green changing lights<\/p><\/div>\n

Candlelight Processional and it’s changes in history is very well documented…<\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

In 1959 the largest ever Candlelight Processional at Disneyland, 2574 performers (note Epcot has 450 performers & Disneyland has 600 these days)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"1959<\/a>

1959 also saw the Singing Christmas Tree<\/p><\/div>\n

In the early 1990’s, there were 12,000 performers at Disneyland. It was a huge challenge to rehearse and to move all those people (especially the high school students!)<\/p>\n

\"In<\/a>

In 2005, Disneyland scaled back to 600 performers and went back to the Main Street Train Station<\/p><\/div>\n

Then, there’s the Christmas at Disneyland Festival, in 1956 it was “Christmas from Around the Globe” and included…<\/p>\n

\"Sheep<\/a>

Sheep shearing…<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wonder<\/a>

Wonder what in the world this sheep is thinking!?<\/p><\/div>\n

Another year, there was a circus (not popular with the guests!)<\/p>\n

\"Lady<\/a>

Lady on an elephant… Don’t you love those Mouse Ears?<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Circus<\/a>

Circus tents<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Inside<\/a>

Inside the circus tent<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Parade<\/a>

Parade with LIVE animals<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Christmas Tree in 1956, a live tree, nothing like the extravagant concoctions of these days<\/p><\/div>\n

Then for the next few years, Disneyland celebrated Christmas with a Parade of Toys (this was the debut of the toy soldiers, a couple of youtube videos here<\/a> & here<\/a>)…<\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

It also included the “Disneyland Big Bass Drum”<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Toy<\/a>

Toy Soldiers!<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Really goofy looking reindeer during a Christmas Parade at Disneyland – that kid doesn’t look too happy!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Changes<\/a>

Changes to Disneyland Reindeer throughout the years<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

The dancing gingerbread men have also changed over the years<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Toy<\/a>

Toy Soldiers, then and now<\/p><\/div>\n

Entertainment at various Disney Theme Parks around the World…<\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Hong Kong Disneyland celebrates with an Ice Festival<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

not sure which theme park this is from… but doesn’t Santa look rather precarious in that seat?!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

We think this is from Tokyo Disneyland<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

This is either from Tokyo Disneyland or Hong Kong Disnelyand<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Disneyland Paris (live reindeer!)… you can see the Lights of Winter overhead, they originated at Disneyland Paris and are based on Italian tradition<\/p><\/div>\n

Christmas Trees! Disneyland was the last park to have live trees (1995), the current Disneyland Christmas Tree has 62,000 LED lights<\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Disneyland 1961 (live tree)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Disneyland Christmas tree (1995)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Disneyland Paris (notice, real snow!)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Tokyo Disney Sea celebrates Christmas<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then, before the Big A** Hat, and now, before you enter the theme park)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Hong<\/a>

Hong Kong Disneyland (we think!)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Holiday decorations from various theme parks<\/p><\/div>\n

Other seasonal things…<\/p>\n

\"It's<\/a>

It’s not a tree… did you know that Disneyland has\/had an animal display that included live reindeer and live turkeys?<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

(really don’t know where in the world this is…)<\/p><\/div>\n

Castle Dream Lights around the World (not just Walt Disney World!)…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a><\/p>\n

\"D23<\/a>

OUR Castle, Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a><\/p>\n

A few last photos of other “Disney” holiday things…<\/p>\n

\"Fake<\/a>

Fake snow at Downtown Celebration, Florida<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Decor<\/a>

Decor at Castaway Cay<\/p><\/div>\n

\"from<\/a>

from Disneyland Paris<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Living Nativity 1975-1994 at Downtown Disney, event was so popular that they had to stop doing it (traffic jams and inadequate parking)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Decorating at Fort Wilderness<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

More guest decorations at Fort Wilderness<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Ditto<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

One of our personal favorites, we remember seeing this when we stayed at Fort Wilderness with Big Al, Harry, & Sandy<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

This is more the level of our decorations that year…<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Seasonal overlays – Nightmare Before Christmas<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Haunted Mansion at Disneyland<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

It’s a Small World Afterall – Disneyland again<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

more holiday overlay, including CAKE<\/p><\/div>\n

\"D23<\/a>

Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland<\/p><\/div>\n

Shawn Slater, Communications Manager, Disney Creative Entertainment – “What’s New for the Holidays”<\/h4>\n

Well, he couldn’t really tell us much because then there’d be no surprise.<\/p>\n