Somewhere, deep inside the Disney castle walls, everyone is huddled around a large, gilded table. The velvet, wingback seats are occupied by all the different Disney characters: from glittery Tinkerbell to demi-god Maui; they’re all celebrating, getting ready to blow out a hundred glowing candles. Understandably, their celebration is one for the history books, since most corporations nowadays live for a decade and then they vanish into obscurity. Disney, however, has lived through the Great Depression, a World War, The Cold War, the changes of the late 20th century, and the evolution of animated movies. This feat is quite formidable, and in the passing of Oct.16, which marked Disney’s 100 year anniversary, the company decided to share their side of the celebration with the world.
To kick off the anniversary, on Oct. 16 Disney released a short film on their streaming platform, Disney+. The short film consists of bringing all of their characters to life within the real world, symbolizing the imperial magic and transcendent significance of Disney. Additionally, the corporation is releasing new merchandise: which include new sets of clothing and limited edition figurines.
But the celebrations don’t end there: Disney is also inaugurating many new rides at their Adventure parks. Some include the Journey of Water: a walkthrough reincarnation of Moana’s world; Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: a musical and ingenious boat ride; and many other rides that have already opened, such as: TRON lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
All of these additions to Disney’s repertoire of tricks and magic are only a physical manifestation of the corporation’s magnificence and long lasting legacy. Their endurance and tangible presence in every kids’ life is one of the reasons as to why Disney is so positively peculiar and sublime. The way their movies and characters touch kids’ innocence one way or another and allow them to form memories they will cherish forever out of thin air, is a thunderous tool that allows them to remain at the top of their game.
The centennial celebration serves to show that following big dreams over decades of passionate devoutness to their work and an imprint stemming from someone’s genius can lead to a very beautiful, multi-layered company that is not only culturally significant, but also a place that houses loving childhood memories.
