Disneyland celebrates 100 years
One hundred years after the brothers Disney started their long-shot cartoon studio, the brand is an empire. The Walt Disney Company encompasses nearly ten decades of homegrown IP as well as three of the largest franchises in history: Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.
And if you’ve visited a theme park—forget about it. Disney wrote the book(s) on the modern amusement park. So how does a $200 billion company with so many disparate elements celebrate a century of pop culture innovation and influence? With two new night-time shows, a retro-tinged ride, platinum-infused decor, and heaps of merchandise, for starters.
On Jan. 27, Disney officially launched Disney100, its 100th anniversary celebration on the 500 acres of former orange grove known as Disneyland. There are six Disney parks worldwide; the Anaheim location is only the fourth largest. But for 16 years, until the 1971 opening of the 25,000-acre Disney World in Florida, the California destination was the one and only.
