The Disneyland Resort is a theme park resort in Anaheim, California, run by the Walt Disney Company. The first park, Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. The second theme park in the resort, Disney California Adventure, opened on February 8, 2001. The resort also includes three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment district called Downtown Disney.
Attractions[]
- Muppetland was a proposed takeover of the park by the Muppets that never came to fruition.
- A picture of Jim Henson, Kermit the Frog, and other Muppets is hanging in the exit hallway of Disneyland's "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" attraction as part of a gallery of influential Americans in the "Spirit of Imagination" section.
- Muppet*Vision 3D, an attraction that originally opened at Walt Disney World in 1991, opened in Disney California Adventure in 2001. It had previously been rumored for inclusion at Mickey's Toontown section of Disneyland and later a replacement for the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show, but neither plan came to pass.[1] This version of the attraction closed permanently in 2014.
- In 2005, as part of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary, the Happiest Homecoming on Earth, a photomosaic of Kermit as the Scarecrow and Miss Piggy as Glinda from The Muppets' Wizard of Oz was situated in Disney California Adventure near the entrance to Muppet*Vision 3D.
- From February 13 through March 4, 2007, the Muppet Mobile Lab made several test runs at Disney California Adventure.
- The Muppet Experiment, an "Alternate Reality Game", was held online and at the Disneyland Resort in December 2008.
- In 2010, theme park versions of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Sweetums appeared in Disney's Honorary VoluntEars Cavalcade parade at Disneyland.
- That same year, Kermit, Piggy and Fozzie Bear pumpkin decorations were displayed at Big Thunder ranch for Halloween.
- In Fall 2011, Miss Piggy appeared at the end of Mickey's Costume Party Cavalcade at Disneyland.
- On December 31, 2011, the Muppets' 2009 cover video of Bohemian Rhapsody was projected onto the mist screens along the Rivers of America at Disneyland as one of the "Random Acts of Disney" during the park's New Year's Eve party. (YouTube)
- In October 2021, a section of "Happy Haunts Materialize: The Art of the Haunted Mansion" exhibit found at Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln began to display props and scenery from Muppets Haunted Mansion.[2]
- For the 2021 "Disney Merriest Nights" event, the Muppets appear in a live Christmas show aboard a Main Street Omnibus refitted as the "Muppets Christmas Caroling Coach," carrying Gonzo, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Sam Eagle and Pepe the King Prawn down Main Street U.S.A.
- The Muppets have also appeared on merchandise created specifically for the Disneyland Resort, including pins, Christmas ornaments, Vinylmation, and Pook-a-Looz.
Appearances[]
- In 1990, Miss Piggy and Gonzo spoke with Tony Danza and the Three Little Pigs over a video conference provided by C-3PO and R2-D2 on the Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration television special.
- Kermit, Miss Piggy and Gonzo hosted the Disneyland coverage of the 2004 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.
- In August 2009, The Muppets visited the parks to film commercials for the Give a Day. Get a Disney Day. campaign. Attractions featured in the television commercials and internet spots included, from Disneyland, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, King Arthur Carrousel, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mark Twain Riverboat, and the Main Street Fire Engine, and from Disney California Adventure, Toy Story Midway Mania!.
- Kermit appeared in a May 2011 web video reporting from the "black carpet" at the world premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides at Disneyland. The end of the video included a teaser for The Muppets. (YouTube)
- The 2021 Disney+ special Muppets Haunted Mansion is based on the classic Disneyland attraction "The Haunted Mansion."
- Sam the Eagle appeared in a web video commemorating Independence Day from outside Disneyland City Hall, shared on the Disney Parks TikTok on July 3, 2021, and the Muppets' own social media accounts the following day.
- Animal appeared in a video, posted to social media on July 13, 2021, where he goes on a holiday shopping spree in a Disneyland gift store. The video is part of the Disney Parks' "#HalfwaytotheHolidays" campaign. (YouTube)
- Fozzie Bear appeared in a commercial for the Disney Magic Makers sweepstakes that was filmed outside the Main Street Magic Shop. The video was uploaded to Disney Parks' social media accounts on July 15, 2021. (YouTube)
- Fozzie Bear appeared in a video promoting the Jungle Cruise refurbishment posted on August 10, 2021 where he took comedy advice from a Jungle Cruise Skipper aboard her boat. (YouTube)
References[]
- When Kermit hosted The Tonight Show in 1979, he mentioned that the Muppets went to Disneyland, and that the guard at the gate refused to let them out. Kermit adds that the Disneyland trip was an ego trip for him, especially when he saw that Mickey Mouse was wearing a Kermit wristwatch.
- In episode 317 of The Muppet Show, during Kermit's introduction to the closing number, he refers to Disneyland as "our favorite country."
- The Muppet Show episode 520 guest-starred Wally Boag, a Disneyland performer from the Golden Horseshoe Revue who made several references to his Disneyland presence, and performed several of his Disneyland acts in the episode.
- In Episode 1923 of Sesame Street, Big Bird asks if everyone in the world gets older. David confirms this by listing various different places, including Disneyland.
- Kermit, Fozzie, and Robin take a trip to Disneyland in the August 14, 1982 Muppets comic strip. Robin is set on capturing Mickey Mouse as a souvenir for his friends.
- The Dinosaurs episode "Variations on a Theme Park" spoofed Disneyland as WESAYSOLAND.
- In the Farscape episode "Crackers Don't Matter," John Crichton says, "Oh, no one's going anywhere, not even to Disneyland."
- Crichton, this time a figment of Zhaan's imagination, says, "Hasn't exactly been a trip to Disneyland for us, either," in the Farscape episode "Dream a Little Dream."
- Crichton, in the novel Farscape: House of Cards, compares the amount of happiness he's observing on the planet Liantac to that of Disneyland.
- At the 2009 D23 Expo, Pepe appeared in a video in front of the Muppet*Vision 3D building, mentioning some Disney theme park attractions that could be changed to be centered around him (YouTube). In another video, Pepe and Gonzo are trying to figure out the secret to Disney magic. Fozzie, who says he "interstudied" (presumably referencing the study abroad organization Interstudy) at the Country Bear Jamboree (former attraction, 1972-2001), deduces that part of it is the magic element "Sala kadula", leading to a brief rendition of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" from Cinderella.
- In a 1989 episode of Sesame Street, Oscar the Grouch reads the story of "Snow Grouch"; one of The Seven Dwarves comments after their day at work that he'll "never get used to that electric parade", a reference to the "Main Street Electrical Parade" (in which the Seven Dwarves marched).
- In The Muppets, Veronica keeps a picture of her children in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland on her desk.
- Jim Henson once said, "I love Disneyland. It's like one of my very favorite places. Disneyland and Disney World I think are so beautifully done."[3]
- In a 2014 interview for the Disney Parks Blog, Kermit named the Muppets' favorite attractions: "Miss Piggy loves Sleeping Beauty Castle so much, she tried to sublet it. And Sam Eagle can't get enough of the Enchanted Tiki Room. (It’s a bird thing.) Fozzie, of course, loves the Jungle Cruise – he always brings a notebook so he can write down those jokes told by the guides. (Funn-ee!) Gonzo is a big fan of Space Mountain. There's nothing he likes better than flying through the air in total darkness. And as for me, I've loved It's a Small World ever since I first saw it at the New York World's Fair. Very catchy tune, too."[4]
Downtown Disney[]
Downtown Disney is the district in the Disneyland Resort that is host to a number of shopping, dining, and entertainment venues.
Connections[]
- Jason Alexander voiced Weevil Kneevil in the "Its Tough to Be a Bug!" 3-D film at Disney California Adventure
- Walter Cronkite was a host in the "Back to Neverland" film in the Animation Screening Room (2001-2004) at Disney California Adventure
- Whoopi Goldberg voiced a caricature of herself in the Superstar Limo ride (2001-2002) and starred as Califia in the "Golden Dreams" film (2001-2008) at Disney California Adventure
- Neil Patrick Harris voiced the safety spiel (2010-present) for the California Screamin' roller coaster at Disney California Adventure
- Jeremy Irons was the narrator in the "Seasons of the Vine" film (2001-2008) at Disney California Adventure
- Michael Jackson starred in the "Captain EO" 3-D film (1986-1997, 2010-2014) at Disneyland park
- Nathan Lane voiced Tom Morrow in Innoventions at Disneyland park
- Cheech Marin voiced Chili in the "Its Tough to Be a Bug!" 3-D film
- Steve Martin worked at Disneyland as a teenager in the Main Street Magic Shop and would host the "Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years" film (2005-present) at the Main Street Opera House
- Rosie O'Donnell is a co-host in "The Bakery Tour" film at Disney California Adventure
- Karen Prell animated Buzz Lightyear for the video sequence at the end of the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride at Disneyland park
- Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Sebastian in The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure ride at Disney California Adventure
- Joan Rivers voiced a caricature of herself in the queue of Superstar Limo (2001-2002) at Disney California Adventure
- French Stewart voiced The Termite-ator in the "Its Tough to Be a Bug!" 3-D film at Disney California Adventure
- John Tartaglia provided live action reference for the updated (2009-present) Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show at Disneyland park
- Patrick Warburton hosts the safety video in the Soarin' Over California attraction at Disney California Adventure
- Robin Williams was a host in the "Back to Neverland" film in the Animation Screening Room (2001-2004) at Disney California Adventure
Sources[]
- ↑ Jim Hill Media, "A Special Weekend Edition of Why For?" by Jim Hill, November 5, 2004.
- ↑ "Photos: “Muppets Haunted Mansion” Exhibit at Disneyland’s Main Street Opera House", Laughing Place, October 18, 2021.
- ↑ Disney Legends tribute reel"
- ↑ Ehrbar, Greg. "Sights and Sounds of Disney Parks: Kermit Talks About Disney and the Muppets", Disney Parks Blog. February 20, 2014.