This Day in Disney History

This Day in Disney History: The Final Episode of The Mickey Mouse Club (1959)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 11:52:00 -0400

On September 25, 1959, the original Mickey Mouse Club aired its final episode on ABC, ending four seasons of the Mouseketeers — Annette Funicello, Bobby Burgess, Cubby O'Brien and the rest — hosted by Jimmie Dodd, after a renewal dispute between Disney and ABC ended TV's first great kids' variety show. Plus: Disney's Newsies: The Musical world-premiere opening night at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011, with Alan Menken, Jack Feldman, and Harvey Fierstein.

This Day in Disney History: Mickey, Donald and Goofy Go Ghost Hunting in Lonesome Ghosts (1937)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:55:00 -0400

On September 24, 1937, Disney released Lonesome Ghosts, the 98th Mickey Mouse cartoon, starring Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as the Ajax Ghost Exterminators. With voices by Walt Disney himself, Clarence Nash, and Pinto Colvig, four bored ghosts prank-call the trio — and the molasses-and-flour ending became the blueprint for Disney's playful spooks, all the way to the 1969 Haunted Mansion.

This Day in Disney History: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Thunders Into Magic Kingdom (1980)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:05:00 -0400

On September 23, 1980, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad debuted at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida, Imagineer Tony Baxter's runaway mine train and the wildest ride in the wilderness. Plus: Mickey Mouse stars in Brave Little Tailor, the 1938 Academy Award-nominated cartoon.

This Day in Disney History: Lost Crashes Onto ABC (2004)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:52:00 -0400

On September 22, 2004, ABC premiered Lost, the J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof drama that became the most expensive TV pilot ever made, drew 18.6 million viewers, and ran six seasons. Plus: the Disney+ docuseries Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom premieres in 2020, and a baby giraffe is born at Disney's Animal Kingdom on the very same day.

This Day in Disney History: The Space Shuttle Endeavour Flies Over Disneyland (2012)

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:57:39 -0400

On September 21, 2012, thousands of guests watched the Space Shuttle Endeavour's farewell flyover above Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, riding a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to its final home at the California Science Center. Plus: the 1970 premiere of Monday Night Football on ABC, the opening and closing of EPCOT's IllumiNations, and the birth of Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones.

This Day in Disney History: Disney and James Cameron Team Up for Avatar Land at Animal Kingdom (2011)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:56:00 -0400

On September 20, 2011, Disney CEO Bob Iger and James Cameron announced an exclusive partnership with Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox to bring Avatar to Disney parks, leading to Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom with Avatar Flight of Passage and Na'vi River Journey. Plus: Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away opens in the U.S. in 2002 and the We the People All-America Parade debuts at Magic Kingdom in 1987.

Welcome to This Day in Disney History

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:09:00 -0400

Meet Alex and Jordan and hear what the daily five-minute trip through Disneyland history is all about.

This Day in Disney History: September 19

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:04:11 -0400

Alex and Jordan revisit September 19, 1959, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was barred from visiting Disneyland, plus the 2000 home video release of The Little Mermaid II. AI Generated

This Day in Disney History: September 18

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:04:00 -0400

Alex and Jordan look back at September 18, 1986, when Michael Jackson's Captain EO premiered at Disneyland, plus the 1987 premiere of DuckTales. AI Generated