ANAHEIM (News4usonline) – Disney is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And it has certainly been a celebration. Part of the year-round festivities has been a plethora of openings, re-openings and a presenting a fresh look at what Disney is doing differently to keep the throng of loyal customers and guests coming back for the magic.
That would also include first-time visitors as well. So, let’s take a look at Mickey’s Toontown as an example. The space inside the Disneyland Resort first appeared on the scene three decades ago.
Now, Mickey’s Toontown has gotten a revamped look that will hold a space that has been specifically designed or re-imagined for the kiddies. Basically, what Mickey’s Toontown does is allow children a safe haven where they can be themselves.
While the Disneyland Resort is essentially the Happiest Place on Earth with its family-themed atmosphere, Mickey’s Toontown gives young people that extra play area in the theme park to have fun.
“Mickey’s Toontown first opened 30 years ago, so there are generations of Disneyland Resort guests who have grown up with and made magical memories here,” said Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, who serves as the portfolio executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Walt Disney Imagineering set out to keep the essence of what makes Mickey’s Toontown special for so many, while evolving it for the coming generations of families who can’t wait to make new memories here.”
To show off the new look of Mickey’s Toontown, Disneyland Resort held a special media day kickoff for the re-opening of the area which sits next to Fantasyland and is squeezed next door to “it’s a small world.” Basically, it’s a perfect fit for Mickey’s Toontown to operate.
Reporters or members of the press got a firsthand look at the reimagined space that includes Mickey’s House, Minnie’s House, Donald’s Duck Pond, a Disneyland Railroad station, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
Strolling through Mickey’s House, you get a sense of nostalgia (Well, at least I did) in looking back at your childhood (for those 45 and up) walking by remnants of old cartoons and parts of the legacy that has made the Mouse what he is today. I almost felt like I was 10 years old all over again.
But I digress, I had to keep it together and not act like I was some wild-eye kid. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I try to keep the “there’s a time and place for everything” mantra stuck in my head.
My favorite part of the March 18 theme park excursion was hopping on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This is a really, really fun ride, not just for the little ones, but for the grown folks as well. It’s a really chill ride that everyone will enjoy.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway has some element of surprise to it, but it mainly serves as something along the lines as a combination of “it’s a small world” with a dash of pizazz from The Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It’s fun.
Guests no doubt will reap the benefits of the Disney Imagineering team doing their best to make the magic happen, but it wasn’t easy bringing all of this to reality.
“I think that our biggest challenge was truly staying true to what the original Toontown was,” said Sirene, a member of the Disneyland Imagineering team.
“So how do you make it more modern but then stay true to Toontown? I think that our creative directors did such an amazing job making sure that the land stayed true to what it was so Goofy’s House..How does Donald live? I think that was probably the hardest part.”
Dennis has covered and written about politics, crime, race, sports, and entertainment. Dennis currently covers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and Olympic sports. Dennis is the editor of News4usonline.com and serves as the publisher of the Compton Bulletin newspaper. He earned a journalism degree from Howard University. Email Dennis at dfreeman@news4usonline.com
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