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Thread: Korkis Korner: When Is a Disneyland Birthday NOT a Disneyland Birthday?

  1. #1
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    Korkis Korner: When Is a Disneyland Birthday NOT a Disneyland Birthday?

    When Is a Disneyland Birthday NOT a Disneyland Birthday? by Jim Korkis

    Jim looks inside the cake for what the company has and hasn't done to celebrate.

    Read it here!


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  3. #2
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    I think it's just stupid that they will no longer celebrate each park's anniversary or birthday individually. I don't get the mentality.

    John

  4. #3

    They've been saying this for some time now, but its not exactly strictly enforced...We were at EPCOT during its 30th in 2011, and they still had a few celebrations going on despite this same rhetoric at the time.
    There was a number of guest speakers, a tribute at the American theater, and lots of merchandise to commemorate the time. People were waiting in long lines for pins and T-Shirts.

    By the time Nick and I got around to it, there was only 2 or 3 designs to choose from--not that I don't like the one I got.

    Hopefully it will continue for these more significant 10s of years, official or not.

    Joey

  5. #4

    My favorite part of the 40th birthday celebration was the $40 40-day pass, where you could go and collect a unique trading card each day for 40 days (with a bonus card for the opening of Indiana Jones on day 41.) I still have all the cards I collected during that time. One of my girlfriends had a limited annual pass, and opted to get the 40-day pass so that she could get all of the cards. I can only imagine what the crush of humanity would look like if Disneyland did that promotion - or one of the prize promotions - in today's annual passholder heavy environment.

    It's interesting that having so many passholders probably does affect how they celebrate birthdays and such. I can't imagine the gift-heavy promotions for the 30th and 35th being repeated today, but passholders are probably more willing that one-time visitors to buy merchandise commemorating "events" and it seems like Disney is leaving money on the table by not acknowledging them at all. I don't think this year's 59th Birthday needs to be any big deal, but 10s and 25s seem worthy of celebration - and an excuse for Disney to get folks to there parks without opening a whole new land.


  6. #5

    I was sort of wondering why I didn't see too much for animal Kingdom's 15th last year.

    I wasn't expecting it to be like a higher year for other parks (I was at DL 35th right after high school and thought it was really nice, didn't make it to the 50th DL celebration, wish I had), but I was just thinking like a tee shirt or special magnet sort of acknowledgement. Wasn't sure if it was my timing (was there in May) or something else. Maybe it was a combination of my timing and the official policy. I know I wasn't there too close to the actual AK opening day anniversary.

    -Dave

  7. #6
    Registered User Tinker44's Avatar
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    My first trip to Disneyland happened to coincide with the 30th birthday celebrations, and while I do remember the "gift giving machine", I was too young and too awestruck to really understand. I was a much more worldly 14 year old the next time I returned and by chance, it was the 35th birthday celebration. I remember we got a LOT more in the way of merchandise! The silver buttons, the sweatshirts and I have a plush Mickey in this satiny outfit that is somewhere between a track suit and a disco outfit! I remember the Party Gras parade which was WONDERFUL! I can still remember the music! By that point, my family had decided that there was clearly something to this 5-year cycle, and we decided that it would be our new goal to be there for the Disney birthdays!!

    Fate intercepted us from returning for the 40th... and when I met my fiance, I told him in no uncertain terms that we were going to Disneyland sometime in 2000... no ifs ands or buts about it. Good thing he was as much of a Disney-nerd as I was! And so we made our trip a second Honeymoon and celebrated Disney's 45th! As we packed up that last evening of that trip, we had already agreed to return for the 50th, with kids or without, it didnt matter! And luckily, we DID return for the 50th, and we brought our 4.5 yr old Princess back with us! That Happiest Homecoming concept was probably the most brilliant thing I have ever seen Disney pull off! I still cry when I hear the soundtrack for "Remember... Dreams Come True". I cried when my daughter outgrew the shirt I bought her... but I laugh now because I thought ahead and bought a ladies x-small of the royal blue v-neck with the embroidered Mickey/Minnie on the chest (I had one in my size). So on our Disney days, my now-13 year old Princess and I wear matching 50th shirts!

    The Princess and I returned for Disney's 55th, and I was quite shocked at the utter lack of merchandise (then again, this was Dec 2010). It was almost like there was no acknowledgement of the birthday! I saw one hat with the 55th logo, and it was on someone's head, not in the shop. After reading the article above, now I understand why. (I don't like it, but I understand it). Having only ever visited during anniversary years, I thought that dated merchandise was saved for "special occasions". Since our trip in 2010, I have now learned that every year gets its own logo and special merchandise. I don't know when this practice started, but again, I do understand it! I loved the 2013 merchandise, but looking at the 2014 merchandise, it feels a bit "recycled". It will be interesting to see what they come up with for 2015, and if it will mention the 60th anniversary AS WELL.

    Faith Trust and Pixie Dust!
    Disneyland '85, '90, '00 and DLR '05, '10, '13, '14 and 2017


  8. #7

    There was also a 24-hour party for Disneyland's 30th Birthday on July 17, 1985. That party still sets the "Gold Standard" of what a Disneyland party should be, IMO.


  9. #8

    Sorry, Birthdays are celebrated for people. A park does not have birthdays. They have anniversaries.

    I am never excited to celebrate the "birthday" of an inanimate object.


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