American Magic: A Different History of Disney

[OldNavy1988]

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Released by Hemdale

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Released by RKO Radio Pictures

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Released by Universal Pictures
Produced by Gemini Animation

The Incredibles

Released by RKO Radio Pictures
Produced and directed by Brad Bird
Animation by RKO Animation (formerly Murakami Wolf Swenson)

VOICES
Craig T Nelson as Bob Parr/Mr Incredible
Holly Hunter as Helen Parr/Mrs Incredible
Sarah Vowell as Violet Parr
Spencer Fox as Dashiell Parr
Eli Fucile as Jack Jack
Sam Jackson as Frozone
Jason Lee as Syndrome
Elizabeth Pena as Mirage
Brad Bird as Edna Mode

National Treasure

Released by Walt Disney Pictures
In the minds of many, Nicolas Cage is a national treasure himself.

Donkey Kong

Released by Grand Diamond
Produced by Ruby Spears

VOICES
Michael Chiklis as Donkey Kong
James Franco as Diddy Kong
Jim Cummings as Cranky Kong
Joy Tanner as Candy Kong
Damon D'Oliveira as Funky Kong
Rachel Leigh Cook as Dixie Kong
Brad Garrett as King K Rool​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Two years ago, The Walt Disney Company acquired ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc for about $4.5 billion USD.

Since then, Disney chairman Barry Diller (above; left) appointed the creatively talented Aaron Fechter (above; right) to the top of SBPT, clearing the way for the Rock-afire Explosion's comeback tour. Under-performing Chuck E Cheese locations were phased out and converted to a resurrection of the ShowBiz Pizza concept. It wasn't just a matter of window dressing. The overhaul was much more major. The quality of the pizza and other food items was revamped by the same chefs Disney uses for theme park eateries. Additionally, Disney's resources afforded Fechter and his staff vastly improved animatronic technologies to be implemented for the stage shows at all CEC and Showbiz locations.

The Rock-Afire Explosion

The thirty six cities Fechter selected for the roll-out, with locations opening on January 1, 2005, are as follows:

Brooklyn, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Philadelphia, PA
Boston, MA
San Francisco, CA (at the Metreon)
Oakland, CA (Green Day parodies played at this location)
San Jose, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Seattle, WA
St Louis, MO
Kansas City, MO
Dallas, TX
Cleveland, OH
Orlando, FL (at Downtown Disney)
Tampa, FL
San Diego, CA
Cincinnati, OH
Pittsburgh, PA (at Progressburgh)
Jacksonville, FL
Baltimore, MD
Charlotte, NC
Miami, FL
Washington, DC
Detroit, MI (at Motor Kingdom)
Minneapolis, MN
Milwaukee, WI
Buffalo, NY
Indianapolis, IN
Anaheim, CA (at Downtown Disney)
San Antonio, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Portland, OR
Nashville, TN

Billy Bob Brockali

Chuck E Cheese is getting major upgrades too.

Most of the major upgrades to the chain, apart from higher quality food, is higher quality voices for the chain's stage shows.

CEC and SHOWBIZ PIZZA VOICES
Eric Bauza as Chuck E Cheese
Rob Paulsen as Jasper T Jowls
Maurice LaMarche as Pasqually
Russi Taylor as Helen Henny
Jim Cummings as Mr. Munch
Aaron Fechter as Billy Bob Brockali, Rolfe DeWolfe, Fats Geronimo, Earle Schmerle and Looney Bird
Duke Chauppetta as Dook La Rue
Rick Bailey as Beach Bear
Tress MacNielle as Mitzi Mozzarella​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Beyond the Sea

Seth MacFarlane as Bobby Darin

Beyond the Sea was a project that lay dormant for some time. As early as 1986, Barry Levinson wanted to produce and direct a project about singer Bobby Darin. It was Levinson's intention that he'd produce and direct the film while handing the screenwriting duties to a young Rachel Stone, who had been an entry-level production assistant on The Natural and Young Sherlock Holmes. Fast forward to the nineties and an rising star named Kevin Spacey expressed interest in playing the lead character. But then of course, Spacey was killed and some thought the project died with him. That is, until 2000 when Stone and Seth MacFarlane each struck gold with their respective animated series. That was when the project was dusted off to finally go into production. And the rest, they say, is history.

Released by Touchstone Pictures on January 7, 2005

Directed by Barry Levinson

Screenplay by Rachel Stone and Lewis Colick

CAST
Seth MacFarlane as Bobby Darin
Reese Witherspoon as Sandra Dee
Bob Hoskins as Charlie Maffia
John Goodman as Stephen Blauner
Brenda Blethyn as Polly Cassotto
Carolina Aaron as Nina Cassotto
Peter Cincotti as Dick Behrke
Matt Rippy as David Gershenson

MacFarlane's portrayal of Bobby Darin silenced skeptics and earned him his very first Oscar nomination.​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Former Nickelodeon executives Geraldine Layborne and Vanessa Coffey each plead guilty to accepting bribes from the former Trump Manhattan studio.
- Reuters

CBS to air recently unearthed interview with Walt Disney on 60 Minutes this spring.
- The Hollywood Reporter

Geffen Records confirms Backstreet Boys' new album for summer 2005 release.
- MTV News

Showbiz Pizza's big comeback raises Disney's stock price.
- The Wall Street Journal

 

[OldNavy1988]

Another Nicktoon makes its debut in 2005:

 

[OldNavy1988]

Racing Stripes

Released by Warner Bros

Coach Carter

Released by United Artists

Are We There Yet?

Released by Revolution Studios

Alone in the Dark

Released by Lionsgate

Hide and Seek

Released by 20th Century Fox​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Former Hanna-Barbera colleagues Stone and MacFarlane victorious on Oscar night!
- Variety

DiCaprio snubbed....again.
- The Hollywood Reporter

Best Picture: The Aviator (released by Hyperion)
Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Aviator)
Best Actor: Seth MacFarlane (Beyond the Sea)
Best Actress: Hillary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)
Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby)
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett (The Aviator)
Best Animated Feature: Steven Universe: The Movie
Best Score: Michael Giacchino (The Incredibles)

 

[OldNavy1988]

Pooh's Heffalump Movie

In February of 2005, Disney released Pooh's Heffalump Movie. This project ultimately turned out to be the last appearance of John Fiedler as the voice of Piglet. Fiedler passed away about four months after the film's release. Paul Winchell, the previous voice of Tigger, passed away the same week that Fiedler died. Up to this point, Disney's Winnie the Pooh adaptations have been roughly the same as OTL.

Directed by Eric Goldberg and Daniel Abbott

Screenplay by Brian Hohlfeld

Based on the characters created by AA Milne

Voices:
Narration by Ian MacDiarmid
Jim Cummings as Pooh and Tigger
David Ogden Stiers as Owl
Tom Kenny as Rabbit
Gregg Berger as Eeyore
Christine Ebersole as Kanga
Tara Strong as Roo
John Fiedler as Piglet
Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Christopher Robin
Kyle Stanger as Lumpy the Heffalump​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Hitch

Released by Revolution Studios

Boogeyman

Released by Republic Pictures

Because of Winn-Dixie

Released by 20th Century Fox

Cursed

Released by New Line Cinema

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

Released by Trimark Pictures

Meet the Fockers

Released by Universal Pictures in association with Geffen Pictures​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Fantasmic

Voice cast for the original 1994 version at DHS:
Wayne Allwine (Mickey)
Frank Welker (Oswald)
Eddie Carroll (Jiminy Cricket)
Kathryn Beaumont (Wendy)
Jackie Earle Haley (Kai; archival sound)
Helen Hunt (Gerda; archival sound)
John Vernon (Morningstar; archival sound)
Gabriel Damon (Littlefoot; archival sound)
Candace Hutson (Cera; archival sound)
Judith Barsi (Ducky; archival sound)
Corey Burton (Chernabog, Mr Smee)
Ann Jillian (Rapunzel)
John Cleese (Merlin)
Robert Downey Jr (Arthur; archival sound)
Cloris Leachman (Gothel, Madam Mim)
Seth Green (Peter Pan)
Daniel Abbott (Captain Hook, Sheev)
Jonathan Freeman (Jafar)
Eartha Kitt (Ursula)
Susan Blakeslee (Queen Grimhilde, Maleficent)
Tony Jay (Magic Mirror)

Disneyland Anaheim version (1996):
Wayne Allwine (Mickey)
Frank Welker (Oswald)
Kathryn Beaumont (Alice, Wendy Darling)
Judith Barsi (Anne-Marie)
Dom DeLuise (Itchy)
Burt Reynolds (Charlie)
Jim Cummings (Pooh, Tigger, Kaa, Cheshire Cat)
Daniel Abbott (Captain Hook, Hellhound, Scar)
Maurice LaMarche (Morningstar)
Seth Green (Peter Pan)
Corey Burton (Chernabog, Mr Smee)
Tress MacNielle (Skathi, Gothel)
Scott Weinger (Aladdin)
Robin Williams (Genie)
Jonathan Freeman (Jafar)
Gilbert Gottfried (Iago)
Ken Page (King Gator)
Robby Benson (Beast)
Richard White (Gaston)
Ed Gilbert (Baloo)
Devon Sawa (Mowgli)
Bob Joles (Bagheera)
Tony Jay (Shere Khan; Magic Mirror)
Susan Blakeslee (Queen Grimhilde; Maleficent)
David Ogden Stiers (Cogsworth)
Jess Harnell (Jungle Book vultures)
Mary Kay Bergman (Snow White)
Christine Ebersole (Cinderella, Aurora)
Ann Jillian (Rapunzel)
Jodi Benson (Ariel)
Paige O'Hara (Belle)
Linda Larkin (Jasmine)​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The iconic "Don't Panic" tagline used heavily in Hitchhikers' marketing campaign.

Released by 20th Century Fox on April 29, 2005
Based on the Douglas Adams book

Fox previously owned the North American rights to the 1981 BBC miniseries.

Sadly, Mr. Adams passed away four years prior to the film's release.

The film pretty much runs the same as OTL and was released to mixed reviews. Hitchhikers' box office performance was slightly better, with the only competition on its opening weekend coming from Warner Bros' Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

 

[OldNavy1988]

X-Wing Rogue Squadron
Released by Walt Disney Pictures on May 19, 2005

Cover of the official comic book adaptation.

Following the formation of the Rebel Alliance, Mon Mothma is faced with an undeniable galactic crisis; the construction of a super-weapon capable of destroying entire planets. Roland O'Nest was once a prominent Republic scientist until he is kidnapped by Imperial Officer Ric Faluski and is forced to help build the weapon that would come to be known as the Death Star. O'Nest's estranged daughter Charel joins the Rebel Alliance to steal the Death Star plans. This film is basically a fleshed out telling of the first Rebel victory hinted at in the crawl of the original Star Wars (re-titled on VHS releases as A New Hope). Just like in Rogue One, released eleven years later IOTL, this film ends right where A New Hope begins, with the Tantive IV being chased by the Imperial Star Destroyer.

Directed by
Don Bluth

Screenplay by
Kevin Smith

Story by
Kevin Smith
Daniel Abbott
Mike Gabriel
Eric Goldberg

Music by
John Williams

Voices
David Ogden Stiers as Roland O'Nest; Imperial scientist
Thora Birch as Charel O'Nest; Roland's estranged daughter, Rebel rookie
Chris Evans as Anto Nuchi; Rebel captain
Jim Cummings as Ruh'Gurr; Guardian of the Whills
Tom Hardy as Tobin Bandel; Former Imperial pilot who defects to the Rebels
Steve Buscemi as Ric Faluski; Imperial director of advanced weapons
James Franco as Glair Tarbett; Rebel mercenary
Dan Castellaneta as B-CMP; Former Imperial droid reprogrammed to serve the Rebels
James Earl Jones as Darth Vader
Ashley Drane as Princess Leia
Hayley Mills as Mon Mothma​

 

[OldNavy1988]

"Ric Faluski's force-choke death is the most satisfying scene in the film."
- The New York Times

"The movie was great and all, but audiences were more freaked out by the reveal of Whitey the Bronco in the Bonkers trailer."
- The Chicago Tribune

"The scene of the base getting vaporized by the Death Star's superlaser is the most jarring I've ever seen in a Disney film."
- Peter Travers; The Rolling Stone.

"Disney's decision to hire Kevin Smith to write the script caught many people off guard at first, but his writing is more than enough to silence the doubters."
- The San Francisco Chronicle

 

[OldNavy1988]

In early June 2005, Warner Parks opened its newest location along Gene Campbell Road in New Caney, TX. The new park didn't start out as a Warner Park. In fact, groundwork was originally laid by the now-bankrupt Trump Leisure. However, IRS troubles forced Trump to sell the half-finished park to Warner Parks. As a result, the planned 2004 opening was pushed back to 2005. Complicating matters further was a strike by a local Teamsters chapter who claimed Trump stiffed them on pay for a whole month.

Because they acquired the park when it was already halfway done, Warner Parks opened the new theme park without an official name for the first several months of operation. That lead the Houston Chronicle to call it "The Park With No Name."

When the park opened, there were five initial realms. The descriptions below are lifted from a Houston Chronicle newspaper clipping.
Special thanks to @HonestAbe1809​

Warner International aka WBX (formerly DJT International): The airport-themed land that serves as the entrance to the park. Has shops and restaurants following the airport theme. With the shops being duty-free shops and the restaurants either being a food court or a real-life version of the air travel themed restaurant from The Simpsons minus the intentionally dumb "turbulence" gimmick.

South of the Border: A Mexico-themed land with the local landmark being an Aztec temple. The E-Ticket of this realm is an inverted roller coaster called the Quetzalcoatl, aka the Feathered Serpent.​

Little Cologne: A German-themed land based on Kallstadt, ancestral home of the park's initial owner, a man recognizable by his wavy haircut.

Land of the Pharaohs: An ancient Egyptian themed land with the landmark being a replica of the Sphinx. The E-Ticket ride being a dark ride within the bowels of the Sphinx that's either a slow haunted tomb attraction or a fast-paced attraction like the OTL Mummy ride at Universal.

Dragon Kingdom: A Chinese-themed land based on the Forbidden City. The big E-ticket ride being a dragon-themed rollercoaster similar to Mortal Komat: Scorpion vs Sub-Zero at the Disney-Hyperion Studios.

A sixth land exists, geared toward kids aged twelve and under. Warner Parks licenses the American Tail and Steven Universe properties from Grand Diamond for what could be just a temporary realm. And then of course, you have Warner's classic Looney Tunes and Archie characters too.

The Park With No Name is a modest success at best. But with hurricane season approaching, it would be wise for Warner Parks to save its marketing push for the park until 2006.​

 

[OldNavy1988]

Image above from an OTL commercial for the park's 50th anniversary.

Festivities began with a ceremony held at the park's central hub on May 5, hosted by Disney chairman Barry Diller. Art Linkletter and Julie Andrews were on hand to give speeches to commemorate the milestone. Linkletter co-hosted the televised grand opening of the park back in '55 while Andrews was the official ambassador for the 18 month long celebration. A new rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" was sung by Harry Connick, Jr. A special song for the milestone, dubbed "Remember When," was written by Richard Marx and sung by Alicia Keys.

Also on that day, Disney's Imagineering department unveiled new renderings of a completely rebuilt and expanded Riverfront Square in St Louis. Riverfront Square's footprint will stretch southward from its current southern boundary on Walnut Street down to Clark Ave. On the southeast corner of Walnut and 8th Street will be a new parking garage, which should help solve parking issues that plagued Riverfront Square from its opening. The expansion of Riverfront Square will commence upon completion of the new Cardinals ballpark, starting in 2006. Completion should be around 2009 or 2010. What should be the 40th Anniversary of Riverfront Square in 2006 will be dedicated to planning ahead for the 50th in 2016.

BELOW: The Riverfront Square expansion site IOTL. Blocks 200, 300, 400, 500, 700 and 800 encompass RS's expansion. Blocks 100 and 600 will be used for RS parking.

New at Disneyland Anaheim this year are refurbishments of classic attractions like the Enchanted Tiki Room, the Jungle Cruise and Space Mountain. T2-3D: Battle Across Time and the Matrix virtual reality experience move from Horizon Spaceport to Cinemagic Park's new Hemdale Backlot. Also at Horizon Spaceport, Back to the Future, Star Tours and the ET Adventure get much needed facelifts, with the former two upgraded with randomized ride sequences. Mission to Mars is replaced by a west coast version of The Alien Encounter: Predators vs. Xenomorphs, licensed by New Line Cinema.

Another part of the 50th Anniversary celebration, a new nighttime spectacular called World of Color, taking its title from the anthology series. For this special extravaganza, the Sherman Brothers come out of retirement to write new songs, including a reworked version of the Wonderful World of Color theme. Mist screens are used to project the images, similar to the World of Color show that played at California Adventure IOTL.

Other than that, very little has changed at Disneyland since the 40th anniversary ten years ago.

New at Cinemagic this year is The Neighborhood of Make Believe, licensed by the estate of Fred Rogers. Daniel Tiger, rather than Prince Tuesday or King Friday, serves as the new realm's character ambassador.

There was also a television special that aired on the night of July 17, 2005 on NBC and Disney Channel simultaneously.

Host: Art Linkletter

Special Guest Stars
Weird Al Yankovic
Julie Andrews
Tom Hanks
Conan O'Brien
Rachel Stone
Ewan McGregor
Justin Timberlake
Johnny Depp
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Venus Terzo​