January 27th was Disney’s 100^th Anniversary! Can you believe it? It’s been a century since Walt Disney started his dream to be a successful animator and cartoonist. Before Mickey Mouse, starting in 1927, Walt Disney created the animation short, ‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’, nearly a century ago. It was in 1923 when Walt Disney left his job at the Kansas City Film Ad Company. He then founded the Laugh-O-Gram Films Studios with the help of his friend Ub Iwerks, a gifted animator. Walt Disney started making cartoons with the ambition that everyone will enjoy his work. It was a long and difficult journey to success but a century later today, Disney has become a household name. Walt Disney’s many innovations include the first cartoons with synchronized sound, the first full-length animated feature film and, of course, the theme park that later came into existence. His most famous creation, ‘Mickey Mouse’, is a universally recognized cultural icon.

So, what is Disney doing to celebrate their 100^th anniversary? Well, Disney has announced year-long celebrations to commemorate the milestone. The new Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway ride also opened January 27, 2023. There are going to be parades, new firework shows, and additional rides added at Walt Disney World as well. Additionally, LEGO has also released new sets in honor of the anniversary featuring the first Disney characters: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Tinkerbell. Of course, with Disney loved all over the world, let’s see what people here at GP have to say about Disney.

From ‘Cinderella’ to ‘Mulan’, there are variety of Disney princesses that people have come to love in the movies. For junior Kate Webb, that is also the case. She said that her favorite classic Disney movie is Beauty and The Beast. “She is my favorite princess and it’s just really nostalgic for me and so it’s comforting to watch.” Webb also shared some special memories from visiting Disneyland when she was younger. “I have been to Disneyland three times but the first time I went there was when I was five, and it was just a lot of good memories. I went with my grandma so that was really fun. I also grew up watching Disney, so it was really cool to see all the characters there,” Webb said.

Freshman Madilyn Kim is another student who loves Disney but has a different favorite movie. “My favorite Disney movie is Aladdin because Aladdin is really charming, and Jasmine is really pretty. I really like the plot of the movie as well. Also, Aladdin is really hot too,” Kim said while laughing. “I remember when I was younger, I went to Disneyland with my parents, and we stayed up really late to watch the Aladdin parade. I also watched Aladdin on Broadway, so it was really cool,” Kim said.

Blake Koski is a student whose favorite movie is Toy Story 2. At first, he was confused whether the movie was Disney or Pixar. Pixar had merged with Disney on Jan. 24 in 2006, so the conclusion was that Toy Story 2 can be considered Disney. He also shared what he thought of Disney’s 100^th anniversary. “I think it’s really cool that it’s Disney’s 100^th anniversary. It’s amazing how they’ve been around for 100 years, and even today, people also really love Disney movies. I have some amazing memories watching Disney movies when I was younger. I hope that Disney can continue for another 100 or more years,” Koski said.