Just when you thought the vault of strange Disney Parks moments had been emptied, we’re back with another batch of delightful oddities, from super rare character sightings to an unexpected collaboration.
We last left off our Weird & Wacky photo escapades on a creepy (and one cute) note, now we’re back with a mixed lot of odd finds. Buckle up: even more weird, wacky, and wonderfully obscure moments are just ahead, revealing a different layer of magic from Walt Disney World.
Disney Takes a… Carnival Cruise?!
Once upon a time, long before Disney Cruise Line debuted in 1998, Walt Disney World had a “land and sea” vacation promotion with Carnival Cruise Line. It’s tough to believe today, but in 1995, Carnival was dubbed as “the most popular popular cruise line in the world”. My, how times have changed. This vintage print ad feels other-worldly now:
— Vintage Print Ad (available on eBay here)
Rare Characters to the Rescue
Did you know? Bernard, Bianca, Orville, Evinrude AND Penny once appeared in Magic Kingdom! 1977’s The Rescuers became one of Disney’s biggest successes for its time, which helped revive the animation studio during a challenging period. In fact, the film’s huge success convinced executives to NOT shut down the animation department. Talk about rescuing! It makes sense these characters once appeared and greeted guests a few years after Walt Disney World’s 1971 opening. If only we could see them out today!
Chicken Not-So Little
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is no stranger to promoting upcoming or new releases from Disney and its subsidiaries. From billboards for film and TV series hanging off show buildings, signs lining the parking lot, and film previews shown at the Walt Disney Presents theater, the synergy between movie theaters and this movie park is strong. But do you remember THIS? No, the sky isn’t falling, but that is a giant Chicken Little peeking over a soundstage near the Hollywood Brown Derby.
Just imagine yourself in 2005 walking near this at night… in the dark, with few people around… just the moonlight glaring off a giant chicken inflatable in a Disney park. Weird.
it’s Julie Andrews’ world, After All
Finally, we have an old still of the wonderful Julie Andrews (fresh off her Mary Poppins fame) casually riding it’s a small world solo. This is from the 1971 Walt Disney World grand opening TV special. The color story here is lovely; from the blues and whites of the boat and attraction’s dreamy finale scene, combined with Julie’s coral pink top. Just a spoonful of sugar…
That’s all for now, see you next time!
