Transcript Disney History seen through Disney License Plates

The History of Disney
told through
Disney License Plates
Stephen Garner
www.disneylicenseplates.com
DLP HISTORY
 Subjectivity of Information for Disney
License Plates
– No factual information exits
– No data is maintained by the Disney Company
or Disney Archives
 Information Sources
– Cast Members
– Auction site sellers
– Collectors
DLP HISTORY – 1923
 Walt Disney Productions is founded by Walt
and Roy Disney on October 16th
– Originally know as the Disney Brothers Cartoon
Studio
– Copyright used on most license plates until
1986
DLP HISTORY – 1926
 At Roy Disney’s suggestion, the company
changed its name to the Walt Disney
Studios shortly after moving into the new
studio on Hyperion Avenue in Los Angeles
DLP HISTORY – 1929
 The original partnership formed in 1923 is
replaced by Walt Disney Productions, Ltd.
– Three other companies, Walt Disney
Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company,
and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are
also formed.
DLP HISTORY – 1930’s
 Walt Disney Enterprises
created
– Entity of the Disney
Company handling the
licensing of merchandise
during the 1930’s
– Consolidated into Walt
Disney Productions in 1938
DLP HISTORY – 1938
 Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film
Recording Company, and Liled Realty and
Investment Company are merged into Walt
Disney Productions
DLP HISTORY – 1940
 Disney corporate head quarters, Walt
Disney Studios, is built in Burbank,
California
DLP HISTORY – 1952
 WED (Walter Elias Disney) Enterprises is
formed
– Design and development organization founded
by Walt Disney to develop Disneyland
– Became Walt Disney Imagineering in 1986
DLP HISTORY – 1955
 Disneyland opens
– It wouldn’t be until the 1960’s that license plates
are produced
 Even then they were only bicycle plates!
– The State of California requires both a front and
rear license plate on vehicles, making souvenir
plates unmarketable at the time
DLP HISTORY – 1955
 License Plate Frames were the only
marketable items in the way of license plate
merchandise at Disneyland
DLP HISTORY – 1955
 Disneyland Hotel opens
– Formerly owned by the Wrather Corporation
 Purchased by Disney in January 1988
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1960’s
 First known license plates are produced
– Series of 6 bicycle plates
 Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald & Snow White
 Produced by the Louis Marx Company
 Walt Disney Productions copyright
DLP HISTORY – 1966
 Walt Disney dies
– Before his death, he was planning the
Experimental Prototype Community of
Tomorrow (EPCOT) in Florida
 EPCOT was to help solve the country’s urban
problems
 This would later become Walt Disney World
DLP HISTORY – 1967
 The Reedy Creek Improvement District is
created by the Florida legislature with
certain governing powers, encompassing
the newly purchased property for the
planned Walt Disney World park.
DLP HISTORY – 1970
 First known full size (6” X 12”) plate is
produced
– Walt Disney World (WDW) pre-opening plate
– Sold at WDW Preview Center 1970-1971
– Controversial release due to color and style
DLP HISTORY – 1970
– Plate was removed from sale and replaced due
to its look-a-like appearance to the official State
of Florida plate
DLP HISTORY – 1970
 A color change eliminated the problem
 WDW proves to be the starting point of
producing license plates, as only one plate
is required on vehicles in the State of Florida
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 Walt Disney World opens
– First plate released after the park opened is a
character plate featuring Mickey, Minnie,
Donald, Goofy and Brer Bear
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 WDW’s Contemporary Resort opens
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 WDW’s Polynesian Resort opens
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 WDW’s Fort Wilderness Resort &
Campground opens
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 WDW’s Disney Village Resorts open
– Vacation Villas (now demolished)
 Later know as the Townhouses -1977
 Torn down to make way for Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
– Treehouse Villas – 1975
– Fairway Villas -1978 (now demolished)
– Club Lake Villas – 1980 (now demolished)
 Later know as Club Suites and the Bungalows
– Grand Vista Homes (now demolished)
– All Villas and the Homes became the Villas at the
Disney Institute in 1996
– No plates have been produced for any of these resorts
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 The telephone service for WDW is started as the
Vista-Florida Telephone System and was operated
by Disney and United Telephone System
– In February 2001 the Vista-United Telecommunications
company was dissolved as it was purchased by the
Smart City Telecommunications (SCT) Network
DLP HISTORY – 1971
 WDW holds its first Golf Classic tournament
– Tournaments have been held every year since
– License plates issued to identify tournament
participants and members
– First use of plastic license plates
DLP HISTORY – 1971
– WDW Golf Classic Club issues plates to its
members
 Classic Club members can play along side of the
pros during major tournaments
DLP HISTORY – 1972-1975
 WDW produced only a few plates
– Likely caused by the problems with the WDW
pre-opening plate
– Plates were not yet popular souvenirs or
collectible items
DLP HISTORY – 1973
 WDW’s Golf Resort opens
– Became the Disney Inn in February 1986
– Became the Shades of Green Resort in
February 1994
 For military and DOD personnel only
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1974
 Treasure Island located in WDW’s Bay Lake
opens
– Becomes Discovery Island in 1977
– Closed in 1999 after the opening of the Animal
Kingdom
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1975
 WDW’s Lake Buena Vista Village opens
– Shopping complex
 Became Walt Disney World Village - 1977
 Became Disney Village Marketplace - 1989
 Became Downtown Disney Marketplace – 1996
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1975
 WDW’s Treehouse Villas open
– Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the
Vacation Villas
– Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in
1996
– Still in existence, but no longer available to the
public
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1976
 Disney celebrated the U.S. Bicentennial with
the America on Parade event
– Unique plate released at both Disney parks
(Disneyland and Walt Disney World)
– Not park specific, this was the first souvenir full
size plate sold at Disneyland
DLP HISTORY – 1976
 River County, WDW’s first Water Park opens
– River Country closed in 2001 due to lack of
popularity caused by the newer water parks
DLP HISTORY – 1978
 WDW’s Fairway Villas open
– Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the
Vacation Villas
– Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in
1996
– Demolished, no longer in existence
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1980
 WDW’s Club Lake Villas opens
– Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the
Vacation Villas
– Became Club Suites in 1989
 Became the Bungalows when integrated into the
Disney Institute Villas in 1996
– Demolished, no longer in existence
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1981
 WDW starts releasing plates on a regular
basis, starting with the EPCOT Center preopening plate
DLP HISTORY – 1982
 EPCOT Center, WDW’s second park opens
DLP HISTORY – 1983
 Tokyo Disneyland opens
– No plate releases until 1988
– Japan has very strict regulations for license
plates used on vehicles
DLP HISTORY – 1983
 Premier Cruise Line was the "official cruise
line“ for Disney
– Premier operated from 1983 to 2000
– Marketed cruises as part of a land/sea vacation
package including visits to Walt Disney World
– In 1995 Disney decided to start its own cruise
line and ended its relationship with Premier.
DLP HISTORY – 1985
 Disneyland turns 30
DLP HISTORY – 1985
 Disneyland’s first full size plate is released
– First Disneyland park specific plate
– Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the park
– Starts a series of yearly plates that feature
Mickey and Sleeping Beauty Castle
DLP HISTORY – 1985
– Disneyland license plates carried a Warning
Notice on them regarding prohibited use
– This warning can also be found on early WDW
plates
DLP HISTORY – 1985
 Oldsmobile becomes a sponsor of the WDW
Golf Classic
– Remains a sponsor through 1997
DLP HISTORY – 1986
 Walt Disney Productions corporate name
changes to The Walt Disney Company on
February 6th
DLP HISTORY – 1986
 WED Enterprises changes its name to Walt
Disney Imagineering
DLP HISTORY – 1986
 WDW celebrates its 15th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1988
 Company D Stores established
– Exclusive stores selling merchandise to Cast
Members
 First store opens at Disneyland in 1988
 Second store opens at Walt Disney World at the
Team Disney building in 1991
 Third store opens in Epcot in 1992
DLP HISTORY – 1988
 WDW’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opens
– Formerly known as the Grand Floridian Beach
Resort
– Name changed in 1997
DLP HISTORY – 1988
 WDW’s Caribbean Beach Resort opens
DLP HISTORY – 1988
 Tokyo Disneyland 5th Anniversary
– Unique item produced
 Is it a plate or serving tray?
–
–
–
–
Embossed (stamped)
No bolt holes
¼” lip border
6½" X 13" in size
DLP HISTORY – 1989
 Disney-MGM Studios, WDW’s third park
opens
DLP HISTORY – 1989
 Pleasure Island opens at WDW
– Adult entertainment complex
– Becomes part of Downtown Disney in 1997
DLP HISTORY – 1989
 WDW’s Swan Resort opens
– Operated by Westin Hotels
DLP HISTORY – 1989
 WDW’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park opens
DLP HISTORY – 1989
 WDW issues its first Lodging Resort plate
– Featuring the Fort Wilderness Resort
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 Last of the Disneyland year series is
produced
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 Disneyland celebrates its 35th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 WDW’s Dolphin Resort opens
– Operated by Sheraton Hotels
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 WDW’s Yacht Club Resort opens
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 WDW’s Beach Club Resort opens
DLP HISTORY – 1990
 WDW issues its first Cast Member license
plate
– Features the opening of the MGM Studios,
WDW’s third park
 CM plates are distributed by Cast Activities
or the Company D Stores
DLP HISTORY – 1991
 WDW celebrates its 20th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1991
 Star Spangled Celebration is held at
Disneyland and Walt Disney World
– Both parks released a license plate
DLP HISTORY – 1991
 WDW’s Port Orleans Resort opens
– Merged with Dixie Landings Resort in 2001
– The combined resorts became the Port Orleans
Resort
DLP HISTORY – 1991
 Disney Vacation Club is started
– A time-share vacation property
 Since 1991, six DVC properties at WDW have
opened
 Two other DVC properties, one in Vero Beach,
Florida and one in Hilton Head, South Carolina,
brings the total number of DVC properties to eight
DLP HISTORY – 1991
 WDW’s Disney Vacation Club Resort opens
– 1st DVC Resort at WDW
– Renamed Old Key West Resort in 1996
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland opens
– Now known as the Disneyland Paris Resort
– Plate was sold in the U.S. Parks
– Most of the Euro Disney and Disneyland Paris
plates produced have a “Made in the U.S.A.”
marking
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel
Cheyenne opens
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel
Santa Fe opens
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel
New York opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris)
Newport Bay Club Hotel opens
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris)
Disneyland Hotel opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Davy
Crockett Ranch opens
– Formerly known as Camp Davy Crockett
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris)
Sequoia Lodge opens
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris)
Disney Village opens
– A shopping, dining and entertainment complex
– Formerly known as Festival Disney
– Name changed in 1996
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 EPCOT Center celebrates its 10th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1992
 WDW’s Dixie Landings Resort opens
– Merged with Port Orleans Resort in 2001
– Combined resort will be known as the Port
Orleans Resort
HISTORY – 1993
 Tokyo Disneyland celebrates its 10th
Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1993
 Euro Disney plate line expands
– Featuring themed lands and attractions within
the park
DLP HISTORY – 1993
 Disney Company forms Anaheim Sports, Inc.
– Wanting to add sports to its entertainment
attractions in California
– Mighty Ducks Hockey franchise is started
– First few plates issued carried a Disney copyright
 Later issues were copyrighted by the NHL
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 EPCOT Center becomes Epcot
– “Center” is dropped from the name
– Letters are lower cased
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 WDW’s Pleasure Island celebrates its 5th
Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 WDW’s All-Star Resort opens
– All-Star Sports opened in April
– All-Star Music opened in November
– All-Star Movies opened January 1999
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 WDW’s Wilderness Lodge opens
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 The Town of Celebration is established
– First residents move in, 1996
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 The NFFC, a Disney Fan Club, releases a
10th Anniversary plate honoring Disney
DLP HISTORY – 1994
 Euro Disney formally changes its name to
Disneyland Paris
 Disneyland Paris Hotel Resort plates are
issued
DLP HISTORY – 1995
Disneyland turns 40 and produces it last plate
for the 1990’s
DLP HISTORY – 1995
 Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Hotel opens
– Built in 1984 as the Pan Pacific Hotel
– Purchased by Disney in 1995 and renamed the
Disneyland Pacific Hotel
– Renamed to Paradise Pier Hotel in October
2000
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1995
 WDW’s Speedway opens
DLP HISTORY – 1995
 WDW’s Blizzard Beach Water Park opens
DLP HISTORY – 1995
 Vero Beach Resort in Florida opens
– DVC Resort
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 WDW celebrates its 25th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 The Disney Institute opens
– A new type of resort offering enrichment classes
in the arts, culinary, sports and recreation
 The resort closes in July 2003 due to lack of
popularity
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 Villas at the Disney Institute in WDW open
– Formerly the Disney Village Resorts and the
Vacation Villas
 Included the Bungalows, The Townhouses,
Treehouse Villas, Fairway Villas and the Grand Vista
Homes
– Closed July 2003 to make way for the Saratoga
Springs & Spa DVC Resort
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 WDW’s Boardwalk Inn opens
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 WDW’s Boardwalk Villas open
– 2nd DVC Resort at WDW
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 Hilton Head Resort in South Carolina opens
– DVC Resort
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 First known Specialty plate is produced
– Designed as a give-a-way to guests staying at
the Polynesian Resort during its 25th
Anniversary
– The Polynesian Resort was one of the two Hotel
Resorts opened with the WDW park in 1971
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 Disney purchases Gorda Cay, an uninhabited
island in the Bahamas
– Will be used as a stop-over for Disney Cruise
Lines
– Renamed Castaway Cay
 “Cay” is pronounced “Key”
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 Walt Disney Imagineering merges with the
Disney Development Company, the Disney
Company’s real estate development
subsidiary
DLP HISTORY – 1996
 Disney buys into the California Angels
Baseball franchise
– As Disney took over controlling interest, they
renamed the team, the Anaheim Angels
– Plates never carried a Disney copyright as MLB
held those rights
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 Epcot celebrates its 15th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 First WDW Magic Kingdom plate is released
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 Downtown Disney Complex opens
– Includes Pleasure Island, West End and the
Marketplace
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 WDW’s Wide World of Sports Complex
opens
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 WDW Hotel Resort license plate line
expands
– Creating Logo and Character plates for the
resorts
DLP HISTORY – 1997
 WDW’s Coronado Springs Resort opens
HISTORY – 1997
 Disneyland Paris celebrates its 5th
Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1998
 Animal Kingdom, WDW’s fourth park opens
DLP HISTORY – 1998
 Disney Cruise Lines makes its maiden voyage
– Disney Magic sails July 1998
– Disney Wonder sails August 1999
– Ships registry is the Bahamas
DLP HISTORY – 1998
 Disneyland Paris issues its last plate
– Plates were not popular souvenir items and
were discontinued
DLP HISTORY – 1998
 National Car Rental becomes the sponsor of
the WDW Golf Classic
DLP HISTORY – 1999
 Disney MGM Studios celebrates its 10th
Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 1999
 WDW starts replacing stamped aluminum
plates with plastic plates
DLP HISTORY – 2000
 Disneyland celebrates its 45th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 2000
 WDW celebrates the Millennium
DLP HISTORY – 2000
 Tokyo Disneyland Resort releases it first
true license plate
– Features “Mouse Ear” bolt holes to limit use
– Carried a Warning Label on back of plate
DLP HISTORY – 2000
 Tokyo Disneyland’s Disney Ambassador
Hotel opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2000
 Tokyo Disneyland’s IKSPIARI opens
– A shopping, dining and entertainment complex
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 WDW celebrates its 30th Anniversary
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Disneyland’s Downtown Disney opens
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 WDW’s Villas at Wilderness Lodge opens
– 3rd DVC Resort at WDW
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 WDW’s Animal Kingdom Lodge opens
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel opens
– First Disney Hotel Resort to be located inside a
theme park
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Tokyo Disneyland’s Disney Sea Hotel Mira
Costa opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Celebrating the birth of Walt Disney in 1901
with the 100 Years of Magic event
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Tokyo Disneyland releases the “Party
Express” plate
– Commemorates Walt Disney’s love of locomotives
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Disneyland resumes limited plate releases
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Disneyland’s second park, California
Adventure opens
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 Tokyo Disneyland’s second park, Disney
Sea, opens
– Twelve plates released, commemorating the
opening, all seven lands and three areas within
the park
DLP HISTORY – 2001
 The last WDW Golf Tournament license
plates are issued
– In 2002 plates were replaced with window
stickers, decals and placards
DLP HISTORY – 2002
 Walt Disney Studios Park Paris opens
– Second park for Disneyland Paris
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2002
 WDW’s Beach Club Villas opens
– 4th DVC Resort at WDW
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2003
 Mickey turns 75
DLP HISTORY – 2003
 WDW’s Pop Century Resort opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2003
 Disney sells the Anaheim Angels Baseball
franchise
– A year after the Angels won the World Series
DLP HISTORY – 2004
 WDW’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
opens
– 5th DVC Resort at WDW
– Built on the former Disney Institute grounds
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2004
 New York City World of Disney Store opens
– Former Disney Gallery location
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 Disneyland turns 50
– July 17, 2005
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 Hong Kong Disneyland opens
– 5th Disney Theme Park
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 Hong Kong Disneyland’s Disneyland Hotel
opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 Hong Kong Disneyland’s Hollywood Hotel
opens
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 First Dual-Sided plate appears
FRONT
BACK
DLP HISTORY – 2005
 Disney sells the Mighty Ducks Hockey
franchise
– Closing the door on Anaheim Sports, Inc.
DLP HISTORY – 2006
 Disney purchases Pixar Animation Studios
DLP HISTORY – 2006
 First Lenticular plate appears
– Provides an optical 3-D effect
DLP HISTORY – 2006
 First 3-D plate appears
DLP HISTORY – 2006
 “Year Of A Million Dreams” celebration
– October 1, 2006 to September 2008
– Held at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney
World
DLP HISTORY – 2006
 Disney Vacation Club turns 15
– DVC has grown to serve more than 350,000
individual members from more than 100
countries and all 50 U.S. states
DLP HISTORY – 2007
 Disneyland Paris turns 15
DLP HISTORY – 2007
 Villas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
open
– 6th DVC Resort at WDW
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2007
 Epcot turns 25
DLP HISTORY – 2008
 Walt Disney World’s Disney MGM Studios
becomes Hollywood Studios on January 7,
2008
– No plates have been produced
DLP HISTORY – 2008
 As of January 2008 there are 591
catalogued license plates
– 383 plates were issued at Walt Disney World
 65% of total plates
– Only 23 plates were issued at Disneyland
 .04% of the total plates
– 177 plates are made of plastic
 30% of total plates