Mickey Mouse’s 90th Birthday Calls for a Global Celebration

Disney’s arguably most beloved and iconic character, Mickey Mouse, turns a whopping 90 years-old this year, as his first public appearance was on November 18, 1928 in the short film Steamboat Willie. Business Wire reported that the Disney Company has big plans for celebrating this infamous mouse that has the potential to reach consumers in every corner of the globe. Disney owns resorts and theme parks in Hawaii, California, Florida, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo; this vast coverage of land the Disney Company reigns over will help to keep the excitement alive for Mickey Mouse all throughout the year.

Disney started the celebrations with a fashion show on March 7th that featured a Mickey-inspired selection created by the high-end fashion brand Opening Ceremony. This clothing and accessory line also features unique Minnie Mouse pieces, as she gained her own star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame this year. Following the runway of Disney-fied fashion will be a celebrity filled show on ABC with tributes in Mickey’s honor. In Disney Parks around the globe, there will be exclusive merchandise and shows centered around Mickey. To include the youth in this monumental celebration, Disney Channel will air its fifth season of the Mickey Mouse animated shorts, adding to over 90 episodes, with a special extended short about Mickey’s birthday later in the year.

The Disney Company has endured a long journey to attain the world-renowned name it currently possesses; it makes sense that the company would choose to create a year-long celebration around the up-beat character that has defined them and inspired them to continue making cherished films and theme parks that cultivate lifelong memories. Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly their most recognizable character. Plastering his name and image all over a limited-time supply of clothing and accessories will surely bring in a sizable amount of revenue as well as provide the company with marketing opportunities. Additionally, creating events that correspond with one another in different locations around the world is sure to encourage many people to visit one of their parks this year. Another brilliant way to reach people is through televised programs. I think that the ABC show and the Mickey Mouse shorts will reach millions of viewers that their merchandise and park attractions would not otherwise be able to reach.

Disney has been an integral part of my life: I cannot imagine a single day in my life when I have not had something Disney in my day. This company is dedicated to inspiring the lives of millions of people, which is why my respect and passion for this company is abundant. They have brought happiness to viewers for 90 years now, that was all started with a man and a mouse. For all of those who wish to celebrate this milestone with them, the company encourages fans to use the hashtag #Mickey90.

“Whether it’s as the hero of an adventure story; a teacher and friend; an icon on a watch, shirt, or hat — everyone knows Mickey Mouse.” – Warren Spector

Diversifying Disney

It has been a common notion accepted by many that Disney only adheres to the interests of young children, especially little girls who dream of becoming a princess one day. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely one of those little girls and I greatly admire Disney for inspiring millions of young girls to dream. However, Disney is initiating a critical change in targeted audiences: Disney is making an intentional move towards expanding their fan base to include a wider variety of individuals. This article from USA Today revealed that the Disney theme parks are adding new attractions inspired by Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar films.

At Disneyland in California and Disney’s HollyWood Studios in Florida, a brand new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land is expected to be open to the public in 2019. This is a very exclusive new addition, so Disney is releasing very few details. However, Disney revealed that a Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed hotel will also be created in Disney World. One of the creators explained that this hotel will provide a way for fans to eat, sleep, and breathe the wonders of the Star Wars world. Also, in Disney’s Epcot in Florida, the world’s longest indoor roller coaster will be built and will be inspired by the Marvel superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy. It will incorporate innovative technologies to give riders an experience like they have never had before.

In Disneyland in California, Pixar Pier will be debuted on June 23rd of this year and will include several new attractions inspired by the Pixar films Toy Story, the Incredibles, and Inside Out. Additionally, a land dedicated to the beloved Toy Story films is set to open June 30th at Disney’s HollyWood Studios in Florida. Across the globe in Disney theme parks, Disneyland Paris’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is changing its theme to Iron Man and the Avengers, Hong Kong Disney will get an Ant-Man attraction, and Tokyo Disneyland will get a new attraction based on the animated film Big Hero 6.

These three companies under the Disney umbrella have gained ample popularity in the United States and worldwide. I have no doubt that these new attractions will appeal to a large number of people that would have never considered going to a Disney theme park before these new and more inclusive additions. A large fan base means a greater amount of success for the Disney company. I have always viewed the Disney theme parks as a place where all people can find happiness; now, I am sure that other people will find this to be true as well.

After a Shaky 2017, Disney is Predicted to Regain its Balance

In an article from Madison.com, Disney’s dip in annual revenue, which has not happened in seven years, was contributed by two main factors: an abundantly successful 2016 for their film industry and a significant shift in TV-viewing away from cable towards online streaming services. However, investors in this entertainment powerhouse should not feel worried; Disney has sought out ways to mend their financial losses and evolve with their consumer’s needs.

Although Disney released some major blockbusters in 2016, they continued to have successful films in 2017, and have even more highly-anticipated films to be released in 2018, like Avengers: Infinity War and Solo: A Star Wars Story, that will continue their legacy of impressive film success. As for the increasing popularity of online streaming services, Disney has began creating their own streaming service, similar to Netflix and Hulu. This means that most Disney owned films and TV shows will be taken off of those other streaming services so that they can only be exclusively found on Disney’s new streaming service. This new online video business is expected to be released in 2019.

I think Disney has recognized that a great way to continue a strong fan base for their film industry is to continue creating film series along with new stand-alone films. The film series contain several movies that are released over several years which create a need for the viewers to continue going to theaters to see how the series will play out in the sequels. The new streaming service that Disney will release in 2019 is an excellent business move on their part. Disney has recognized that society and our culture are shifting to more online entertainment, therefore Disney is now adapting to their customer’s wishes. We have seen the huge success that Netflix and Hulu have had over the past few years, and I can only assume that Disney will also see very similar success.

Disney has been an entertainment giant for decades; this company has mastered the ability to evolve with society’s interests in order to continue satisfying their customers. I can only imagine the pressures that the Disney executives feel when going through a more difficult year, but from what this article reported, it sounds as though Disney’s business leaders have made strategic decisions that will advance them down a path to another year of success.