Disney has begun its 100th anniversary celebrations by revealing a series of exclusive experiences, exhibitions, concerts and new products coming to Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) next year.
The preview of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder activities took place at a star-studded Disney100 Debut event in London last night (27 October), hosted by presenter Emma Willis. Fans including TV personality Jess Wright and singer Rachel Stevens were among those celebrating the milestone and enjoying exclusive performances from Disneyland Paris and The Lion King cast.
16 October next year marks 100 years since Walt and his brother Roy introduced the magic of Disney to the world.
The milestone will be celebrated through 2023 with a number of events including Disney100: The Concert, which will see Disney touring Europe with the Hollywood Sound Orchestra bringing to life Disney 100 Years of Wonder with a concert series of seminal music moments from its history.
The tour will feature songs from films including Beauty & the Beast, Mary Poppins and Encanto, as well as highlights from the worlds of Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel, accompanied by some of the legendary film scenes.
The UK-wide arena tour will run from 31 May to 8 June, taking in Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bournemouth. Meanwhile, the European leg will begin in Kiel, Germany on 13 April before going on to 16 other venues over three weeks across Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
The concert also travels to Europe’s biggest show venue – Paris’ La Defense Arena – on 11 and 12 November, while further European dates are due to be announced.
Meanwhile, Disney100: The Exhibition will aim to take guests on a journey through Disney’s past and will showcase hundreds of pieces of history including rarely seen original artefacts, costumes, props and other memorabilia. It will premiere in the US, starting in Philadelphia in February 2023 before going on to Chicago and Kansas City, with more locations to be announced.
The European premiere will take place in Munich on 18 April 2023, while it is due to come to London’s ExCeL in the autumn.
Wonder of Friendship – The Experience will be an immersive multi-sensory experience targeted at Gen Z and young adults. Opening in London, groups of friends will have the chance to venture through 1,000 square metres of different experiences and installations set across four rooms including Alice in Wonderland, Lilo & Stitch, The Lion King and Mickey and Friends.
It will take place between May and October 2023 across the UK, France, Germany and Spain, with more markets to be announced.
There will also be a global Wonder of Play campaign, encouraging families to play more by helping parents and guardians integrate imaginative play into everyday moments.
New merchandise collections and collaborations, meanwhile, will include a Platinum Collection of Disney100 products debuting on shopDisney including a Disney100 ear hat and headband. There will also be a Disney100 Decades Collection featuring products that celebrate classic stories and eras from Disney’s history. Launching early next year on shopDisney with products centred on the 1920s and Steamboat Willie, the ongoing series will celebrate the different decades and their stories from Snow White in the 1930s to Pinocchio in the 1940s and more.
“Anyone who has seen a child’s face light up watching Frozen or meeting Buzz Lightyear in real life knows the sense of wonder we are celebrating tonight,” said Nicole Morse, vp brand and franchise marketing strategy, Disney EMEA. “For 100 years, Disney has had the privilege of bringing our stories and characters into people’s lives and bringing joy to fans around the world. Tonight is the perfect way to kick off our 100th anniversary celebrations as we begin our second century of creating magic.
“We are so very grateful for our fans, and we can’t wait to bring all these Disney100 experiences to them here in the UK and across Europe, Middle East and Africa.”
In addition to all of the above, and building on Disneyland Paris’ 30th anniversary celebrations, 100 Years of Wonder will also come to life at the resort, starting with an exclusive moment during the New Year’s Eve party and followed by a ‘year of surprises’.
To mark the 100-year anniversary on 16 October 2023, guests will be treated to a one-of-a-kind entertainment programme, character performances and exclusive Disney activities throughout the day. After this date, additional, never-seen-before exclusive activities will also take place at Disneyland Paris as part of the Disney100 celebrations.
Disney will also be encouraging fans to share their favourite moments on social media using #ShareTheWonder and #Disney100.
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