Disneyland 35th Anniversary Celebration (1990)

1990 marked a year long celebration for the 35th anniversary of Disneyland. TV star Tony Danza hosts this star-studded experience from the Magical World of Disney on NBC. Guest stars include the cast of Cheers, the Muppets, Ernest, Charles Fleischer, President Ronald Reagan, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and C3PO. Many of these figures had a reason to be there. Cheers was the highest rated show on television at that time. Tony Danza was the star of the popular sitcom Who's the Boss. Will Smith was about to launch his own sitcom the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Ernest was enjoying a multi-picture deal with Disney. The Muppets were about to merge with Disney. Charles Fleischer was a comedic actor who'd been the voice of Roger Rabbit and appeared in Back to the Future Part II. President Reagan had just completed his two terms at President of the United States and had co-hosted the opening day festivities at Disneyland in 1955. There was a lot of cross market synergy at play here. On top of that, this special was directed by John Landis.

For a time, TV specials like this on network television were a staple of the Walt Disney Company in both celebrating their historical milestones and their new releases this 35th celebration of Disneyland was typical for the time. It's like a scrapbook of what the park and pop culture was like at the time. Audiences today have no idea how revered Walt Disney’s history was back then when many of the people who’d participated in it were still with us. It’s certainly not like this anymore under Woke Disney.

Original air date February 4, 1990

Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.