How Disney will celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday
Disney will celebrate Mickey Mouse‘s 90th birthday this year with a fashion show, a primetime television special, new Mickey Mouse shots and celebrations at Disney parks around the world.
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse both turn 90 on Nov. 18, 1928, the anniversary of Mickey’s film debut in “Steamboat Willie.”
The celebration kicks off March 7 with a runway fashion show featuring Mickey-inspired collection designed by Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lin and Humberto Leo.
The show, called “The Happiest Show on Earth” will close out fashion week celebrations around the world. Select items from the Mickey collaboration will be available for sale following the runway show at shopDisney.com.
Disney’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony will serve as the launch of “Mickey the True Original”—a global celebration of Mickey’s heritage, personality and status as a pop-culture icon.
Throughout the rest of 2018, the celebration will include:
• An ABC star-studded celebration of Mickey in honor of his birthday, with special guests, musical performances this Fall.
• Disney Channel will debut season five of the Mickey Mouse animated shorts, including a special seven-minute extended-length birthday episode that will air later this year.
• Disney Parks and Resorts around the world will celebrate Mickey’s 90th on Nov. 18, 2018, marking the day with commemorative merchandise, photo locations and more.
• Beginning in late 2018 and into 2019 the World’s Biggest Mouse Party, saluting Mickey and Minnie, will take place at Disney Parks worldwide.
• Disney On Ice will salute Mickey as the “True Original” host of Disney On Ice since its inception in 1981 by creating Mickey’s 90th pre-shows for productions touring the United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
• In France, 38 design and art schools will take part in “Mickey Is Art,” a contest in which students will craft works of Mickey, inspired by their favorite artistic movement. The winning designs will be displayed this summer in 12 major train stations in France and for sale this September at Galerie Glénat in Paris.
• Disney store will continue to celebrate milestone moments for Mickey Mouse with the Mickey Mouse Memories Collection (launched Jan. 2018), a monthly, limited-release series of 12 collectible plush, mugs and cloisonné pins inspired by Mickey’s most memorable movie roles.
• Disney Publishing Worldwide will introduce more than 30 titles globally as part of Mickey’s 90th, including books, arts & crafts and comics.
• D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and the Walt Disney Archives, in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios, have commissioned legendary Disney animator Mark Henn to paint Mickey’s official 90th birthday portrait. The new portrait will debut on the cover of the fall issue of Disney 23 quarterly publication.
• In November, D23 will present Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse, a two-day event at Disney World featuring panels, presentations, and entertainment.
