The legacy of Walt Disney -- his creativity and spirit of adventure -- will inspire a year-long celebration featuring special events, new attractions and sparkling new live entertainment at all four Walt Disney World theme parks beginning Oct. 1, 2001.

The 100 Years of Magic Celebration marks the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth on Dec. 5, 1901.

“The emotional connection that our guests have to the Disney legacy of innovation, imagination and family entertainment, combined with new entertainment and attractions, will make this our most magical celebration ever,” said Walt Disney World President Al Weiss.

Paying homage to the extraordinary show-business contributions of Walt Disney, 100 Years of Magic will be centered at Disney-MGM Studios, which will unveil The Sorcerer’s Hat, a new 122-foot-tall icon celebrating Disney magic and entertainment wizardry.

Major entertainment spectacles also are planned for all four Walt Disney World parks:

Disney-MGM Studios guests will be treated to “Disney Stars and Motor Cars” -- a daily parade of outrageously customized cars loaded with favorite characters. And for the first time ever, cherished memorabilia from the Disney archives will be open to viewing by the general public at “Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream,” a multi-media tribute to Walt Disney, the man.

Life-sized snow globes will capture the magic and charm of Disney characters from a child’s point of view in “Share a Dream Come True,” a new Magic Kingdom parade.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be alive with color and pageantry during presentations of “Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle” -- the first true Disney parade created for the newest Walt Disney World theme park.

New characters called dream-spinners and a colorful new float called the Dream Catcher will be part of the makeover that transforms the hugely popular Epcot procession “Tapestry of Nations” into “Tapestry of Dreams.”

The celebration also will feature new theme park attractions and shows such as The Magic Carpets of Aladdin in the Magic Kingdom; Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!, featuring TriceraTop Spin and Primeval Whirl, in Disney’s Animal Kingdom; and “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!” in Disney-MGM Studios.

As the celebration draws closer, more attractions and entertainment will be announced.

All four theme parks will feature the fascinating stories behind the Disney magic at computerized kiosks. Guests can play their way through a treasure trove of information that shows the heritage behind the family-entertainment fun of today’s Disney parks.

Even special merchandise being created for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration will carry on the Disney legacy of innovation. Disney’s Magical Moments pins, available for purchase by guests, will put on a mini-light show -- like magic -- at surprise moments, interacting with live entertainment, attractions and interactive kiosks.

Walt Disney was born in Chicago on Dec. 5, 1901. His motion picture milestones were many, beginning with the “birth” of Mickey Mouse in a 1928 short titled “Steamboat Willie,” which included synchronized sound on film for the first time in an animated motion picture. He pioneered animation as a form for feature-length motion pictures with the creation of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and turned animation into a cinematic symphonic concert through “Fantasia.” He pioneered creation of the multi-plane camera, which recently earned him a place in the Inventors Hall of Fame.

Disney’s landmark family-entertainment ventures also included classic television programming such as “The Mickey Mouse Club,” “Davy Crockett” and “The Wonderful World of Disney,” which continues today. With the opening of Disneyland in California in the 1950s, Disney began a theme park empire that now spans the globe. Through animated films, live-action features, television, theme parks and even Broadway, Disney’s legacy of imagination and entertainment lives on.

“Nearly everyone can remember when they were first touched by the magic of Disney,” Weiss said. “Here at the resort that bears Walt Disney’s name, we’ll give them a chance to share those memories and make new ones.”

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