2006 Disney Year in Review

[darth_deetoo]

Well, the year is almost over, and what's been the Disney highlight for all forum members this year?

For me, things got off to a fairly inauspicious start, but with the promise of big things as I had a family holiday to look forward to at Disneyland Paris. I hadn't been to the resort for 12 years, and then only spent a day and a half in the main Disneyland Park (Walt Disney Studio's wasn't even open at that time).

When I went to Disneyland in March, it got me started on a wave of collecting Disney memorabilia, and I've since collected several figurine's and plushes, and my Disney DVD collection has grown larger.

Pride of the collection is definitely 3 Armani figurines of Belle, Ariel and Briar Rose, and I intend to buy more next year. I've also got a large collection of plushes which grew from Mickey, Donald and Goofy brought back from Paris.

The next big Disney moment was when I found out that Beauty and the Beast was touring the UK, and at the last minute got tickets to see it at a local theatre. I was absolutely spellbound, as Beauty and the Beast was always my favourite Disney movie, and Belle is my favourite Disney Princess.

Next, I started planning a return trip to Disneyland for next year, with the intention to spend my birthday at Disneyland!

The Little Mermaid appeared in October, my second favourite Disney movie and my second favourite Princess - Ariel.

And finally in November, Disney on Ice toured the UK, with the perfect theme - Disney Princess Classics. My favourite Disney movies, celebrated in a stunning ice show.

It's definitely been the year of Disney for me, and the past year has reopened my eyes to Disney magic.

A couple of months ago I bought a new LCD TV, but hadn't really had time to watch too much on it because I was studying for exams, but now, as we approach the end of the year, and with the countdown starting to what I intend to be an annual pilgrimage to Disneyland, I'm about to revisit many of the Disney Classics on my new TV, and enjoy the magic, and get myself in the mood for another great Disney year.

How about the rest of you? What Disney tales have you got to tell this past year?

[Dottie]

My Disney year was pretty exciting too.

I went to Walt Disney World for 2 days in April and had a wonderful, magical time there with my parents, and I bought many Disney DVDs and other Disney stuff (like a Belle perfume ).
Then in October the big day finally arived when TLM was released as a Platinum Edition and I ended up with two copies of it .
I watched many Disney movies this year and they made me as happy as they always do. It was a good year.

[PixarFan2006]

While I did not go to Disney World, this year was a pretty good Disney year.

Lady and the Tramp, and The Little Mermaid debuting on Platinum Edition DVD were only one big highlight.

The biggest highlight for me was that I went to see a stage touring of The Lion King way back in February.

[jeremy88]

My Disney year in 2006

Well I started my Disney animated classics collection about a year and a month ago, and since then I got 31 of the classics on DVD, I hope to finish by summer, then Im gunna start getting the sequals, only the ones I like though...

Aladdin and Alice in Wonderland re-sparked my interest in Disney movies, when I bought them in November of 2005.

Lady and the Tramp February 28th 2006 was a fun day for me. Because It was the first time I got excited that a new Disney Classic was being released and I actually new about it! (Except for Snow White I knew about that one because my mom bought it in 2001)

October 3rd 2006 The Little Mermaid was released and I was extremly excited because thats one of my favorite Disney movies of all time.

November 10th 2006 I went to Disneyland to celebrate my 18th birthday, and was excited because I hadnt gone in 3 years. It was fun but since it was veterans day weekend it was EXTREMLY crowded. So I think im going again the summer and hopefully it wont be so crowded

Well Thats my Disney Year in 2006, its been a fun one. I have a feeling 2007 is going to be even better.

[numba1lostboy]

The highlight of my Disney year was definitely logging on to UD and seeing lighthousemike's information about the Peter Pan PE! I was incredibly excited.

Other highlights include:
-This fall was the first time I have taken collecting the Disney classics on DVD. I'm still not even half-way there, but I'm definitely off to a great start.
-Seeing POTC: DMC. Love it.
-Collecting all the muisc from all the animated classics.

[Gurgi30]

My year started out with me finding out that there was a whole lot more to this great website than just a Disney Treasures page (that's how I discovered Ultimatedisney.com). I'm so glad I did.

With the birth of my second daughter in August we, the four of us and my parents, went to Disney World in September for the first time since 1999. It was a great trip and we're already planning to go again.

I came close to finishing my Walt Disney Treasures collection. I have only to get Goofy and I'm done until next year. It was a great year for Disney DVD's with the Treasures and Legacy lines, the continuation of the platinum series, and continuing to collect DVD's I don't have yet.

I discovered Studio Ghibli for the first time. I now have three of them on DVD and I'd like to collect the rest.

My Disney year 2006 was fantastic.

[Disney's Divinity]

- Lady and the Tramp.
- Although I was disappointed with the DVD itself, at least I finally have TLM on DVD.
- Dead Man's Chest. Turned out to be a lot better than everyone else told me it was. The first 20 minutes were "Oh, was that supposed to be funny?" but it picked up after that. I also thought the movie lacked a proper beginning, but that's probably just me.

[NarniaDis]

The Highlight would deff. be Going to Disney - Tokyo on my trip to Japan.

other than that PIRATES - what more can be said...

[brownie]

- Spending my sixteenth birthday at Cinderella's Royal Table in her castle
- Also spending 6 ENTIRE days (24/7) in Disney World
- Getting my first WDCC figurine
- Buying lots of figurines (not Armani or WDCC), vinyl banks, snowglobes, and other collectibles
- Building up my pin collection at the parks (there are still only 11 or 12 in my collection, but whatever)

[Loomis]

Great idea for a thread, darth_deetoo.

2006 has actually been a very good year to me, but I'll just focus on those things that were Disney related. (Although I must say that my 2005 trip to Disneyland and subsequent photos prompted me to lose a LOT of weight this year).

I literally kicked off the year with a Disney film, watching Chicken Little on New Year's Day in Sydney. It was one of the hottest days in memory, with temperature reaching as high as 45o C. It was also so windy that it felt like a hot blow-dryer in your face on high. The time spent in the cinema, albeit brief, was enjoyable and cool!

The year plodded along with very little result, as years do, but it was around March that we decided to plan and book our trip to Hong Kong Disneyland.

While we were waiting, the April cinema release of Eight Below made us both cry for pets long gone.

June's release of Cars was disappointing, being perhaps my least favourite Pixar film to date. (However, that didn't stop me from buying the Limited Edition tin in October!)

In July, I helped launch HKDL Source, a Hong Kong Disneyland web site that I am very proud to be a part of. We were the first major English-language Hong Kong Disneyland fansite to come out, so I'm also proud of that fact. It was also the month that I saw what is easily one of my favourite films of the year, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. It was a busy time indeed, as I moved house later than month, taking my new copy of Lady & the Tramp with me.

In September, I not only celebrated my 6th anniversary with my girlfriend, but Hong Kong Disneyland celebrated its First. I was in Hong Kong at the time, and visted the park just after the celebrations for 3 nights, staying in Disney's Hollywood Hotel. A true gem of a Disney hotel in Art Deco/1930s Hollywood style. The site I mentioned above has details of that trip. (On a personal note, it was also the month that I managed to secure a new job).

October saw not only the release of The Little Mermaid, my favourite 'classic classic', but the screening of a short film I wrote on Australian TV. The latter is not Disney, but I couldn't help myself.

December saw me get the Walt Disney Treasures - Wave 6 after several misfires with the postal service. My girlfriend also bought me a collection of Disney Comics for Christmas. It also became the biggest month every for our website, with the announcement of three new attractions for 2007/2008 in HKDL.

[Kenai]

You also forget, this year saw the very first digital releases of Talespin, Darkwing Duck and Adventures of the Gummi Bears on Disney DVD!

[musicradio77]

Here is my year in Disney review of 2006:

1. I saw "Chronicles of Narnia" and it was good.
2. Jeff from Houston launched "The Meandering Mouse" and the DPN
3. "Mousepod" where Jesse talks about the Disney films in order. That lasted four episodes, not a good podcast for "Mousepod"
4. "Mouse Lounge" was launched.
5. Several of my favorite Disney podcasts "Inside the Magic", "Mousetunes", "Window to the Magic" and others that I listened frequently.
6. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was an excellent movie. I enjoyed it so much in theater as well as I'm watching on DVD.
7. The new Walt Disney Pictures logo was launched, but the old logo from 1985 still shines on direct-to-DVD releases like "Bambi 2", "Brother Bear 2" and "Fox and the Hound 2" as well as the Platinum Edition of "The Little Mermaid".
8. "Everything Disney Podcast" with Luke Manning debuted.
9. My very own podcast "Disney and More" debuted, but I will be hosting my podcast starting in January. Stay tuned for further announcements.
10. I did my own podcast on the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney's death. My mom, brother and my uncle loved it.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Well, with Aaron's latest podcast, I feel in the mood to list my favorite Disney moments of 2006:

5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was released in theaters. Well, it was actually released on December 2005, and I saw it on New Year's Day so even my experience was technically 2005, but it was still such a magical way to begin the new year. It was of course a great movie, and gladly picked up the 2-Disc set. Still need to pick up the 4-Disc though.

4. Seeing The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D. My dream of finally seeing this masterpiece in theaters finally came true, and the 3-D was a great extra. Which lead to a whole "Nightmare" year for me with merchandising. What an excellent way to spend the 13th anniversary of a mindblowing classic.

3. My Disneyland Trip: I think that sort of speaks for itself.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean! And when I say that, I mean everything Pirates, from seeing Dead Man's Chest twice in theaters, experiencing the enhanced ride(which can be found in more detail in that link) from playing the music in Marching Band at my school, and getting the 3-Disc DVD for Chirstmas. Can't wait for At World's End in 2007, but unlike this year, I'll be attending my first midnight showing and be among the first Pirates fans to find out how Captain Jack and Captain Barbossa come back.

1 And finally *drumroll* Getting the Great Animated Classic; Chicken Little, on DVD. While sadly, the DVD itself was disappointing, the film is a magical and even divine piece of artwork we must treasure and getting it on DVD itself was a memorable highlight worth mentioning. Here's hoping for that 10-Disc set for 2007.

Okay, who predicted my #1 choice?

Of course those are just my top 5, there are also honorable mentions which include:

The Ultimate Pleasure on Ultimate Disney: With memoarble moments such as the UD's Annual Movies and Forums awards, many informative reviews by out moderator cast, participating in my first Secret Santa and even finding out some of the darkest secrets of the forum(such finding out the "cheesy one" doesn't wear pants!).

The Creation of The Disney Podcast Network/The Return of ZADDP: Which has captured my imagination with the many great sounds of Disney and cUH-RaZY podcasters. And finally, not Disney, but how I can I not mention finally getting an i-Pod?

Meet The Robinsons Trailer: Gotta be one of the funniest trailers ever. Bring on MTR for 2007!

Walt Disney Treasures/Walt Disney Legacy Collection: I actually started collecting WDTs! I have four so far, hope to get many more latter, including this current wave! And while I have yet to dive in for WDLC, just the news that Disneyland: Secrets, Stories and Magic is FINALLY coming to DVD made my year. I'll even be more excited when I have it in my hands next year.

Lady and the Tramp Platinum Edition: While not my favorite Animated Classic, and could've had more features, it's still always noteworthy when a new Platinum is released. While I didn't care too much for it before, and it's still not my all-time favorite, it has grown on me and enjoy it quite a lot. Some nice(but still lacking) features as well. Can't wait for Peter Pan and The Jungle Book next year!

[MK Sharp]

The highlight of 2006 for me was the announcement, anticipation, release and delivery of More Silly Symphonies, which filled some major gaps in my collection of Disney shorts. I've been trying to see most of films on this set for the best part of 20 years; so the ability to gorge myself by watching all of them in decent quality in a single day was pure bliss.

For sheer delightful unexpectedness, the return of Oswald The Lucky Rabbit to the Disney fold has to be up there too. Welcome back Ozzie, all is forgiven. Now to sit back and wait for the probable DVD highlight of 2007...

[dalmation134]

My Disney year:
1. I saw the musical The Lion King. I was awestruck.
2. I went to Disneyland in April, and I rediscovered how much I loved Disney.
3. I was away from the summer, but when I came back I still had that hunger for everything Disney. I then bought the Little Mermaid.
4. After the Little Mermaid I purchased the Fox and the Hound, one of my favorites.
5. I also saw The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D, and it was fantastic.
6. I then bought Robin Hood and The Fox and the Hound 2

I guess thats all.

[Simba3]

This was a pretty great Disney year for me as well. It all began in January when I saw "The Lion King" Broadway tour. The show was amazing and a great start to a wonderful year. In February came the Platinum Edition release of Lady and the Tramp. I love this movie and was very happy to add it to my collection. The summer brought Cars to the theater and the Dumbo Big Top Edition as well. Fall of 2006 was HUGE for Disney DVD's: The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition release, The Fox and the Hound 25th Anniversary Edition, Cars DVD release, and finally Robin Hood Most Wanted Edition! In my opinion this was a great year for Disney, especially for my personal collection.

In 2007 I am looking forward to: Peter Pan and The Jungle Book Platinum Edition releases.

In 2007 I am anticipating/hoping for: Hercules 10th Anniversary Edition (2 disc), THe Aristocats (1 disc)

[DisneyFreak5282]

My Disney Year in 2006 was kinda light:


1. I built a bulk of my Disney DVD Collection - I purchased 11 out of 23 Disney DVDs.

2. I joined UD!

3. I sucessfully completed a GameStop transfer of a Disney DVD that I have never owned on DVD or VHS - the Limited Issue of 101 Dalmatians (thanks to brotherbear).


In my opinion, 2005 was more exciting.