The History of Disney told through Disney License Plates Stephen Garner www.disneylicenseplates.com

DLP HISTORY Subjectivity of Information for Disney License Plates No factual information exits No data is maintained by the Disney Company or Disney Archives Information Sources Cast Members Auction site sellers Collectors

DLP HISTORY – 1923 Walt Disney Productions is founded by Walt and Roy Disney on October 16th Originally know as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio Copyright used on most license plates until 1986

DLP HISTORY – 1926 At Roy Disney’s suggestion, the company changed its name to the Walt Disney Studios shortly after moving into the new studio on Hyperion Avenue in Los Angeles

DLP HISTORY – 1929 The original partnership formed in 1923 is replaced by Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. Three other companies, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are also formed.

DLP HISTORY – 1930’s Walt Disney Enterprises created Entity of the Disney Company handling the licensing of merchandise during the 1930’s Consolidated into Walt Disney Productions in 1938

DLP HISTORY – 1938 Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company are merged into Walt Disney Productions

DLP HISTORY – 1940 Disney corporate head quarters, Walt Disney Studios, is built in Burbank, California

DLP HISTORY – 1952 WED (Walter Elias Disney) Enterprises is formed Design and development organization founded by Walt Disney to develop Disneyland Became Walt Disney Imagineering in 1986

DLP HISTORY – 1955 Disneyland opens It wouldn’t be until the 1960’s that license plates are produced Even then they were only bicycle plates! The State of California requires both a front and rear license plate on vehicles, making souvenir plates unmarketable at the time

DLP HISTORY – 1955 License Plate Frames were the only marketable items in the way of license plate merchandise at Disneyland

DLP HISTORY – 1955 Disneyland Hotel opens Formerly owned by the Wrather Corporation Purchased by Disney in January 1988 No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1960’s First known license plates are produced Series of 6 bicycle plates Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald & Snow White Produced by the Louis Marx Company Walt Disney Productions copyright

DLP HISTORY – 1966 Walt Disney dies Before his death, he was planning the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) in Florida EPCOT was to help solve the country’s urban problems This would later become Walt Disney World

DLP HISTORY – 1967 The Reedy Creek Improvement District is created by the Florida legislature with certain governing powers, encompassing the newly purchased property for the planned Walt Disney World park.

DLP HISTORY – 1970 First known full size (6” X 12”) plate is produced Walt Disney World (WDW) pre-opening plate Sold at WDW Preview Center 1970-1971 Controversial release due to color and style

DLP HISTORY – 1970 Plate was removed from sale and replaced due to its look-a-like appearance to the official State of Florida plate

DLP HISTORY – 1970 A color change eliminated the problem WDW proves to be the starting point of producing license plates, as only one plate is required on vehicles in the State of Florida

DLP HISTORY – 1971 Walt Disney World opens First plate released after the park opened is a character plate featuring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Brer Bear

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW’s Contemporary Resort opens

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW’s Polynesian Resort opens

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground opens

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW’s Disney Village Resorts open Vacation Villas (now demolished) Later know as the Townhouses -1977 Torn down to make way for Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa Treehouse Villas – 1975 Fairway Villas -1978 (now demolished) Club Lake Villas – 1980 (now demolished) Later know as Club Suites and the Bungalows Grand Vista Homes (now demolished) All Villas and the Homes became the Villas at the Disney Institute in 1996 No plates have been produced for any of these resorts

DLP HISTORY – 1971 The telephone service for WDW is started as the Vista-Florida Telephone System and was operated by Disney and United Telephone System In February 2001 the Vista-United Telecommunications company was dissolved as it was purchased by the Smart City Telecommunications (SCT) Network

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW holds its first Golf Classic tournament Tournaments have been held every year since License plates issued to identify tournament participants and members First use of plastic license plates

DLP HISTORY – 1971 WDW Golf Classic Club issues plates to its members Classic Club members can play along side of the pros during major tournaments

DLP HISTORY – 1972-1975 WDW produced only a few plates Likely caused by the problems with the WDW pre-opening plate Plates were not yet popular souvenirs or collectible items

DLP HISTORY – 1973 WDW’s Golf Resort opens Became the Disney Inn in February 1986 Became the Shades of Green Resort in February 1994 For military and DOD personnel only No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1974 Treasure Island located in WDW’s Bay Lake opens Becomes Discovery Island in 1977 Closed in 1999 after the opening of the Animal Kingdom No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1975 WDW’s Lake Buena Vista Village opens Shopping complex Became Walt Disney World Village - 1977 Became Disney Village Marketplace - 1989 Became Downtown Disney Marketplace – 1996 No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1975 WDW’s Treehouse Villas open Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996 Still in existence, but no longer available to the public No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1976 Disney celebrated the U.S. Bicentennial with the America on Parade event Unique plate released at both Disney parks (Disneyland and Walt Disney World) Not park specific, this was the first souvenir full size plate sold at Disneyland

DLP HISTORY – 1976 River County, WDW’s first Water Park opens River Country closed in 2001 due to lack of popularity caused by the newer water parks

DLP HISTORY – 1978 WDW’s Fairway Villas open Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas Integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996 Demolished, no longer in existence No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1980 WDW’s Club Lake Villas opens Part of the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas Became Club Suites in 1989 Became the Bungalows when integrated into the Disney Institute Villas in 1996 Demolished, no longer in existence No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1981 WDW starts releasing plates on a regular basis, starting with the EPCOT Center pre-opening plate

DLP HISTORY – 1982 EPCOT Center, WDW’s second park opens

DLP HISTORY – 1983 Tokyo Disneyland opens No plate releases until 1988 Japan has very strict regulations for license plates used on vehicles

DLP HISTORY – 1983 Premier Cruise Line was the "official cruise line“ for Disney Premier operated from 1983 to 2000 Marketed cruises as part of a land/sea vacation package including visits to Walt Disney World In 1995 Disney decided to start its own cruise line and ended its relationship with Premier.

DLP HISTORY – 1985 Disneyland turns 30

DLP HISTORY – 1985 Disneyland’s first full size plate is released First Disneyland park specific plate Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the park Starts a series of yearly plates that feature Mickey and Sleeping Beauty Castle

DLP HISTORY – 1985 Disneyland license plates carried a Warning Notice on them regarding prohibited use This warning can also be found on early WDW plates

DLP HISTORY – 1985 Oldsmobile becomes a sponsor of the WDW Golf Classic Remains a sponsor through 1997

DLP HISTORY – 1986 Walt Disney Productions corporate name changes to The Walt Disney Company on February 6th

DLP HISTORY – 1986 WED Enterprises changes its name to Walt Disney Imagineering

DLP HISTORY – 1986 WDW celebrates its 15th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1988 Company D Stores established Exclusive stores selling merchandise to Cast Members First store opens at Disneyland in 1988 Second store opens at Walt Disney World at the Team Disney building in 1991 Third store opens in Epcot in 1992

DLP HISTORY – 1988 WDW’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa opens Formerly known as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort Name changed in 1997

DLP HISTORY – 1988 WDW’s Caribbean Beach Resort opens

DLP HISTORY – 1988 Tokyo Disneyland 5th Anniversary Unique item produced Is it a plate or serving tray? Embossed (stamped) No bolt holes ¼” lip border 6½" X 13" in size

DLP HISTORY – 1989 Disney-MGM Studios, WDW’s third park opens

DLP HISTORY – 1989 Pleasure Island opens at WDW Adult entertainment complex Becomes part of Downtown Disney in 1997

DLP HISTORY – 1989 WDW’s Swan Resort opens Operated by Westin Hotels

DLP HISTORY – 1989 WDW’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park opens

DLP HISTORY – 1989 WDW issues its first Lodging Resort plate Featuring the Fort Wilderness Resort

DLP HISTORY – 1990 Last of the Disneyland year series is produced

DLP HISTORY – 1990 Disneyland celebrates its 35th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1990 WDW’s Dolphin Resort opens Operated by Sheraton Hotels

DLP HISTORY – 1990 WDW’s Yacht Club Resort opens

DLP HISTORY – 1990 WDW’s Beach Club Resort opens

DLP HISTORY – 1990 WDW issues its first Cast Member license plate Features the opening of the MGM Studios, WDW’s third park CM plates are distributed by Cast Activities or the Company D Stores

DLP HISTORY – 1991 WDW celebrates its 20th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1991 Star Spangled Celebration is held at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Both parks released a license plate

DLP HISTORY – 1991 WDW’s Port Orleans Resort opens Merged with Dixie Landings Resort in 2001 The combined resorts became the Port Orleans Resort

DLP HISTORY – 1991 Disney Vacation Club is started A time-share vacation property Since 1991, six DVC properties at WDW have opened Two other DVC properties, one in Vero Beach, Florida and one in Hilton Head, South Carolina, brings the total number of DVC properties to eight

DLP HISTORY – 1991 WDW’s Disney Vacation Club Resort opens 1st DVC Resort at WDW Renamed Old Key West Resort in 1996

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland opens Now known as the Disneyland Paris Resort Plate was sold in the U.S. Parks Most of the Euro Disney and Disneyland Paris plates produced have a “Made in the U.S.A.” marking

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel Cheyenne opens

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel Santa Fe opens

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Hotel New York opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Newport Bay Club Hotel opens

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Disneyland Hotel opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Davy Crockett Ranch opens Formerly known as Camp Davy Crockett

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Sequoia Lodge opens

DLP HISTORY – 1992 Euro Disneyland’s (Disneyland Paris) Disney Village opens A shopping, dining and entertainment complex Formerly known as Festival Disney Name changed in 1996 No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1992 EPCOT Center celebrates its 10th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1992 WDW’s Dixie Landings Resort opens Merged with Port Orleans Resort in 2001 Combined resort will be known as the Port Orleans Resort

HISTORY – 1993 Tokyo Disneyland celebrates its 10th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1993 Euro Disney plate line expands Featuring themed lands and attractions within the park

DLP HISTORY – 1993 Disney Company forms Anaheim Sports, Inc. Wanting to add sports to its entertainment attractions in California Mighty Ducks Hockey franchise is started First few plates issued carried a Disney copyright Later issues were copyrighted by the NHL

DLP HISTORY – 1994 EPCOT Center becomes Epcot “Center” is dropped from the name Letters are lower cased

DLP HISTORY – 1994 WDW’s Pleasure Island celebrates its 5th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1994 WDW’s All-Star Resort opens All-Star Sports opened in April All-Star Music opened in November All-Star Movies opened January 1999

DLP HISTORY – 1994 WDW’s Wilderness Lodge opens

DLP HISTORY – 1994 The Town of Celebration is established First residents move in, 1996

DLP HISTORY – 1994 The NFFC, a Disney Fan Club, releases a 10th Anniversary plate honoring Disney

DLP HISTORY – 1994 Euro Disney formally changes its name to Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris Hotel Resort plates are issued

DLP HISTORY – 1995 Disneyland turns 40 and produces it last plate for the 1990’s

DLP HISTORY – 1995 Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Hotel opens Built in 1984 as the Pan Pacific Hotel Purchased by Disney in 1995 and renamed the Disneyland Pacific Hotel Renamed to Paradise Pier Hotel in October 2000 No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1995 WDW’s Speedway opens

DLP HISTORY – 1995 WDW’s Blizzard Beach Water Park opens

DLP HISTORY – 1995 Vero Beach Resort in Florida opens DVC Resort

DLP HISTORY – 1996 WDW celebrates its 25th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1996 The Disney Institute opens A new type of resort offering enrichment classes in the arts, culinary, sports and recreation The resort closes in July 2003 due to lack of popularity

DLP HISTORY – 1996 Villas at the Disney Institute in WDW open Formerly the Disney Village Resorts and the Vacation Villas Included the Bungalows, The Townhouses, Treehouse Villas, Fairway Villas and the Grand Vista Homes Closed July 2003 to make way for the Saratoga Springs & Spa DVC Resort No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 1996 WDW’s Boardwalk Inn opens

DLP HISTORY – 1996 WDW’s Boardwalk Villas open 2nd DVC Resort at WDW

DLP HISTORY – 1996 Hilton Head Resort in South Carolina opens DVC Resort

DLP HISTORY – 1996 First known Specialty plate is produced Designed as a give-a-way to guests staying at the Polynesian Resort during its 25th Anniversary The Polynesian Resort was one of the two Hotel Resorts opened with the WDW park in 1971

DLP HISTORY – 1996 Disney purchases Gorda Cay, an uninhabited island in the Bahamas Will be used as a stop-over for Disney Cruise Lines Renamed Castaway Cay “Cay” is pronounced “Key”

DLP HISTORY – 1996 Walt Disney Imagineering merges with the Disney Development Company, the Disney Company’s real estate development subsidiary

DLP HISTORY – 1996 Disney buys into the California Angels Baseball franchise As Disney took over controlling interest, they renamed the team, the Anaheim Angels Plates never carried a Disney copyright as MLB held those rights

DLP HISTORY – 1997 Epcot celebrates its 15th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1997 First WDW Magic Kingdom plate is released

DLP HISTORY – 1997 Downtown Disney Complex opens Includes Pleasure Island, West End and the Marketplace

DLP HISTORY – 1997 WDW’s Wide World of Sports Complex opens

DLP HISTORY – 1997 WDW Hotel Resort license plate line expands Creating Logo and Character plates for the resorts

DLP HISTORY – 1997 WDW’s Coronado Springs Resort opens

HISTORY – 1997 Disneyland Paris celebrates its 5th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1998 Animal Kingdom, WDW’s fourth park opens

DLP HISTORY – 1998 Disney Cruise Lines makes its maiden voyage Disney Magic sails July 1998 Disney Wonder sails August 1999 Ships registry is the Bahamas

DLP HISTORY – 1998 Disneyland Paris issues its last plate Plates were not popular souvenir items and were discontinued

DLP HISTORY – 1998 National Car Rental becomes the sponsor of the WDW Golf Classic

DLP HISTORY – 1999 Disney MGM Studios celebrates its 10th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 1999 WDW starts replacing stamped aluminum plates with plastic plates

DLP HISTORY – 2000 Disneyland celebrates its 45th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 2000 WDW celebrates the Millennium

DLP HISTORY – 2000 Tokyo Disneyland Resort releases it first true license plate Features “Mouse Ear” bolt holes to limit use Carried a Warning Label on back of plate

DLP HISTORY – 2000 Tokyo Disneyland’s Disney Ambassador Hotel opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2000 Tokyo Disneyland’s IKSPIARI opens A shopping, dining and entertainment complex No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2001 WDW celebrates its 30th Anniversary

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Disneyland’s Downtown Disney opens

DLP HISTORY – 2001 WDW’s Villas at Wilderness Lodge opens 3rd DVC Resort at WDW No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2001 WDW’s Animal Kingdom Lodge opens

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel opens First Disney Hotel Resort to be located inside a theme park No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Tokyo Disneyland’s Disney Sea Hotel Mira Costa opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Celebrating the birth of Walt Disney in 1901 with the 100 Years of Magic event

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Tokyo Disneyland releases the “Party Express” plate Commemorates Walt Disney’s love of locomotives

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Disneyland resumes limited plate releases

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Disneyland’s second park, California Adventure opens

DLP HISTORY – 2001 Tokyo Disneyland’s second park, Disney Sea, opens Twelve plates released, commemorating the opening, all seven lands and three areas within the park

DLP HISTORY – 2001 The last WDW Golf Tournament license plates are issued In 2002 plates were replaced with window stickers, decals and placards

DLP HISTORY – 2002 Walt Disney Studios Park Paris opens Second park for Disneyland Paris No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2002 WDW’s Beach Club Villas opens 4th DVC Resort at WDW No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2003 Mickey turns 75

DLP HISTORY – 2003 WDW’s Pop Century Resort opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2003 Disney sells the Anaheim Angels Baseball franchise A year after the Angels won the World Series

DLP HISTORY – 2004 WDW’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa opens 5th DVC Resort at WDW Built on the former Disney Institute grounds No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2004 New York City World of Disney Store opens Former Disney Gallery location

DLP HISTORY – 2005 Disneyland turns 50 July 17, 2005

DLP HISTORY – 2005 Hong Kong Disneyland opens 5th Disney Theme Park No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2005 Hong Kong Disneyland’s Disneyland Hotel opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2005 Hong Kong Disneyland’s Hollywood Hotel opens No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2005 First Dual-Sided plate appears FRONT BACK

DLP HISTORY – 2005 Disney sells the Mighty Ducks Hockey franchise Closing the door on Anaheim Sports, Inc.

DLP HISTORY – 2006 Disney purchases Pixar Animation Studios

DLP HISTORY – 2006 First Lenticular plate appears Provides an optical 3-D effect

DLP HISTORY – 2006 First 3-D plate appears

DLP HISTORY – 2006 “Year Of A Million Dreams” celebration October 1, 2006 to September 2008 Held at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World

DLP HISTORY – 2006 Disney Vacation Club turns 15 DVC has grown to serve more than 350,000 individual members from more than 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states

DLP HISTORY – 2007 Disneyland Paris turns 15

DLP HISTORY – 2007 Villas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge open 6th DVC Resort at WDW No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2007 Epcot turns 25

DLP HISTORY – 2008 Walt Disney World’s Disney MGM Studios becomes Hollywood Studios on January 7, 2008 No plates have been produced

DLP HISTORY – 2008 As of January 2008 there are 591 catalogued license plates 383 plates were issued at Walt Disney World 65% of total plates Only 23 plates were issued at Disneyland .04% of the total plates 177 plates are made of plastic 30% of total plates