2015 Year in Review Of Disney News From It All Started With a Mouse

Well, it's time to say goodbye to 2015 and hello to 2016. It was certainly a great year because this blog was started way back in January. I can't thank you, the readers, enough for such a great year. 2015 brought so much great news all around the Walt Disney Company. From Shanghai Disneyland to Star Wars Land, and from "Inside Out" to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and so much more. Here is the year in review from It All Started With a Mouse.

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Star Wars Land Coming to Both Coasts, Toy Story Land Coming to Hollywood Studios:

We knew it was coming it was just a matter of time oh when it would be announced. At this year's D23 EXPO in August, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger took the stage to announce that Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios would both be getting a 14-acre Star Wars Land, the largest ever themed land to ever be built in the theme park. The land will include letting guests dive into a whole new planet in the world of Star Wars, including an attraction that will transport guests into a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance. The other attraction will allow guests to fly in the Millennium Falcon into an epic Star Wars adventure on a secret mission. The Mos Eisley Cantina will be built as one of the most popular scenes from the original films will allow guests to enjoy a meal from the world of Star Wars.

Later in the day, the rest of the expansion was announced for Hollywood Studios, as new Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek and lead Disney creator Kathy Mangum took the stage and announced Toy Story Land. Here the 11-acre land will shrink guests into the size of Andy's toys and takes them into Andy's backyard with two new attractions and the expanded third track of Toy Story Midway Mania. Construction on both new lands are expected to begin early in the new year in 2016.

Disneyland Dazzles with 60th Diamond Celebration:

Early this year Disneyland held an event to preview what was coming for its 60th Diamond Celebration in honor of its 60th Birthday that began on May 22. The celebration kicked off with the yearly 24-hour party. Debuting this year in honor of the celebration was the new Paint the Night parade, World of Color - Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney, and the Disneyland Forever fireworks show. 

The celebration continued on July 17, 2015, which marked the official 60th Birthday and the opening of Disneyland.  The Diamond Celebrations will continue into 2016, so check out Disneyland and celebrate 60 wonderful years.

Details on Shanghai Disneyland Revealed:

In July, Disney Parks Chairman and CEO Bob Iger along with Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek revealed details on Shanghai Disneyland, which will be opening in 2016. It will be the first Disney theme park on the mainland of China and will have six themed lands with innovative attractions and immersive entertainment designed especially for Chinese guests. 

The park will feature two new hotels: the Art-Nouveau inspired Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and the Toy Story Hotel. It will feature six themed land including for the first time ever in a Disney theme park no Main Street instead it will be called Mickey Avenue. The other themed lands include Adventure Isle, Gardens of Imagination, Tomorrowland, Treasure Cove, and Fantasyland. 

New attractions coming to Shanghai Disneyland include: TRON Lightcycle Power Run, Roaring Rapids, Pirates of the Caribbean - Battle for the Sunken Treasure, Soarin' Over the Horizon, and so much more. For more details on Shanghai Disneyland check out the blog from July here. 

Changes in Disney Power:

Back in February, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger made a decision for the future of the company. It was long said that whoever Iger chose to be COO, would be the sure bet to take over the Walt Disney Company when he eventually steps down. Iger chose Tom Staggs, former Parks & Resorts Chairman over CFO Jay Rasulo. Rasulo eventually stepped down in June and was replaced by Christine M. McCarthy. Kevin Mayer was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer. Bob Chapek was named Walt Disney Parks & Resorts chairman.

Goodbye Sorcerer's Hat and So Much More:

2015 was year where we said goodbye to many things at Walt Disney World and in 2016 we will say goodbye to more. It began early with the removal of the Sorcerer's Hat at Hollywood Studios. We said goodbye to the Magic of Disney Animation and saw the final performance from Mulch, Sweat, and Shears. 

2015 was also the final year for Star Wars Weekends. As Hollywood Studios goes under its transformation, Disney said Star Wars will be part of the park year round so there would be no need for Star Wars Weekends. Finally, in just a few days we will say our final goodbye's to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. After 20 years, the lights will be shut off for the final time on January 3, 2016 wrapping up many Disney fans favorite part of the holidays at the parks. 

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lights Up the Box Office in Disney's Most Successful Year Ever:

Finally, what a year it has been for Disney at the box office. It all began with the live-action remake of "Cinderella" in March. Then we had "Tomorrowland" in May, although it wasn't very successful at the box office, it was still a very good movie. In June, Pixar had the hit of the summer with "Inside Out" that film still gets me every time I see it. Pixar wasn't done however because for the first time ever two Pixar films were released in a year. On Thanksgiving, "The Good Dinosaur" was released and it was just as good as "Inside Out" bringing may theater goers to tears of the friendship between Arlo and Spot. 

All those films for the blockbuster that just keeps breaking records and is already the 8th most profitable film in history. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has currently made 1.293 Billion at the box office and will still be climbing into the new year. The force has certainly awakened and Star Wars is back. Fans can't be any happier as some have seen the film multiple times already. Will "The Force Awakens" become the top film ever? I guess we will find out in 2016. 

Happy New Year and let's make 2016 even better than 2015. 

Thank You for Everything, John.