Marking the grand opening of the Disney Centenary Exhibition in London.
“The whole world is urging you to grow up, but only Disney will always treat you as a child.” Disney is Kidulting’s “happy hometown.” As a world of innocence and fantasy, Disney has always been a refuge for people of all ages.
Whether at Disneyland or watching a movie, adults can be children again, return to a carefree time, laugh with cartoon characters, and feel pure joy.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of Disney. To celebrate this grand holiday, Disney and Semmel Exhibitions held a Disney exhibition at London ExCeL, which is also the largest Disney exhibition in the world so far.
The Disney 100th Anniversary Exhibition contains 10 themed exhibition halls, more than 250 exhibits, and 14 interactive installations.
The exhibition includes a series of props, original costumes and touching stories of Disney partners. From beloved attractions like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) to contemporary favourites like Full House (2021).
One remarkable highlight of the exhibition is a massive interactive installation based on the Sleeping Beauty storybook. As visitors turn the pages of the book, a screen in front of them magically comes to life, mirroring their movements in perfect synchronization.
Eric Goldberg, an animator and director for Walt Disney Animation Studios, said: “What the exhibition captures well is the breadth of what the Disney company has done and what Walt has done.
“These pictures on a wall or monitors is a trigger for people to go, ‘oh, yeah, I remember that’. It kind of reminds people how much a part of their lives Disney is.”
In addition to classic characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, visitors will also see characters from the newest members of the Disney family, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and more.
Tracy, a student at LSE and an avid Disney enthusiast was profoundly moved after she visited the exhibition. With each step through the sprawling halls of the exhibition, she found herself immersed in layers of history, from intricate manuscripts to enchanting princess tales.
Tracy described her experience, saying, “The exhibition unfolded like the pages of a fairy tale, revealing the story of my childhood piece by piece. I can’t quite explain it, but I was overcome with emotion throughout my visit. I felt an inexplicable happiness as if every display was a tangible reminder of my journey of growing up.”
“It’s Cinderella’s high heels, it’s the cuteness of the Seven Dwarfs, it’s the loneliness and brilliance of Frozen. Later, when I grew up, I watched Zootopia, Soul, and a little bit of Marvel. It seemed like it was growing up with me. It’s the same. Audio, video, models, pictures, everything seems to realise the story of the animation.
“Anyway, for me, who is super interested in Disney, this place is really wonderful,” Tracy told us.
Beyond London, there are also Disney exhibitions in Philadelphia (the exhibition has ended) and Chicago (starting on November 18th). Come and embark on this magical journey with your family and friends and unlock a fairy tale adventure.
You can buy tickets on Ferverlondon’s official website starting from July 18. Tickets start from £6.50. Children under five years old are admitted free. You can watch their promotional videos on YouTube.
Featured image courtesy of the Disney 100 exhibition