The Wonderful World of Disney
Season 8
Walt Disney, one of Hollywood's most ambitious producers, was first approached to do television in 1950, when The Coca-Cola Company offered him a one-hour special. The one hour special, "One Hour in Wonderland," aired December 25, 1950 on NBC and garnered 90% of the television viewing audience. A second special, "The Walt Disney Christmas Special," aired December 25, 1951 on CBS. When Walt had drawn up plans for a theme park, known as Disneyland, he found a hard time obtaining funding; critics, including Walt's brother Roy, thought that it was unfeasible and that it would be a fiasco. At the same time, the ABC television network offered him a deal for a television anthology series. Walt wouldn't agree to it unless they put up partial financing for Disneyland (a term that had kept CBS and NBC from signing with him). ABC agreed, and also paid him $50,000 per program, an exorbitant sum for the time. The show, titled Disneyland, premiered on October 27, 1954 and was an immediate success. The program showcased original works from the Disney Studios. Cartoons, documentaries, educational shorts, all were shown to a captive worldwide audience. Variety was the key to its success, as it kept most of what it did fresh, multi-cultural and constantly changing its entertainment.
Where to Watch The Wonderful World of Disney • Season 8
26 Episodes
- An Adventure in Color/Mathmagic LandE1
An Adventure in Color/Mathmagic LandNow moved to NBC, Walt Disney starts broadcasting his show in color. He also taks about the black-and-white days of the novies and the arrival of Technicolor. In the second half of this episode, Donald Duck travels through a land of mathematical wonders. - Carnival TimeE20
Carnival TimeWalt Disney invites the viewer to sit down and watch The Von Drake Report, hosted by Prof. Ludwig Von Drake. On the show, Von Drake reports on two annual festival celebrations, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnivale in Rio de Janeiro, where he has stationed Donald Duck and Jose Carioca respectively as correspondents. - Disneyland After DarkE26
Disneyland After DarkWalt Disney himself presents a view of Disneyland at night. It features some nighttime entertainment, including a fireworks display (complete with Tinker Bell flying across the sky) and Tahitian dancers performing for Adventureland dinner patrons. However, this episode focuses less on Disneyland itself and more on the many celebrity singers at the different sections of the park, including the Osmond Brothers, former Mouseketeers Annette Funicello and Bobby Burgess, teen heartthrob Bobby Rydell, and Louis Armstrong. In a running gag, Walt Disney introduces but is unable to attend these attractions and performances, being pinned down by an endless supply of autograph seekers (including a repeat customer) throughout the program.