Disney celebrates Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday with festivities around the world

Disney announced a worldwide celebration today to honor Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday. The mouse made his debut in “Steamboat Willie” on Nov. 18, 1928, and has since been Disney’s global ambassador and brought joy and laughter to fans all over the world.

The celebration will begin on March 7 with “The Happiest Show on Earth,” a runway fashion event featuring a Mickey-inspired collection designed by couture brand Opening Ceremony founders Huberto Leon and Carol Lim. Select items from the Mickey line will immediately be available for sale after the runway show on shopDisney, and the remaining ready-to-wear looks will hit stores this November.

Disney’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony will serve as the beginning of “Mickey the True Original,” a worldwide celebration of Mickey’s personality, heritage and status as a pop culture staple.

Other celebrations for Mickey’s 90th birthday include special events hosted by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club:

• D23 and the Walt Disney Archives, in collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios, have commissioned Disney animator Mark Henn to paint Mickey’s official 90th birthday portrait. The new portrait will make its debut on the cover of the fall issue of “Disney twenty-three.”
• This year’s annual D23 Gold Member gift will be an exclusive box set of 23 Mickey Mouse mementos – authentic reproductions keepsakes like pages from the script of “Steamboat Willie” and a miniature animation cel from “Parade of the Award Nominees” (1932).
• This November, D23 will present Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse, a two-day event at Walt Disney World Resort. The event will feature panels, presentations and entertainment.

Mickey will be even further honored in 2018 with celebrations all across Disney:

• Walt Disney Parks and Resorts all over the world will celebrate Mickey’s birthday on Nov. 18 with commemorative merchandise, photo opportunities and more.
• ABC will air a celebration of Mickey in honor of his birthday this fall, complete with special guests, musical performances and more.
• Disney Channel will air season five of the “Mickey Mouse” animated shorts, along with a seven-minute extended birthday episode that will air later in 2018.
• Disney On Ice will honor Mickey as the “True Original” host of Disney On Ice, since it began in 1981, by presenting Mickey’s 90th pre-shows for touring productions in the U.S., Europe, Africa, Middle East and Latin America.
• A new production, Disney On Ice presents “Mickey’s Special Celebration,” will showcase Mickey’s memories through the years when it launches in Japan this July, and tour throughout the Asia-Pacific region through August 2019.
• Starting in late 2018 through 2019, the “World’s Biggest Mouse Party” will salute Mickey and Minnie at Disney parks around the world.
• In France, 38 art and design schools will participate in “Mickey Is Art,” a contest where students will create works of Mickey inspired by their favorite artistic movement. The winning creations will be displayed in 12 major train stations in France this summer, and will go up for sale in September at Galerie Glénat in Paris.
• Disney Store will celebrate Mickey’s milestone with the Mickey Mouse Memories Collection, a monthly limited-release series of 12 collectible plushes, which was launched this past January.
• Disney Publishing Worldwide will release over 30 titles globally as part of the celebration, including comics, books and arts & crafts.

Fans are encouraged to celebrate on social media with the hashtag #Mickey90. For more updates on Mickey’s 90th birthday celebration as it approaches, stay tuned to our website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channel.