Happy Day of Love

Happy Day of Love.  I hope you are able to celebrate with your favorite 'mouse'.

 

Very Merry Christmas

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Button
1989

All this month I have been sharing my collection of buttons from Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  This is the earliest button from my collection, 1989.  This week I am celebrating the season with Mickey.  I trust everyone has a safe and happy holiday and a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The First Snow

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party button
1994

We have yet to see our first snow this season here in Pennsylvania but we leave for Walt Disney World this week where we are guaranteed snow on Main Street at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  I assumed that 1994 saw the first snow on Main Street USA based on the theme of the button but my research shows that this didn't occur until 2000 in Disneyland.  Hmmm.....but even in 1995 the button features snow.  Anyone have any additional thoughts on "The First Snow?"

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Buttons

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party button
1992

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party began in 1983. For several years, guests were given a souvenir button to commemorate the event.  To kick off the start of the holiday season, here are two from 1992 and 1993.

Happy 4th Anniversary!

4th birthday button
America On Parade, 1975

This week marks the 4th Anniversary of my blog.  To celebrate, I shall do as Walt Disney World did on their 4th birthday with this cast member birthday button.

Below are the top three viewed posts over the past 4 years.  Apparently diet drinks are popular Walt Disney World commemorative items.

 

Drink Up Me Hearties: October 12, 2013

Japanese Small Plate: September 21, 2013

Nutra-Sweet Daisy: September 7, 2013

Happy Anniversary and thanks for sharing some of the magic with me!

Before D23....

Official Disneyana Convention button
1994

Before the D23 Expo, there was the Official Disneyana Convention held from 1992-2003.  This large,4 inch, lenticular pin-back button from 1994 features Sorcerer Mickey conjuring up, or making disappear, the convention logo.  You can also see a plate from the same year with a similar design in my collection.

Celebrate

10th Anniversary pin-back button
1981

When is a Birthday Button Not a Button

13th birthday cast member name tag ribbon
1984

When is a birthday button not a birthday button?  When it is was a ribbon cast members would stick to their name tag.  In 1984, Walt Disney World broke from tradition and instead of giving cast members a pin back button to wear on October 1 for their birthday, they gave them this leather-like, 2" x 4" ribbon.  The significance of this unique design?  Well, as we have seen with buttons beginning in the 80's, the design represents a milestone or new attraction that opened that year.  In this case, the Morocco Pavilion which had just opened a month prior, September 7, 1984.  This was the first expansion of World Showcase since Epcot's opening in 1981.

Birthday Buttons - Early 80's Style

9th birthday cast member button
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, 1980

The early 1980's saw a departure from the traditional Cinderella Castle birthday button design.  These hard plastic pin back buttons were given to cast members on October 1 each year to celebrate Walt Disney World's birthday.  For the 9th birthday, and for several years that followed, the button took a variety of shapes and highlighted a significant addition to the parks.  In 1980, that addition was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the Magic Kingdom.  Disneyland saw the premiere of the mine train roller coaster one year earlier in California.  This button was also the largest birthday button to date at 2 1/2" x 2 1/4".

Continuing the Celebration

7th birthday cast member button
1978

Let's continue celebrating Walt Disney World's birthday all month with various birthday buttons from the early years.  This hard plastic pin back button design of Cinderella Castle was used for WDW's 5th - 8th birthdays (1976-1979).  Each year the color was different but the design remained the same.  This 7th birthday button from 1978 measures 1 1/2" x 2".

Happy Birthday With the Seven Dwarfs

16th Birthday Button

This week, Walt Disney World celebrates its 43rd birthday.  Each year, cast members are given commemorative pin back buttons to celebrate.  The image on the button often reflects something significant from the year.  For their 16th birthday in 1987, Walt Disney World recognized the 50th anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  It is only fitting that I share this button now for the 43rd birthday with the opening of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  Hmm....possibly a foreshadowing of this year's design?  I happen to be traveling to Orlando for work this week, so maybe I will find out first hand.

Happy Birthday Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World 18th Birthday Button
1989

A star was born back in 1989, Disney - MGM Studios.  For it's 18th birthday, Walt Disney World highlighted the opening of their newest park on their annual cast member birthday button.  Starting with their 9th anniversary, the buttons began to feature an image of significance from that year, often a ride or attraction.
May 1, 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of the now, Disney's Hollywood Studios.  The logo for the celebration shows a similar Mickey Mouse in his director's outfit.
Happy Birthday!

Happy Children's Day To My Child

Donald Duck Pin Back Button

Since today is Children's Day (depending on who's calendar you read), my daughter has selected this week's post.  She likes the color blue in the background.  And that is a good enough reason for me to post anything Donald.  This 3" pin back button, which were much more popular before the trading pins of today, features a crisp Big D/Globe Head logo and a lovely blue background :)

Happy 15 Years

Walt Disney World 15 Years pin
1986

Happy 15th Birthday to Disney's Animal Kingdom!
Of course this item is from the 1986 '15 Years' celebration of Walt Disney World when Magic Kingdom and EPCOT were the only two parks (as you can see depicted in the logo design).  There is nothing in my collection from Disney's Animal Kingdom with the original Big D/Globe Head because the park opened 3 years after the logo changed.  But I figured this was a good time to share this item and join in the celebration.

Happy 1st Anniversary

Walt Disney World 1st Anniversary Button
October 1972

Today is the one year anniversary of my blog!  To celebrate, it is only appropriate that I share this Walt Disney World 1st Anniversary Button with all of you.  These pin-back buttons are a tradition for Walt Disney World cast members.  The first several years were this small (1 1/2"), hard plastic 'anniversary' style.  They moved to 'Happy Birthday' pins in the shape of Cinderella Castle during the late 70's and by the mid-80's were using the current pin-back buttons we know today.
I am enjoying sharing these small memories of Walt Disney World with you and I look forward to sharing more.  You can see the most popular posts from the past year on the right.  Thank you to all of you that follow me here and on twitter (Tim_WDW71)!

World Showcase Button

EPCOT Center World Showcase Button
1982

 
All of the excitement this past week for EPCOT's 30th seemed to be focused on Future World.  So as to not leave it out of the celebration, here is an original World Showcase button from 1982.

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World 11th Birthday Button
1982

Today is the 41st anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney World and the 30th anniversary of EPCOT Center.  This hard plastic, pin-back button from 1982 celebrated the 11th Birthday of WDW and the opening of EPCOT Center with this combined image of Cinderella Castle and Spaceship Earth & Monorail that connected the two.  These birthday buttons have been a tradition since the first anniversary in 1972.

Happy Birthday Walt Disney World & EPCOT Center! 

His & Her's EPCOT Buttons

EPCOT Center Button

In case you and your EPCOT Prince or Princess are having trouble deciding which EPCOT Center buttons you are going to wear this weekend in celebration of EPCOT's 30th, here are matching His & Her options.(pin-back buttons not advised for children under 8 years of age)

Figment & Mickey EPCOT Center Button

EPCOT Center Button
1982

I love this pin-back button from the opening year of EPCOT Center.  Maybe because it is a contrast from the colder 'futuristic' look of much of the early EPCOT Center items or the whimsical wink from Mickey or just seeing he and Figment together that make me smile.  Regardless, I hope you enjoy it too!

Happy Valentine's Day

Walt Disney World Pin-back Button