The Walt Disney Company initiated a company-wide campaign today to celebrate 90 years of Donald Duck. The festivities began with an exclusive first-look on Good Morning America, where new Donald Duck-inspired products were showcased, and a surprise party was held in the studio for Donald. This months-long celebration will feature various events and moments from across the company, including contributions from Walt Disney Animation Studios, consumer products, Disney parks, and more. To commemorate Donald’s 1934 debut in Walt Disney’s Silly Symphony short cartoon, The Wise Little Hen, Disney will release a new brand spot on June 9 highlighting the storytelling magic behind the beloved character.
During today’s Good Morning America segment, over 70 Donald Duck-themed products from more than 20 licensees were highlighted, featuring popular brands like American Tourister, Casetify, and Loungefly. Throughout the summer, fans can look forward to shopping for additional products from industry-leading brands such as Cakeworthy, Citizen, Forever 21, GAP, PEZ, Simple Modern, and more.
This campaign will revisit the journey of this iconic character and his role in Disney’s unparalleled storytelling legacy. Donald’s relatable frustrations with everyday life have made him one of the world’s most famous personalities. His popularity and achievements both on and off screen have earned him numerous accolades, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his webbed footprints immortalized in cement outside the famed Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Donald Duck has appeared in over 150 short films, more than any other Disney character. On June 9, The Walt Disney Studios Restoration and Preservation Team will release two newly restored classic Donald Duck shorts, directed by Disney Legend Jack Hannah, on Disney+. In Crazy Over Daisy (1950), Donald seeks revenge on Chip and Dale for wrecking his bicycle on his way to Daisy’s house. In Out on a Limb (1950), Donald disrupts the tree home of the chipmunks with a tree pruner, which they mistake for a monster.
Additionally, on June 9, an all-new short from Walt Disney Animation Studios, D.I.Y. Duck, will premiere. This is the studio’s first Donald Duck-starring short since 1961. The short will debut on Disney+, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ YouTube, Disney Channel, and Freeform. It features Donald attempting home repairs that quickly spiral into comic catastrophes. Directed and written by incoming Disney Legend Mark Henn, who is retiring in December 2023, and produced by Emmy® Award-winner Dorothy McKim, the short was created by the hand-drawn animation team at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Jennifer Lee, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer, served as executive producer. The short also pays tribute to Disney Legend Clarence “Ducky” Nash, who originally voiced Donald, by using archival voice recordings.
At the Tokyo Disney Resort, guests can enjoy “Donald’s Quacky Duck City” at Tokyo Disneyland throughout June, a celebration featuring themed decorations, merchandise, food and beverage offerings, and the “Quacky Celebration: Donald the Legend!” parade. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will join the celebration until July 7 with events like “Donald’s Birthday Duckling Dance,” where guests can interact with Donald, specialty outfits for Donald, themed merchandise, and food and beverage items. On June 9, a themed castle projection show, “Donald’s Quacktastic Surprise!” will take place for one night only.
At the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California, Donald Duck started his birthday celebrations early with “quack-tastic” changes across the historic space. These include a Donald-centric reimagining of the Walt Disney Archives logo based on Donald Duck’s designs through the years, transforming the classic Mickey Avenue sign from The Reluctant Dragon (1941) into “Donald” Avenue, and other special overlays and activities.