This article is about The Walt Disney Company's main film division established in 1983. For its predecessor that became The Walt Disney Company in 1986, see Walt Disney Productions. For the wider group of film divisions within The Walt Disney Company, see Walt Disney Studios.
Descriptions by Jess Williams, WileE2005, rjsmith09, Matt Anscher, Logoarto, indycar and SuperMax124
Captures by Eric S., iheartparamount, indycar, DaffyDuckScrewball, yctheguardie, SubparMario63 and others
Editions by Bob Fish, V of Doom, mr3urious, Nathan B., Optimus Prime 2000, userjt, universalxdisney172, shnick1985, HiddenResearcher, McDonald's1, indycar, KPLN, JakeWilliams025, iheartparamount, Unnepad, Logoarto, DisneyInternationalFan, Michael Kenchington, BaldiBasicsFan, PBSKidsSchoolOfficial, HolbyCity2023, MinistrycraftEntertainment, and Tjdrum2000
Video captures courtesy of wwodtv, Michael Strum, Jordan Rios, TheJamesmario, Peakpasha, Aster, Sagan's Logos, Logo Archive, UltimateHDVideostify, dylan fagan, and Mr. Gann
Background
Walt Disney Pictures (branded and credited as simply Disney since 2011) is the main film production arm of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company. It was originally founded on April 1, 1983 as the live-action film division of Walt Disney Productions; however, after that company was reorganized as the larger Walt Disney Company in 1986, it became its primary film division. In addition to producing and releasing live-action films through the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures banner, the studio releases all animated films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios (as well as the former DisneyToon Studios until that studio's closure in 2018).
Walt Disney Pictures did not have a proper onscreen logo until 1985.
Visuals: Just the text "WALT DISNEY PICTURES" (set in the typeface Celtic, later known as University Roman) in a teal rectangular box with white and blue outlines around it.
Technique: A still printed cel.
Audio: None.
Availability: This was a placeholder logo only known to appear on Never Cry Wolf, which was the first film released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.
It is also rumored to have appeared on pre-release/test screenings of Splash (the first film released under the Touchstone Films banner), but this remains unconfirmed.
Visuals: On a blue background, a shower of white light descends from the top of the screen, forming a stylized, segmented drawing of a castle; the segments appear to be spaced increasingly further apart as the light descends. Through the main gate of the castle, a white light appears and grows brighter before morphing into the words "WALT DiSNEY" in its familiar corporate font, followed by the blue text "PICTURES" (set in ITC Lubalin Graph) fading in underneath. Another ray of light then draws an arc over the castle, which is hidden only by its highest tower. Three main variants of this exist:
June 21, 1985-November 17, 1989: The castle has a light blue/white gradient, and the arc is drawn all the way to the bottom left of the castle, behind the "W" in "Walt Disney". Also, there is a brief pause after the initial glow before the shower of light descends, and the light from the castle gate appears immediately after the castle has been fully formed.
Some versions of this variant show the castle with a lavender/white gradient. However, some prints of The Black Cauldron show the castle in pure white.
March 21, 1990-April 14, 2006: The castle is now sky blue, and the arc now ends just above the "W" in "Walt Disney".
In the original filmed version of this variant, the "Walt Disney" script appears slightly transparent, whereas in the videotaped version (introduced in 1994), it is solid white. Also, the light reflection on the castle when the arc is drawn is different.
February 15, 2002-December 12, 2006: Same as the 1990 variant, but a seventh flag is added to the rightmost tower of the castle (presumably to match the print logo of the time), which also has a more teal-ish color. This variant is seen exclusively on films produced by DisneyToon Studios, as well as the Disney Television Animation-produced 101: Dalimants 2: Patch's London Adventure, Stitch! The Movie, and Leroy and Stitch.
Alternate Descriptive Video Description: On a blue background, a glowing pinpoint of light arc over the outline of a castle with spires and flags. Words appear in a flash. Walt Disney Pictures.
Trivia:
The castle in this logo is specifically based on the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California; in fact, it was originally part of the logo that was used to promote the park's 30th anniversary in 1985.
This logo was revived in 2021 as part of a merchandising line for ShopDisney, based on its original incarnation.
Variants:
The size of different elements in the logo may vary.
A variation exists in which the animation is in a lower frame rate until the light fades out after forming the segments. A more refined version of this variant debuted in 1991.
When classic Disney shorts were re-released in the 1990s, the text "A FULLY RESTORED ORIGINAL/ANIMATED CLASSIC" (in the same font used for "PICTURES") is shown before the logo. On The Old Mill, the text reads "A FULLY RESTORED ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING ANIMATED CLASSIC", with a drawing of an Oscar statue to the left and a copyright for the AMPAS on the bottom.
A variant exists in which the flash that forms the "WALT DiSNEY" text is somewhat slower and shaped like an oval. Also, the arc above the castle is slightly larger than usual. This can be found on 101 Dalmatians (1996), the widescreen version of Lady and the Tramp (1998 WDMC release), Endurance, and the 2004 release of Mary Poppins, plastering the Buena Vista logo.
The original 1986 and 1988 prints of The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver & Company use the 1985 variant of the logo, while the films' respective 1992 and 1996 VHS releases use the 1990 variant. As for The Great Mouse Detective, the original 1985 variant of the logo is currently one of the rarest, obscure media still in searching, as it is otherwise or presumably lost. However, the original 1985 variant from Oliver & Company is still intact on the French VHS and Widescreen Laserdisc releases from 1997.
An even shorter version also exists, which starts after the text is formed. This can be seen on mid-2000s releases of some classic films, plastering the RKO and Buena Vista logos. This is also silently seen on post-2006 prints of Lady and the Tramp and the 2007 print of The Jungle Book before the Buena Vista logo.
A possible variant exists in which the "WALT DiSNEY" text has a drop shadow; however, it is unclear whether this is a result of film deterioration or distortion, or if this was indeed an actual variant.
A variation of the logo as a still image can be found at the end of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and on 1990s re-releases of some 1940s-1950s Disney cartoons, plastering the 1953 Buena Vista logo.
On a few 2003-2006 animated films and The Shaggy Dog (as a variant), "PICTURES" appears with the script instead of fading in after.
On the Disney+ print of the 1940 adaptation of Swiss Family Robinson, the 1990 version of this logo is in black and white.
On the 1996 UK VHS release of Pocahontas, the entire logo is still while the arc above the castle glows. This was considered to be a rare bumper, for the sneak peek of The Hunchback of Notre Dame after the film, because the "Stay Tuned" bumper is absented on the aforementioned UK VHS release of said film.
On a Swedish TV spot for The Lion King, the text "Biopremiär" appears below the logo.
Closing Variant: Either the full animation plays, or the logo fades in when the "WALT DiSNEY" text is formed.
Technique: Traditional ink-and-paint animation for the filmed variants (1985 and 1990) and digital ink-and-paint animation for the videotaped variants (1994 and 2002). It remains unknown if this logo was animated in-house at Disney, or if the digital ink-and-paint variants were produced on Sun 3, Silicon Graphics IRIS 31XX or DEC MicroVAX II computers (all three of which were preferred terminals for CAPS (Computer Animation Production System), according to this patent). However, it was rumored that the animation division of Walt Disney Productions (now known as Walt Disney Animation Studios) created this logo.
Audio: A rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (originally from Pinocchio), which opens with a synthesized chorus and a quiet brass rendition of the song's first bar, with chimes evoking pixie dust. This is followed by an uprising flute and a reversed cymbal, then a full orchestral finish of the song's first bar, ending with a five-note synthesizer sting. This version was arranged by John Debney.
Audio Variants:
The original version of the fanfare was used from 1985 to 1990, and was enhanced or re-recorded in 1990.
There exist some re-orchestrated variants of the fanfare:
A version exists with the choir mixed in for the short variant. Some late 1980s theatrical trailers have a voiceover saying, "From the name that means magic in entertainment."
The theme is re-orchestrated in a dramatically different key on 1994's White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf. This version was also arranged by John Debney.
Some films use a more dramatic re-orchestration.
The short Runaway Brain has it sounding more like the 1987 Walt Disney Television theme and the White Fang 2 variant.
Sometimes, the logo is silent or has the opening/ending theme of the film.
On some 1980s trailers, an entirely different epic-sounding fanfare is heard.
Some films have the music off-sync with the logo's animation.
On some films, the opening score incorporates the first few bars of "When You Wish Upon a Star" when the logo appears.
On 1990s re-releases of some Disney animated shorts, the logo is silent until the end, when the 1950s Buena Vista music is heard.
On one print of Old Yeller, the film's custom Buena Vista fanfare is heard over the end of the logo due to a plastering error.
On the 2003 DVD release of The Rescuers, a thunderclap is heard at the end of the logo. This is because the film originally had the Buena Vista logo at the start, but the logo is silent on the 1999 VHS release of said film.
On the 2002 Brazilian VHS release of Sleeping Beauty, the first part of the logo is silent. The second half of the logo, along with the film's variation of the Buena Vista logo, had the normal music play, most likely due to an editing error.
On the 1996 UK VHS release of Pocahontas, the normal audio is replaced by John Sachs saying, "Keep watching after the Pocahontas feature for an exclusive preview of Disney's 34th animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
On foreign dubs of The Black Cauldron produced after 1997 or 1998, the 1990 re-recording fanfare is used, while others, mostly from their original theatrical release (such as the Latin American Spanish and Dutch dubs), use the original 1985 mix.
On the 1999 Indonesian VCD release of Operation Dumbo Drop, the theme from the 1994 Disney Videos logo is heard possibly due to an editing mistake.
On a 1995 ARD airing of White Fang, the 1986 WDHV theme plays. The music serendipitously appears to track with the animation, even though its presence was due to a plastering error.
At the end of Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, the sound of Adam laughing is briefly heard over the logo.
At the end of 101 Dalmatians (1996), the sound of Cruella laughing is heard over the logo.
At the end of Inspector Gadget 2, a splattering sound effect, with a laser and bouncing sound effect are heard when the logo forms.
Availability: Seen on most Disney films from this era up until 2006.
This was seen on most films from the studio released between 1985 and 2006, and was used in tandem with the 6th logo until December 12, 2006.
The shortened 1985 version without music debuted on Return to Oz, while the full version with music debuted on The Black Cauldron and made its last appearance on original prints of The Little Mermaid (1989).
The 1990 version debuted on a re-release of The Black Cauldron (under the title Taran and the Magic Cauldron) and made its final appearance (albeit as a variant) on The Shaggy Dog (2006); it made its final closing appearance on The Wild.
The 2002 version debuted on Return to Never Land and made its final appearance at the end of The Fox and the Hound 2.
The filmed version of this logo was used from 1985 until at least mid-2005 (albeit with decreasing frequency from the mid-1990s onward; Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement are among the final films to use this variant, as they use film prints), whereas the videotaped version was used from 1994 to 2006 (specifically for CAPS animated movies and other movies not using film prints).
Starting with the 1988 VHS release of Cinderella, this logo was also used on newer prints of classic films, among others.
The logo first appeared at the end of the film on Oliver & Company.
It was also seen on trailers for Toy Story as well, but the film itself uses the 5th logo (plastered by the 6th logo on current prints).
However, it does appear on the 2000 direct-to-video film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins.
It is also seen on pre-2002 prints of The Lion King; the 2002 IMAX version uses the 6th logo, and prints from 2011 onward use the 7th logo.
The 1985 version of the logo is also preserved on some foreign Blu-ray releases and a SYFY UK 2020 airing of Flight of the Navigator, including a German release from Splendid Entertainment and the 2012 and 2019 releases from Second Sight Films, which presumably use U.S. prints as Disney does not hold video rights overseas.
The restored version of this logo was seen on the 2014 Netflix reissue of Hercules (other prints use the 6th logo), and on the page on the Herbie: Fully Loaded opening credits on the website of yU+co (who animated the 2006 logo).
When the Disney+ streaming service launched, the B&W variant of the 1990 version of this logo preceded the RKO logo on current prints of the 1940 film adaptation of Swiss Family Robinson, the rights to which Walt Disney acquired around the time he produced his own, more well-known adaptation in 1960.
The lower frame rate variant was featured on the 1991 theatrical re-release and is also preserved on the Walt Disney Classics VHS release of 101 Dalmatians, as well as several other WDC VHS releases, and is also seen at the end of the 1991 Australian VHS release of Fantasia.
This logo was preserved on the 2017 UK theatrical re-release of The Muppet Christmas Carol, as it was re-released by Park Circus and not Disney themselves.
Many recent prints of some of the company's core titles (both TV and home media) have plastered this with the 2006 logo and/or the Walt Disney Animation Studios logo since the late 2000s.
However, it is still intact on older home media and some newer prints/airings of its other core titles (such as the 2008 release of The Aristocats, the Diamond Edition DVD release of Lady and the Tramp (also on the 1999 Limited Edition DVD), the 2000 DVD release of Fun and Fancy Free, and the Bambi: The Story Behind the Story feature on the DE DVD release of Bambi with the RKO Pictures custom theme playing underneath; among others) as well as its lesser-known releases. It helps that some of the titles retaining this logo on newer prints are either accompanied by the movie's theme or used a variation, making it somewhat harder to plaster. Thanks to the launch of Disney+, this logo became a bit easier to find, as many films on the service preserve their original logos.
For reasons unknown, this logo does not appear on Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (the sequel has the logo, but as a variant), Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin or Atlantis: Milo's Return.
The logo from the original 1988 theatrical print of Oliver & Company has appeared once on the French SECAM VHS and widescreen laserdisc circa September 1997. The early 1990 variant appeared in some European and Asian home media releases, while the 1991 variant (from the 1996 theatrical reissue) is the current logo used in US and international VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases.[1]
Legacy: It is regarded as of the most iconic logos in history due to its longevity and presence on many of Disney's classic films.
3rd Logo (Return to Snowy River ending custom variant) (April 15, 1988)
Visuals: On a black/navy blue gradient background, the regular "WALT DiSNEY" script, in a textured baby blue hue, writes itself onscreen (a la the 1986 Walt Disney Home Video logo). The word "PICTURES" (set in Goudy Extra Bold) fades in below the script, with each of the letters spaced out. A ray of light appears below the script and extends to form a line between the script and text, with a small break at the "y" in "Walt Disney".
Technique: Cel animation.
Audio: None.
Availability: Only seen at the end of U.S. prints of Return to Snowy River (originally released in Australia as The Man from Snowy River II), which uses the previous logo at the beginning. Also seen on a TV spot for said film.
4th Logo (June 21, 1991-December 25, 1998)
Normal version
Variant with "Presents", seen on Squanto: A Warrior's Tale
Orange version, seen at the beginning of The Rocketeer
White version, seen at the end of The Rocketeer
Visuals: Just the blue text "WALT DISNEY PICTURES" (set in ITC Usherwood) on a black background, with "WALT DISNEY" on the top row and "PICTURES" on the bottom, justified to fit the first line of text.
Variants:
On The Rocketeer (the first film to use this logo), the text is unjustified and appears in orange at the beginning of the film and in white at the end.
On Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, the text appears in green.
On Squanto: A Warrior's Tale, the word "Presents" fades in below the logo.
Technique: A still printed image.
Audio: The opening theme of the film or none.
Availability: This was used on certain live-action films released by the studio during this era, often to denote more serious, older-skewing fare; in rare cases, it was sometimes preceded or plastered by the 2nd logo. Films that used this logo include The Rocketeer, A Far Off Place (the first film to use the normal blue variant), The Three Musketeers, Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (which uses the 2nd logo at the end), Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, and Mighty Joe Young (which uses the 2nd logo on trailers and TV spots).
It also appeared on trailers and TV spots for certain live-action films that actually used the 2nd logo, including White Fang, Shipwrecked, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, Newsies, Hocus Pocus, Cool Runnings, George of the Jungle, RocketMan, Flubber, and Meet the Deedles.
5th Logo (Pixar custom variant) (November 22, 1995-June 29, 2007)
Flat version
Scope version
Open matte version
Workprint variant
Slightly stretched variant, taken from the Malaysian VCD of The Incredibles
Filmed version, seen on original prints of Toy Story
Visuals: On a blue background, the camera flies out through the gate of a silver CGI castle with light blue tops and yellow flags. When the camera zooms out to its regular position, the logo animates in the same manner of the 2nd logo, but the "WALT DiSNEY" text appears sculpted, and the light that draws the arc over the castle is slower and drops what seems to be pixie dust.
Alternate Descriptive Video Description:
On a blue background, our view pulls back through the center gate of a castle with spires and flags. Words appear in a flash, Walt Disney Pictures. A glowing pinpoint of light arcs over the castle.
On a blue background, a glowing pinpoint of light arcs over a three-dimensional castle with spires and flags. Words appear in a flash, Walt Disney Pictures.
Variants:
On original prints of Toy Story, the logo is open matte and it zooms out at the end, fading into the cloud wallpaper of Andy's room to start the movie. Prints before 2000 have the logo blue-tinted and filmed due to being taken from a telecine transfer.
The post-2009 prints replace this logo with the Pixar Animation Studios logo (which itself comes after the 2006 Disney logo), which fades to reveal Andy's room once the animation finishes and freezes for a few seconds.
Sometimes, the logo is shortened to when the arc is formed over the castle.
On the Malaysian VCD release of The Incredibles, the logo is slightly stretched horizontally, along with the Pixar logo.
Closing Variant: The full animation as transcribed above, albeit onscreen for a few more seconds.
Technique: CGI by Pixar themselves, who also animated their own logo. As with other works they did at the time, this was animated on a Silicon Graphics Indigo2 Extreme workstation and rendered on a farm of Sun SPARCstation 20 units.
Audio: A bombastic fanfare composed by Randy Newman, based on "Andy's Birthday" ("Opening" in The Legacy Collection complete score album) from the Toy Story soundtrack. Sometimes, the reverberation from the ending trails into the Pixar logo.
Audio Variants:
On original prints of Toy Story, a more bombastic version of the fanfare is used, and after the arc is drawn over the castle, only the rest of the notes to the third to last note of the fanfare play, with the last two notes played on a trumpet, segueing into the opening theme.
It was even included on both the original soundtrack of the film (as the track "Andy's Birthday") and on The Legacy Collection complete score album (as the track "Opening").
Post-2009 prints kept the two trumpet notes from the logo's score that segues into the opening scene, following the Pixar logo.
An early workprint version of A Bug's Life uses the music from the 2nd logo.
On Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, the opening theme of the movie is used instead.
On original prints of Cars, the fanfare is re-orchestrated to put a little more of the logo in at the same duration of the logo's closing re-appearance.
On the closing variant, the sound of the flags waving and of pixie dust as the arc is drawn are audible. Sometimes, the ending theme of the film is used instead.
Availability: Seen on Pixar films from this period up until 2007. Again, as with the main logo this is based off of, easier to find on earlier prints, harder to find later on as plastering became more rampant.
It was first seen on Toy Story and made its final appearance on Ratatouille (TV spots and 3D prints of the latter use the 6th logo).
After this logo retired, this began to be plastered by the 7th logo for 3D theatrical re-releases of earlier Pixar films from 2009 to 2013, a trait which all current home media prints and most TV airings carry forward.
The first two Toy Story films (in 2009 with its 3D re-release), Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, (both 2012), and Cars (in 2013) all received a straightforward plaster; however, this logo is still intact on current prints of A Bug's Life, The Incredibles, and the aforementioned Ratatouille (except for 3D prints), as well as prior prints of the affected films.
The logo was last seen on the teaser trailer for WALL-E (released the same day as Ratatouille as it was attached to it theatrically), which uses the 7th logo (the first Pixar film to do so).
It is also preserved on various shorts based on Pixar films; however, other shorts from this era do not have this logo.
This logo was also seen on an Amazon Instant Video print of Monsters, Inc., likely because it was using the 2009 master, as well as the recent HBO Asia airing of Finding Nemo as it used the mid-2000s master (hence the 2006 Buena Vista International Television logo appearing at the end).
This was also found on the Walt Disney Pictures website until late 2012, starting with the drawing of the arc, then the waving of the flags loop.
The direct-to-video feature Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins is the only contemporary feature-length Pixar production to not use this logo, instead using the 2nd logo.
Legacy: This logo is considered a favorite of many, especially Pixar fans.
6th Logo (May 19, 2000-April 14, 2006)
Original version
Trailer version
Closing version
Visuals: On a black background, an orange light wipes over the company name (in the same design as the 2nd and 5th logos) from left to right. Then a brighter orange light soars over the text, revealing the castle from the 2nd logo in metallic orange in the process. The entire logo wipes away as soon as the light trail fades away.
Alternate Descriptive Video Description: Golden light illuminates a logo. Walt Disney Pictures. A glowing pinpoint arcs over the outline of a castle with spires and flags.
Variants:
On trailers, the castle is in a more bronze color, and the text is brighter.
On films such as The Pacifier, the logo is filmed.
Closing Variants:
The logo appears already formed and as a still image.
Sometimes, the full animation is used.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: None or the opening/closing theme of the movie.
Audio Variant: On The Pacifier, a marching band plays a suspenseful rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star". This version was also arranged by John Debney.
Availability: Used in tandem with the 2nd logo on live-action and animated films from the era (except for animated films produced by Pixar, which used the 5th logo).
It made its first appearance on Dinosaur.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl only has this logo at the end, as there are no logos at the beginning.
However, the 4K release of the aforementioned film does have the logos at the beginning.
Most recent prints plaster it with the next logo; as before, however, the logo is intact on VHS and DVD releases of these films.
It was also seen on the 2002 IMAX print and the 2003 VHS and DVD releases of The Lion King, plastering the 2nd logo.
This logo made its final appearance on The Wild (only as a variant at the beginning; the ending of the film uses the 2nd logo).
It was also seen on trailers for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (the film itself uses the next logo).
This logo was also some prints of the theatrical trailer for The Incredibles (the film itself uses the 5th logo).
Legacy: This logo earned the unofficial nickname "Flashlight", and is fondly remembered by those who grew up with older-skewing Disney films of the time.
7th Logo (July 7, 2006-December 9, 2022)
Flat version
Scope version
Open matte version
Flat version
Scope version
Open matte version
Variant with off-center text
4K UHD scope version
2021 China-exclusive version
Textless version
Disney+ channel banner
Corporate version (Circle)
Visuals: First a night sky is shown, with a star somewhere in the distance and the clouds on the bottom. The camera begins to pan down through the clouds, revealing a valley with a winding river being navigated by a yacht, a train running down a railroad track and some buildings nearby. The camera passes a flag with the Disney coat of arms to reveal a new CGI castle as fireworks are seen around the setting. The camera pans around the castle before stopping at a comfortable position, with the castle in full view and two walls lined up on opposite sides with a winding river in front. The fireworks fade away, and a small light appears from the left side of the castle, flying towards the bottom right side. It then draws an arc over the castle, leaving behind pixie dust. "WALT DiSNEY", in its distinctive (albeit noticeably altered) script font (or starting in 2011, just "DiSNEY"), with "PICTURES" (set in Trajan; appears until 2011) beneath it, fades in front of the castle.
Alternate Descriptive Video Descriptions:
In a logo, stars twinkle in the sky. Our view drifts down through clouds to a river that winds past hillsides. A train crosses a bridge. As a flag waves on the top of a castle's tallest spire, a bright display of fireworks explodes in the sky. A glowing pinpoint of light arcs over the castle, leaving a trail of sparkling dust. Words appear, Walt Disney Pictures.
In a logo, stars twinkle in the sky. Our view drifts down through clouds to a river that winds past hillsides. A train crosses a bridge. As a flag waves on the top of a castle's tallest spire, a bright display of fireworks explodes in the sky. A glowing pinpoint of light arcs over the castle, leaving a trail of sparkling dust. Words appear, Disney.
From a starry sky, a wide view descends to a magnificent castle with a vibrant display of fireworks. Disney.
Trivia:
This logo was commissioned by then-Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook and then-studio marketing president Oren Aviv.
The logo contains elements from various Disney films: a starry background (either the opening shot of Pinocchio or the Second Star to the Right from Peter Pan), a cloudbank (possibly Mary Poppins), and a train track (Dumbo).
The arc that appears over the castle is an homage to Tinker Bell from Peter Pan flying over the castle and sprinkling fairy dust from the introduction sequences of Walt Disney Presents (1958) and The Wonderful World of Disney (1961).
The castle design is based on the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World and the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort.
The coat of arms on the castle flag is of Walt Disney's family crest.
The yacht is said to be the Pyewacket, owned by Roy E. Disney. This was reportedly an addition by Mike Gabriel to signify the fact that, like Walt, Roy had also made a significant impact on the company; he always had everyone's back, or at least the back of the castle.
While this is the most common and likely claim to the identity of the ship, the website for yU+co circa 2011 called it Captain Hook's pirate ship (also known as the Jolly Roger), in reference to Peter Pan (his name was misspelled as "Captain Cook" until 2013).[2]
On August 13, 2019, Disney posted a compilation video of the 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th logos and their variants from 45 different films, from The Black Cauldron (1985) to The Lion King (2019), which can be viewed on the company's YouTube channel here.
Variants:
On 3D releases, the text zooms in more to create a three-dimensional illusion. This variant was also used on eight regular format films (at least one of which was not actually released in 3D): Mars Needs Moms, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, both Planes films, Cinderella (2015), Aladdin (2019), Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and the Disney+ film Noelle.
Another variant has the text already formed while the curved line is drawn; this is mostly seen on trailers, as well as at the beginning of the current prints of Monsters, Inc to plaster over the similarly brief example of the fourth logo.
An open matte version exists for films in both fullscreen and widescreen formats.
A 4:3 variant also exists, which can be found on the 2008 DVD release of 101 Dalmatians in open matte format (current home media prints since the 2010s and the Disney+ print omits it), and the Disney+ print of Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves in standard format, plastering the Walt Disney Home Video logo.
On the iPad app Disney Animated, the app's logo was shown in the start before it pans down to the city background. At the end, it pans up as scenes from Disney films and shorts are being shown as pieces of paper, which forms the app's main menu. It was also shown at the end of the app's first chapter, "Art in Motion", transitioning to a photo of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building at night.
On TV airings of Cars, an ABC print of Toy Story 3, a Freeform print of Finding Dory, and Cartoon Network prints of Alice Through the Looking Glass, the logo starts with the flag being revealed.
Sometimes, the "DiSNEY" version of the logo has the text off-center.
On 3D prints of Ratatouille, the logo starts when the pixie dust is first seen. This was to help time the opening logos correctly as the opening score, while the 2D prints use the 5th logo.
On the 2007 Chinese film The Secret of the Magic Gourd, the logo is filmed and the audio is off-sync.
On Indian films, the logo is brighter, with the sky in a lighter blue, the clouds in a pinkish color, and the castle in a slight tint of green.
For later 2021 Chinese releases of Disney films, and to commemorate Shanghai Disneyland's fifth anniversary, the castle was replaced by Shanghai Disneyland's Enchanted Storybook Castle (seen in the variant from the 2020 live-action remake of Mulan), the flag's icon was replaced by the park's fifth anniversary logo, and the "DiSNEY" text is golden. While the arc is drawn, the Chinese text for "Year of Magical Surprise" (奇妙连连 惊喜一整年) appears on the top of castle, in orange. There are also some minor changes, with motion blur omitted from the castle and the textures of the grass and the water reflections.
On ABC airings of Moana, another shortened variant exists, which starts when the castle is almost at the final angle.
A sped-up portion of this logo, starting at the camera rotating the castle and with the logo moving upwards in static, then transitioning to its movie counterpart before the arc is drawn, was shown on Disney's brand page on the Disney+ website. A frame of the logo with the text shifted upwards to fit the page's style is shown afterwards.
This was also used on the intro of The Wonderful World of Disney from 2007 to 2022, albeit without the text.
The May 2007 version has the castle shown at the end of the intro, transitioning from the homepage of the new Disney website via Tinker Bell tapping her wand and flying away. At the end, with the program's logo shown on the top of the screen, Tinker Bell flies in and taps her wand, then flies away.
The December 2007 version has the castle shown at the start and end of the intro, with the latter part using the "Disney" text enlarged in the middle of the screen to fit the program's logo, with the usual fanfare and firework sounds from the logo played in the background, albeit with the first seven notes played two times, along with archival audio of Walt Disney saying "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a mouse." At the start, Tinker Bell flies to the castle gate as the camera follows her. At the end, Tinker Bell flies in, taps her wand then flies away.
The 2015 and 2020 versions had the castle shown at the end of the intro. The music for both versions is "Heaven's Triumph" by Q-Factory's Robert Etoll.
The 2015 version starts from the fireworks bursting in the air. As the castle is reaching its position, The Wonderful World of Disney logo is shown.
The 2020 version starts from the camera reaching its position. As it does, The Wonderful World of Disney logo fades in. As the arc is almost drawn, the "Presented by Disney+" tagline (with the animated Disney+ logo) fades in.
On the Disney100 sizzle reel, as shown here, the sky background is used with the prototype Disney100 logo (the Disney wordmark with a prototype "100" drawing) and its tagline fading in as the "100" shines.
A frame of the logo (with the fireworks before the arc is drawn) was shown in a door-shaped mirror in the Disney100 teaser site in Japan up unto February 13, 2023.
Closing Variants:
Just the final seconds of the logo, where the line draws over the castle and the text fades in. This was also used as an opening logo on current prints of Monsters, Inc., replacing the 1995 Pixar-exclusive logo, albeit with the text already shown, just like in the trailer version.
On animated films starting with Finding Dory (except Onward, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (the first film had no logo), and Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again), the full animation is used as a closing logo, possibly to make the international dubbing credits sync with the music.
On current prints of Aladdin (1992), Hercules, Brother Bear (despite the previous logo being used at the beginning of that film), and Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo, the tail-end of the logo plays, in order to match the length of the 2nd logo.
In some cases, no closing logo appears at all.
Technique: CGI by WētāFX and yU+co, animated using Pixar's Renderman and Nuke software. The main staff responsible for the rendering were Cyrese Parrish and Cameron Smith. The 3D typography was done by John Stable and John Bias. Producer Baker Bloodworth and director Mike Gabriel were also part of the team responsible for this logo, which took nearly a year to complete.
Audio: A piano/string piece that builds into an orchestral/choir rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star", which ends on a long, bombastic note. Firework sound effects are also heard when the fireworks are seen onscreen. This was composed and arranged by Mark Mancina, co-arranged and orchestrated by David Metzger, and overseen by then-Walt Disney Music president Chris Montan.
Audio Variants:
An alternate version of the fanfare exists, which is subtly different and has louder, clearer sound effects.
On most movies after the logo's initial years, the film's opening theme is used instead, with no sound effects whatsoever. Some of these have the firework sounds as part of the opening theme, and sometimes the logo is completely silent. Additionally, different sound effects are sometimes used with the opening theme for some films.
Some films have the sound effects (particularly those of the fireworks) being different.
The closing variant is either silent, has music from any given soundtrack, or uses the ending theme of the film. When there are sounds, there is the sound of fairy dust over the logo.
A high pitched variant exists, which is heard on PAL prints of films and the main hub section of Disney Movies VR, respectively.
On the latter, different firework sounds are used, even after the music ends.
On the sound-effects only audio track of Meet the Robinsons, only the sound of bursts can be heard.
Availability: This was used in tandem with the 2nd logo until December 12, 2006, and with the 5th logo until June 29, 2007.
General information
Seen on most Disney films from 2006 until 2022, starting with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (trailers for the film use the previous logo) and ending with Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again.
It's also seen on Pixar films from WALL-E to Lightyear. It was also seen on some TV spots and 3D prints of Ratatouille (2D prints used the 5th logo in its final appearance).
The version with the full company name was last used theatrically on Winnie the Pooh and on the direct-to-video film Treasure Buddies; however, it was later seen at the end of theatrical prints of The Lone Ranger (2013). International releases continued to use this version of the logo until the 2012 Indian film Arjun: The Warrior Prince.
Even though the 2011 variant was actually first used for the Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment logo in 2007, it would later replace the original variant (with the full company name) starting with The Muppets, and all movies following it. This change is said to have been made to accommodate for smaller screens on mobile phones and other devices, like the iPod.
This was used on the Disney page of the Disney+ app until December 22, 2023, as well as the profile picture on Walt Disney Studios' social media accounts.
Individual appearances and plasters
It also started to appear on current prints of classic Disney films and shorts, as well as newer releases of pre-2008 Pixar films (except for A Bug's Life, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille (2D prints only)) in the late 2000s (however, many others like those aforementioned films still retain their old logos).
It also plasters the Touchstone Pictures logo on post-2006 prints of The Nightmare Before Christmas, as it was reissued as a Disney release starting that year (although Touchstone is still listed in the closing credits).
Also seen on some Indian films produced by the company, with the UTV Motion Pictures logo appearing on select international releases until 2017.
It is also seen before the Studio Ghibli logo on 2010 DVD releases of their output, and is retained at the end of both UK and Australian DVD releases of Ponyo, even though Optimum Releasing (now StudioCanal) and Madman Entertainment released the film in those respective countries.
It is also seen on the demo U.S. VHS release of Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, marking the only known instance of the logo on an official VHS release in the USA.
It can also be found on a few Disney games since the closure of Disney Interactive Studios in 2016, including Disney Infinity 1.0 (as a variant); otherwise, the print Disney wordmark is used.
It is also preserved on LEGO games published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and based on Disney properties, such as LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, LEGO The Incredibles (as a variant), and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
However, this logo did not appear on Cars 3: Driven to Win, which uses the Disney Consumer Products logo instead.
The logo was usually seen on ABC shows and specials, such as Dancing with the Stars and American Idol during Disney Night, which occurred once each season, with a variant created for these shows, respectively.
For example, in Season 24 of Dancing with the Stars, the logo without the Disney text was shown on the video walls in the stage, and the logo precedes the BBC Worldwide Productions logo. Furthermore, the same skybox was used in Mickey's 90th Spectacular (albeit using a variant at the start of the show) during the show's finale.
The castle was also shown in the Disney section of the main hub of Disney Movies VR (albeit with the music in PAL pitch), with different firework sounds playing in the background, even after the music stops. Different fireworks are also shown in the background.
The 4:3 open-matte variant is seen on foreign VHS and VCD releases, as well as 4:3 international airings of Pixar films from WALL-E to Cars 2.
This logo is also seen on some 20th Century Animation films produced for Disney+ (mainly animated films), rather than said company's logo (however, the company is mentioned as the copyright holder). This also includes the live-action films Better Nate Than Ever and Cheaper by the Dozen.
The China-specific version of the logo was only seen on the 2020 remake of Mulan and Mainland China's releases of the 2021 films Luca, Jungle Cruise (as a variant) and Encanto. There were also no picture/video captures nor mentions of this variant online until the following year.
This logo was also seen on the trailer for Strange World, with the film itself using the next logo.
While this logo was formally retired with Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again on December 9, 2022, it has occasionally appeared on some newer productions, such as the second season of the Disney+ original short series Launchpad, released on September 29, 2023.
Legacy: This is considered an iconic logo among Disney fans and is a favorite of many; however, it has gained infamy among some for its continual plastering of previous logos. Outside the logo community, it's regarded by some as a metaphor for The Walt Disney Company's size.
8th Logo (November 23, 2022-)
Original version with slogan
Original scope version with slogan
Original shortened version with slogan
Original version without slogan (1.85:1)
2022 enhanced version with slogan
2022 enhanced version without slogan
2022 enhanced shortened version without slogan
Flat version (Prototype Variant)
Scope version (Finalized, Cropped to scope from 1.85:1)
Scope version (Finalized)
Shortened version (Prototype Variant)
Open matte version of the Prototype Variant with production information, seen on the 2023 Clio Entertainment Awards website
Standard variant (Disney+ brand banner, finished version with black fade)
Standard variant (Disney+ brand banner with arc and black fade)
Disney100 banner version #1
Disney100 banner version #2
Disney100 banner version #3
Disney100 cropped version
Disney100 9:16 version
Very rare banner version with elements of the previous logo
Textless version
Corporate version (square)
Visuals: It starts off with an enhanced version of the night sky from the previous logo, which turns out to be a reflection in a river as the largest star jumps out of the water, causing the scene to ripple around it (a la the current Paramount Pictures logo). The camera pans up and zooms past an updated version of the river and buildings as the train passes by on a bridge, now with a waterfall, trees and other elements, as the star flies around the landscape. Once the camera gets to the waterfall, it pans up to reveal a back view of the castle from the previous logo before the star flies across it. The camera rotates to the right and works its way to the front of the castle as multiple fireworks are seen around it, while white birds fly away midway through the castle flyover. The camera then reaches its standard position, revealing a new sunset background and river. The arc (now wider, brighter, and colored in blue) is drawn from the left side of the castle rather than from the right, with a star twinkling when it reaches its highest point. As the camera slowly zooms out, the "DiSNEY" script is written in front of the castle with a glass texture (this time more closely resembling the corporate wordmark) as the camera comes to a stop, before the logo fades out.
Alternate Descriptive Video Description:
A brightly shining star moves revealing itself to be a glowing point of light that sends out ripples on a river's calm reflective surface. The light flies over a bridge as a train passes, then zips past tall evergreen trees toward a large waterfall. It flies up the falls lighting up the cascading water as it goes. At the top, fireworks explode in the shape of Mickey Mouse over a magnificent fairytale castle. As the light shoots past, its glimmering tail spreads over the castle's facade. The light arcs over the castle terrace leaving a trail of glitter. Disney100, 100 Years of Wonder.
A brightly shining star moves revealing itself to be a glowing point of light that sends out ripples on a river's calm reflective surface. The light flies over a bridge as a train passes, then zips past tall evergreen trees toward a large waterfall. It flies up the falls lighting up the cascading water as it goes. At the top, fireworks explode in the shape of Mickey Mouse over a magnificent fairytale castle. As the light shoots past, its glimmering tail spreads over the castle's facade. The light arcs over the castle terrace leaving a trail of glitter. Disney100.
Twinkling stars in a cloudy sky reflect in water. Glittering light spirals past a train as it crosses a bridge over a river. The lights of hillside towns and villages twinkle beside the river, as it flows through a magnificent fairytale castle. Fireworks explode in the cloud-streaked sky. The light shoots over the castle, leaving a glittering arch above the castle turrets. Disney.
Trivia:
This logo was revealed at the Disney Studios & Animation and Pixar panel at the 2022 D23 Expo on September 9, 2022.
According to an official D23 article,[3] the star that jumps out of the river is meant to represent Tinker Bell from Peter Pan.
The pan up/zoom shot to a castle through a forest/waterfall background is a homage to Beauty and the Beast (1991), which opened with a similar shot.
On the Disney100 variant, the castle being filled with color homages a scene in the aforementioned film in which the enchantment is broken, and light and color spread across the castle. The castle, however, was shown in the reflection in that scene due to being shown as platinum silver.
Like the previous logo, the train seen halfway through the logo is Casey Jr. from Dumbo, reusing the design from the 2019 live-action remake of said film.
At the end of the logo, Matterhorn Mountain from Third Man on the Mountain (and the Disneyland attraction Matterhorn Bobsleds) and Pride Rock from The Lion King can be seen in the distance on opposite sides of the castle. One can also see the lanterns from Tangled in the river, and the Will O' the Wisps from Brave on the grass.
Three Mickey Mouse head-shaped fireworks are shown when the castle appears. Two more of those are also shown as the camera pans across the castle. This references the hidden Mickeys. Overall, there are five Mickey-shaped fireworks in total.
In addition to containing the same visual references from the previous logo, new references added include Pocahontas, Up, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid, and Tangled.
On the Disney100 variant, the platinum silver appearance of the castle and text represent the Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary in 2023; platinum was a recurring color across the company's anniversary branding.
The arc, which was previously drawn from the right side of the castle to the left side, is drawn from left to right in this logo, possibly to match the company's current print logo, as well as the logo of Disney+. The arc is also blue, which is the then main color of Disney+ (at least at the time of this logo's unveiling).
The night sky background featured at the beginning of this logo was used as the cover art for Sara Bareilles' version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (albeit with the largest star being near the middle of the image instead of the corner).
This logo won a Gold Clio at the 2023 Clio Entertainment Awards.
According to the 2023 Clio Entertainment Awards website image variant's visible production data for the standard version, this logo was completed on August 19, 2022, and its internal file name is "D100SS_0010".
Variants:
During the logo's debut and first official year (2023, even though it technically debuted in 2022), a special variant was used to commemorate The Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary. The Disney script is in metallic silver, with a "100" (with the two zeroes resembling an infinity symbol) in a similar fashion next to it, which makes the Disney100 logo. When the castle is revealed, it also is initially shown with a platinum metallic appearance, with fireworks also being shown on its reflection, but is filled with color when the star reaches the castle; it finishes transforming once the star reaches the highest point of the castle.
Also, during the logo's early run in 2022, "100 YEARS OF WONDER" (set in The Walt Disney Company's own font InspireTWDC) fades in below the text once it finishes forming.
For the logo's reveal at the 2022 D23 Expo, it cuts to black at the end. It is also shown at the end of the Disney100 promo video (which was first shown at the 2022 D23 Expo) on the 2022 edition of The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration on ABC (following a montage of several variations of the previous logo), where it starts from the text forming then cuts to a scene from Steamboat Willie. It also has archival audio of Walt Disney saying, "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a mouse," which is also used in the video.
The Disney100 version would be later used at the end of the introduction of the Entertainment Showcase event during the first day of the 2024 D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The monitors of the left and right sides of the stage have their respective sides zoomed in near the middle. At the end, the D23 logo is shown, as it moves from the left. The logo then cuts to black a couple of seconds after the arc is formed. Furthermore, while the standard version is shown (with the river flowing) in some parts during the Disney Entertainment segment of the event, the monitors on the left and right sides of the stage show the camera focusing on the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, Alan Bergman, covering both parts of the logo's background, respectfully. Also, different fireworks are shown while the sky background is dimmed. Following that, the Disney logo is moved to the monitor on the bottom of the stage, while the various characters, each representing the six division from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures: Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios]], Pixar Animation Studios, [[Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Studios, are shown above, before showing the logo once more. Also, during the reveal of the live action adaptation of Lilo and Stitch, Stitch suddenly appeared by making a hole within the monitor on the middle of the stage, which showed the logo, besides the bottom part, which caused some squares being in dark blue, due to a malfunction before running to the right side, then reappearing then tries to lick the glass before it changes to the logo for the film itself.
A short variant exists where it starts on the arc drawing, albeit with the text already formed. This can be seen on trailers, TV spots and as a closing logo, as well as on short films beginning with Carl's Date. It also appears at the beginning of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (international theatrical releases have the "100 YEARS OF WONDER" slogan variant; the non-slogan version is restored on international home video releases in line with its US release) and Blink (only on US and Canadian theatrical prints).
It is also found during the end of Disney100: Remember That on Disney Channel, following the various variations of the previous logo.
On the later variant without the "100" or "100 YEARS OF WONDER" text, the castle is already colored.
The copyright stamp was moved to the actual logo at the end of the Disney100 "Tradition" special look video on April 3 of that same year, then the tail end of the text forming in the Disney100 "4th of July" special look video, in the same vein of the first Disney100 special look video, on July 4th of the same year, then later re-used, this time, showing the words "HERE'S TO THE NEXT 100 YEARS" as the camera is moving to its position, transitioning to the end of the text forming in the Disney100 "Lifetime" special look video on October 16th of that same year, then the finished logo, transitioning to the Mickey symbol with the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICKEY" on the Disney100 "Mickey's Birthday" special look video on November 18 of that same year. On Disney's TikTok page, the logo is cropped, with the finished logo in open matte and in the 9:21 ratio to fit the smartphone portrait orientation.
Furthermore, the official site featured the finished logo. Alongside the video's release, the Disney profile picture and banner on the company's social pages were updated with the profile pic showing the Disney logo in silver on the finished logo's sky background and the profile banner showing the logo with the arc drawn and the Disney100 logo (which is different than the one shown on-screen and without the text below it) being moved up to fit with the banner's height (which was later removed beginning in 2024). On the homepage of Disney's website, as well as the Disney100 page, the arc and flags animates at 60fps and animates differently from its usual logo.
A rare version exists. One is a different sky, and a bridge from the previous logo, and as the water reflects the castle from said logo.
On the LEGO Disney100 collection teaser, a Minifigure version of Tinker Bell appears as the logo (in its scope format), starting from the camera moving to its position, fades in. She flies away, then follows the arc before tapping her wand before the text is being drawn; as grey bricks appear, the screen fades to white and transitions to a scene from Steamboat Willie.
A 30fps version exists on Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl; also, starting with the aforementioned special, and all films following it (except for Carl's Date, Elemental, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Haunted Mansion, Once Upon a Studio, and Wish), the coloring is enhanced and updated, likely to accommodate for 4K UHD screens.
An extended version is known to exist on Disney100: The Concert during the end of the opening score. It starts from when the star is about to jump out of the water's reflection after transitioning from scenes from films from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Walt Disney's quote, "IT'S KIND OF FUN TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.", zooms in as the star jumps out of the water's reflection, and the finished logo stays on-screen for a few seconds. On Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Concert, the logo is shown in 16:9, except it fades out at the end.
This has also been used in the intro for The Wonderful World of Disney since September 29, 2022 (albeit without the text forming), with the Disney100 version was used as its basis. This version of the intro was based on the 2020 version of the intro, which starts as the castle is reaching its position, being shown before archival audio of Walt Disney saying "...here we go." Similar to the previous versions, the castle is shown at the end of the intro. As the castle reaches its position, the Wonderful World of Disney logo along with the "Presented by Disney+" tag (with the animated Disney+ logo being shown as the arc is being drawn) fades in. After that, it transitions to the print Disney100 logo. The intro was updated on December 11, 2022, with the print Disney100 logo removed and the "Presented by Disney+" tag remaining for the rest of the intro. This was most likely due to the addition of films from 20th Century Studios; normally a scene from the featured movie was shown, starting with Hocus Pocus (that scene was later used in Enchanted). It would be later be updated on June 2, 2023, with the removal of the "Presented by Disney+" tag (although it may be shown during promos, following its removal). Another updated version debuted on October 1, 2023, which added the print Disney100 logo back to the intro, now smaller in size and this time being shown as the camera moves to its usual position. This was most likely to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary that month. It was later reverted back to the previous version on January 7, 2024, to reflect the end of the Disney100 celebration. On October 20, 2024, the "Presented by Disney+" made a surprise re-appearance. Just like the 2015 and 2020 versions of the intro, the music is "Heaven's Triumph", composed by Q-Factory's Robert Etoll.
In the intro to The Wonderful World of Disney Presents Disney100 Anniversary Celebration, the short version of the logo is black and white, as Tinker Bell flies by and taps her wand to add color to the logo before she leaves the screen. Near the end of the logo, Tinker Bell comes back, as the logo is shown as a painting. As the logo stops, Tinker Bell leaves, as the host, Kelly Ripa, is shown. The logo remains shown throughout the intro before Once Upon a Studio airs. As a result, the short version is not shown after the short film ends, as it replaces the group photo normally shown at the end.
A frame of the finished logo (without the text) is shown in a door-shaped mirror in the Disney100 teaser site in all supported regions and languages besides Japan (until February 12, 2023; February 13 for the rest of the world), albeit with the US English version of the site as one of the rotating images until around the end of December 2022.
During the Apple WWDC (Worldwide Developer's Conference) 2023 event, a variant was used that animates at 30fps and shows the arc forming after a few seconds (in the same vein as the short version), without the castle reflecting the arc's light and the arc being visible in the foreground. Then it moves around for a bit as the text fades out, and the camera follow it into the castle gate, transitioning to the reveal of Disney experiences (including Disney+) on Apple Vision Pro.
On Disney's TikTok page, as shown here, a snippet of the logo was posted on October 16, 2023, allowing other TikTok users to "Duet" on sharing their favorite Disney memory.
The finished logo (if on the event's homepage on the app), as well as the finished logo without the text (if on the activity checklist page on the app) and the castle with the arc (if on the event's homepage on browser), was also shown on the Disney100 TikTok event page from October 16 to November 13, 2023. Furthermore, some clips of the logo, with the transitioning of the dimensional Disney100 logo (which transitions to the print logo), on the event's announcement video on the TikTok Newsroom account, as well as on Disney's social media account (cropped on the latter) here. On the event and explore videos, which is shown on Disney's social media accounts (cropped on other social media platforms), as shown here and here, the logo is shown on a phone. On both videos, the Disney100 event's homepage wallpaper transitions to the logo as it fills the screen.
On an image later added to the logo's entry on the website for the 2023 Clio Entertainment Awards (previously there was no image and just the below mentioned video), production data is still visible on the top and bottom of the image.
In the opening sequence of Disney100: A Century of Dreams - A Special Edition of 20/20, the logo is darker than usual. The fireworks and the arc are also different, and the Disney100 text is dark platinum and centered to fit the program's title. The logo animates differently with footage of various Disney properties projected on the castle as the camera flies around it, before getting to the usual position as the footage slowly fades out. The program's title forms with ABC's 20/20 logo fading in below it.
On Disney's brand page on Disney+, the finished logo is shifted upward to fit the page's style. On mobile devices, as well as the international versions, the text is also shifted upwards on both the finished version and a version with the arc. Unlike the previous logo, the video shows the last few seconds of the logo.
Starting with the second update to the Disney+ brand page on January 26, 2024, the logo is slightly darker, the Will O' the Wisps are barely visible, and the castle also receives a slight update. The video was later updated with the video being slowed down and the text being drawn in white light at normal speed.
Both exists a prototype version and a finalized version of the post-anniversary variant.
The prototype version recycles the Disney100 variant, except with the changes from the castle and the text. Only seen on The Beach Boys and Young Woman and the Sea.
The finalized version updates most of the landscape, alongside Pride Rock, and the text being slightly darkened. The logo is also completely zoomed out starting with this version. Seen on films since Inside Out 2.
Closing Variant: Either the full animation (on animated films) or the short version as described above.
Technique: CGI made in Maya by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
Audio: A longer, more majestic and powerful arrangement of the "When You Wish Upon a Star" theme from the previous logo, this time composed by Christophe Beck and orchestrated by Tim Davies, recorded at the Fox Studio Lot. The sounds of a whistling train are also heard as the train passes by, along with the sounds of the waterfall rushing as the camera approaches it, and the choir vocalizing towards the end (albeit more audible). Also, the firework sounds are different and louder, and are in sync with the music.
Audio Variants:
In some cases, the opening and closing themes of the film are heard or none at all.
Sometimes on the closing variant, the sound of pixie dust is heard.
On short films, the first few seconds of the theme with the pixie dust sounds are heard. The theme trails into the Pixar logo on Carl's Date.
On Wish, the theme trails into the opening theme of the movie.
On Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Concert, only the sound effects are heard over the last few seconds of the score.
On the website for the 2023 Clio Entertainment Awards, a completely different arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star" is used, starting with an extended version of the 2006 logo's opening piano notes until a powerful version of the familiar theme comes in with the reveal of the castle. The train whistle is also louder.
On Disney's TikTok page, some sound effects on the snippet are quieter or omitted; this can be heard here.
Availability: Seen on all Disney and Pixar films since Strange World (trailers and TV spots for said film use the previous logo), released on November 23, 2022.
The Disney100 variant first appeared on the aforementioned film, and made its last appearance on Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever.
It also made appearances on the trailers for the 2022 films Hocus Pocus 2 and Disenchanted prior to its debut (the previous logo is used on the Disney+ version of the trailers and on the films themselves) and the teaser trailers for Elio and Inside Out 2.
The standard variant debuted on the Inside Out 2 TV spot "Team" and later fully appeared on the Disney+ original film The Beach Boys, released on May 24, 2024. It made its theatrical debut on Young Woman and the Sea a week later, and the finalized variant debuted on Inside Out 2, released two weeks after the former.
The standard variant is shown on the Disney brand page on Disney+ as of December 22, 2023, while the textless banner is shown with a square border on Walt Disney Studios' social media accounts (except for Facebook, where it appears with a circular border within the square).
This logo is seen on Disney+ originals starting with Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl.
This logo has also appeared on concert programs since April 2023.
Legacy: Many consider this logo a love letter to Disney's filmography, and an appropriate successor to the previous logo.
Copyright Stamps
Here is some information about the copyright stamps on the Disney films:
_3.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
_1.png)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
_(Corporate).jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.JPG){kind=logo}
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.PNG){kind=logo}
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpeg)
_II.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
