The Aladdin Musical Spectacular on the Disney Cruise Line: When You Wish Upon Shellfish

 In February 2024, I went on my first ever Cruise, and it was on the Disney Wish.  One of my favorite parts of the trip was the Aladdin Musical Spectacular live theater show.  This presentation features special effects, puppets, and show-stopping musical numbers, as you might imagine.  I decided to make Aladdin, Genie, and the Magic Carpet as seen in the show using materials found on the beaches in Venice, Florida.  I used shark teeth (particularly in Aladdin and Genie's hair) and a variety of shells.  And a lot of glittery paint.  Filming is not allowed in the show, so for reference, I found YouTube footage of the show from the Disney Fantasy from January 2017.

For this version of Aladdin, the Magic Carpet is perhaps the breakout character.  He is silent, and performs all sorts of acrobatic stunts.

My adventure on the Disney Wish was fantastic.  We did a 3 night Cruise and visited Nassau, and Castaway Cay.  I would like to give a special shout out to our assigned wait staff, Eduardo and Glory Ann, who performed magic tricks for us at dinner multiple nights!

My Disney Racers Concepts: Dueling Aladdin Sidekicks and Lady and the Tramp: Dog vs Cats

Grease Monkey Klepto Riff Raff Street Rat Rod

Way back in 2002, Disney and Hasbro released the Disney Wild Racers line of die cast cars.  At the time, they were sold in themed packs of two characters.  The cars themselves had names in addition to vanity plates.  It was during this time that I thought of different sets I wanted to see.  I recently found the drawings I did and tweaked them just a little bit.  One idea I had was for an Aladdin animal sidekick set.  Aladdin's friend, Abu the monkey, just had to be a Disney Racer.

I've decided to name each car like Disney Wild Racers did with their cars.

The car for Abu is Grease Monkey Klepto Riff Raff Street Rat Rod.

The Iago car is Molting Motor Mouth.

Molting Motor Mouth

Jafar's henchman parrot, Iago, is the perfect foil for Abu.

Tramp from Lady and the Tramp is a favorite character of mine.  The Tramp car is called Dashing Radical Mongrel.

Dashing Radical Mongrel

For whatever reason, I did not draw a design for Lady.  In my mind, I was thinking of "dueling" character sets.  Even though Disney Wild Racers had sets of friends (Like Mickey/Pluto and Timon/Pumbaa).

Though they share no screen time, I chose Si and Am the cats to duel with Tramp.

The Siamese Cat car is called Twin Tran SiAm.

Twin Tran SiAm

I liked the idea of representing both characters on one car.

Eventually, the Disney Wild Racers line was discontinued by Hasbro.  The toys live on as Disney Racers, sold at Disney theme parks.  These days, the focus is on Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel characters.

Disney's Bathing Beauty Beast For The Christmas Tree

It just isn't the holiday season without an ornament of the Beast taking a bubble bath hanging on the Christmas tree. This may be the most comical item I've seen featuring Disney's Beauty and the Beast characters.

It's time for the Disney Enesco Christmas Ornament Spectacular! These ornaments were sold in card stores and in catalogs during 1994, 1995 and 1996.

No Christmas special would be complete without some great commercials. Luckily, Enesco also made some ornaments featuring some popular advertising mascots.

Mr. Peanut from Planter's joins Lifesaver's, Hershey's and Campbell's to sponsor this event.

Beauty and the Beast have been celebrating Christmas since 1997. That's when their "mid-quel" movie, "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" debuted.

The film featured new characters that were never seen again, including a Tree Topper Angel named Angelique (voiced by Bernadette Peters), a pipe organ named Forte (Tim Curry) and Forte's assistant, Fife (Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens).

Some of the Enesco ornaments were re-released over the years.

Beauty and the Beast will soon have their own village in Fantasyland at Walt Disney World in Florida (complete with Beast's Castle on a snow-capped mountain).

It's time for Holiday Cheer from Puppy Chow, Tootsie Roll and McDonald's.

This McDonald's ornament celebrates the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

It's time to go Under the Sea for a Little Mermaid Christmas.

The Little Mermaid has a new dark ride at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, which is also under construction at Walt Disney World in Florida. Could these rides ever get a Holiday makeover? I say YES!

It's time to cool off with refreshing Coca-Cola ornaments.

One thing I love about writing Dizmentia is that I have readers all over the world. This ornament celebrates a popular Coca-Cola campaign that I can remember seeing on TV when I was three years old.

Coca-Cola has some very creative ornaments.

Coca-Cola is the official soft drink of Santa's Workshop.

Santa's workforce also includes Polar Bears.

The Polar Bears are cute, but they sometimes drink on the job.

Santa also drops Coca-Cola from his plane. Look out below!

Santa Claus washes down the millions of cookies he eats using Diet Coke.

Enesco artists even came up with a Coca-Cola train!

The train was sold in limited quantities. I wonder how much it is worth these days.

Coca-Cola has been around for a long time!

Some of the artwork in this trunk reminds me of the opening titles to the sitcom "Cheers."

As we stroll down memory lane, we see Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse in the 1928 cartoon "Plane Crazy."

I love this version of Mickey Mouse. Notice his large, goggle-like eyes, which were eventually redesigned.

Mickey and Minnie ring in 1995, and celebrate the past with 1928's Steamboat Willie.

Squeaky-clean Minnie Mouse also enjoys a Christmas bubble bath (but not with the Beast).

Mickey's Toontown opened at Disneyland in California in 1993, so it was still pretty new when these ornaments debuted.

It looks like Mickey bought Minnie something from Victoria's Secret.

If you plan on driving across the country for Christmas, why not do it in style?

Driving a 1957 Chevy Bel Air and wearing shades and a black leather jacket, Santa Claus redefines cool in the North Pole.

Santa makes sure the elves have a jukebox.

It would have been amazing if this ornament actually played music.

Kris Kringle has a stylin' 1965 Corvette Stingray.

Here, Kris Kringle looks a bit like Guy Fieri from Food Network's TV show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

Mr. Kringle loves to sample food as he travels. He really digs McDonald's! He loves it so much, he had the elves make him a helicopter out of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

The Polar Bears are in charge of preparing Santa's McDonald's lunches. The elves make him Campbell's soup for dinner.

As you travel during the holidays, be aware that the elves are busy all around you. They are making you French Fry Trees at McDonald's. They are even delivering pizzas at Pizza Hut.

Did you win a free sandwich when you played the Monopoly game at McDonald's? Bring your winning game piece with you when you travel for the holidays to save money. Take a can of Campbell's soup with you when you visit your Grama's house, and tell her "I brought you dinner!" Don't forget to leave a big bowl of Kitten Chow for Mittens while you are gone.

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas (so the saying goes).

LifeSavers make a charming Christmas Tree if you don't have room for an actual tree. Mr. Peanut doesn't mind if you eat peanuts, so don't feel guilty about gobbling them up during the Holidays.

It's time for some treats, courtesy of Coca-Cola, Hershey's, and Wrigleys!

A Coca-Cola bird feeder provides an oasis of refreshment for our fine, feathered friends.

It's time for Christmas with Aladdin! The Genie is a one-man caroling band.

Jasmine and Rajah probably won't see any snow, but they may find themselves in a sandstorm.

The Genie is often imitated but never duplicated.

Except when he is duplicated.

You won't find a magic lamp buried inside a box of Cracker Jacks, but you will find a treasure of some kind. It may be a piece of plastic, though.

Someone did get a diamond ring as part of a special promotion.

Santa wants you to leave him Hershey's brand hot chocolate.

If you don't get him Hershey's, you may end up with a lump of coal in your stocking.

Hershey's has their own amusement park (with roller coasters!) in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

We have yet to see the Nestle company build their Nestle Thrillville theme park located in Nestle Crunch, Wyoming.*

*This is just a joke. There are no plans, to my knowledge, of a Nestle Thrillville theme park. There is also not a town called Nestle Crunch in Wyoming. Yet.

Kids love getting toys at Christmas, and Disney has their own living toy. It's Pinocchio, the little wooden boy carved by puppet master Geppetto.

The hot new toy for 2011 is Tell No Lies Pinocchio made by Mattel. That's a lie right there.

Gather the family together to play a game...of MURDER! It's Clue from Parker Brothers!

Disney has special Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror versions of Clue that I really would love to play. I do own the Simpsons version of Clue, which is pretty funny.

I spent countless hours playing SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog game years ago.

I was happy to see a Sonic balloon in the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

You can play Monopoly at McDonald's or the real game in your home.

Rich Uncle Pennybags dances around his Monopoly Money Tree, decorated with game pieces.

There have been many versions of Monopoly, but the classic everyone remembers includes Park Place and Boardwalk.

I'd like to see a Hasbro version of A Christmas Carol starring Rich Uncle Pennybags as Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr. Potato Head could be Bob Cratchit.

It's playtime with Tinkertoy and Monopoly!

I thought these advertising ornaments were pretty interesting years ago, but after becoming a fan of AMC's "Mad Men" ad agency-based TV show, I'm even more fascinated by them. Enesco made Juicy Fruit Gum and Wrigley's Gum ornaments and people actually paid to put them on their Christmas tree.

The Enesco artists are incredibly talented, because I would have bought these ornaments if I could have!

A chewing gum plane and tree? Brilliant!

I've just spotted Disney's 101 Dalmatians.

I especially like the dalmatian "tree."

Maybe Santa will bring a dalmatian puppy to your house for Christmas.

Maybe he'll bring 101 dalmatians. Better stock up on Purina Puppy Chow.

Mickey and his dog Pluto lead a pack of nifty Mickey and Minnie ornaments.

It's time for the Mickey Mouse finale of the Disney Enesco Christmas Ornament Spectacular.

I think I'm running out of things to say.

There's a firetruck, a car and a sleigh.

Mickey goes postal at Christmas!

Mickey takes a train (it is NOT the Polar Express).

Donald should have ducked.

Goofy goofed up and ordered too many of these Mickey Mouse ornaments, so some of these were available for several years.

The Enesco shop is closing up now. Mrs. Mouse has some stirring to do when she gets home.

Not shown here are delightful, cute ornaments with mice and elves featuring brands like Charmin, Tampax, Metamucil and Pepto-Bismol. Maybe next time.

Happy Holidays!

Aladdin, What Are You Going To Do Next?

Aladdin, you've just had a big hit Disney movie. What are you going to do next? Not only will you go to Disneyland, you'll star in a new show there, and you and your fellow cast members will appear as trinkets in all the shops.

I got this great Genie shirt on my trip to Disneyland in California in 1993. I'm guessing that Walt Disney World sold one, too.

The Genie's tourist outfit should be familiar to anyone who saw Robin Williams in the "Back to Neverland" film seen at the Magic Of Disney Animation tour at the Disney MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida (1989-2003). In the attraction, Robin Williams hosts a look at how Disney Animation is created. A live action "tourist" Robin Williams (who is wearing a Goofy hat and Hawaiian shirt) is transformed into a Lost Boy in the world of Peter Pan. The attraction is so memorable to me, I can still quote lines from it.

The debut of Aladdin in 1992 was an exciting time for Disney fans. The Disney Store had what must have been its biggest movie merchandising program ever done.

A familiar sight at the Disney Parks and the Disney Store when Aladdin first debuted were plush toys of Genie, Rajah and Abu.
The Genie and Abu toys were different for Disney because they had vinyl faces. I remember really liking the Abu plush.

There was a really nice line of ceramic Aladdin figures, with one of the best three dimensional representations of Genie that I've seen.

Genie and Jafar were available at The Disney Store and the Disney Parks, but that's not where I got these. I was given these by a friend who found them at a thrift store. Even though they are chipped, they are still cool.

Mattel had a very popular line of Aladdin action figures, sold in sets and individually.

There were more figures released for this series, including the Sultan and Prince Ali. There was also a Cave of Wonders playset. This toy line was expanded when the Aladdin TV series debuted.

Applause had a fun line of stuffed/vinyl Aladdin poseable toys.

These are among the most impressive character sculpts I've seen on Aladdin merchandise. Jasmine was also available.

Robin Williams added so much life and energy to Aladdin, as well as a contemporary spin that had not been seen before in Disney Feature Animation.

You can almost hear Genie ask, "Did you rub my lamp?"

Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs.

Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop.

I wish I had this Genie cookie jar.

I also like the lamp cookies.

It's the Genie's mug as a Mug!

The Genie is the only Disney character that can rip his own face apart and juggle multiple versions of his own head.

Sculptor Ron Lee created a show-stopping Genie.

I can remember wanting Disney to make figures of all the things Genie transforms into (a dragon, a slot machine, a submarine, etc.).

Like sands through the hourglass (or in this case, snow), so are the Arabian days (and nights) of our lives.
You can't tell time with this hourglass. Luckily, you can find some great Genie watches for that.

Genie is often imitated, but never duplicated, duplicated, duplicated!

Genie has phenomenal cosmic powers, but an itty-bitty living space.

In the United States, Disney joined forces with Burger King to promote Aladdin in 1992.

The fast food chain released a set of color changing cups and Burger King Kids Club toys.

My favorite toy in this set is the wind-up, acrobatic Abu the monkey.

In America, Burger King and Disney had previously partnered for the promotion of Beauty and the Beast (1991). Burger King also promoted The Lion King (1994), Pocahontas (1995), Toy Story (1995), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).

Nearly everywhere else in the world, Disney and McDonald's were promotional partners for all those films.
The McDonald's set is nice, but they chose to use the Sultan instead of Abu. Really?!?!

On cereal shelves, Cap'n Crunch teamed up with Aladdin.

The Genie puts a new spin on a fortune teller toy.

TIME Magazine had a great Aladdin story by Richard Corliss in November of 1992.

Aladdin got noticed for taking risks and chances.

A positive review, even from Warner Brothers legend, Chuck Jones!

One of the big stories about Aladdin was that the main character was redesigned well into the film's production. Imagine what the buzz would have been like if the Internet existed back then. Some of the original design can be seen in the "Friend Like Me" sequence. A better look at the old design can be seen on the Aladdin 2-Disc Special Edition DVD.

The thinking was that the scrawny version of Aladdin just didn't fit with Jasmine, with the complaint that it was like "Julia Roberts with Michael J. Fox, and needed to be more Julia Roberts and Tom Cruise." Ironically, Julia Roberts married Lyle Lovett in 1993.

The Special Edition Aladdin DVD also shows a more realistic version of the Genie.

The Genie in the film looks like a caricature of this design.

I spent countless hours playing the Aladdin SEGA video game, which was created with the help of Disney Feature Animation.

Like the film, the game featured cameos of Sebastian the crab and the Beast. There was also a tribute to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Before there was the Return of Jafar video sequel in 1994 (which was basically just the origin story for the Aladdin animated TV series) there was The Return of Aladdin comic book mini series in 1993.
The story was very similar to The Return of Jafar, with the Genie Jafar and Iago escaping the Cave of Wonders to find a new master. For the comic book, the new master was the Uncanny Isabella, Master Magician, a character that looked exactly like Jafar. Iago the parrot remained a villain for this story.
The best part of this comic was the Genie changing into Popeye. Robin Williams played Popeye in the live action 1980 Paramount Pictures/Disney film.

Aladdin got his own animated series in 1994, which debuted on the Disney Channel before heading to syndication as part of the Disney Afternoon and also to the CBS Saturday Morning schedule.
Scott Weinger has been the voice of Aladdin since the film debuted in 1992. Most of the cast of the original film returned for The Return of Jafar and the animated TV series. Missing was Robin Williams as the Genie, who was replaced with Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer Simpson). Williams would eventually return for the third Aladdin film, the direct to video Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996).

Abis Mal (voiced by Jason Alexander) was introduced in The Return of Jafar.

Abis Mal was Genie Jafar's master (sort of) and would later appear as a villain on the Aladdin TV series.

Aladdin has been a big merchandising hit over the years, and he was included as part of the Disney Adventurers toy line.

These days, Jasmine is still seen frequently as part of the highly successful Disney Princess brand.

A new parade, inspired by the Prince Ali segment of Aladdin, could be found at Walt Disney World and Disneyland around the time the movie was still fairly new.

You didn't need a Magic Carpet to see Aladdin's Royal Caravan. You could book a flight on Delta, the Official Airline of Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

At Disney MGM Studios in Florida (now called Disney's Hollywood Studios) in May of 1994, you could enjoy Aladdin's Royal Caravan every day at 1:00 PM. You could also start your day with Aladdin's Breakfast Adventure.

Give yourself some time for your food to digest before you ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror! This was not yet open on my visit, and I did not get to finally experience the attraction until 2004 (it was awesome!).

How would you like to meet the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Today is your lucky day!

You can get a picture with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their autographs at 12:30, on your way to get a good view of Aladdin's Royal Caravan.

Aladdin's Royal Caravan was also at Disneyland in California during my visit in 1993.

Disneyland was getting ready to open their Aladdin's Oasis Dinner Show on July 2nd, 1993.

The Disneyland Adventures McDonald's Happy Meal combined Aladdin's Royal Caravan's Abu the Elephant float and the Aladdin's Oasis Dinner Show into one toy.

These days, visitors can find an Aladdin Magic Carpet ride at Walt Disney World in Florida (The Magic Kingdom) and at the Walt Disney Studios Park at the Disneyland Resort Paris in France. Tokyo Disneysea in Japan recently opened a similar ride called Jasmine's Flying Carpets, found in the Aladdin-inspired Arabian Coast section of the park (which includes a carousel and a 3D Genie attraction). At Disneyland Paris, Aladdin can also be found at Le Passage Enchante d'Aladdin walk-through attraction and the Storybook Land Canal Boats ride. At Disneyland, the Aladdin's Oasis Dinner Show closed, but the building remains. Aladdin can also be found at Disneyland's Storybook Land Canal Boats ride.

Hopefully someday we'll see a great Aladdin dark ride, similar to the Peter Pan's Flight attraction found in Fantasyland.

The magical Genie is an appropriate choice to celebrate the anniversary of Walt Disney World's 25th Birthday.
I just wrote a big post about Aladdin. What am I going to do next?

For more Aladdin fun, check out my 1993 Disneyland photos at Make Way For Prince Ali: Aladdin's Royal Caravan and Aladdin with a twist at A Whole New World: Anime Aladdin.