Magic That Made Us, vol. 3
The seven years of Annie Leibovitz portraits for the Year of a Million Dreams (and beyond)
Magic That Made Us is a series that reminisces on the bits and pieces of yesteryear that molded us — both individually and as a generation — into who we are today. Be sure to check out the archives for previous posts.
Happy Friday, friends! The third installment of Magic That Made Us transports us back to one of my favorite eras of Disney marketing, the “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration. This promotional period ran from October 1st, 2006 to December 31st, 2008 and dazzled guests with pixie-dusting in the parks (i.e. Fastpasses, treats, etc.), the possibility of being selected to spend a night in the Cinderella Castle Suite, and the fantastical Disney Dream Portraits series by photographer Annie Leibovitz.
As shown in the two videos below, it was an incredible era for the Disney parks. The vibes were immaculate, and all the pomp and circumstance made guests feel as though they were truly part of the magic each and every day of their vacation.
I remember watching the vacation planning DVD so many times that I, a 13-year-old, could practically recite the script. I was enamored and honestly, I still kind of am. It represents some of the qualities that the fandom loves most about Disney, which are often missing from the more recent marketing campaigns. Granted, this promotion took place during a stifling global recession so Disney didn’t really have much of a choice but to pull out all the stops to entice folks back to the parks. But, still.
If you were a reader of magazines during this time, you probably came across one or more of Leibovitz’s two-page portrait spreads. They featured one or more celebrities dressed as characters from Disney films against a stunning thematic or environmental backdrop, all captured through Leibovitz’s unique lens. Some are quirkier than others (again, this was the early 2000s) but they all, by and large, represent the pathos of the Year of A Million Dreams: no dream is too big, and there’s a role in every story for everyone.
To the delight of many, production for the collection continued beyond the promotional campaign and wrapped up in 2014 with a final portrait dedicated to a specific headstrong, Highland princess. To view the complete list with release years, click here. Without further adieu, let’s take a look at the portraits.
Alright, I’m dying to know — what are some of your favorites? I love the Cinderella, Peter, Tinkerbell, and Wendy, Merida, King Arthur, and Rapunzel portraits, and I’m very firm in my opinion that Julie Andrews makes one heckuva Blue Fairy.
It would be so cool to see a more modern rendition of this photography series. What character would you pick and who would you choose to model them? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
See ya real soon,
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I don't know how I missed these! I love Merida, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty.