In tonight’s “After Dark” series, we’re taking a look at the lovely Tokyo Disney theme park as it exists today – at sunset. Here you can see the Partners Statue and the park’s Cinderella Castle with an amazing sunset in the background.
The Partners Statue, which can be found in a few Disney theme parks, was originally sculpted by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson. A former Disney animator and Imagineer, Blaine took a full year to create the sculpture and based his depiction of Walt on a bust he originally designed in the 1960s. When deciding on an expression for Walt’s face, Blaine wanted Walt to look as if he was watching happy guests enjoy his park. And when he decided to have Mickey Mouse hold Walt’s hand, Blaine reviewed a scene from “Fantasia,” in which Mickey shakes the hand of orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski.
