- published: 04 Aug 2013
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Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams is a fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida and at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris. The show debuted at the Magic Kingdom on October 8, 2003, and was developed by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, under the direction of VP Parades & Spectaculars, Steve Davison, who was assigned to create a replacement for the 32-year-old Fantasy in the Sky fireworks. In September and October, during "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party", the show is replaced with Happy HalloWishes, and in late November and December, Holiday Wishes during "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party". In 2007, the Magic Kingdom presented a new separate admission (known as a "hard ticket") event called Disney's Pirate and Princess Party with its own fireworks program titled Magic, Music and Mayhem. The French version of Wishes premiered on July 16, 2005; its only similarities to the American version were the music and narrative.
The regular show is hosted by Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy, and revolves around the wishes of famous Disney characters - good and bad. The lights on Cinderella Castle change colors throughout the show, reflecting the different stages of Wishes' narrative. At times it glows blue, imitating the Blue Fairy, but it is lit in angry reds and oranges for the "Villainous Wishes" sector of the show. There are also a number of special projection effects used on the Castle, such as the face of the Magic Mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the stars and moon from Mickey's sorcerer hat in Fantasia. While most of the characters in the show are only heard as part of the show's music track, Wishes also features an appearance from Tinker Bell as she flies from the tallest spire of Cinderella Castle (weather permitting).
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O. Disney, he was co-founder of Walt Disney Productions, which later became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation is now known as The Walt Disney Company and had an annual revenue of approximately US$36 billion in the 2010 financial year.
Disney is particularly noted as a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, for whom Disney himself provided the original voice. During his lifetime he received four honorary Academy Awards and won 22 Academy Awards from a total of 59 nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual in history. Disney also won seven Emmy Awards and gave his name to the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the U.S., as well as the international resorts Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was followed by O'Neal's trade from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, earning the NBA Finals MVP Award on both occasions.