Disney, Thanksgiving, and Don Knotts: A Holiday Special

New York City Holiday Adventures

• 🗽 Lauren recounts a trip to NYC, initially for "Wicked" on Broadway, but was met with extensive "Zootopia 2" marketing at JFK airport.
• 🏙️ "Wicked" promotions were also prominent in Times Square and Rockefeller Center, including themed ice rink lighting and street art.
• 🎭 The "Wicked" Broadway show offered exceptional merchandise, including a $25 bundle with a reusable shopper, socks, a magazine, and a poster.
• 🛍️ At Macy's, a large Disney collaboration featured animated Mickey and Minnie parade floats on store displays and a "NYC" shirt with balloon letters.
• 💄 The Macy's collection included a "Mini Woo" lipstick from MAC, glassware, ornaments, and a Minnie bow topper, with a Marvel arcade area nearby.
• ⚡ A visit to the Harry Potter store included a butterbeer meetup, a giant chocolate frog, a green screen broom experience, and Dobby's eye masks as souvenirs.

Disney's Thanksgiving and Holiday Programming

• 🦃 While Disney parks offer year-round turkey dishes, a "Pocahontas Thanksgiving Feast" was a past event at the Contemporary Hotel, though not highly attended.
• 🎬 The film "Pocahontas" originally featured a turkey character, "Red Feather," intended to be voiced by John Candy, but was cut for a more serious tone.
• 📺 "Prep and Landing: The Snowball Protocol" debuted on Thanksgiving night, with a marathon of "Prep and Landing" specials airing on ABC later that week.
• ❄️ The "Prep and Landing" marathon included the original special, "Naughty vs. Nice," "The Snowball Protocol," and "Olaf's Frozen Adventure."

The Legacy of Don Knotts

• 🎭 Don Knotts, known for his roles as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" and Ralph Furley on "Three's Company," voiced Mayor Turkey Lurkey in Disney's "Chicken Little."
• 🎬 Knotts had a significant career with Disney, starting in "The Apple Dumpling Gang" (1975) and appearing in five more films, including "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" and "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again."
• 🌟 Despite developing macular degeneration, Knotts continued acting, with Andy Griffith creating a role for him on "Matlock" and assisting him on set.
• 🎤 He also lent his voice to animated features like "Cats Don't Dance" and "Chicken Little," with his final voice role being in "Air Buddies."
• ❤️ Knotts is remembered as a humble, sweet, and funny individual who was a pleasure to work with, leaving a lasting impact on those he collaborated with.