This year marks the 80th anniversary of Disney’s Fantasia, which was released on November 13, 1940. Fantasia is one of our family’s favorites! It is a spectacle of creative genius and great musical masterworks. Our family spent some time learning about Disney’s animations and the musical works included in the film. We held a Fantasia movie night to watch the film and commemorate its 80th anniversary Here are the details of our party and resources to create your own Fantasia movie night complete with recipes and resources.
About Fantasia
Disney’s Fantasia takes us on a magical journey of the imagination through sound, color, and animation. Disney himself said, “In a profession that has been an unending voyage of discovery in the realms of color, sound and motion, Fantasia represents our most exciting adventure.”
Walt Disney opened his animation studios in 1921 when he was only 20 years old. Disney had created several short films he called “Silly Symphonies” which set his animations to classical music. After Snow White’s success in 1937 he wanted to create a more ambitious “Silly Symphony” based on the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Disney enlisted the musical expertise of Philadelphia Symphony conductor and film composer, Leopold Stokowski, to create The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The project budget was triple that of other Silly Symphonies, and in order to turn a profit, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice needed to become a full-length feature.
The team ultimately chose eight works to create Fantasia. The title was inspired by Stokowski who recognized the parallels between a musical fantasia {a free-form piece of music that resembles improvisation} and Disney’s creative project. He suggested the term fantasia as a working title for the film and the name stuck.
The highly-anticipated premiere took place on November 13, 1940 in New York City. The film cost an impressive $2.3 million and put the Disney company in a precarious financial position, partly due to World War II. The Disney company continued to re-release the film and in 1969 the film finally began to make a profit. In 1991 the film was released for home video, and later Disney’s nephew, Roy Disney, spearheaded a sequel, Fantasia 2000, which would push the frontiers of animation technology.
Decor
Because Walt Disney’s inspiration for Fantasia stemmed from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, we chose to use that theme for our decor. We used navy, white, and gold for our color scheme.
For our tablescape we layered white and navy tablecloths with a gold lame table runner. We used simple vintage candlesticks and gold stars to add some sparkle
We had fun adding touches of magic everywhere including a magical book of spells, fun gold stars, and gold balls intertwined with fairy lights.
Our Menu
We created a buffet of star-inspired treats. The recipes were simple to make and kid-friendly. The entire menu was prepared by Anna which added to the fun.
Fantasia Learning Resources
The works of music used in Fantasia and the animation are nothing short of fantastic!
Our family enjoyed trying some Disney drawing tutorials and learning about the various musical works included in the film. Below are some resources that you might enjoy using for your own study of Fantasia.
Check out a listening guide with discussion questions.
- Disney’s Fantasia 1940 Listening Guide
- Fantasia 1940 Film Follow Along Sheet
- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Curriculum Guide FREE
Learn about the music of Fantasia FREE
- Johann Sebastian Bach + Toccata & Fugue Teaching Guide
- Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky + About the Nutcracker + The Story of the Nutcracker
- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Lesson + The Story of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice
- Igor Stravinsky + Rite of Spring Teaching Guide
- Ludwig van Beethoven + About Beethoven’s Symphonies + Pastoral Symphony Teaching Guide
- Modest Mussorgsky + Night on Bald Mountain Teaching Guide
- Franz Schubert
Explore Walt Disney’s Animations FREE
- Sorcerer Mickey Drawing Tutorial
- Contemporary Mickey Mouse Drawing Tutorial
- 1920’s Mickey Mouse Drawing Tutorial
- Walt Disney Unit Study
Find More Party Inspiration
Does your family enjoy Fantasia? We would love to hear about your favorite Fantasia party ideas and learning resources. Please comment below and like our Delightful Homeschooling Facebook page for daily encouragement, inspiration, and blog posts.
