The Disney Look... to the Past! (07/12 - 07/18)

Here's this week look... to the DISNEY past!

'Tis Splash Mountain weekend!

This Week in Disney History: July 12-18

July 17 - Splash Mountain opens at Disneyland Park (1989) and Magic Kingdom Park (1992)

How do you do, mighty pleasant greetin'! Forget your troubles as you float away aboard a log with Brer Rabbit to find your laughin' place. Problem is, you can't run from trouble - there ain't no place that far - and before long Brer Fox and Brer Bear have you in their clutches, both hungry for some rabbit stew. Luckily, what Brer Rabbit lacks in size, he makes up for in wits, tricking Brer Fox into throwing him out of his Chickapin Hill lair into the thorny briar patch below. No problem for the rabbit, since that's his home, but for you, dear rider, it's a watery, scream-inducing 52 foot plunge. On the bright side, a party of friendly critters waits at the bottom to thank you for dropping in.

Splash Mountain retells the animated portions of the 1946 Disney film Song of the South, itself an adaptation of the folk tales of Joel Chandler Harris. Imagineer Tony Baxter pondered a concept for a new flume ride at Disneyland Park while stuck in Los Angeles traffic, developing the Song of the South idea; the late Bruce Gordon served as show producer, developing a nook-filled, cavernous look inspired by a storybook Baxter remembered from childhood. More than 100 Audio-Animatronic figures populated the show scenes at opening, some brought from the recently-closed America Sings attraction. Veteran actor Nick Stewart reprised his role as the voice of Brer Bear, while Brer Rabbit's speaking voice was provided by newcomer Jess Harnell - who would later play the "faboo!" Wakko Warner in Animaniacs.

The attraction opened in the newly-renamed Critter Country at Disneyland on the park's 34th anniversary. Exactly three years later, Splash Mountain soft opened in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park (though the "official" opening was October 1), featuring re-imagined show scenes and wider side-by-side logs but sharing the climactic final drop of its Anaheim counterpart.

Also this week in Disney history:

July 12  

1967 - The WEDWay PeopleMover opens at Disneyland Park 

1989 - Star Tours opens at Tokyo Disneyland

   

July 13  

1925 - Walt Disney and Lillian Bounds are married in Lewiston, Idaho

1935 - The animated short "Mickey's Garden" debuts 

1955 - Walt and Lillian celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary aboard the Mark Twain at Disneyland Park, followed by dinner at the Golden Horseshoe

   

July 14  

1934 - The Silly Symphony short "The Flying Mouse" debuts

1975 - Disney leaders announce plans for Epcot

1978 - American Egg House restaurant opens at Disneyland Park

   

July 15  

1994 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Angels in the Outfield

1995 - The Disney Wedding Pavilion opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

2005 - Space Mountain reopens at Disneyland Park with a rebuilt track and new special effects

2005 - Turtle Talk with Crush opens at Disney's California Adventure Park 

   

July 16  

1954 - "Dragon Around" (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1993 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Hocus Pocus

   

July 17  

1943 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Victory Through Air Power

1955 - Disneyland Park opens for an international media preview (now considered opening day)

1996 - Disney announces plans to open Disney's California Adventure Park

2009 - Imagineer and Disney Legend Marty Sklar retires after 54 years of service 

   

July 18  

1932 - The animated short "Mickey in Arabia" debuts

1955 - Disneyland Park opens to the general public for the first time

1965 - Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln opens at Disneyland Park

1978 - The Lake Buena Vista Office Plaza (now SunTrust Building and home to Disney offices) opens across from the Downtown Disney Marketplace 

1997 - Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort becomes Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

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