The Disney Look... to the Past! (08/23 - 08/29)

Here you are this week's look to the Disney past (Parks, resorts, movies and more):

This Week in Disney History: August 23-29

August 29, 1964 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Mary Poppins.

Legend and lore surround the making of this box office smash, nominated for 13 Academy Awards and essential viewing for any Disney fan. Walt Disney courted author P. L. Travers for over two decades to obtain the film rights for her novel series about the British nanny. Travers had final approval of the script, but not the finished film, and famously complained to Walt about the animated sequence after the August 27th world premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Mary Poppins marked the film debut of Julie Andrews, who had just appeared in My Fair Lady on Broadway, and Andrews had a contractual guarantee she would be released from the project if she was cast as Eliza Doolittle in the musical's film adaptation. The role went to Audrey Hepburn, but it was Andrews who later won the Oscar for Best Actress. Bert is a combination of several characters from Travers' stories; fittingly, Dick Van Dyke played dual roles.

August 28, 2003 - Lucky the Dinosaur debuts at Disney California Adventure.

Lucky first appeared on the streets of Hollywood Pictures Backlot, experiencing the park and interacting with people just like any 5 year-old would - if they were a 9 foot tall, 12 foot long theropod dinosaur. Fully bipedal and with flower cart in tow, Lucky can walk, laugh, sneeze, purr, sign autographs and mug for cameras - he'll even play keep away with your Mickey ears if you're not careful. Lucky was the first free-roaming Audio Animatronic created by Disney Imagineers, and the first to interact directly with park guests, who are even welcome to pet him (his rough, detailed skin was custom designed to be flexible and waterproof). Further innovations led to next-generation figures like Muppet Mobile Labs and a living Wall-E, who greeted guests along with Lucky at the D23 Expo in 2009. No one is sure how Lucky got his name, but he is the only living dinosaur on earth, so that seems pretty lucky.

Also this week in Disney history:

August 23  

1955 - The Surrey (a Main Street vehicle) debuts at Disneyland Park 

1985 - Meadow Recreation Complex opens at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground 

1999 - Hollywood Scoops, an ice cream shop, opens at the Disney-MGM Studios

   

August 24  

1942 - The animated film Saludos Amigos world premieres in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 

1956 - Omnibus opens at Disneyland Park

   

August 25  

1985 - Disneyland Park welcomes its 250 millionth guest 

1989 - Leaders dedicate The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at the Disney-MGM Studios

   

August 26  

1949 - "Tennis Racquet" (Goofy cartoon short) debuts

2009 - The keel laying ceremony for the Disney Dream cruise ship is held in Papenburg, Germany 

   

August 27  

1958 - Fire Engine opens at Disneyland Park

1995 - Aladdin's Royal Caravan closes at the Disney-MGM Studios

   

August 28  

1929 - The animated short "Mickey's Follies" (featuring the song "Minnie's Yoo Hoo") debuts

1966 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea exhibit closes at Disneyland Park

1995 - The Pleasure Island Exxon station opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

   

August 29  

1955 - The Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship and Restaurant opens at Disneyland Park

1998 - Brink, a Disney Channel Original Movie, debuts

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