The Disney Look... to the past! (March 12 - 18)

Here you are this week's look into the Disney past! What's your favorite event?

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This Week in Disney History: March 12 - 18

March 16, 2002 - Walt Disney Studios Park opens at Disneyland Paris

Ten years after the inauguration of Disneyland Park in France, Walt Disney Studios Park opened to give guests a behind-the-scenes look at cinema, animation and television. Created as a true working studio, the park offers a number of shows and attractions, the majority of which were created especially for Disneyland Paris. The CinéMagiqueattraction pays tribute to some of the most magical moments in cinema - both European and American. Tricks from the action movie world also come to life in a new show, "Moteurs… Action! Stunt Show Spectacular," later adapted for the Walt Disney World Resort in 2005. Walt Disney Studios Park continues to grow, enhanced by new attractions, including Tower of Terror (2008) and Toy Story Playland (summer 2010).

March 18, 1967 - Pirates of the Caribbean opens at Disneyland Park

It be too late to alter course, matey. The centerpiece of New Orleans Square and the final attraction supervised by Walt Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean plunges guests over a waterfall into a mysterious grotto housing cursed treasures, then surrounds them in a full-fledged pirate battle as a host of rascals and scoundrels ransack a city to find it. This beloved Disney Parks classic inspired a film series which has grossed more than $2.6 billion worldwide and garnered 11 Academy Award nominations, continuing this May 20 with the fourth installment, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." In 2006, the inimitable Captain Jack Sparrow climbed aboard the original Disneyland attraction as well as its Magic Kingdom Park counterpart at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Also this week in Disney history:

March 12

1999 - Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf opens next to Blizzard Beach at the Walt Disney World Resort

March 13

1969 - Walt Disney Pictures releases "The Love Bug," the highest grossing film of the year

2005 - Crush ‘n' Gusher, a new water coaster, opens at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon at the Walt Disney World Resort.

March 14

1960 - The CircleVision 360 film "Circarama" closes at Disneyland Park

1998 - The stand-alone McDonald's restaurant near Blizzard Beach opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

2008 - Block Party Bash officially debuts at Disney's Hollywood Studios

March 15

1991 - Disney Afternoon Live debuts at Disneyland Park, featuring Baloo's Dressing Room (a character meet-and-greet area) and "Plane Crazy" (a new stage show)

1995 - Plans unveiled at Carnegie Hall for Disney Institute

March 16

1934 - "The Three Little Pigs" wins the Academy Award for Best Cartoon Short Subject of 1933

1961 - Walt Disney Pictures releases "The Absent-Minded Professor"

March 17

1929 - "Plane Crazy" (Mickey Mouse short with sound) premieres in New York City

1939 - "Goofy and Wilbur" (the first Goofy cartoon short) debuts

1999 - The official grand opening of Test Track takes place at Epcot

2005 - Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters officially opens at Disneyland Park

March 18

1955 - Groundbreaking ceremonies are held for the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.

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