The Disney Look... to the past! (March 19-25)

Hello, and welcome to this week's look to the history of the Disney World, Land and Company!

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This Week in Disney History: March 19-25

March 19, 1959 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Shaggy Dog”

Meet Wilby Daniels, your average teenage inventor. His father, a retired mailman, doesn’t understand him – and after having had too many canine run-ins on his mail route – won’t even consider letting his youngest son, Moochie, have a dog. When an accident at a museum puts Wilby in possession of a cursed ancient ring, he transforms into a Bratislavian sheepdog. The curse can only be broken through a heroic selfless act, and his father chasing him out of the house isn’t the only thing Wilby has to worry about, as he becomes ensnared in a web of international espionage. The first live-action comedy released by Disney, “The Shaggy Dog” features Disney regulars Tommy Kirk, Tim Considine and Annette Funicello, with “My Three Sons” star Fred MacMurray as the overbearing father. The film has been remade twice, most recently in 2006 with Tim Allen as the family patriarch.

March 24, 1972 – Country Bear Jamboree opens at Disneyland Park

Originally envisioned by Walt Disney as entertainment at his never-built Mineral King ski resort, this Audio-Animatronic showcase was brought to Disneyland Park’s newly christened Bear Country by Imagineer Marc Davis after its successful debut at Magic Kingdom Park in 1971. A musical revue (penned by X. Atencio and George Bruns) performed by a troupe of friendly bears, including host Henry, starlet Teddi Barra and guitarist/occasional Elvis impersonator Liver Lips McGrowl, the show later spread to Tokyo Disneyland and inspired two holiday versions. The Country Bears’ Disneyland Park run ended in 2001 to make way for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but look carefully inside the attraction and you might spot the animal head trio of Max, Buff and Melvin keeping a watchful eye over the Hundred Acre Wood.

Also this week in Disney history:

March 19

1966 – Primeval World (part of the Disneyland Railroad) opens at Disneyland Park

2008 – Walt Disney World Boys & Girls Club opens in Orlando, Fla.

March 20

1921 – The first Newman Laugh-O-Grams (animated by Walt Disney) premieres at Newman Theater in Kansas City

1987 – “Captain EO” opens at Tokyo Disneyland Park

1995 – Main Street Book Shop, Penny Arcade and House of Magic close at Magic Kingdom Park

March 21

1975 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Escape to Witch Mountain”

1975 – Mission to Mars (updated Flight to the Moon attraction) opens at Disneyland Park

1997 – The new Carnation Cafe, the Blue Ribbon Bakery and the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor open on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park

March 22

1975 – Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village (now called Downtown Disney Marketplace) opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

March 23

1969 – Disneyland Park plays host to Herbie Day, featuring a parade of Volkswagen Beetles down Main Street, U.S.A. (promoting the film “The Love Bug”)

1990 – Touchstone Pictures releases “Pretty Woman”

2000 – “Disney’s Aida,” featuring music by Elton John and Tim Rice, opens in New York City

March 24

1956 – Astro-Jets opens at Disneyland Park 

1987 – Michael Eisner and French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac sign the Euro Disney protocol to bring the new Disneyland Resort Paris to France

2006 – “Hannah Montana” (television series) debuts on Disney Channel

March 25

1969 – President Nixon presents Lillian Disney with a special gold medal honoring Walt Disney for “Distinguished Public Service and Outstanding Contributions to the Public and the World”

1990 – Disneyana Shop opens at Hospitality House at Magic Kingdom Park

1994 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “D2: The Mighty Ducks”

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