The Disney Look... to the past! (March 26 - April 1)

As we post every week, here you are a look at the history of the Walt Disney Company!:

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This Week in Disney History: March 26-April 1

April 1, 1995 - Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

According to legend, a freak snow storm once blanketed the southwest corner of the Walt Disney World Resort, and enterprising locals took advantage, creating Florida's first ski resort on Mount Gushmore. But when the usual hot weather returned, the black diamond runs and bobsled tracks melted away to create some of the world's most thrilling toboggan runs. (This place did open on April Fool's Day.) The third water park to open at the resort, Disney's Blizzard Beach features a family-friendly mix of unique and exciting attractions, but for many the signature ride remains Summit Plummet. Perched atop a ski jump launch, daring riders plunge down this 120-foot-tall incline, hitting near freeway speeds. Fittingly, there's a radar gun at the bottom to measure speed.

March 30, 2007 - Walt Disney Pictures releases "Meet the Robinsons"

Left at an orphanage as an infant, 12-year-old Lewis is now en route to becoming a brilliant inventor. But what he really wants is a family, and potential adopters are scared away when his creations go haywire. When the mysterious Bowler Hat Guy swipes Lewis' biggest invention yet, youthful "time cop" Wilbur Robinson arrives on the scene. Lewis doesn't believe Wilbur is from the future; to prove it, he whisks Lewis away via a time machine to the year 2037. There he meets Wilbur's oddball, science-loving family, who celebrate life's occasional failures as the only way to "keep moving forward." Lewis also discovers his and the family's history are intertwined - and his connection to the Bowler Hat Guy is closer than he realizes. The second computer animated film from the Walt Disney Animation Studios, "Meet the Robinsons" was directed by Stephen Anderson, who also helms this year's "Winnie the Pooh."

Also this week in Disney history:

March 26

1994 - Food Rocks opens at The Land at Epcot

1995 - Disneyland Park holds its first marathon and 5K run

March 27

1961 - Snow White Grotto opens at Disneyland Park

1986 - Bob Hope helps officiate the groundbreaking of the Disney-MGM Studios

1989 - The new Walt Disney World Casting Center opens

2005 - "Grey's Anatomy" debuts on ABC

2009 - "Celebrate! A Street Party" debuts at Disneyland Park

March 28

1987 - First Disney Store opens at the Glendale Galleria mall near Los Angeles

1987 - Port of Entry opens at Epcot

1997 - The first game is held at Disney's Wide World of Sports Baseball Stadium (now Champion Stadium) between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds

March 29

1998 - Disney hosts an event in New York City's Central Park for the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

2002 - Walt Disney Pictures releases "The Rookie"

March 30

1997 - The Disney's Wide World of Sports box office officially opens 

March 31

1958 - Grand Canyon diorama (part of the Disneyland Railroad) opens at Disneyland Park

1999 - Touchstone Pictures releases "10 Things I Hate About You"

2000 - Touchstone Pictures releases "High Fidelity"

2002 - Primeval Whirl opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park

April 1

1974 - Pioneer Hall opens at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground 

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