The Disney Look... to the Past! (March 30-April 5)

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the weekly feature known as "The Disney Look... to the Past!"
Enjoy reading all of the following interesting facts about the Walt Disney Parks, Resorts, Movies, and more:
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This Week in Disney History: March 30-April 5

April 2, 1954 - Walt Disney announces Disneyland Park and television show plans

On a bench in Los Angeles' Griffith Park, Walt Disney dreamed of a place where parents and children could have fun together. Imagining it was one thing, but lining up the money to build it was quite another. The ABC television network agreed to help finance the park in exchange for several considerations, including original programming. Once both boards finalized the arrangement, two "Disneylands" were announced – the park and a television series. ABC premiered the first episode on Oct. 27, 1954, treating viewers to an exclusive look at Disneyland Park under construction, as well as production work on "Sleeping Beauty" and "Davy Crockett." The "Disneyland" television series would continue under various names through 2008, including "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" and "The Magical World of Disney."

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

Left at an orphanage as an infant, 12-year-old Lewis is now on his way 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 this oddly familiar face is from the future, and to prove it, Wilbur whisks him away via 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 that his and the family's history are intertwined, and his connection to the Bowler Hat Guy is closer than he realizes. "Meet the Robinsons" was the second fully computer-animated film from the Walt Disney Animation Studios, and director Stephen Anderson also helmed last year's "Winnie the Pooh."

Also this week in Disney history:

March 30
1997 – The Disney’s Wide World of Sports box office officially opens

March 31
1958 – The Grand Canyon diorama is added to the Disneyland Railroad
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

April 1
1974 – Pioneer Hall opens at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
1995 – Blizzard Beach opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

April 2
1940 – Walt Disney Productions becomes a publically traded company, offering stock for the first time
2004 – Disney releases the animated feature “Home on the Range”
2007 – Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor opens at Magic Kingdom Park

April 3
1994 – Frank G. Wells, president of The Walt Disney Company, dies in a helicopter accident

April 4
1954 – Joe Fowler is hired as a construction supervisor for Disneyland Park; he later becomes its operations manager, then a key executive in the construction of the Walt Disney World Resort
1994 – Michael Eisner assumes the presidency of The Walt Disney Company following Frank Wells’ death

April 5
1965 – “Mary Poppins” wins five Oscars at the 37th Academy Awards, including Best Actress honors for Julie Andrews
1998 – The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) opens at Magic Kingdom Park
1999 – The Studio Costuming Company, the new costume issue building for Disney’s Hollywood Studios Cast, opens
2006 – Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique opens in Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World

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As usual, thank you for reading, and have a great week!

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