The Disney Look... to the Past! (July 27-August 9)

Good afternoon OTPN Readers! Today we have a special edition of the great feature "The Disney Look... to the Past!" to share with you. We hope you will enjoy all these very interesting facts about the Walt Disney Co.
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This Week in Disney History: July 27 - August 9

July 30, 1998 – The Disney Magic sets sail on its maiden voyage

Built at the legendary Fincantieri shipyards in Italy, the Disney Magic is more than a Disney-fied cruise ship. This inaugural member of the Disney Cruise Line fleet was designed as a throwback to the “golden age” of ocean travel, when luxury liners were the primary mode of transit between Europe and America. Intricate, lavish design touches and an Art Deco interior meet modern, innovative technology throughout its 11 decks. With a cruising speed of 21.5 knots (nearly 40 mph), it has plenty of power to boot for 2,700 Guests and 950 Crew Members. Registered in Nassau but based out of Port Canaveral, Fla., the Disney Magichas sailed to dozens of exotic ports throughout the Atlantic and Pacific. In 2005, the ship repositioned to Los Angeles (pictured above) in commemoration of Disneyland Park’s 50th anniversary, and this year offers itineraries from Galveston, Texas, and New York City.

July 30, 1993 – Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril opens at Disneyland Park in Paris

Any fan of the mine cart scene from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” would be thrilled to hop aboard one deep within the jungles of Adventureland. To help add more capacity at the quickly growing park in Paris, George Lucas and Walt Disney Imagineering partnered to retheme a stock roller coaster design around an ancient temple. The journey picks up speed and rapidly spirals out of control as the mine car passes through an inversion – a first for a Disney attraction. From 2000 to 2004, the attraction operated with the mine cars reversed (a l'envers!), adding an extra element of thrill as riders couldn’t see the next track element coming. Raging Spirits, opened at Tokyo DisneySea in 2005, reworks the story of the Paris attraction but utilizes the same track layout.

Aug. 3, 2001 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Princess Diaries”

Mia Thermopolis has spent her 15 years being completely average in every way. But on the eve of her sweet 16, a grandmother she didn’t know she had flies in from the kingdom of Genovia. Queen Clarisse informs Mia that her estranged father, who has just passed away, was sole heir to the throne of this tiny European kingdom. The gawky teenager must now decide whether to leave her mother and friends behind to accept her rightful place as princess, or leave Genovia without a leader. Based on the novels by Meg Cabot and directed by Garry Marshall, “The Princess Diaries” marked the film debut of Anne Hathaway as Mia, with “Mary Poppins” star Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse. The box office hit was followed by a 2004 sequel, and Hathaway landed another royal role as the White Queen in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.” One of Mia’s high school rivals — Lena, played by Mandy Moore — eventually got to become a princess, too; she voiced Rapunzel in Disney’s “Tangled.”

Also this week in Disney history:

July 27

1945 – The Pluto animated short “Canine Casanova” debuts

1987 – Disney leaders announce plans for the Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot

July 28
1951 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Alice in Wonderland”
1994 – Disney leaders break ground at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
1998 – The Disney Magic cruise ship is christened at Port Canaveral, Fla.
1998 – Roy O. Disney (Walt’s brother) receives a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, directly in front of the El Capitan Theatre

July 29
1930 – The Mickey Mouse animated short “The Shindig” debuts
1933 – The Silly Symphony short “Old King Cole” debuts
1998 – Walt Disney Pictures releases a remake of “The Parent Trap”

July 30
1932 – The Silly Symphony short “Flowers and Trees,” the first cartoon in Technicolor, debuts
1986 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Flight of the Navigator”
1999 – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

July 31
1929 – “The Karnival Kid,” the first animated short in which Mickey Mouse speaks, is released (his first line: “Hot dogs!”)
1955 – Casey Jr. Circus Train opens at Disneyland Park
1960 – Sunkist Citrus House opens at Disneyland Park
1995 – Disney announces the purchase of Capital Cities/ABC television network

Aug. 1
1936 – The animated short “Mickey’s Circus” debuts
1958 – The animated short “Paul Bunyan” debuts
1997 – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort opens at the Walt Disney World Resort
1997 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Air Bud”

Aug. 2
1999 – The Disney Wonder cruise ship arrives at Port Canaveral from Italy
2001 – Soundstage 2 at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank is renamed the Julie Andrews Stage
2002 – Touchstone Pictures releases “Signs”

Aug. 3
1935 – “Mickey’s Fire Brigade” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts
1988 – The Walt Disney Company and French leaders host the groundbreaking ceremony for the Disneyland Paris Resort

Aug. 4
1995 – Leaders preside over the groundbreaking of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
2009 – Bay Lake Tower opens at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Aug. 5
1955 – The “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” exhibit opens at Disneyland Park
1967 – Adventure thru Inner Space opens at Disneyland Park
1992 – The 400 millionth Guest visits the Walt Disney World Resort
1992 – The Walt Disney Story closes at Magic Kingdom Park
2011 – “Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension” premieres on Disney Channel

Aug. 6
1961 – Flying Saucers opens at Disneyland Park
1996 – Rainforest Café officially opens at the Downtown Disney Marketplace
1999 – Hollywood Pictures releases “The Sixth Sense”
2003 – Walt Disney Pictures releases a remake of “Freaky Friday”

Aug. 7
1992 – Touchstone Pictures releases “3 Ninjas”
2004 – The world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” is held at AMC Downtown Disney 12 at the Disneyland Resort

Aug. 8
1952 – The special cartoon “The Little House” debuts
2001 – “The Wayne Brady Show” debuts on ABC

Aug. 9
1940 – “Donald’s Vacation” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts
1946 – “Wet Paint” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts
1955 – The Aunt Jemima Pancake House opens at Disneyland Park
2004 – Donald Duck receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Thank you very much as always for reading, and have a great rest of your week!

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