In Depth: Walt Disney World - 2012 Year in Review

As you may have noticed, the year 2012 has been a great one for the park here in Central Florida, including for the Walt Disney World Resort. On this regard, the Walt Disney World Resort has compiled a list of key dates to remind you of the fantastic year that the parks had. Take a look, and enjoy! (All info: ©Disney):

Walt Disney World Resort: 2012 in Review

• Jan. 7: The 20-year anniversary of Voyage of The Little Mermaid at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The production features more than 100 black-light puppets and is performed by Cast Members 18 to 33 times per day.

• Jan. 19: President Barack Obama became the fourth sitting U.S. president to visit a Disney theme park. In a speech at Magic Kingdom Park, the president unveiled new initiatives to increase international visitors to the United States.

• Jan. 21: At the second annual holiday bird count at the Walt Disney World Resort, Cast Members and Guests counted more than 22,000 individual birds and 115 different species.

• Feb. 2: The 20-year anniversary of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside.

• Feb. 2: The official Disney Parks application, Disneyland Explorer, became available on iPad for Guests, who can discover the magic as they look through a photo re-creation of Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney District and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

• Feb. 11: First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the second anniversary of her “Let’s Move!” initiative and the Disney Magic of Healthy Living at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. She spoke to children and joined Perry The Platypus and stars from Disney Channel and Disney XD in performing “The Platypus Walk,” made famous in Disney Channel’s series “Phineas and Ferb.”

• Feb. 15: Five baby “Pumbaas” were welcomed into the Disney’s Animal Kingdom family.

• Feb. 17: The LEGO Imagination Center, along with the 54 other LEGO stores in the United States and Canada, set a new Guinness World Record with 18,559 spinner battles played in a 12-hour period. A record 255 spinner battles were played at the Walt Disney World location.

• Feb. 22: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom opened.

• Feb. 29-March 1: For the first time, Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park were open simultaneously for 24 hours, for One More Disney Day.

• March: Disney VoluntEARS raised more than $230,000 to support the business and economics programs of Junior Achievement through the 2012 Bowl-A-Thon.

• March 6: The Disney Fantasy was welcomed home at Port Canaveral, Fla., in preparation for its maiden voyage March 31.

• March 12: Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini reopened.

• March 13: Disney President and CEO Bob Iger announced a new companywide initiative, “Heroes Work Here,” focused on hiring, training and supporting returning military veterans. The initiative has three goals: to hire at least 1,000 military veterans over the next three years; to invest in select nonprofit organizations that provide training and support services for veterans; and to engage Disney VoluntEARS in veteran service projects. In May a series of “Heroes Work Here” career expos were held in Burbank, Calif., New York and Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

• March 25: Russell and Dug from the Disney-Pixar film "Up" began greeting Guests daily at Discovery Island at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

• March 28: The 15-year anniversary of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

• March 29: Bath and beauty store Basin reopened at the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

• April: The 20-year anniversary of The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve.

• April 4: The Walt Disney World Resort donated $5.7 million to the Heart of Florida United Way, thanks to Cast Member contributions and a matching gift from The Walt Disney Company Foundation.

• April 9: Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers, the Facebook social game, was released. Players can create and nurture their own wildlife nature preserve with exotic animals.

• April 13: Disney’s Kids and Nature Celebration honored five organizations for their work connecting kids to nature. Each organization received a $100,000 grant from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.

• April 13: “Chimpanzee,” DisneyNature’s newest True Life Adventure, premiered at Downtown Disney AMC Theaters.

• April 17: The Orange Bird character returned after a 25-year absence.

• April 27: The Disney Wonder set sail to Hawai‘i for the first time.

• May 1: Epcot celebrated the reopening of Tutto Italia and dedicated the opening of Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar.

• May 4: A male white rhino calf was born to Kendi, who was the first rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

• May 16: Community Relations leaders announced the Walt Disney World Resort will award a record $1.5 million in Disney Helping Kids Shine grants to 59 organizations that help enrich the lives of 70,000 children in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and Polk counties.

• May 22: Adventures by Disney announced its first trip themed to a motion picture as Disney-Pixar’s “Brave” serves as inspiration for a trip to Scotland.

• May 31: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort held its grand opening as the newest of the more than 20 Walt Disney World resorts.

• June 5: The Walt Disney Company became the first major media company to introduce new standards for food advertising on programming targeting kids and families. Under Disney’s new standards, all food and beverage products advertised, sponsored or promoted will be required by 2015 to meet Disney’s nutrition guidelines that are aligned to federal standards, promote fruit and vegetable consumption, and call for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium and sugar.

• June 10: The Disney Magic sailed from New York, N.Y., to Canada for the first time.

• June 14 & 15: A transformed Disney California Adventure Park unveiled Cars Land, which transports Guests to the town of Radiator Springs from the Pixar film “Cars,” and Buena Vista Street, with its period entertainment, dining and merchandise locations.

• June 20: Dumbo the Flying Elephant reopened at Magic Kingdom Park.

• June 21: Dave Owen, an Engineering Services manager, was named Disney VoluntEAR of the Year, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Community Involvement Committee was named Disney’s VoluntEAR Team of the Year.

• June 21: Nafuna, a 35-pound, female baby okapi was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

• June 22: Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure opened, featuring interactive fun and challenges.

• July 2: The 10-year anniversary of Disney Vacation Club - Beach Club Villas.

• July 2: The five-year anniversary of Disney Vacation Club - Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House.

• July 26: It was announced that the last of 3 million trees were planted in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest thanks to donations tied to opening-week attendance for the DisneyNature movie “Earth” in 2009.

• August: The ESPN Wide World of Sports Tailgate Grill food truck arrived as the first mobile food truck at the Walt Disney World Resort in more than a decade. The Tailgate Grill offers five different menus from upscale to casual dining.

• Aug. 1: Once Upon a Toy at Downtown Disney Marketplace celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Store Cast Members and select Guests received a special Once Upon a Toy trading pin.

• Aug. 1: The 15-year anniversary of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.

• Sept. 7: The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund 2012 annual grants were announced, in which more than $1.8 million will be awarded to conservation projects across the globe and marking the fund’s $20 million milestone in conservation giving.

• Sept. 15: The 15-year anniversary of Downtown Disney West Side.

• Sept. 29: runDisney debuted “The Twilight Zone” Tower of Terror 10-Miler through Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the Disney Villains Hollywood Bash and Halloween themes.

• October: The Disney Post, the official blog of The Walt Disney Company, was launched to provide an inside and in-depth look at the company's key brands, including content from all the company's businesses.

• Oct. 1: Epcot, the second theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort, celebrated its 30-year anniversary.

• Oct. 12: Tye Arnold and Richard Tamayo were named the 2013-2014 Walt Disney World Ambassador team.

• Oct. 18: The Haunted Mansion welcomed it 300 millionth Guest.

• Oct. 23: A herd of zebras were reintroduced to the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction after a new savanna was created.

• Oct. 28: Coinciding with the release of Disney’s animated feature “Wreck-It Ralph,” characters Ralph and Vanellope greeted Guests at The Magic of Disney Animation attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

• Oct. 30: Bob Iger announced that The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd., including the “Star Wars”franchise, in a stock and cash transaction valued at more than $4 billion.

• Nov. 1: In response to the East Coast devastation of Hurricane Sandy, The Walt Disney Company made a $2 million cash commitment to support hurricane relief and rebuilding efforts. One million dollars will be donated to the American Red Cross for immediate, critical assistance, and another $1 million will be designated for organizations working on rebuilding efforts.

• Nov. 8: Cast Member Jim Etherington played alongside pro golfers in the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

• Nov. 11: Celebrate the Magic began its nighttime projection show at Cinderella Castle, displaying the artistry of classic and contemporary Disney stories.

• Dec. 6: New Fantasyland was revealed. It is the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom Park, giving Guests a chance to enter the worlds of beloved characters Belle and Ariel, as well as enjoy the entertainment of Storybook Circus.

• Dec. 6: Test Track Presented by Chevrolet at Epcot reopened.

• Dec. 6: The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, an immersive theatrical experience based on the swashbuckling adventures of “The Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, opened.

• Dec. 17: Senses - A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort opened. Each treatment and spa package is guided by one of the spa’s core themes: relax, renew and imagine.

• Dec. 19: Splitsville Luxury Lanes officially opened to Guests at Downtown Disney West Side.

• Dec. 23: “The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special” returned with live, improvisational comedy performed by Cast Members at the Premiere Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

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As you can see, really a lot happened in the Walt Disney World Resort this year. We are sure 2013 will be just as good, even though other theme parks (Universal Studios Florida, SeaWorld Orlando, LEGOLAND Florida) will be under the spotlight in the next few months. It is going to be another great year for theme park fans!

INFORMATION AND PHOTOS: ©Disney. All rights reserved.