the Disney Look... to the Past! (February 22-28)

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: February 22-28

Feb. 28, 1996 - Disney acquires Gordo Cay in the Bahamas (now Castaway Cay)

Located in the Great Abaco Islands chain in the northern Bahamas, Gorda Cay was first inhabited in 1784 by European settlers in exile from the American Revolution. Its connection to Disney began two centuries later, when the island was used a shooting location for the 1984 Touchtone Pictures film “Splash.” Just over a decade later, it was acquired by Disney to create a private paradise for Disney Cruise Line Guests. Opened in 1998, Castaway Cay is a cherished favorite of Bahamian and Caribbean itineraries with its white sand beaches, open-air barbeque dining, and an array of activities including kayaking, biking and parasailing. Even with modern enhancements that make for a perfect day on an island paradise, nearly all of Castaway Cay remains in its pristine natural beauty, as less than a tenth of the island’s 1,000 acres are developed.

Feb. 22, 2009 - Disney-Pixar’s “WALL-E” wins Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film

If you’ve seen it, admit it: you can’t walk down Main Street, U.S.A. and hear “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” without thinking of WALL-E. As the last robot on a planet deserted by humans, WALL-E (an acronym for Waste Allocation Load Lifter - Earth class) has been compacting the garbage they left behind into neatly stacked cubes for the past 700 years. But when WALL-E forms a crush on his first visitor in centuries, the sleek and sparkling EVE (an Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), he’ll follow her to the farthest corners of space, in an adventure which proves that sometimes what you’re programmed to do isn’t what you’re meant to do. The idea for “WALL-E” originated during a 1994 lunch meeting of Pixar staffers which generated the stories behind “a bug’s life,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “Finding Nemo.” Helmed by “Nemo” director Andrew Stanton, “WALL-E” was ranked first in Time Magazine’s “Best Movies of the Decade” list.

Also this week in Disney history:

Feb. 22

1996 - Disney.com launches on the Internet

2012 - The interactive fantasy game Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom debuts at Magic Kingdom Park

Feb. 23

1935 - “The Band Concert” (first Mickey Mouse short in color) debuts

1939 - Walt Disney receives a special Academy Award for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

2004 - “Snow White - An Enchanting Musical” debuts at Disneyland Park

2010 - “Captain EO Tribute” opens at Disneyland Park

Feb. 24

1939 - “The Practical Pig,” a Disney’s Silly Symphony cartoon, debuts

1985 - Disney Clothiers, Ltd. opens on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park

2008 - “Ratatouille” wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film

Feb. 25

1938 - “Boat Builders” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1965 - “Mary Poppins” receives 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture

Feb. 26

1998 - The Official All Star Cafe opens at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex

2006 - “The Timekeeper” CircleVision film permanently closes at Magic Kingdom Park

Feb. 27

1996 - Walt Disney World announces it will host Atlanta Braves spring training beginning with the 1998 season

1992 - Elizabeth Taylor holds her 60th birthday party at Disneyland Park

1998 - Disney’s Animal Kingdom passes its first inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture, officially licensing the park to exhibit animals

Feb. 28

1993 - “Bonkers" debuts on the Disney Channel

2004 - The Earl of Sandwich Shop opens in Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World

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Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of your weekend!

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