The Disney Look... to the Past! (March 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: March 22-28

March 22, 1975 - Downtown Disney opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

Originally opened as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, Downtown Disney has expanded and grown into a fun-filled district with destination stores, world-class dining and entertainment. Wrapping around Lake Buena Vista, the district is divided into three sections. Downtown Disney Marketplace features the vast World of Disney souvenir store, plus favorite eateries like Earl of Sandwich and T-Rex Café. Pleasure Island, opened in 1989, includes riverboat-themed Fulton’s Crab House and grown-up favorites like Raglan Road Irish Pub. Downtown Disney West Side, opened in 1996, includes the immersive DisneyQuest interactive theme park, Cirque du Soleil’s breathtaking “La Nouba,” and bowling fun at the all-new Splitsville Luxury Lanes. Earlier in March, Disney announced a multi-year transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs, reimagining it as a vibrant set of neighborhoods inspired by Florida’s waterfront towns and natural beauty. Planned for completion in 2016, Disney Springs will double the number of shops, restaurants and venues at the area to more than 150.

March 27, 1961 - Snow White Grotto opens at Disneyland Park

On the east side of the Sleeping Beauty Castle forecourt, a sometimes-overlooked side path leads to one of Fantasyland’s most charming and peaceful locations. In this garden-like setting filled with flowers and trees, a trickling waterfall is decorated by white, marble statues of characters from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” and nearby stands the famous wishing well of Disney’s first princess. Imagineer John Hench designed the grotto, and was famously frustrated that the statues of Snow White and her dwarfs were carved to be roughly the same height. He solved the scale issue through use of forced perspective, placing the princess atop the waterfall to make her look better proportioned to her friends below. Adriana Castelotti, the voice of Snow White, rerecorded her performance of “I’m Wishing” for use as background music beginning with the opening of New Fantasyland in 1983. As inscribed atop the well, the coins pitched in by Guests making their own wishes all benefit children’s charities.

Also this week in Disney history:

March 22

1935 - “The Golden Touch” (Silly Symphony) debuts

March 23

1969 - Disneyland Park hosts Herbie Day, featuring a parade of Volkswagen Beetles down Main Street, U.S.A. (promoting the film “The Love Bug”)

1990 - Touchstone Pictures releases “Pretty Woman”

2000 - Disney’s “Aida,” featuring music by Elton John and Tim Rice, opens in New York City

March 24

1956 - Astro-Jets opens at Disneyland Park

1972 - Country Bear Jamboree opens at Disneyland Park

1987 - Michael Eisner and French prime minister Jacques Chirac sign the Euro Disney protocol to bring the new Disneyland Resort Paris to France

2006 - “Hannah Montana” debuts on Disney Channel

March 25

1969 - President Nixon presents Lillian Disney with a special gold medal honoring Walt for “Distinguished Public Service and Outstanding Contributions to the Public and the World”

1990 - Disneyana Shop opens at Magic Kingdom Park

1994 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “D2: The Mighty Ducks”

1996 - John Lasseter is presented with an Academy Award for Special Achievement, recognizing “Toy Story” as the first fully computer-animated feature film

March 26

1994 - “Food Rocks” opens at The Land at Epcot

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

March 27

1986 - Bob Hope helps officiate the groundbreaking of Disney’s Hollywood 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 inaugural game is played at Champion Stadium

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

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