The Disney Look... to the Past! (July 19-25)

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: July 19-25

July 21, 1999 - The first Disney's FASTPASS is given out at Kilimanjaro Safaris
Suppose you'd like to venture through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, but the posted wait time is two weeks. (Disclaimer: the Kilimanjaro Safaris line never has been remotely close to two weeks; this is strictly a hypothetical situation.) No sweat - veer right from the entrance and swipe your park ticket at Disney's FASTPASS distribution kiosk. This complimentary service saves your spot in line at some of Disney's most popular attractions, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the park - shopping, dining, watching shows - or even riding a ride while you're technically waiting for another ride. Best of all, you skip the standby line and enjoy a minimal wait once their "return time" arrives. Disney's FASTPASS debuted at Disneyland a few months later when "it's a small world" issued the first ticket on November 19.

July 22, 1955 - Rocket to the Moon opens at Disneyland Park

Head towards the mighty Moonliner rocket in Tomorrowland and prepare for takeoff, because your “D” ticket is redeemable for trip out of this world. Though the first lunar orbit was more than a decade away aboard Apollo 8, Guests had the opportunity to make the trip to the moon early in this simulator attraction. Inside the circular cabin, screens above and below showed Guests the view as their powerful rocket lifted off from Earth, heading into space en route to the moon. Guests got an up-close view of the lunar surface as they slingshotted around for the return trip home, with special effects in the theatre making the journey seem almost real. Updated and renamed Flight to the Moon in 1966, the journey continued onto the next frontier, Earth’s closest neighboring planet, as Mission to Mars - opened in 1975 at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park. After its closing in 1993, an homage to the Moonliner rocket was added to Disneyland Park as part of the New Tomorrowland expansion in 1997.

Also this week in Disney history:

July 19

1940 - The Donald Duck animated short “Put-Put Troubles” debuts

1946 - The Pluto animated short “The Purloined Pup” debuts

1950 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Treasure Island,” the first all-live-action Disney film, and the first Disney film produced in England

July 20

1951 - The Donald Duck animated short “Lucky Number” debuts 

1985 - The 200 millionth Guest visits the Walt Disney World Resort

July 21

1939 - The Mickey Mouse animated short “The Pointer” debuts

1950 - The Pluto animated short “Pests of the West” debuts 

1986 - Disney leaders announce plans for Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World

July 22

1955 - Candy Palace opens on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Park

1994 - The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

July 23

1956 - Junior Autopia opens at Disneyland Park

1965 - Mapo, a division of Walt Disney Imagineering, is incorporated 

1999 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Inspector Gadget”

July 24

1942 - The Donald Duck animated short “Donald’s Gold Mine” debuts

1966 - New Orleans Square is dedicated at Disneyland Park

1985 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Black Cauldron”

2000 - The Disneyland Resort parking garage opens

July 25

1936 - The Mickey Mouse animated short “Alpine Climbers” debuts

1996 - Rainforest Cafe soft-opens for Guests at the Downtown Disney Marketplace

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Thank you for reading, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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